This was a very good WWII book different than most because it is not about Jewish people and Evian takes place in different part of the world.It is about the jack. It is about Japanese and nurses.

I have read all of Heather Morris’ novels and was so excited to receive an ARC of her upcoming new release. As an avid reader or WWII historical fiction, I have not read many (if any) books focused on Japanese internment camps in Malaysia. I was immediately drawn in to the story of the two sisters and their times improviser by the Japanese. The novel is a story of perseverance through love, friendship, music, and faith. I throughly enjoyed the novel, and shed a few tears while reading. I will definitely recommend it to others.

Heather Morris has another great book relating to women in prison camps. Sisters Under the Rising Sun is based on the experiences of women held in a Japanese POW camp during WW2. Although there is much less detail about day to day struggles, deprivations, and abuses than in her other books, it is obvious that the women faced these things. But the remarkable depiction in this story is of the strength, grace, and determination of the women. They did not whine about their circumstances, but instead they helped and supported each other, caring for the children and the weak, and doing whatever was needed to make their camp livable. I have the utmost respect for these women who sacrificed their needs, their food, and their comfort when others were in greater need. Their courage during the years they spent in captivity is inspiring.

This is a historical fiction novel about several women who were captured during WWII and sent to live in a POW camp. This was a different story from all the other WWII historical fiction novels that I’ve read and it shed some light on the terrible conditions in these camps that I had not known about. The story follows Norah and her sister Edna who are civilians that lived in Singapore and get separated from their families and a group of Welsh nurses that were enlisted to help the Allied troops. It’s a story of sisterhood, strength, and resilience.

I really liked Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz, so I was looking forward to reading this one. While it was a unique telling I did struggle with the constant swapping of characters, I never was able to absorb myself in their storylines because of it. The conversations didn’t feel natural and were a little devoid of emotion. Due to this I had an overall hard time connecting with the characters which made it difficult to want to continue to read at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martins Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

oh wow. such a different take on WW2! I liked the different view point and the strong relationships that were built between the characters.

Heather Morris is an incredible author who weaves truthful events through the eyes of fictional characters. She places the reader in the middle of the story and we learn so much from reading her words. I have long been a fan of her writing and will continue to be. This is a story of unbelievable hardships endured by a group of women and nurses who become POW and imprisoned on an island controlled by the Japanese. They are abused, starved, and brutalized. Many died but the bonds that were formed by the women and children is simply amazing. The fact that she was able to create light moments with music in the middle of such horror touched my heart. How could anyone survive what they experienced? The only reason I do not give this a five star rating is the reading was just so hard. It is so sad. The bonds that these women were able to make to help each survive were just amazing. I learned a lot about the Australian nurses, nuns, Americans and the citizens trying to flee Singapore as the invasion began. I have not read a lot from this point of view and the story will stick with me for a long time.

I wish to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press, for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story grabbed me from page 1, and I could not put it down. It details the harrowing ordeal of the civilians that were captured by the Japanese when Singapore fell in 1942. Some were captured in the city itself and some were taken when the ships they were fleeing the city on were destroyed.

The story involves two sisters and a group of Australian nurses that were captured from the sinking ship HMS Vyner Brooke in the Banka Strait. Little did any of them know this was the start of three years of unimaginable hell, including starvation and forced labor. Many did not return.

In a market that is saturated with books about WWII in the European theater, this covers a different segment of the war that I knew little about. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. The horrific conditions and elements of their captivity are presented in such a way that you can feel the extremely disturbing elements of the situation, but you still feel compelled to continue. I highly recommend this book.

I requested and reviewed this book for NetGalley.

I've read previous books by Heather Morris and enjoyed them and was looking forward to her latest release, this one did not disappoint. Set during WWII you follow Nesta, a nurse for the Australian army and Norah, who along with her husband and sister are fleeing their home to avoid the Japanese invasion. After the ship they are all on gets bombed Nesta and Norah find themselves in a Japanese POW camp. Nesta and Norah work together to help the other prisoners and themselves survive.

I enjoy reading historical fiction, particularly ones that are set during WWII. This was a different side to read about, I've not read many books during this time that focused on the Japanese involvement and their POW camps. This like any war historical fiction book can be hard to read. Like previous books by Morris the women mentioned in this book are based in real life women. Nesta and Norah were strong and endured so much to survive as they were constantly moved between camps. They fought back when they could and helped the other women in their camp, even sacrificing their own food and comfort to help the women who were sick and more in need.

An interesting look into another part of WWII that sheds light on a group of women who suffered under the Japanese army. Another great read by Morris.

Another harrowing story from WWII. I COULDN’t believe what I was reading! The Japanese were so cruel to their prison’s of war. The telling of this story must of been heart wrenching to the author. Can’t say this type of story was “good” , it certainly was enlightening! So hard to believe that anyone could live through this.

I appreciate novels that shed light on marginalized topics especially when it comes to World War 2. The prison camps within Asia run by the Japanese and the horrible suffering and conditions suffered is often not part of the history. I appreciate Ms. Morris' portrayal of actual women and the integrating authentic details into the story through her contact with family and relatives. Her note that these women's stories must be told so as not to be forgotten is vital. I have recently read several other novels about the prison camps in Asia so this was a good compliment to that. Following a group of Australian nurses along with various English shipwrecked women and children who suffer malnutrition, torture, disease, and inhumane living conditions at the had of the Japanese all while persevering to surviving and overcoming. It's a testament to the human spirit.

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC. Sisters Enu and Norah as well as her husband John are fleeing Singapore as it is being bombed by the Japanese. When the ship they fled on was bombed, and spending quite some time in the water, they finally washed ashore. They soon find out they are not alone and several Australian nurses were also on their ship to provide care. With this island also commanded by the Japanese, they all became prisoners of war. Trying to survive the hardships and the brutality of their captors, they grow a community with a church, a newspaper and soon a garden. The nurses also built a makeshift hospital. Over the next 3 years, they were moved several times to even worse conditions, disease and death. Heather Morris once again writes a story of resilience. Though I was very excited to read another of Morris' books, I am on the fence with this one. I felt that the book was a little trite. It is written like facts - they moved, they worked, they got sick, they died instead of how they felt. I also thought the hardships were really glossed over. They were starving but hey, let's write a newspaper. However, the stories of these nurses and prisoners are factual and a story I knew nothing about. It has now sent me down a rabbit hole of research and to be honest, Morris states, I don't want these characters remembered, I want them known. That she did beautifully! #SistersUndertheRisingSun #HeatherMorris #Oct2023 #StMartinsPress

I always enjoy reading about true events that the world knows nothing about. I had no idea that there were so many female nurses and civilians from WWII held captive by the Japanese. I had read The Tattooist of Auschwitz and was looking forward to this book.
The story centers around the three years and and seven months of captivity and the horrific conditions they experienced. At times the story felt simplistic and too many characters made it difficult to keep them straight. It read very differently from her earlier work and was not what I was hoping for. It had its heartwarming moments but there were so many that it seemed not as authentic as it could have been.
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Australian author Heather Morris has an uncanny ability to find little known stories from World War 2 and tell them in a way that makes them accessible to the readers of today. I have enjoyed her other books and know that in several she was approached and asked to help tell the story. This novel is a little different from others in that it moves away from the European theatre of the war and focuses primarily on the wartime experiences of Australian Army nurses captured by Japanese soldiers and imprisoned in horrific conditions until the end of the war in Japan.

To quote the author: '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...alongside those of all male prisoners of war, their suffering no less'.
I believe the author has done this admirably.

The inspiration for the novel began with the story of the nurses and other women and children aboard the Vyner Brook ship as they attempted to flee Indonesia prior to the Japanese take-over. The ship was sunk and the survivors survived extremely difficult conditions just to get to land. They witnessed a massacre of women including some of their nursing comrades and forced to surrender they found themselves in horrific living conditions with little food or water. As nurses used to caring for others, the Sisters stepped up from the beginning to care for others and do their best to improve conditions for everyone. Their story is told in three parts over the three year period of their stay.

I did struggle with reading this book - not because of the horrors that it described (which were truly awful), but because Morris chose to write the novel basically in the present tense as if the narrator is telling the story as it happens. I have found this seems to be more common in books these days and it always frustrates me as a reader. Because of my frustration I found myself putting the book down more often and slowing the reading process. As the story progressed it bothered me somewhat less as the depth of the research and the inspiration of these women captured me. I really appreciated the author's note at the end which gave details about these very real women.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed 'Sisters Under the Rising Sun.' I always enjoy reading books about little parts of history that remain relatively unknown, and while the Japanese internment camps are not by any means unknown, this book took place in Singapore which was a much less well known setting for these atrocities. I appreciate the fact that Morris chose to depict this less known are and bring some of these things to light and highlight what is often overshadowed by the many endless and much more well known atrocities of WWII.

I really liked our MC and rooted for her every step of the way, I love reading about the strength of women at a time when people are typically thinking of the strength of men. It made for difficult reading, as is common for me when it comes to historical fiction knowing that so many elements were based on reality. It was hard to read about the seemingly endless tragedies that some people were faced with, but I was very much invested in our character and this kept me reading to the very end.

My one and only complaint isn't a huge one, but I do think it's worth mentioning. The writing itself can be at times slightly elementary, which took me out of the story a few times, but for the most part it was decent and held my attention throughout till the end, 3.5 stars rounded up.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: October 24, 2023
Heather Morris’ “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” and “Three Sisters” were two of the most emotionally charged, powerful and fascinating World War two novels I’ve read in some time, and continue to be two of my favourite World War Two fiction novels to date. When “Sisters Under the Rising Sun”, Morris’ new release, was offered to me, I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.
Norah Chambers is a musician who sends her eight-year-old daughter, Sally, across the ocean to live with relatives in order to avoid the incoming horror threatened by the Japanese as they slowly make their way down the Pacific. Sister Nesta James, and a few of her fellow nuns and nurses, have been called to the front lines to help, but when Nesta’s boat is bombed, Nesta, Norah and the rest of the survivors spent forty-eight hours at sea before they make their way to a remote island. Here, all of the women and men are separated, and for the next three years, Norah, Nesta and the rest of the women survivors, find themselves POWs under Japan’s rule, desperately trying to survive in deplorable conditions.
“Rising Sun” portrays a unique perspective from Morris’ other novels, depicting POWs taken by the Japanese mid-World War Two. This was an informative take, as there are not many historical fiction novels that highlight the treatment of POWs by the Japanese soldiers, and this portrayal was both emotional and provocative. Of course, in typical Morris fashion, she builds her characters from real-life personalities, to add those little extra components of character development and realism to the plot.
Although Norah, her sister, Ena, Nesta and all of the other brave women, nuns, nurses, or otherwise, deserve full recognition and applause, the writing style of this novel was not at all like Morris’ other novels. “Rising Sun” was written so differently, in fact, I was left wondering if it was written by someone else, and Morris agreed to put her name to it, or if perhaps it had been written in another language and translated to English. “Sun” is very dialogue-driven and character heavy, in such a way that the entire novel is written as a conversation between the women. The setting, outside of their location, is barely detailed, and even some of the plot points are glossed over, covered only in minor conversational detail. I found it really difficult to become invested in the characters or the outcome, and if it wasn’t for the outright respect I had for these wonderful human beings, I probably would’ve stopped reading altogether.
The novel is divided into three parts, and Norah and Nesta take turns narrating each chapter. This incredible story had so much potential, and Morris would have been the perfect choice to write it based on her previous works, but something missed the mark with me. I will be shaking this one off and moving on, but I have not yet given up on Morris and look forward to where she will take me next.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris is a powerful and moving historical fiction novel set during World War II. The story follows Norah Chambers and Sister Nesta James as they navigate the harrowing realities of being prisoners of war in Japanese camps after surviving the sinking of the Vyner Brooke merchant ship.

Morris skillfully brings to life the emotions, struggles, and resilience of these women, showcasing their unbreakable bond and compassion amidst the horrors of war. Through her meticulous attention to historical detail and her ability to humanize these characters, Morris crafts a compelling narrative that sheds light on lesser-known aspects of the war and highlights the strength of the human spirit

Heather Morris is a master storyteller. She knows exactly how to pen a story that sets you in the scene itself. She tells such a beautiful story about WW2. She sets this one in Asia in a POW camp. It’s beautifully written and pulls at your heartstrings.

Set during the Pacific war and the invasion of Singapore by the Japanese Empire. Evacuees trying to flee prior to the fall of Singapore boarded merchant ships to try to get back to British controlled territory. Some ships made it and others like the Vyner Brook were sunk by the Japanese air force. Those who survived became prisoners of war. The men and women are separated and shuffled from one prison camp to another. This is the story of a group of resilient women and children of different nationalities, who used their individual talents to create a community to survive over three years of captivity.

I liked that this is a story that highlights a part of history that is relatively unknown. Writing about these female prisoners of war and setting it in the Pacific theatre and specifically the fall of Singapore is a less known setting. Although I did enjoy and care about many of the characters, I didn't connect to them the way I was expecting. I wanted to know what happened to them and what they went on to do, but they tended to blend together for me. All in all, it was an enjoyable read, it just didn't hook me the way that her earlier novels did.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Having read The Tatooist of Auschwitz trilogy by Heather Morris, I knew this was going to be a fantastic novel and she did not disappoint. Having little known knowledge about what transpired in the Pacific during the second world war, I was astounded by how the Japanese army treated POWs, especially women and children. Many Dutch, Australian, New Zealander, English and American citizens who worked in Indonesia were stopped and taken as POWs in early 1942. They were placed in filthy, disease ridden camps with little food similar conditions to what transpired in some German camps during that same time period. They were brutalized, humiliated and relocated several times throughout the three and a half years. They did, however, find the will to go on by leaning on each other. I was inspired by the shear grit and will these women had and found their stories heartbreaking. The selflessness they all acted with for the benefit of the others in the camp was also astonishing. Being a lover of historical fiction, I now have more awareness of other conflicts that occured throughout that period in history and it has persuaded me to learn more about the involvement of the Japanese military during the war. An excellent story based on true events that I would strongly encourage others to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: October 24, 2023

Rating: 2.5 stars (rounded up)

Insert a sigh here. First off, I loved Morris's previous books (all five star reads from me) so when I was perusing the Netgalley catalog and saw her next book, I immediately requested it.

The synopsis showed a piece of WW2 information that I haven't heard of so I was intrigued. I had read a lot of WW2 books in my late teens and early twenties so lately I've tried to find different time periods to learn about.

Unfortunately, I learned quickly that this book wasn't going to sit well with me. I gave her the 2.5 stars for all the research and time it took to write these stories into a book. However, we are immediately thrown into the story and introduced to character after character without much fleshing out.

The main theme that I gathered with her writing was chaotic. I had such a hard time figuring out what was going on. For someone new to Morris's books, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one but picking one of her previous three.

It's a bummer that I didn't click with this book at all because I'm sure it had the makings of being an amazing book but the execution killed it for me.