The Sisters of Auschwitz is a heartbreakingly sad story of two sisters. These courageous, brave sisters who defy the Nazi's and create a safe house for so many soon find themselves on a train to Auschwitz. Will they survive themselves? Read The Sisters of Auschwitz by Roxanne Van Iperen and find out for yourself.

This was an amazing and incredibly moving nonfiction of 2 sisters, Janny and Lien Brilleslijper who, during WWII, join the Dutch Resistance and survive the Holocaust. Roxane Van Iperen's writing made it feel like a personal diary and so narrative, and at times I had to remind myself that this book isn't historical fiction, but Janny and Lien's lived experience. The Sisters of Auschwitz is an emotional read, and I encourage everyone who gravitates toward historical fiction (particularly if it's set in WWII to pick up this nonfiction masterpiece. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I really struggled to get through this book. I wanted to be invested because it is truly a harrowing story of survival but the writing was, for me, very challenged. I want to believe that perhaps some of the connection was lost in translation, but if I were going to recommend a Holocaust survival story it would not be this one.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NG for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. Right away, I love the cover and I would be interested seeing this in a library or storefront. This book follows a true story (which would be even more interesting upon learning this picking it up!) of two sisters who lived in the Netherlands during the 1940 Nazi invasion. They create a safehouse called The High Nest to serve as a safe palace for those being hunted by the Nazis. The sisters are betrayed and then sent to Auschwitz on the last train along with Anne Frank and her family. Personally, I feel like it the writing style is rooted in a nonfiction/research intensive way. Since it was translated from its award winning original, I don't think that there was much lost in the way of storytelling. There is a lot of WWII/Holocaust material out there, and reading about those who stood up and risked their lives in the face of horrors is both a testament to the amazing things humans can do and the devastating reality of the worst of us.

This book is thoroughly researched and gives a detailed and complete account of the Brilleslijper sisters' lives up to and during the war. I admired the tremendous effort that van Iperen put into the book for accuracy. This period of time in history is full of horrific stories of suffering and loss which are always heartbreaking. This book however, is more of a recounting of events and actions without insight or exploration of characters' thoughts and feelings which made it less emotionally engaging. While I admire and respect the work, I enjoy more emotional accounts which explore the feelings - fear, love, horror - of characters. I think those who love history and non-fiction books full of facts and details, would appreciate this one.

I loved this book. Based on the true experiences of three sisters who were imprisoned in Auschwitz, it is a reminder of how horrific the conditions were for the families hunted and imprisoned by the Nazis,

When they were young, they made a promise that they would always be there for each other. That promise
helped them find the strength to survive. We can all learn from this book - despite the subject matter, it is
full of love and caring. This is the 3rd book written by the author on the subject of Auschwitz - you will recognize some of the characters. Read it!

#thesistersofauschwitz #netgalley

This is the WWII story of the two Jewish Brilleslijper sisters and how they helped as they provided by hiding Jewish families and working for the resistance. It was at times heartbreaking and at times joyous to learn of their work. Their story is one you should definitely read.

The author discovered she lived in the house in Amsterdam formerly occupied by the Brilleslijper sisters and researched their story. This biography made me feel like I was there in the horrors of Auschwitz with the sisters lifting my spirits.

I wasn’t ready for the emotions. I read this weeks after finding out I was pregnant so it’s difficult to put into words how this all made me feel. I have always gotten emotional when reading anything about the Holocaust so this book did it for me again.

The Sisters of Auschwitz by Roxane van Iperen a compelling account of life under Nazi occupation during World War II. Sisters Lien and Janny Brilleslijper are young adults during the war. Having spent their young years living in the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam, they are unavoidably caught up in the turmoil of the times. Their involvement in the resistance movement began by helping their neighbors with food and shelter.
The book is based on the actual experiences of Lien and Janny, as both of them were interviewed by the author.

Beautifully written, I felt as though I were part of the story. I have read many books with this subject matter, and The Sisters of Auschwitz is up there in my top ten. To get to the end of Lien and Janny’s story, then to realize it was based on real life, is heartbreaking and amazing.

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The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters’ Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory (‘t Hooge Nest) by Roxane van Iperen tells of Janny and Lien Brilleslijper, two sisters in the Dutch Resistance during World War II, who were captured. Ms. Van Iperen is a lawyer and publicist.

This book is certainly not your run of the mill World War II / Holocaust book. Most of the book takes place in Nazi occupied Holland, however the last quarter takes place in Auschwitz.

The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters’ Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory by Roxane van Iperen is a historical biography. I couldn’t decide if this book should be considered specifically a history book, or historical fiction. However, it is much more of a history book than anything else.

Much of the book takes place in a house called The High Nest (indeed, the original Dutch title). If I understood correctly, this is where the author lives now and discovered the story. The house certainly plays a big part in the sisters’ history.

The Brilleslijper sisters certainly show a lot of courage and gumption; chutzpah if you will. Not only are they in hiding, and wanted they joined the resistance movement against a foreign occupier.

The book is meticulous about the sisters’ history, and the people around them. I was surprised the learn that they met, and took care, of two other Dutch sisters – Margo and Anne Frank until their deaths. The sisters were surely some of the last people to see the Franks alive, and thanks to them Mr. Frank has found out what happened to his daughters.

This is certainly a compelling and informative read. A story of courage overcoming overwhelming adversity against significant odds.

I, for one, am glad that stories, especially of women’s contributions to the war effort and in resistance movements are being told.

I read a lot of WWII fiction and am always saddened at the persecution that the Nazis carried out. Reading this history book about two sisters, was even more difficult because the story was not based on real people - it was about real people. I was astounded at the actions of these two sisters - how many people they saved and what their life was like in Auschwitz. They were real heroes!

In 1940 the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. As they begin to carry out their 'final solution', many people become part of the resistance groups. By the winter of 1943, resistance had grown. Two sisters, Janny and Lien Brilleslijper, work diligently to keep people safe despite the danger that it brought to them. They sheltered many people in a clandestine safe house in the woods, they called “The High Nest.” They were one of the main places for the resistance as well as hiding people who were escaping being taken to the camps. Eventually someone reported them to the Nazi hierarchy and the two sisters were caught and sent to several camps before they were put on the last train to Auschwitz. On the transport, they meet the Frank family who were just discovered in the attic hiding place. They became friends with Anne and Margot and tried to protect them after they arrived at Auschwitz. Their time in the camp was very difficult but through their courage and resilience, the Brilleslijper sisters survived.

The author did extensive research and used the sisters archives and photos. She also took many oral histories that added to her knowledge of this time in history and the lives of the two sisters. Be sure to read her notes at the end which explain where she got all of her information.

These brave sisters have been forgotten over the years and this book reminds the world of how brave and resilient they were and how they worked to make a difference in their lives and the lives of people that they saved.

Eight months after Germany’s invasion of Poland, the Nazis roll into The Netherlands. However, resistance is growing and among those fighting their brutal Nazi occupiers are two Jewish sisters, Janny and Lien Brilleslijper from Amsterdam. Risking arrest and death, the sisters help save others, sheltering them in a clandestine safe house in the woods, they called “The High Nest.” This refuge would become one of the most important Jewish safe houses in the country, serving as a hiding place and underground center for resistance partisans as well as artists condemned by Hitler. When the house and its occupants are eventually betrayed, the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. As Allied troops close in, the Brilleslijper family are rushed onto the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. The journey will bring Janny and Lien close to Anne and her older sister Margot. The sisters are stripped of everything but their courage, their resilience, and their love for each other.

Based on meticulous research and unprecedented access to the Brilleslijpers’ personal archives of memoirs and photos, Sisters of Auschwitz is a long-overdue homage to two young women’s heroism and moral bravery—and a reminder of the power each of us has to change the world. The author's descriptions of the characters and the brutality of the Germans and their officers make this one of my favorite books describing the horrors of the Holocaust.

Few stories have left me speechless for a moment, immersed in a sea of ​​thoughts and feelings. This is one of them.
So far I have had many opportunities to read stories, be they fiction, biographies, or inspired by true events, about the Second and even First World War, but I have never had the opportunity to read a story like this.
Janny and Lien have become my favorite heroines. Their lives and their actions managed not only to impact the lives of the people they helped, but also, many years later, to impact mine and I am sure that also of all the people who read and get to know this story.
Wars, without a doubt, are the time when we see the worst side of humanity but it also allows us to see its best side, in people like Janny, Lien, Bob, Eberhard, Mik, among other heroes who risked their lives daily for more than 5 years, helping so many Jews and opponents of the Nazi party, to survive in a time when happiness and freedom were quickly taken away, but thanks to people like them and many others, hope remained.
In this book, which I officially name as one of my favorites, we are going to come across a true story, of a brave Jewish family, who against all odds managed to help many Jews during the Second World War and who fought secretly but brave against the Nazis and sympathizers of the Nazis, in Holland, a country that, like many, suffered heavily from the Nazi occupation.
The author manages to catch you and immerse you in the life of this family during the Second World War, the Jewish fight against the Nazis. The author gives us details of life in the concentration camps, of life in the Dutch occupied by the Germans, how little by little the lives of many Jews changed as the Nazi doctrine was gaining strength, but the most important, how hope, even in the darkest and most uncertain moments, never faded away.

"The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters' Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory" by Roxane van Iperen
Release Date: 8.31.2021

Jenny and Lien Brilleslipjer live in Amsterdam and join the resistance to fight the Nazi occupiers. The sisters help save one others, even though the risk is high. They hide people in a safehouse in the woods, called "The High Nest."

This becomes one of the most important Jewish safehouses in the country, serving a hiding place and underground center for the resistance and artists.

The house and its occupants are betrayed, and the sisters and their families are sent on the last train to Auschwitz, which also has Anne Frank and her family on board.

What a story of heroism and bravery! The author spent much time researching this heartbreaking story, and their lives should be honored.


Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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When I began to read this book, it felt slow. I reminded myself that I was reading nonfiction and kept going. I’m so glad I did. Janny and Lien are Dutch sisters who recognized the Nazi invasion in the Netherlands for what it was and determined to do everything they could to survive and help others survive. Read this book to see how one family attempted to survive the Holocaust. Be prepared. It is gut wrenching and heartbreaking. It is also inspiring. How many of us would risk everything for others?

This book is a translation. There were times when I felt the narrative was awkward. Word choice and order was at times confusing, but overall well done. I will be highly recommending this book to all who are interested in WWII history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Sisters of Auschwitz by Roxane van Iperen ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @harperperennial and @netgalley for this copy!

WWII is an era of history I am fascinated with. I’ve read many books - both nonfiction and historical fiction set in this time period. I feel that all these stories deserve to be told and all the heroes should be recognized for whatever act of bravery or defiance they did. When I read the description of this book, I didn’t hesitate to request this title. Two sisters who were part of the resistance with a link to Anne Frank - I was very intrigued.

Let me start with - this book is meticulously researched. It is clear the author has spent significant time studying this story. However, at times I felt that the author included every tidbit they ever learned in this book. Also, I was hoping to get more of the sisters, but I didn’t feel like we really got to them until the second half of the book. The first half was spent introducing (what felt like) everyone in the Netherlands. Finally, I thought the connection to the Frank family was going to be much stronger. However, that was such a small part in the story that I’m not sure it should be mentioned in the description.

Overall, these sisters’ stories deserve to be told, and the author did a good job telling it. While meticulously researched, the research isn’t providing anything new to what’s already out there on this topic. This is just one more example of resiliency and bravery that deserves to be read about.

I love books that take place during the time period. This book is really well written; it’s heart breaking at times but also hopeful. The sisters bound is uncanny. I highly recommend this book if you like books about WWII.

This epic novel reads as though written by someone who is actually living through the horror of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, of the round ups of the Jews, of the Resistance, and the long horror of the Camps. Nothing about this novel is maudlin, and yet it brings the reader to tears. A terrifyingly beautiful piece of writing.