The Winter Orphans

De: Kristin Beck

Narrado por: Lisa Flanagan

A poignant and ultimately triumphant novel based on the incredible true story of children who braved the formidable danger of guarded, wintry mountain passes in France to escape the Nazis, from the acclaimed author of Courage, My Love.

Southern France, 1942

In a remote corner of France, Jewish refugee Ella Rosenthal has finally found a safe haven. It has been three years since she and her little sister, Hanni, left their parents to flee Nazi Germany, and they have been pursued and adrift in the chaos of war ever since. Now, they shelter among one hundred other young refugees in a derelict castle overseen by the Swiss Red Cross.

Swiss volunteers Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet uphold a common mission: to protect children in peril. Rösli, a stubborn and resourceful nurse, directs the colony of Château de la Hille, and has created a thriving community against all odds. Anne-Marie, raised by Swiss foresters, becomes both caretaker and friend to the children, and she vows to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe.

However, when Germany invades southern France, safeguarding Jewish refugees becomes impossible. Château de la Hille faces unrelenting danger, and Rösli and Anne-Marie realize that the only way to protect the eldest of their charges is to smuggle them out of France. Relying on Rösli's fierce will and Anne-Marie's knowledge of secret mountain paths, they plot escape routes through vast Nazi-occupied territory to the distant border. Amid staggering risk, Ella and Hanni embark on a journey that, if successful, could change the course of their lives and grant them a future.

©2019 Kristin Beck (P)2022 Penguin Audio

WWII about women and children’s

Great ww2 historical fiction.
Different twist that shows the discrepancy of the different countries and of course religions.

Heartbreaking

An amazing story of both tragedy and incredible courage. I can only hope through the telling of these stories that no one ever has to endure anything like this again. Unfortunately war still continues in our world and it’s the innocent that pay the price.

What a story!

I really enjoyed this story based on true events of Jewish children in Nazi occupied France. The courage displayed by their caretakers & the children themselves was awe inspiring. An excellent book & story!

Incredible story

This was gripping and heart wrenching, yet the efforts at keeping this fictional story as true to life as possible or not lost. Thank you for bringing this portion of history back to life.

Informative; heartbreaking

Perhaps I would have enjoyed reading rather than listening. I do appreciate all I learned, disturbing though it was. Should be required reading for those who do not fear Nazi influence today.

The plot and the wonderful characters.

The fact that some of the characters were based on real people was actually heartbreaking and I can’t imagine going through what they
did just to survive.

Gripping - every minute

When I couldn’t listen, I couldn’t stop thinking about this story! Thank you for writing it.

Tragic and hopeful

This is not just another WWII story. It is one based on real people and their experiences in saving children. The author’s note at the end was very informative and helpful. Narration was superb.

Bravery

I am not usually a fan of historical fiction, but this story changed my mind. It was told with warmth yet the cruelty of the facts were always at the edge. . It is truly a book for everyone.

Courageous people

I loved that the story was really based on facts, while the main orphans in the story were fictional with plausible situations and feelings.