Three Sisters by Heather Morris is the heart wrenching/heart warming story of three sisters who promise their father to always be there for each other and protect each other. CIbi, Magda and Livia keep this promise the rest of their lives, even and especially when they are taken to Auschwitz. This story is based upon a true story and show the strength, determination and resilience these sisters had. We follow them before they were sent to Auschwitz, during their time in the camp and then a large portion of the book tells the story of what happened after. This is something unique that we do not see as much in the Tattooist of Auschwitz and Chika's Journey. It is remarkable how these stories are connected and the tragic and unimaginable their story is. Another fascinating read from Heather Morris.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful story. Well written. Three sisters love is untouchable and so strong it carries the story along even during horrible times in Auschwitz and for the rest of their lives. This story starts when the sisters are young and follows through until old age. Loved reading about their whole lives and what became of them.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

How do you review a book that is based on actual people's lives and the devastation of the Holocaust. I thought I had a review all written up in my head, until I got to the author's note about each of the real life people these characters were based on. And hearing of them as real people, I just don't know how you give someone's life story--nevertheless three life stories--a low review. And the Epilogue took my breath away.

Holocaust historical fiction typically isn't my cup of tea because its just too real. I enjoy reading that is escapism, and even heavier topics that are just based in history is different to me than hearing who these characters actually were. So it is rare that I picked up this book. But I've seen how much people have loved this author's other books so I couldn't pass it by.

What heartbreakingly beautiful story of sisters, who promised each other such a promise. And to survive such unthinkable circumstances and lived to carry the stories. For me, the second half of the book was even more touching because a lot of historical fiction of this time period doesn't touch on afterwards and the after effects except maybe in epilogues of years later. This to me was the charm of the book. Seeing the sister's stories played out and how the situations they lived through effected them and the others in their lives so deeply. What they came home to. Who and how they met other survivors. What Israel meant to them afterwards. Makes it all so much more real to the reader.

t's 1929 in Slovakia when sisters Cibi and Livi are picked up by the Nazis and transported to Auschwitz. A year later, their middle sister is caught and transported also. There they find themselves in circumstances beyond imagining, but they promise each other that they will always stick together. This incredible fiction novel traces their story from start to release and closes with their lives after the end of the war.

This entire series has been such an incredible eye opener to all that the Jews endured during World War 2. Morris describes the pathos of the events that these internees underwent and suffered through. It's almost beyond imagination that anyone could survive the horrors they encountered. Her historical research is detailed in her afterword, and it was so endearing that she was able to visit with their children and grandchildren. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes to read World War II fiction based on real people.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was

I have read the other two books, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey, by Heather Morris, so when I saw this title, I jumped at the opportunity. I had the privilege of reading and listening to early review copies.
It is hard to say I “enjoyed” reading a book about true terrors and horrors these women faced. What I can say I enjoy is Heather’s ability to capture the fortitude, determination, and pure courage these women displayed.
Despite everything these women faced, they remained true to family and never lost HOPE. This to me is the biggest takeaway of this novel. It is brimming with details and history but drips with hope and endurance.
Grab your tissues, for you will likely shed tears, but you will also smile as these women find new life and overcome their nightmares.
I received a complimentary advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

3.5 stars

In her third novel, Heather Morris once again brings us a tale of tragedy, heartbreak, and survival through the story of Slovakian sisters Cibi, Magda, and Livi Meller. When they were only a few years old, the three sisters made a promise to their father that they ended up keeping for the rest of their lives: that the three of them would always take care of each other and watch out for one another no matter what happens in their lives. Several years later, their beloved father is dead, but the promise they made to him continues to live on. When Livi, the youngest of the sisters at 15 years old, is ordered to Auschwitz, 19 year old Cibi decides to go with her. Though Magda is spared due to being away while the Nazis make their rounds, she is captured a few years later and also sent to Auschwitz. Together again, the sisters not only fulfill the promise to watch after each other, they also make another promise — the fierce will to live and survive the horrors of the camp, no matter what. During the death march, the sisters are able to find a way to escape, but after they return home, they realize that their lives will never be the same.

While I like the story and appreciate Morris’s efforts in relaying the Meller sisters’ experiences through each of their perspectives, I felt that the writing was bit too simplistic and oftentimes felt detached from the narrative. I found it difficult to engage with the story on the emotional level that I was expecting to, primarily because the writing lacked depth and so the emotional scenes felt like they had less impact. I don’t know if what I’m conveying makes sense, but after having read both of Morris’s previous novels (both of which had moved me deeply), I unfortunately didn’t feel the same connection to this one, despite how much I wanted to. The way some parts were written I felt bogged the story down, to the point that I actually ended up skimming some sections instead of actually reading each word like I normally would.

Having said all that, I do appreciate what Morris tried to do here, which was to relay the sisters’ courage and resilience in surviving the camps and rising above the tragedies they experienced to ultimately live full and flourishing lives. This third book definitely has a more hopeful and uplifting tone than the previous two, which I also appreciated. The sisters’ story is amazing on its own merit and absolutely a must read, especially given how few Holocaust survivors remain who are willing to share their stories. Despite the issues I had with the writing, I’m glad I got the chance to be introduced to the Meller sisters and no doubt I’ll be seeking out more of their story on my own.

Received ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley

This was definitely a five star book! It was written so well and full of historical details. I loved it and cant wait to recommend it to the patrons at the library.

Three sisters promise their father to always stand by each other. Seems simple when they are young and not faced with Nazis and concentration camps. But from this moment on, the sister's bond drives their actions, sometimes not in their own self-interest. What follows, though, is a lovely story of triumph and familial love. At times I did feel like the story got a bit sappy and a bit improbable. I did enjoy getting to know the sisters and watching them grow up and how they were both sisters and best friends, with all the good and bad that comes from that. If you are looking to find some light in the darkness of the atrocities of WWII, this is the book for you!

Three Sisters, Heather Morris, author; Finty Williams, narrator
On the eve of an operation which might take his life, a father asked his three little girls, age 3, 5 and 7, to make a promise to him. His wife watched with tear filled eyes. Each of them, even the youngest, agreed to always stick together and take care of each other. With what awaited them, their promise was put to the test. Would they be able to keep it? Only time would tell.
In the third book of the series, Livia, Magda and Cibi, listed in order of age, from younger to older, struggle to keep their promise to their father during the time of the Holocaust and after. Each of the young Jewish women possesses a different strength of character, but each had character. They came from a loving observant family. Their path from Slovakia to Israel was fraught with danger, caprice, misfortune, and serendipity. The survival of Jews was dependent on luck, time and place, rare kindness and compassion. The existence of resentment and hatred toward innocent people because of one’s own personal failure and greed was rampant in Germany. The silence of the world in the face of that hate and barbarism was even more prevalent and incomprehensible.
The detailed descriptions of the lives of those who lived through that bloody stain on history’s doorstep is intense and broad. In every book in this series there is something to learn, about that hateful period of time and those hateful people who pursued and participated in Hitler’s effort to create the Third Reich, their dream, which was truly a nightmare for its victims. Those who survived, carried the scars and memories with them for the rest of their lives, and this book, along with the first two, highlight not only their courage, but their continued ability to find a scrap of hope and even optimism, in the face of the most horrible of circumstances. That was what helped some of them to make it through with barely a spark of life left within their bodies. The guilt of the survivor’s is palpable, however. Who can know why some survived and some didn’t, some were able to hide and some were caught, some went meekly and unsuspectingly to their deaths and some fought back to little or no avail. Some behaved reprehensibly. Eventually, though, David slew Goliath, but it was a long time coming.
In every book about the Holocaust, I learn something new about the Hellish time. I had never heard of the punishment they were subjected to called The Hole, nor had I ever read about the difference between the number of numbers tattooed on the arms of those in Auschwitz and how it affected the life or death of the victims. To tell more of this story would rob future readers of the unique learning experience achieved from reading the three novels in this series. Because they are written as novels, they are easier to take, but the reality is that the barbarism described actually did occur. The book’s importance is in the need to remember that such evil exists so that we are never as complacent again, so that we never stand by silently while others are abused because it advantages us over them. Sadly, we may be witnessing such apathy, once again, today, in our own backyards. During the war, their own kind turned on them in order to survive, some were depraved, some never knew the depths to which they would descend in order to survive, some showed supreme courage and some did not, but all were victims of the depravity of others. No one was totally innocent, except the victims who had no choice; the perpetrators and complicit certainly did. The existence of G-d was often questioned, and I imagine, still is today, but Israel raised generations of soldiers who will never be lambs led to the slaughter again.
So, the book examines “survivor’s guilt”, belief in G-d, and man’s inhumanity to man, thoroughly, because even after the war ended, it continued without pause, but it ends with hope and optimism for a better and kinder future. The books in the series tell the complete story of days that will live in infamy, and of days whose memory will hopefully prevent a recurrence, for evil personified was, and is, not imaginary.

An incredible and heartbreaking story of three sisters' lives during World War II, in Auschwitz-Birkenau, and after.
An poignant reminder of the resiliency of the human spirit and the power of family and sisterly bonds. Heather Morris does a great job of making real characters REAL, by revealing their innermost emotional and spiritual struggles, as well as the horrific things their physical bodies had to endure.

I wasn't really sure why this book was considered number three of "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" series, other than a couple of references to a tattooist within the concentration camp, until I read the afterwards. I went online to find a picture of the sisters, and also to look at the glass sculpture, created by Livi's son and daughter-in-law, commemorating these courageous women. Hopefully, the non-arc version of the book includes these images.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#NetGalley #ThreeSisters

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest review. The third book by Heather Morris based on true stories of the WWII Nazi concentration camps is probably my least favorite. While I did find the story of the three sisters interesting, all the dialog made this one seem choppy to me. The sisters journey, sheer will of survival and dedication to each other through everything was truly inspiring.

As young girls, Cibi, Magda, and Livia made a promise to their father always to stay together and look after one another. Little did they know how necessary that promise would be. They endure unfathomable conditions at Auschwitz, only to be led on a death march as the Nazis try to hide what they have done in the waning days of the war. From there, they must try to figure out how to rebuild their lives with little more than each other to their names. (If you read the book’s blurb, it sounds like this story starts after the war. However, the war is at least half of the book – just an FYI.)

Though this is historical fiction, the three sisters were very real people. The author, Heather Morris, was able to interview two of the three sisters, as well as reading a diary from one of the sisters, and she cross-checked facts where possible. For a Holocaust book, this seemed to be rather upbeat, in part due to the narrator’s tone in reading it, and in part because the girls kept saying things to each other to keep them going through the hell that was Auschwitz. I would say love is the overarching theme of this book, and I felt it in the sisters’ actions. Overall, this was a fabulous novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Another great book by the author of the Tattooist of Auschwitz. ❤️❤️ Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy to read and review!
Three sisters promise their father that they will stay together and be there for each other no matter what. Years later 15 year old Livia is ordered to a work camp by the Nazis. 19 year old Cibi insists on going with her but 17 year old Magda is left behind with her mother since she is hospitalized. Sadly it isn’t long before they see Magda again in the camps. The story follows the girls through the horrors of Auschwitz, to life after the war, to building a new home in Israel.
I loved this book. It was based on the true story three sisters during the war through interviews with the two surviving sisters. This is why I love these books! They tell the true stories of survivors. If you enjoyed her other books go out and buy this one!

Three Sisters
by Heather Morris
Many people ignore the human cost of the Holocausts. Much is made of little triumphs, and more of the tragedy. This book looks into the personal struggles of three young Jewish girls faced with many challenges and struggles. After their father is killed in war, the political politics takes its toll on the family. Dividing the sisters who promised to stay together. The German policies of rounding up young girls and sending them to "work" for the German establishment is fueled by personal hatred and propaganda. Two of the three sisters are taken to the most notorious of labor camps, that becomes a death camp, Auschwitz. Forced to build Birkenau, brick by brick taken from demolished structures. They are continually starved, exposed to violence, rats, plague and the cold. They struggle to survive doing anything to stay together. While their remaining family is maligned and harassed as their neighbors attempt to find and transport the remaining sister to the same fate. The warning of the them vs us, rhetoric should be a reminder to all modern citizens that when we begin labeling our problems as the fault of another or a them, then we are subject to this mental debasement of life. This book brings to the forefront that we need to stand with our neighbors, our citizens of another belief or religion to not allow history to repeat itself. Don't let policies that are corrupt allow corrupt people to murder, kill, rape, and violate human rights for their own benefit. It never serves the betterment of mankind to play the blame game. This book is a reminder of the human cost of this kind of policy.

I am very thankful for having the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book Three Sisters courtesy of #NetGalley and St Martin's Press. All opinions are my own unbiased ones.

Heather Morris has written several books which tell stories of people who were directly impacted by the Holocaust. This book is loosely classified as book three in the series which began with The Tattooist of Auschwitz. All of these books work extremely well as stand alone stories and while fictionalized, they are inspired by real people and events and extremely well researched. When you consider how many Jewish people and how many others such as Romany, political prisoners etc. were sent to concentration camps there are no doubt so many stories that are untold and sadly will continue to be untold. Heather Morris is to be commended for all of her efforts to help make some of these stories known. Three Sisters differs from The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey in that it is not just about life at Auschwitz but also includes what happened at the end of the war and how life went on for sisters Cibi, Magda and Livi. It is , however, equally mesmerizing.

The author was approached by the children of one of the three sisters and asked if she would please tell their story. She had their co-operation throughout and was able to interview one of the sisters who was still alive at the time. This lends a real veracity to the story as she tells it and as in the previously mentioned two books, it set me to searching out for more about the story once I had finished reading it.

As the story begins, a father makes his three young daughters promise that they will always stay together. They had no idea at the time what difficulties this might entail and how life would unfold. Sadly their father had health issues that meant he would not be around to watch them grow up and see just how awful the situation would become for people of Jewish descent.

A kindly doctor admits Magda to hospital in order to help her avoid a round-up for work: by the German's. It was thought that her two sisters would be ok as one was "too young" and the other was out with a group preparing to ultimately move to Palestine. Sadly the German's paid no attention to youth and when one sister learned the other must report for "work" she remembered her promise to her father and without really understanding what would happen, opted to report with her sister. They ended up being two of the earliest inhabitants of Auschwitz Birkenau. Their sister Magda returned home to her mother and grandfather but ultimately she too was faced with forced deportation and experienced the death of her grandfather en route and eventually of her mother too. Fortunately she was found by her sisters who did their best to support her and give her a reason to keep on going. How they survived, made their way eventually to Palestine and prospered makes for a fascinating tale. I was incredibly moved by it and am so thankful that Heather Morris was able to share this story with the wider world. I hope it is read by many!

Three Sisters is the second book by Heather Morris that I read. Once again, she captivates us with her words and story-telling abilities. A story of three sisters and everything they endured, a story about strength and hope.
Based on the true story of the Meller sisters, this companion to The Tattooist of Auschwitz manages to capture a wide range of emotions, but one of the most important ones is probably admiration of the strength these three sisters had to overcome everything that happened to them.
Although there are times where the pace is slower, it is hard to stop reading and reaching the end and reading the epilogue was a very interesting task.
If you like Historical Fiction and want a story full of hope, then do not miss Three Sisters.

You are my victory. My family is my victory.

Based on the true story of 3 sisters that survived the holocaust and the promise they made to their father before he died. That they would care and be there for each other. The promise held strength, courage and love. Menachem knew that he would not be there for his 3 lovely daughters and he knew the tide was turning in Europe. He was a father who knew his children well and bestowed on them great faith. He describes each of daughters very well while they were quite young. As they got older they remembered their promise and watched out for each other and their mother. The daughters Cibi, the oldest, Magda, the middle and Livi the youngest.

Cibi and Livi were first brought to the camps while Livi was in the hospital. Being in the hospital kept her safe for a while. Livi was going to German work camp and Cibi did not want her to go alone being so young. Together they saw the terror of the Germans and they survived because of the promise they made to their father. The family did meet up in the camp with devastation and if you are the type of person to look for any type of good and hope, they did find that.

The most interesting part of their story is coming back to Israel. What it took and why it took place. I consider myself a friend of the Jewish people and nation because of what God has done and will continue to do. They are the graft that brings us all into the family of God. Their story of love and courage is why God has them for their chosen people.

I appreciated the Heather Morris care in writing this book and how she let the families speak in the end. I think most readers will appreciate it as well.

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

So, so, so good! I couldn’t put this book down. Heather Morris has such a way with her words and character development that you feel like you’re right there in the book. The epilogue had me in tears, don’t worry no spoilers here. Another great historical fiction title that should be read by everyone.

Why?
“May we never forget the evil that occurred”
Just so many unanswered questions.
What will sisters do to survive?
How much humiliation can they endure?
Heartbreaking story that is hard to read. But, so very important to read and remember. We honor them by keeping their memories and stories in our hearts.
No one can say they loved or enjoyed reading this story. It will put you through so many intense emotions that you will have to pause and gather your thoughts.
Thank you Heather Morris for sharing your writing talent.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.