Three Ordinary Girls is not just another World War 2 story from Europe. It gives a broad political and sociological view of the resistance movement in the Netherlands while narrowing the focus to a pair of teen sisters, Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, and college-aged Hannie Schaft, immediately creating a sense of investment and human compassion that can be lacking in a detail-heavy work of nonfiction/history. Of course, this same vulnerability is one of the key components that made the girls such effective members of the resistance: they were able to flirt their way into classified information and out of lethal situations regularly.

Famous books have been written about the ten Boom sisters and, of course, the Frank family. Three Ordinary Girls references these familiar works and develops a rich context around them. I learned things I did not realize about the complexity and depth of the engagement between the resistance and the occupying Germans in the urban setting of Amsterdam. I was also unaware of the length of time between D-Day and the actual liberation of the Netherlands, a time in which many Jews, civilians, and resistance fighters continued to die. I come away from this book with more awe and appreciation for the horrific losses and the heroic sacrifices.

Thank you to Tim Brady, Citadel Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

To start the review of Three Ordinary Girls I must state one should never underestimate females and what they are capable of.
Three Ordinary Girls by Tim Brady is a unique book, at least for me. Before reading this book, I was not familiar with the German occupation of the Netherlands or of the resistance movement. If you are interested in World War II History or Woman’s History this is a must-read!
This book is about the Oversteegen sisters, Truus and Freddie, and Hannie Schaft and their work as saboteurs and Nazi assassins. The book is set in the Netherlands during the German occupation. It follows the three women from when they entered the resistance movement until after the war. It includes stories of the bonds they created with each other and other members of the movement. The book also follows along with the women on some of the missions they carried.
Overall I enjoyed this book and learned from it. The only part about the book that I was not a fan of was the restating of the same events even though it was from a different viewpoint. This was only at the beginning of the book. The rest of the book came together very well and made the reading of the book easier to follow and a page-turner.
Thanks for the eARC of #threeordinarygirls by #timbrady from #netgalley #kensingtonbooks

A great story of anti-fascist resistance during WWII. Most of the action is in Holland. These teenagers risked everything to help hide Jews, camouflage Jews and try and get them to a safe place. Nice characters and a warm writing style.

While I enjoyed this story, it felt incomplete. This short book follows 3 girls from two different families living in The Netherlands during the 1930s and early 1940s during the rise of Naziism. The book highlights their education and friendships with fellow countrymen/women, some of Jewish descent, as well as their increasing involvement with resistance to the Nazi’s as they infiltrated The Netherlands.

I felt like the characters and setting needed a more detailed introduction. What did things look like in their towns? What were the personalities of the girls like? The ending was quite abrupt. It felt like the book was just beginning. At the end the girls had just committed to participate in more organized resistance. But then the book ended. We never learn what resistance activities they carry out.

I would probably read part 2 if there was a part 2.

I received an arc copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Though it’s not characterized as such, this book reads to me like young adult nonfiction. Everything is explained in fairly simple terms, there aren’t loads of source materials cited, and its style seems intended to be an inspirational learning experience. Also, I have never experienced an adult history, even popular history, refer to somebody giving “the hairy eyeball.” Not that there’s anything wrong with those things; I just think potential readers would be better served if they had a fuller understanding of the book’s style before making a decision to buy or read it.

Author Tim Brady does a good job introducing the three Dutch girls who were teenagers when the war began, making the reader understand the world they grew up in and how it was shattered by the German invasion and the sudden transformation of their country into a Nazi satellite. It’s always illuminating to see what kind of person chooses to risk his or her life for the greater good. It’s often a person you wouldn’t previously have picked out as outstandingly fearless or heroic.

Though most books about the resistance to the Nazis focus on men, more and more books in recent years spotlight the women and girls who played roles. Women were able to go about their daily lives under the noses of the Nazis and their minions, generally overlooked and unsuspected. As a result, women were strongly represented for courier and other work that had to take place in plain sight. But the three girls of the title, Hannie Schaft and the sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, went far beyond that. They helped hide those fleeing from the Nazis, including Jews, they carried out sabotage operations and they even took the ultimate step to the killing of German occupiers and collaborators. Tim Brady is unflinching in telling these stories, but also about the toll the years of fighting took on these young women.

If you are interested in a popular/YA history of women in the European WW2 resistance, this is a good choice.

This is without doubt the most moving and thought provoking book I’ve read in the past year. - and I’ve read a lot. I stayed up most of the night reading because I could not stop. And I was stunned that I had never heard of, or read about these three Ordinary Girls and their work in the resistance in the Netherlands. Several times I had to remind myself that this was not historical fiction. It was only the meticulous documentation that reminded me I was reading a true account of events in the lives of these three women. That two of them lived into their nineties and were able to recount their almost unbelievable exploits is remarkable. That more people haven’t heard of them is equally so.

This book documents the prewar lives of the heroines and their transformation from regular teenaged girls to trained resistance assassins. The author tells the story of each girl and her individual background and personality, and their evolution into a team that was underestimated by the authorities and later by their own resistance leadership. Of the many harrowing and horrible situations they faced, I was most disturbed by the account of their being sent on long missions on their bicycles along the cost in frigid, bad weather to deliver supposed important pouches to The Hague - only to learn the pouches contained jewelry and cigarettes for the wives and girlfriends of the new leadership that had taken control of all resistance cells. It was so demeaning and dismissive of their demonstrated skills and bravery, simply because they were women.

That many in the resistance had socialist or communist leanings colored the post war feelings about its members. The initial reverence for and tributes to the fallen member of the trio lasted only as long as it took for the Cold War to heat up. And I suppose this is why we haven’t heard much of them. I am glad the author undertook this project,, bringing together so many resources to tell their story. You can not read it and not be in awe of their accomplishments, and not ask yourself if you would have the courage - or foolhardiness- to do the same. The author tells their story in a way that is wonderfully straightforward and lacking in the melodrama that would be easy to attach to it.

As a redhead with two red headed children, I have always told them to remember they will never be able to get away with anything. People will always remember, “ It was the one with the red hair.”

Three Ordinary Girls is the true story of World War Two Dutch resistance squad by Hannie Schaft, and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, unique for its being solely female in composition and action. These young women were but teenagers when the war first began, yet over the course of years, they grew to be fierce soldiers, determined to fight the German invasion of their country. They were defined by their political beliefs, their dedication to the cause and their willingness to do ‘whatever it took’ to bring down the Nazi regime and fight for the liberty of all people. Their efforts included hiding Jewish people, even daring to risk moving children around the country to find them safe havens, sabotaging bridges and railway lines, destroying Nazi facilities and perhaps most chillingly, assassinating both members of the Nazi invaders, Dutch sympathizers and those who would turn against their fellow nationalist or innocent Jew. As the war dragged on, their spirit and behaviour became more akin to paramilitary fighters and they knew no fear. These were not women to sit numbly in their homes, waiting for the men to win the war. They took their courage in their hands and served on the front line of the resistance and fought for freedom.

Such a story as told by these three courageous women should have been completely unputdownable. It should have gripped the reader with a vice-like power that would leave them gasping at the trio’s exploits and bravery. This story had the potential to be so mind blowingingly incredible that history teachers would be desperate for students to read it. Instead, the book is guilty of being dry and, dare I say, at times even boring. Which is a literary crime when, so few actual women are fully celebrated for the roles they played in the resistance of the Nazi regime in this paternal society and its outlook where it is all too often the exploits of men that are written about, taught and memorialized. This is not a book to offer up to young people nowadays as an example of truth and daring. It is rather dull, tedious and lacks the effort of being able to create excitement. A book about these heroic women should have been a sure-fire hit but instead is heartbreakingly a lost opportunity.

What a shame.

All is equal in war. Spies can be men or women. Resisters can be boys or girls. This is the true story of three girls who bravely chose to fight the Nazis. In their homeland: the Netherlands. Early in WWII: 1940.

Hannie, Truus and Freddie worked unceasingly. They hid Jews; they killed Nazis. They worked in safe houses; they blew up bridges.

This story will take your breath away. And then give it back to you as you contemplate and envy their determination and fearlessness.

I read this EARC courtesy of Kensington Books and NetGalley. pub date 02/21/21

It Must Be Done

Three brave young teenage girls join the Dutch resistance and put their lives on the line to fight the Nazi's. Hannie Schaft, and the Oversteegen sisters Truus and Freddie. These girls became saboteurs and assassins. They took on assignments that no grown man would attempt. They did what they could to fight back against the Nazi's and those that collaborated with the Nazi's. They helped hide the Jewish population and those that were in danger from the Nazi's.

The book tells their stories and their daring assignments and escapes and sometimes the death of the resistance workers who were their friends and colleagues. It also tells the story of their feelings and political leanings as well as their hatred of the Nazi's.

The history in the book is very interesting, informative and well researched. I learned so much from this book about the events taking place in Holland and Amsterdam during the times before, during and after WWII. There were two layers of local police the security police and the order police. The security police or called the SD employed V-Men to infiltrate the resistance groups. The order police kept order in the streets and conducted raids. The resistance had to contend with these two groups of Dutch police as well as the Nazi German soldiers.

The book mentions the mass transit strike which was an attempt to curtail supply lines and other efforts by the resistance to hinder the Nazi troops.

The Ten Boom Family of which Corrie Ten Boom was a daughter and The Frank family of which Anne Frank was a daughter both lived in this area. The Ten Boom's hiding Jewish citizens and the Frank families hiding and eventually their capture. They were all connected with this Dutch resistance movement.

These three teenagers and the other young people in this resistance movement completed whatever was asked of them without hesitation and without complaint. That so much was done by so few in such a manner as to become valuable to the resistance movement and wanted by the Nazi's is an honor to their courage and bravery in the most dangerous of circumstances. These teenagers were truly heroes.

I would recommend this book to all.

Thanks to Tim Brady, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of the book for an honest review.

I am fascinated by WWII stories and ever since visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC - the countless stories of resistance fighters have dominated my interest. This story of women recruited as teenagers to the movement, tells the tale of Freddie and Truus Oversteegen, and Hannie Schaft as a true account of true heroes.


These 3 teenagers took direct action against Nazi targets. They helped Jewish families and other resisters. They blew up bridges and railways. They disquised themselves to accomplish tasks, assassinated people, and smuggled weapons. It sounds like a novel - but it is all true.

Tim Brady has researched and retold the almost unbelievable tale of women, that I would think of as children today. The writing is a bit textbookish for me so I did perhaps find myself skimming just a bit to get to the high points, but all and all a fascinating historical account of strong women and what they can accomplish.

This book was exceptionally well researched - so much interesting information. It was an educational read. I learned much from
The research presented. However this reads far more like a research paper and less like a novel. I loved it but can see students feeling like they are reading a text book.

The writing was a little clunky but very informative. I honestly can’t imagine the research involved in a project of this caliber. For people interested in history it is a goldmine.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This fascinating account of the Dutch resistance during the German occupation in World War II centers around three young women (not ordinary at all!) and their actions in the resistance. While the details and facts of the resistance are interesting in themselves, the book becomes much more "real," by focusing on the actions of Truus and Freddie Oversteegen and Hannie Schaft.

While Anne Frank and Corrie ten Boom are known for their life during the Dutch occupation in World War II, I don't think I ever knew much about the resistance movement or how it differed from the resistance in other countries. One thing the author pointed out was that there simply weren't the wooded areas where resistance fighters could stay - this was a movement in cities and towns. Another detail that fascinated me was the author's description of how Hannie had to learn to shoot while riding a bicycle, since that was their main method of transportation.

Another factor that was discussed was the position of women in the resistance, and how many of the men discounted their abilities. Others involved, of course, prized the fact that young women were typically discounted by the Germans, allowing the women to accomplish things that the men could not accomplish.

If you enjoy true accounts of World War II resistance movements, and especially the participation of women in those movements, this is a fascinating account.

The story of sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen and Hannie Schaft has come to light in recent years, with many new outlets recounting the story of these brave young women who, as part of the Dutch resistance, lured Nazis to their death, Tim Brady has put together a comprehensive telling of the remarkable stories of these women. It is clear that that the author did his research, painstakingly so I would say. And I am so happy to see these women's stories in print. I also appreciated the way Brady didn't sugar coat the way women were treated even within the ranks of the resistance, despite the fact that they were performing equally, if not more in the case of these women, dangerous tasks. The writing is meticulous which is also a bit of its down point, it comes off as little too formal and meticulous for this accounting. Still, it is such and important part of history that has been overlooked for too long.

This book was fascinating! Three Ordinary Girls explores the story of Hannie Schaft and sisters Truus and Freddie during their young adult years as Nazi-resistors in the Netherlands. Hannie, Truus, and Freddie grew up in fairly liberal households but when the Nazis occupy the Netherlands, these three girls will see just how far they are willing to go to uphold their commitment to freedom. Tim Brady has conducted excellent research and brings to life incredible tales of heroism and resistance. The writing style is engaging and the story continually moves along. Rather than placing Hannie, Truus, and Freddie into a larger story about the Netherlands in WWII, the book really hones in on the girls' stories and mentioned Netherlands history only as it influences the lives of the girls. This may be a good or bad thing, depending on what you want. The lack of historical tagents help the story flow better but there were times I would have liked to know more about what was going on in the Netherlands outside of Hannie, Truus, and Freddie's world. Considering the book was only 211 pages, it definitely had room to include more historical detail But I won't fault the book too much for this because I still learned a lot and was captivated by Brady's storytelling.

Throughout the book, I continually asked myself, "What would.I have done? Could I have done what Hannie, Truus, and Freddie did?" The courage of these girls is difficult to overstate. They each find themselves in grave danger at times and take actions no one would even consider outside of a time of war. I loved reading this thought-provoking book that made me question how dedicated I am to principles of liberty and freedom and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction and nonfiction fans.

This book follows three Dutch resistance fighters - Hannie Schaft, Truus Oversteegen, and Freddie Oversteegen. During the war, these three women stepped up to transport weapons, messages, assassinations, and to collect intelligence.

Although this book was slow at times, the stories were fascinating. It is amazing how ordinary people can step up in difficult times and make a huge difference. The strength and will of these ladies was very admirable. They are true heroes!

Wonderful writing and amazing heroines! I really enjoyed this book, I didn't realize what a big part the Netherlands played during WWII. I could almost picture Truus, Freddie and Hannie riding their bikes in the beautiful busy straats of Amsterdam. Both beautiful and heartbreaking it paints our heroines humanly, and process that a woman's best weapon is being underestimated. Thank you to Tim Brady, Citadel Press, Kensington Publishing Corp. and Netgalley for this ARC.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

When I requested this book, I did not realize that it was a somewhat dry history. I was disappointed that it was not written in a more engaging manner.

I love reading books about World War II in general and about female resisters such as the Night Witches or Lyudmila Pavlichenko in particlar, Therefore, I requested this book as soon as I read its blurb. The premise is amazing: three teenage girls risk their lives to save people and to fight Nazis. Unfortunately, the writing itself was terrible. Very dry. Textbook level of boring. Also, there were too many little details that didn't seem relevant to the plot, like the information about some statue. All I need to know is that the heroine stood near a statue. I couldn't care less about the statue itself. These details distracted me so much that I lost interest after one chapter.

I decided not to share my review on social media or my blog because I DNFed at 8%.

Perhaps the book isn't that bad after all. Like I said, the story itself is fascinating and I would like to watch a documentary about these girls. Still, the writing wasn't elegant at all. I just couldn't connect to the way the author chose to describe everything.

This book, about three teenaged Dutch girls who fought in the resistance against the Germans in WWII during the occupation of their country, was really the kind of book I can’t get enough of. I stayed up all night reading it because I became so engrossed in it, and it was just so good. Two of them were sisters, but later they all ended up working together. It’s filled with action and danger, and so many close calls, yet the girls keep going back for more. You will meet the sisters, Truus and Freddie, and then there is Jo, who is also known as Hannie, the girl with the red hair. Each of them is special in her own way, and valuable to the resistance. This is an amazing true story of courage, as so many of these types of war books are, and I do recommend it if you like this genre. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Tim Brady, and the publisher.

One of my favorite genres of WWII history is reading about the Dutch resistance. I I'd never heard of the three heroines in Three Ordinary Girls. Hannie, Freddie, and Truus were active in the resistance for most of the Dutch occupation. Two of them were complete bad asses, stone cold assassins, while the third acted as the lookout. I admire their conviction and implementation, Brady is thorough with his research and explains how the Dutch government long overlooked the contributions of these women. They were extraordinary women who protected their country, even to the death.