What an interesting book! I learned a lot and was engaged the whole time. It was horrifying to learn about some of the things that happened, but to learn it through the story made a big impact. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

An outstanding historical fiction that is very little fiction. This is the story of a number of Australian nurses and British citizens who tried to flee Singapore when the Japanese were advancing during World War II, only to be captured after the sinking of their ship and held captive the rest of the war. They were joined in captivity by people from many other countries who were in the wrong place as well. Many of their companions were lost during bombings, ships sinking, and outright murder before they ended up together in Indonesia. At the end of the book you find that these were very real people, researched by the author. The survivors found a way to survive horrible conditions and near starvation, caring for each other. It is written in more of a journal style and really shows how human kindness and compassion can keep the spirit from breaking under awful conditions. It was hard to read about the brutality of their captors, but the women of the story had courage and great ingenuity in survival.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review..

Sisters Under the Rising Sun

by Heather Morris

There are so many books that vividly describe the horrors of concentration camps in Europe during World War II, and Heather Morris has written several of these. In Sisters Under the Rising Sun, a work of historical fiction, Morris takes readers to the other side of the world to examine the equally dreadful treatment of civilians and Australian Army nurses in Japanese prisoner of war camps in World War II. Any sense of humanity went out the door on the part of the Japanese captors as their captives struggled to stay alive for almost 4 years with very little food, no medical supplies, unsanitary living conditions, and brutal treatment. There were many deaths, but also many examples of prisoners who survived by faith, loving and supporting each other with survival and hoping for a reunion with loved ones.

One prisoner has an extensive musical background and a lot of talent. She organizes a “voice orchestra” with women’s voices taking the parts of various musical instruments producing classical pieces to the amazement of all and with enthusiastic members. She refuses, however, the request of the camp captain to play a Japanese song, and she is harshly punished.

The groups are moved from camp to camp, each time having to restore the camp into a semi-livable place. They are given only a few inadequate tools for their work (e.g. two machetes to dig graves). Depending on the circumstances, they have to carry water quite a distance or dig wells with coconut shells or their hands. With very little to eat, they have very little energy for the work and weak immune systems. Vermin and rodents are a problem all the time. When the monsoons arrive, they have to repair their roofs with leaves. The heat is unbearable, and thirst is a common companion.
The book begins with a focus on two different groups. One is the brave and dedicated nurses who are addressed as “sisters.” The other is a family group consisting of two biological sisters and their husbands. It took me a little while to get into the story because initially the plot did not have a strong focus and kept going back and forth. Then the characters were united in one storyline which helped a lot. By the end of the story, I was smiling and crying at the resolutions for the various characters. They had become real to me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Historical Fiction

Notes: 1. As I began Sisters Under the Rising Sun, I pegged this book as worthy of 4/5 stars. By the end, my heart had gone out to the characters. Any book that can do that to me is worthy of 5/5 stars.
2. There is an epilogue that ties up what happened to the major characters when families are reunited. Ena and her sister Norah were prisoners together throughout the whole imprisonment period of almost 4 years but they had no idea what had happened to their loved ones. Especially important are June, a child who got separated from her parents and swept up in the arrests. She was cared for by Ena. Norah’s daughter Sally left Singapore under precarious conditions before everything fell apart.
3. The book ends with notes about what happened to the historical characters that the fictional ones are based on.

Publication: October 24, 2023—St. Martin’s Press

Memorable Lines:

“Be my life short or long, I’ll remember this moment forever. How in the worst possible circumstances two women, who I love more than life itself, found a way to laugh and make me laugh. Thank you, my darlings.’

“No, Sister, we’re not going anywhere. Can’t you see there are people here who need us? Yes, they have probably killed the men, but all our training and everything we stand for means we do not abandon those who need our help. I want you all to remember that where there is life there is hope.”

“I served in the Great War and I’ve been fighting in this one for two years. I thought I had seen and heard the worst of humanity. But today, just now, you have shown me that human brutality knows no bounds. What happened on that beach will not be forgotten. I’ll find a way to make it known and all I ask of you is that you say nothing to another living soul until you are safely back at home.”

I love to read historical fiction, and I'm always looking for new aspects to read about. Sisters Under the Rising Sun shines a light on WWII POW camps in Singapore, where hundreds of women were held. This story was full of emotion and intrigue and women bonding together in their struggle to survive. I also really liked how this was based on the real-life stories of Norah Chambers and Nesta James. Heather Morris always has well-researched and well written novels, and this was no different. My only real gripe is that I would sometimes forget who was talking in a particular chapter. But, overall, this was a good book that gives a new perspective on WWII.

Historical fiction based on true people who were actual prisoners of war in Japan prisons. These women survived, or not, brutal conditions with an inner strength that was beyond the realm. Heartwrenching and powerful.

Another well researched book. This was just heartbreaking with periods of such humanity it broke my heart. Great book, Will recommend highly. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Wow! This book literally brought me to tears at the conclusion. And even the next day, when describing the storyline to my spouse, I was once again in tears. An important and true historical story of courageous women who were POW's during WWII. I am giving this book 4.5 stars (instead of 5 stars) because there was a point in time where the storyline was a bit slow 2/3 of the way through. However, I also don't think the storyline itself should be shortened, because I think the drudgery of the living situation is effectively portrayed through Heather Morris' descriptions of the sheer willpower these women had to maintain in order to survive their harsh and brutal circumstances. NOTE: I received a free digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The power of sisterhood is depicted in Heather Morris' novel. Starting off as strangers, the prisoners became sisters, banding together to survive. While starving, music fed their souls and Norah's voice orchestra provided hope. .

Struggling to survive, the captives faced atrocities that should have broken them but they refused to let the guards win. Morris' historical novel pens a heartfelt story based on the the internment camp survivors. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of Sisters Under the Rising Sun in exchange for honest review.

I've been a fan of the author's work since her bestselling novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I've always had a fascination with WWII as the bravery displayed is empowering. While facing horrific circumstances, prisoners banned together to save others.

I was so excited to read another Heather Morris novel! I will say this one was just okay - but I did come to really enjoy the characters and their back stories. Covering WWII from the viewpoint of women as POWs at Japanese island camps, this was a unique aspect of history that isn’t as widely covered. MAlso, to fully appreciate this novel ensure you read the epilogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Heather Morris' other books, most famously "The Tattooist of Auschwitz". After I first was gifted this book, anything by Heather Morris is an automatic buy for me. So When I saw she was coming out with a new book, I knew I just had to get my hands on it! Just like her other novels "Sisters under the Rising Sun" is a novel based on an event during world war 2, but she chose to write about events that many do not tend to remember or may not be as widely known. the invasion of Singapore by the Japanese. Personally I had very little knowledge of this event in WW2 history. The two main characters are women who come together as they become POW after being captured and must be each other;s strenght to survive this ordeal. It is an oade to the strenght of women, hardship and survival, and a powerful tribute to the nurses of that time!

I really enjoyed this book! I think that Heather Morris' other WWII books were more emotional, but I really enjoyed learning about something I didn't know much about - the experiences of Allied nurses kept in a POW camp in Singapore. The descriptions were great and I was really cheering for the main characters to make it. I liked that there was an epilogue too to wrap up everything. I look forward to reading more books by this author! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel. Characters Norah (8 years old) and Nesta James a Austrialian nurse along with others are captured along with other women by the Japanese and placed in POW camps. Their bravery, friendships that formed, their strength makes this book an great read..

Heather Morris will never disappoint. Her retellings of historical events while incorporating characters you feel so drawn too is unmatched. Sisters Under the Rising Sun is the story of the women and children who evacuated Singapore during World War II only to be taken captive by the Japanese for 3 years and 7 months. With strong notes of sisterhood, friendship, sacrifice, and bravery; the story of the women who survive is truly one worth reading.

"I have not told this story so the women internees of the Japanese prisoner of war camps in Indonesia will be remembered. I have told this story so they will be known. How can you be remembered if you've never been heard of? Their stories should stand alongside those of all male prisoners of war, their suffering no less; their courage to care for their fellow sisters who perished and their own survival should be acknowledged and honored.

Know now of them.
Remember them."

I was so excited to be given this ARC because I loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz but I just could not get into this one. The dialogue felt so unnatural & choppy. I trudged my way to 13% & decided to DNF.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Heather Morris’s *Sisters Under the Rising Sun* is a gripping and heartfelt historical novel that dives into the bonds formed during World War II. The story focuses on a group of women who end up in a Japanese POW camp, each from different backgrounds but united by their strength and resilience. Morris’s storytelling really shines here, bringing these characters to life and making their struggles and triumphs feel incredibly real.

What really stands out in this book is how it captures the power of friendship and hope in tough times. The women’s courage and determination to support each other through the darkest moments is truly inspiring. The story keeps you hooked, and you’ll find yourself rooting for these incredible characters. *Sisters Under the Rising Sun* is a moving tribute to the human spirit and the unbreakable bonds that form even in the hardest circumstances. It’s a must-read for fans of historical fiction and stories of resilience.

Every time I read a Heather Morris book, I know I will come away from the reading experience with a wealth of knowledge that I didn't know before reading her novel. Sisters of the Rising Sun was no exception to this kind of experience. The dedication, two afterwards, and author's notes at the end of this book demonstrate that the historical aspects of this book were well researched and expertly interwoven into this historical fiction novel. I was amazed multiple times to discover that parts of the book that I thought were fictional actually happened in real life. For example, one of the most fascinating parts of this novel for me was learning about the voice orchestra that the women prisoners participated in during their captivity.

At first I was upset that there were so many characters to keep track of in this book. Later, after reflecting on the book as a whole, I realized that the author needed to include all of these women's voices to demonstate that it was a team effort that allowed so many women and children to survive 3 years and 7 months of brutal conditions in Japanese POW camps. These women's stories needed to be shared and celebrated as they serve to inspire future generations.

An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heather Morris has previously written well-received novels about World War II, but unlike her previous books this one is set on the Asia-Pacific front. Nurses were shipwrecked, many were killed. Those who lived ended up in a Japanese prisoner of war encampment. The women had to rely on each other to survive.

The book is based on the true story of two women, Norah Chambers, an English woman and Sister Nesta James, an Australian nurse. While fleeing the Japanese forces entering Singapore, these women were among those captured when their ship was attacked and sunk.

The book was well paced and the characters were well-rounded and developed over the course of the book. This book is a great read for those who enjoyed her previous books as well as fans of history. I would wager the average reader knows less about what the war was like in this part of the world than they do its impact in Europe.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Sisters Under the Rising Sun from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved her Tattooist of Auschwitz series but this one fell flat for me. I struggled to get through it and didn't really get into it until 70%. It then picked up and I enjoyed the end. That is the only reason I gave it 4 stars, otherwise it would have been a 3. I would not recommend this and I know that I wouldn't read it again.

In the middle of WW2, many Australians and British are living in Singapore. When Japan enters the war, they are frantic to leave. English musician, Norah Chambers, places her eight-year-old daughter Sally on a ship leaving Singapore, with her sister while she stays behind to care for her husband, John and elderly parents. Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, has enlisted to tend to Allied troops, but as Singapore falls, she joins many terrified evacuees aboard the Vyner Brooke merchant ship. Two days later, they are bombed and eventually make it to a Banka Island a remote island, where the Japanese are waiting for them. They are taken to a POW camp where many other women are being held including a contingent of Australian nurses and a group of nuns. The camps are terrible places with starvation, brutality and disease where the Geneva Convention rules of war mean nothing. Nesta and Nora work together with others to help whoever they can and comfort those in need.

I have read other books about the Japanese POW camps throughout Indonesia, and am always in awe of the resilience, strength and bravery of the women held there. With the women and children separated from the men, they are left to fend for themselves. It would be easy to give up, but Nora uses her musical talents to form a choir that helps with their morale. Even the Japanese enjoy their performances, but when they are told they must learn Japanese songs, they stop singing. Being tortured, won't even get Nora to give in. There are various POVs in the story and they are based on real women, including nurses Nesta James, Vivian Bullwinkle and Betty Jeffery, civilians Norah Chambers, Ena Murray, Margaret Dryburgh, Audrey Owen, Mrs. Hinch and Dutch nun sister Catherina. Themes of resilience, strength, friendship, faith, family and more are apparent in this book. The afterward has interviews with descendents of some of the women and they stressed that this story was one they wanted to tell. They wanted the world to know that it wasn't just men who were POWs, but also women and children who had to survive the atrocities of the Japanese army.

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