This book was a little slow to get into and then the plot was a little anticlimactic when the French border was being crossed. There were some parts of the plot line that were not really believable. It was interesting to read about this era from a Collaborator/NSB perspective

It truly has been a long time since I have sparked such emotion while reading a historical novel like Orphans of War!

This novel takes place during WWII and is told from three points of views…

Floris is an absolutely disgusting human being who “hunts” Jewish people and those who try to help them. As he moves his way up the ranks of the police bureau, he really starts to change into a greedy monster. Not only does he receive compensation for each Jewish person that he turns over to the Nazi regime but he raids/steals from their houses once they are captured.

Christiaan, Floris’s younger brother, is a sweet and caring man with opposite views of his brother. Chris is a tram driver who stands up for what he believes in even if it puts himself at risk of trouble. He joins the resistance to save as many people as he can in the Jewish community. He transports families to safe houses and delivers food coupons to the host families in order to keep them fed while in hiding.

Nora, Floris’s wife, was disgusted when she found out what her husband was doing. She often questioned him which typically led to a beating. Christiaan came to her with a proposition to also join the resistance by helping to get the Jewish children to safety.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book. While it is a true page turner, I did have a hard time reading when it was Floris who was telling his story. Even though I knew the content of this book, I was thoroughly sickened by his actions. I absolutely LOVED Christiaan. I was secretly rooting for him and Nora to get together. Nora was a godsend! What she did for those children was amazing! This is the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! I look forward to reading the sequels of this series!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this time period. There are definite triggers in this book but it is so worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Reit for the opportunity to read this Advance Reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

Orphans of War by Michael Reit was a historical fiction novel based on true events, people and places. This was the third book that I had read by Michael Reit. I read his first two books, Beyond the Tracks and Warsaw Fury and not only enjoyed reading them but came away smarter by reading them. The same held true for Orphans of War. In Michael Reit’s author’s note, he shared that he wanted to write about the role of the NSD collaborators in the Netherlands after a conversation he had with a friend about them. These police officers were more than willing to turn against their own people to help the Nazis during World War II. Many of the officers of the NSD saw the Nazis as being victorious at the end of the war and they wanted to be on the winning side. As a result, not only was there rampant corruption present throughout the Dutch police force, many of these officers thought that there was nothing wrong with stealing from the affluent Jews they turned over to the Nazis for deportation. These corrupt police officers would return to the houses the Jews were forced to vacate and take jewelry, cash or any valuable items they could find that were left behind. They got rich and the Jews were deported and faced death. Orphans of War spoke to the hardships of war the people of Amsterdam faced like the food shortages and the personal struggles they had to manipulate. It explored the lives of two brothers. Floris, a notorious bounty hunter police officer who was as corrupt as they came. He was also an alcoholic and physically and verbally abused his wife, Nora and was disliked by all his neighbors. It was hard to like anything about Floris. Floris had not always been like this but the war had definitely hardened him. Christiaan, Floris’s younger brother, was the complete opposite of his older brother. He was passive and kindhearted, saw the good in people and always wanted to lend a helping hand when someone needed it. Christiaan was a tram driver and loved his job because it gave him the opportunity to interact with lots of people. As the Nazi presence became increasingly more and more dangerous for the people of Amsterdam, Christiaan joined the resistance to help the Jews of Amsterdam in any way he could.

Orphan’s of War not only showed the corruption within the Dutch police force, it also focused on the jobs of the hardened police officers that went out of their way to help the Nazis find Jews that were hiding so the Nazis could make their quotas for their deportations. Nora, Floris’s wife, joined the resistance after she could no longer support her abusive and corrupt husband. At first, Nora passed on information about raids Floris mentioned so the resistance could move those people before the raids occurred. Later, Nora helped to smuggle innocent Jewish children out from the Crèche at Plantage Middellaan. The Crèche was the designated holding area from which Jewish children were deported. The Nazis separated parents from their children. Children were held in one building and their parents were held in a building across the street from where their children were being held. It was believed that If the babies and young children did not perish on the cattle cars that transported them to the camps, then they would surely be murdered upon arrival at the camps. The brave, determined and courageous Henriette Pimentel was in charge of the Crèche and oversaw the smuggling operation of Jewish children. Nora and others like her helped hundreds of Jewish children escape their certain fate if they were chosen for deportation. Henriette Pimentel worked closely with the Jewish Council to find new homes for these children. The risks Nora and people like her took to save these children were selfless and courageous.

There were also people like Bet van Beeren whose generosity and courage greatly helped the resistance as well. She owned a bar, Cafe ‘t Mandje, located in the red light district of Amsterdam, that was off limits to Germans. Bet, a friend of Christiaan, hid Jews in her basement and stored some of the weapons for the resistance above her bar. Bet helped Christiaan hide the young Jewish woman, Lisa, Christiaan was falling in love with.. Nora and Bet feared for both Christiaan’s and Lisa’s lives. They both helped and persuaded them to leave Amsterdam and try and get to Switzerland. Would Christiaan and Lisa be able to safely navigate their way to Switzerland and cross the borders? Will Nora be safe in Amsterdam under Floris’s watchful and mistrustful eye? Could Nora use some of the stolen money Floris had pilfered from the Jews to help Christiaan and Lisa escape from Amsterdam? Would Nora be safe if Floris discovered her act?

I really enjoyed reading Orphans of War by Michael Reit. It was exciting to find out that Michel Reit’s Orphan of War was just the first book in an anticipated trilogy. This is the first trilogy he has written. All of his other books were stand alone books. I am excited to continue following these characters. Orphans of War focused on aspects of World War II that I was not aware of. I love to learn new things about this time period. This is a book that I highly recommend.

Thank you to Book Whisperer for allowing me to read this ARC of Orphans of War by Michael Reit through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Orphans of War" is a solid WWII story set in the Netherlands about resistance among the Dutch. The characters are a bit two-dimensional to me. I didn't get swept away by the story. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

First in a trilogy about dutch resistance. This follows Christiann who risks everything to save the jewish children from transport. And Floris who will do anything to please his Natzi bosses. Powerful Story! A must read!

This is my first book by Reit and I really enjoyed it. As a a person who loves WWII books, I was so happy to get this as an ARC. If you are looking for a gripping story that will capture you from the first chapter, I would pick this book up.

Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Set during WWII, superb Orphans of War is the first instalment of the Dutch Resistance series. Germans have occupied the Netherlands and opinions are split on their occupation and goals. Many believe they are on the winning side by supporting the Nazis and others form the Resistance knowing what the Nazis are doing to the Jews is abhorrent and appalling. This book is about (in)humanity, sorrow, loyalties, love, family and hope.

Christiaan is a tram driver and sees firsthand the happenings in the streets as Nazis brazenly torment, humiliate and kill Jews. His compassion moves him to join the Resistance which envelops him in constant grave danger. His brother Floris, however, is a ruthless Nazi supporter and believes Jews are subhuman and the root of all problems. His job is to seek them out, as many as possible, and arrange transport to ship them to death camps. He also believes he is doing the right thing. His wife Nora is disgusted by what she sees happening to the Jews at the hands of her husband and joins the Resistance. Not only is her job smuggling children who would otherwise certainly die dangerous but hiding it from her abusive Jew-hating husband makes it doubly so. The twists and turns are incredible and kept me curious and riveted. Some characters are despicable, others very likeable.

The story based on true events such as orphan smuggling and escaping the clutches of Nazis is fascinating and yanked on my heartstrings. Knowing it happened to human beings is gut wrenching. WWII Historical Fiction is one of my favourite eras to read and learn about and Orphans of War particularly drew me in. I was intrigued by the behind-the-scenes movements and bravery in impossible situations. So much time and effort went into rescues and resisting the Nazis by making their persecution more difficult to achieve.

Though not easy to read in places, this book highlights important subjects. It would appeal especially to Historical Fiction readers and those who wish to learn more about the Netherlands during this harrowing time in history.

My sincere thank you to Michael Reit and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this intensely moving and unforgettable book. It is a standout. I am eagerly awaiting the next in the trilogy!

I never get tired of WW2 stories. The atrocities during that time were just unimaginable. This time it’s about Amsterdam. I will definitely read more by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I don’t remember when I was reading the summary of this book, it was going to be a trilogy. But that now makes sense. I have definitely been on a kick of WW2 and Holocaust books this year. I always think as a reader, nothing can surprise me anymore. How many more tears can I shed? As it turns out with this book, plenty. Nora was my favorite character. So strong and determined. And I must admit I admire it a lot when the women of those Nazi’s defy their partner.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I plunged into this first book of Michael Reit's trilogy about life in Amsterdam during World War II. Floris, a policeman is an abusive husband who makes life for Nora a living hell. Nora's wounds serve as a metaphor for what is happening in everyone's life in the 1940s. Floris is a bully but it is not yet known that the holocaust has already begun in Poland and he is contributing to the worst movement in history.

Floris has a brother, Christiaan, who works in the resistance. Christiaan is working hard to get as many Jews out of the hands of the Nazi soldiers as he can. Nora becomes involved to counter Floris's work and try to help as many victims as possible. The story becomes a suspenseful cat and mouse game that kept me breathless. MR writes life into history and made the story real for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for this e-ARC.

Book #1 in the “Dutch Resistance” trilogy

Amsterdam 1941

This is a wrenching tale of resistance and bravery. This is a fictional story of 3 individuals that in each their ways faced the bone- chilling violence of the Nazi regime. No one is safe: not the Jewish not even the Dutch.

The players:

Christiaan risks everything to help his beloved nation. He is a member of the resistance and his passion for the oppressed as no boundary.

On the other hand his brother, Floris, an official to the Jewish Affairs, is one of the organizers in relocating the Jewish population to Nazi death camps.

Nora, Floris’s wife, defies her husband by joining the fight to recues orphans from the terror and saving them.

The plot and my thoughts:

We are transported back in time where two brothers find themselves on very different sides of the Nazi occupation. Flo does is part by hunting and capturing Jews in hiding while his brother and Flo’s wife secretly help the resistance. As we follow them in their involvement we witness the incredible organization the resistance had across the country and how dangerous their everyday life was. Suspicion and betrayal was a way of life...no one was safe...even from your own brother even your own husband. Beautifully written to give us a sense of apprehension and fear, Mr. Reit gave us characters that expressed those sentiments to a tee.

Although a slow moving story it is nevertheless a page-turner I had no trouble with. Staying with it was not challenging. No graphic scenes although lots innuendos and scary moments. We do become invested in the lives especially when Christiaan escapes Amsterdam. I wanted him so much to succeed. Mr. Reit strikes a good balance describing War time and the personal struggles people had to endure.

This story has more to offer than I am describing. I only give you a snippet of what to expect. I leave it to you to enjoy as much as I did.

This is very satisfying read.

This is the third book I have read written by this author and I have to say, this book did not disappoint me.

This time, the story is set in the Netherlands when the Nazis invaded the Dutch in 1942. The story follows about three people--Floris who was being promoted as an officer to oversee the transportation of the Jews, Nora, Floris' wife who tries to be dutiful and is appalled the way Nazis treat the Jews and Christiaan, Floris' brother who is involved in the resistance of saving the Jews and the children.

The author does a good job of drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are the part of the 1940's Netherlands. The ending was what actually drew me, how Christiaan and Lisa escaped from Amsterdam and moving to Switzerland. Despite the fact that it was a fiction, it still feels emotional and heartbreaking to read that these events did actually happen in real life. The Dutch are one of those who had strong resistance group against the Nazis and Christiaan was involved in the resistance movement. You can see that though most Dutch people resisted against the Nazi rule, there were people like Floris who only seemed to care for his position. Overall, this was truly an emotional and touching story. Worth five stars.

Many thanks to the author for inviting me to read and review the book. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I found the book very very interesting. It was quick moving. The characters were realistic and very well developed. Although I have read hundreds and up hundreds of books on the Holocaust, I have never read one about Amsterdam, I found the members of the resistance fascinating and explanation of route and method of escape very real.

This page turner is a historical fiction story of a family in Amsterdam caught in the crosshairs of World War II. If you're a fan of historical fiction and thrillers, you should enjoy Orphans of War.

Michael Reit takes us to Amsterdam during WWII. The Nazis enjoy the occupation of other countries. The citizens of Amsterdam watched helplessly as their towns were stripped of jewelry, art, and food. They suffered severe rationing and constant terror. The Nazis underestimated the anger people would have when they lost everything. The story centers around a husband, Floris, his wife, Nora, and his brother, Christiaan. Each character will have their values tested as they see the repetitive brutality of the occupiers. Floris is a member of the local police and will be seduced by the Nazi promises of power and wealth. Is he a believer or does he enjoy the perceived importance he now has? Nora will see the transformation of Floris and must decide whether she can support his new mission. From the beginning, Christiaan abhors the occupation. As he witnesses more and more terrorism, he will quickly decide where his loyalty lies.

The goal of the Resistance is to frustrate the Nazis. They make it difficult for the Nazis to carry out their mission of taking over Europe. The main characters all reach a breaking point at some time. What will they do when they reach this point? Because these characters are so relatable, it is easy to empathize with them. You become more invested in their lives with each page turned. Reit strikes a good balance in describing war-torn Amsterdam. As the story unfolds, and if you stop reading, you have to remind yourself of where you are after being in the midst of war.

This book is one that fans of Reit or WWII stories will find very satisfying.

Loved the way this book was written. Couldn’t wait to turn the page even though I was terrorized. So many German’s helping people Jews and non Jews . I will definitely be looking forward to a follow up.

I was lucky to get an advance copy of this book! It’s a story of Amsterdam early in WWII and during the expansion of Germany’s power. It follows three perspectives: (1) Floris, who is a police officer that agrees with Hitler’s ideas. He hunts hidden Jews to turn over to Germany. (2) Nora, Floris’ wife, she struggles staying with him because she does not agree with his work. Her bravery just grows throughout the book, you see her continuously risking her life to help with the resistance. (3) Christiaan, Floris’ brother. He played a huge part with the resistance, helping move Jews and delivering food coupons to multiple houses. Eventually, Floris catches on to his wife and brother’s involvement in the resistance. What does Floris do? Can they survive? I feel like this story was very realistic, I liked seeing Nora’s perspective as a wife of a police officer.

Orphans of War was one of the best books I’ve read this year. Michael Reit is one of my favorite authors of historical fiction and books who have characters who struggle against Nazi persecution. In Orphans of War his main characters showed strength and courage to accomplish meaningful acts that saved many lives. Whether it was working to save people by hiding them from the Nazis or moving children and babies to safer locations under the Nazi’s “eyes”, his characters worked tirelessly even though they knew what they were doing could mean arrest and death for themselves. Mr. Reit’s extensive research shows in his writing. I wish the book had been published prior to my last visit to Amsterdam so that I might have visited some of the places noted in the novel, not that his writing didn’t already make them easy to visualize. I just would have liked to visit them and physically walk through them. Thank you for another great novel and I look forward to your next one.

A World War II story set in Nazi occupied Amsterdam. Nora, who is married to Floris, a police officer who hunts Jews, becomes a member of the resistance with her brother in law. While the book describes an important era of history and putting a spotlight on many details that often get overlooked in popular historical fiction, I did find the story lacking depth to make it compelling. It focused on a thin plot, without offering the emotional engagement to make the story impactful.

WWII, an abusive husband who hunts Jews, while his wife is secretly working for the resistance to rescue Jewish children... Sounds like a great adventure with heart and heroism!
Unfortunately this book left me bored and uninvested. I wish I had liked the book as much as the cover and description. However, I just couldn't get into the book. The characters didn't become real for me and there was no emotional investment. I read half the book before I gave up. Personally, it was not worth reading past the cover.