Despite the beautiful title, this is an amazingly brutal fictionalized account of actual events in World War II using knowledge gained through interviews and written accounts to bring a story of horror, incredible resilience, and bravery to the fore. It introduces us to three women affected by the war in very different ways. Caroline volunteers in the relief efforts in the United States and stands up for the rights of those who have no voice even when it means abandoning her own comfort to help others. Kasia is a simple Polish girl drawn into the resistance when the Germans overrun her town who becomes embittered because of the horrors she’s witnessed and experienced, but mostly because of the losses she’s suffered. Herta is a loyal German who buys into Hitler’s rhetoric to the point of becoming a monster.

The book does not pull punches. The description is detailed and graphic, revealing practically every dark side within humanity. There is no sitting back and remaining an objective observer. Each of these women have experienced some level of trauma by the end of the book, and each remains true to who they are, no matter how repellant that person may be. I was not surprised to learn the foundation of their characters was in historical people, more so with Herta and Caroline who actually existed, because the research helped make it all feel so real.

This is not a pleasant read. It’s not something you’d go to for comfort, or even to feel all is right with the world. Lilac Girls is about making history come alive and helping people understand both the extent and the insidious nature of it. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. This fictional account of the historical events of World War II and its aftermath serves to remind us of how lives were affected and why it happened.

Herta is perhaps the most interesting character because she’s the hardest to reconcile with my own point of view. What she does to fulfill what she sees as her own destiny and what she believes is right, along with how she rationalizes the situations she finds herself in, are telling reminders of just how someone like Hitler could come to power and how educated people can let themselves be taken in. Not that she was a victim. She had chances to turn aside as others in her circumstances did. She chose this path and performed every step on it knowingly. That kind of dedication is terrifying when applied in the service of someone like Hitler, but without understanding the perspective, people like me will fall into the belief that it cannot happen to normal people, that the people who do this had something intrinsically wrong with them from the start. Yes, Herta experienced some trauma in her past, but it did not drive her choices.

Kasia is the most complex, not just because of her character, but because of her circumstances. The layers of experience, the way she and the other Polish prisoners found things to share and to focus on even when their circumstances were beyond grim, and the way those choices aided her when she most needed something to, all added up to a fascination with her scenes beyond any of the others. She did not come through her experiences unmarred, but she did come through them, showing an internal strength and determination that is compelling in any environment. In hers, though, it is amazing. The details of how the prisoners kept their spirits up, while disturbing from an outsider perspective, only made the truth of their experience stronger, an experience grounded in fact as much as fiction.

Caroline was the easiest character, though her world had as many differences from mine as any of the others. She began as a philanthropist in a time when the opportunities for women were limited, especially in her class. She took that charitable urge to greater lengths than most, however, and once it became personal, she risked everything to help those who needed a champion even at personal risk. I especially liked how she wasn’t a saint. She had her weak moments, she had her imperfections, and yet she still had the will to do what so many others did not, ignoring a long-standing history of turning a blind eye to Eastern Europe and challenging the powers that be to bring help to those most in need.

Lilac Girls is not a comfortable book nor should it be. It is a stark presentation of the realities when divisive rhetoric is given enough force to become real. We do well to remember this so the world does not stand idly by, but instead chooses to take action, even at great risk as the men and women in this story did, to fight against the monsters that lurk among us. Books like this one help ensure the horrors of World War II are not forgotten, but neither are the heroes, especially the ones who had no special training, no unique abilities, but who were ordinary men and women choosing to take a stand.

P.S. I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.