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There are currently 35 member reviews
for The Prisoner's Wife
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Carolyn L. (New York, NY)
Inspirational Story
Book content reminds me somewhat of "The Tattooist of Auschwitz". The book gives a vivid picture of the happenings during the time period in which it took place. Readers that have no knowledge of the time period will complete the book wanting to do research. The characters and events are very believable. The book is interesting and informative. A story of struggle and survival during difficult times. A story of what people will do for love.
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Cheryl S. (Redmond, WA)
The Prisoner's Wife
Thank you to BookBrowse for the ARC of the Prisoner's Wife, by author Maggie Brookes. I've read my share of novels set during WWII, but this one had a storyline that was unique to me. A newly married couple, the wife disguised as a man, trying to survive in a POW camp. Enduring extreme hunger, cruelty, horrific weather, and filthy conditions, it's hard to imagine what people endured, yet found the courage to persevere and help each other.
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Rebecca G. (Havertown, PA)
So Much More than it Appears to be
I have to admit I had a hard time getting into this book. I thought the first few chapters of Izzy and Bill's relationship was silly and simplistic and some of the things that happened between them were unnecessary. Once the author got into the meat of the story and the meat of their relationship things changed. This is so much more than a story of two people who literally lived through hell to be with each other. It's also the story of the care and compassion and sacrifices that people made in the concentration camps despite the deplorable conditions and the the despicable treatments in order to save another person. It's a story of prisoners being so very human despite the awful inhumanity. It's the story of Izzy and Bill yes, but I found it to be more a story of Izzy. She lived as a mute man, denying her body, struggling with her menses and just the every day dilemma just to bathe or pee, constantly living with the fear of discovery. I loved her and her strength. I would love to know what happened to her after the war. That's how deeply she affected me.
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Rosemary C. (Golden, CO)
Intense Portrayal of Prisoners of War
I was caught up in this story inspired by true events. The author's thorough research about the prisoner of war and labor camps is evident. I could vividly see the overcrowded barracks, smell the stench of unwashed bodies and imagine the hunger of starving humans pushed to the brink. The brazen act of a woman hiding among all the male prisoners is hard to imagine but makes me think that there had to be a great love affair between husband and wife. I hope, with the publication of this book, someone will come forward and name the real prisoner and his wife and tell us their story.
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Janine S. (Wyoming, MI)
Powerful story told well
The Prisoner's Wife is work of fiction based on a true story told to the author by a survivor of a POW camp in WWII of how a Czech woman survived as a POW along with her British husband. Intrigued by the story, the author researched WWII POW experiences to write this novel. She brilliantly creates a story that is spell-binding, realistic and captivating. You are carried along with as the woman, Izzy, and her husband, Bill, meet men who keep her secret safe and in so doing become her friends. The ending with the long march right before the end of WWII is particularly riveting as the characters experience extreme coldness and hunger that is unimaginable. I kept reading because I simply had to know how the story ended. Highly recommend.
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Shawna (TX)
Inspired by actual events, but not inspiring
World War II historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the most difficult of circumstances. It can inspire us and educate us in with details of little known events. The Prisoner's Wife is inspired by actual events. The story does educate us about circumstances in Lamsdorf POW camp in Poland, a quarry in occupied Czechoslovakia, and the Long March west. Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy most of the main characters. There were portions of their story that I just did not care about. Sadly, the story fell flat for me which was surprising to me. If you love WWII historical fiction, give it a try. However if it doesn't grab your attention in the first 100 pages, put it down for something else.
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Chari B. (Brunswick, ME)
Disappointing
I enjoy any book that is based on a true story during this period of history. This one misses the mark for me. While there were highlights, well researched areas in the middle of the story, the beginning and ending were weak. A missed opportunity to have a very good book from a different view.
