The Dutch Orphan, Ellen Keith
The Dutch Orphan, Ellen Keith
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

The Dutch Orphan

Author: Ellen Keith

Narrator: Nancy Peterson

Unabridged: 12 hr 45 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/19/2023


Synopsis

From the author of The Dutch Wife comes a riveting novel set during World War II about a woman who offers shelter to a Jewish baby, and her sister, who must choose between family loyalty and her own safety.

Amsterdam, 1941. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased, her Jewish friends forbidden from performing with her onstage. Alongside her friend Jakob, Johanna helps organize the Artists’ Resistance, an underground network allowing Jews to perform at house concerts hosted by their allies. When Johanna hears of a Jewish orphan headed for deportation, she does not think twice. She takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from even her own sister, Liesbeth.  

Meanwhile, Liesbeth finds herself in a dilemma, as she knows of her sister’s staunch support for the Resistance, but her husband supports the Nazis. When a charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on her, her predicament only deepens. As secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond, they are both forced to make choices that will alter their lives forever.

About Ellen Keith

Ellen Keith is the author of the bestselling novel The Dutch Wife. She has an undergraduate degree in history with a focus on WWII/Holocaust Studies from the University of Alberta, as well as an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia. She is originally from St. Albert, Canada, and currently lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews on April 20, 2023

Two sisters on two different sides. Johanna was married to a resistor and Liesbeth was married to a man supporting Hitler. They always have been close, but this war separated them. Another thing that separated them was that Liesbeth was trying to become pregnant while Joanna was trying not to become pr......more

Goodreads review by Genevieve on December 18, 2022

Vivid and deeply personal, “The Dutch Orphan” is a harrowing story of two sisters torn apart by secrets, then forced to make an impossible choice. A heartbreaking, compelling story I couldn’t put down until the very last page.......more

Goodreads review by Louise on February 01, 2023

Good book.......more

Goodreads review by Jaz on March 28, 2023

A wonderful new novel about the impact of the Nazi invasion on everyday Dutch citizens. And contrary to the trolls who have been posting here and who haven’t read the book: there is no nazi sympathy in this book. Nor is there a Jewish baby used as a prop. There were many citizens who helped hide and......more

Goodreads review by Bookworm on July 09, 2023

3.5 stars A solidly written WW2 historical fiction that takes place in the Netherlands. Although I've read a ton of WW2 fiction, this was a new backdrop for me, which I appreciated. The plot alternated between the perspectives of two sisters - one who does what she can to resist the German occupation......more