WOW. What an incredible story about resilience and loss and sisterhood.

Heather Morris has a way to write about interment camps that makes me want to read about internment camps.

This book pulled me in from the very start and didn't let go. This was a fascinating read of a part of WWII that I honestly did not ever hear of before. I was so intrigued by everything, and Heather Morris' descriptions made me feel like I was there. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Rich in historical detail and based on true events, this is a tale of resilience and courage. I was captivated from the first page.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The novel had all the great dramatic makings of an interesting WWII storyline. But unfortunately, I found the characters under developed and what dramatic developments there might have been, were very slow to show up and not as engaging as I had hoped. Likely a good novel for those who are most interested in book club historical fiction.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy.

This book tells the story of a group of women being held in a Japanese POW camp after their boat sank escaping Singapore. They endured many horrors in the years they were imprisoned - starvation, abuse, disease. These women banded together to survive and help each other instead of solely themselves.

I appreciated that this was a WW2 historical fiction set somewhere other than Europe, and I was interested in the premise. The themes of sisterhood and found family between the girls were strong. It’s based on a true story and at the end, we get notes about what happened to the main characters after their rescue. Unfortunately the book itself missed the mark for me overall, and honestly, it was the writing. It didn’t have the depth her other books had. I love historical fiction, and I enjoyed her other books, but this one just isn’t her best work.

Heather Morris never fails to make me cry. This is another of her impeccably researched and beautifully told stories of survival, this time focusing on women fighting to survive imprisonment by the Japanese. I've never heard about this POW experience before and it will haunt me for a long time. PS - don't miss the author's note.

Thanks to St. Martin's for the copy to review.

WW2 historical fiction often has many common themes. Heather Morris is the amazing ability to take true stories that are unique and bring them to readers. The premise of this book was very intriguing and unlike many other historical fiction books I have read in this time period. It is well written however it is also somewhat disappointing. Given the large scope of the story it covers many characters and a long period of time. The number of characters made it difficult to keep track of them at times and led to an inability to connect with each character. It was often choppy to read about the different events. It was long and quite slow in some places. Not my favorite of this author but based on her previous works she will continue to be a must read author for me.

Astounding Historical Novel. Nurses caring for soldiers in WWII, Pacific when the ship they are on is sunk by the Japanese. Most are from Australia. Few make it to shore. Even fewer survive to be captured and interned in a Japanese camp. Moving frequently these women become the heart and soul for survival encouraging the other civilians. They endure u speakable acts against them. Their spirit and drive for survival is amazing. Very few historical novels address these experience. A Must Read!.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris
#historicalfiction
#netgalley published 10/24/23


Just an amazing story of survival from just the women from Australia, England and Netherlands that have been captured and gathered into P.O.W. camps in Sumatra for 3-1/2 years. Starting off with 65 Australian Army nurses and ending up with only a fraction of them in the end.

This story is based on the real life pint-sized Australian woman, Sister Nesta James, who becomes the nurse in charge and 2 sisters one of which is real life English classically trained musician Norah Chambers who were on a ship that has been shot down and sunk by the Imperial Japanese Army. Nesta keeps the bodies of women as heathly as she can while Norah takes care to keep their minds in a happier place with her music. The music is also lead by a Sister Margaret who becomes and important person in the camp. Together they create a "voice orchestra".

The story shows so many of the struggles they went through during those times. It pulled me in from the very beginning. It was very easy to read. And I wanted to continue reading to see what happened next and to see who would survive until liberation by the Allied forces. Wonderful book on a horrible topic as per HM's typical MO.

#stmartinspress
#basedonatruestory
#bookstagram #bookrecommendation #booknerdsbookreview #bookreview

A beautiful story by Heather Morris focusing on a group of women that are captured by the Japanese during WWII. It’s a story of survival and building family in the most dire of situations. The women are sent to internment camps where the struggle to survive is real. There is brutality in the survival but the piece that resonates is the undying commitment to each other that these women had towards each other. Based on real life women, this story gives a glimpse into the lives of these heroic women and brings a sense of camaraderie and hope to the reader. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

An amazing yet tragic story and one that highlights brave women in wartime who have been almost forgotten. I have loved each and every one of the books that Heather Morris has written. This was not my favorite but it is worth the read!
What I loved:
1. Shines the light on a piece of history that has been overlooked.
2. Depicts the strong female bonds and the role that they played in sustaining these women and children during the horrendous times.
3. Highlighted the role of music and how it can impact our lives in so many ways.

What I wished had been different:
1. There were so many characters - it was hard to keep them all straight.
2. I found the flow of the book a little jarring at time because it was told in an almost "story" like way.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking forward to this one but also not sure if I was emotionally ready. Heather Morris is the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz as well, which absolutely wrecked me. If you aren’t familiar with her, all of her novels are based on real people and events. This one takes place during WWII at a Japanese POW camp. Norah Chambers, an English musician and mother, and Sister Nesta James, an Australian nurse, are aboard a ship leaving Singapore when it is hit by a bomb and sunk. After surviving 24 hours in the water, they make it to the beach, only to be taken prisoner. This is a story of incredible strength and resilience, and of the bonds formed between these and many other women while they are held for nearly 4 years.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my copy!

Quick and Dirty⁣
-WWII historical fiction ⁣
-POW camp story⁣
-strong female friendships⁣
-highly character-driven⁣
⁣
Thoughts⁣
I’ve only read one of Heather Morris’ novels, but I did enjoy that one, so I went into this with high hopes. And while it was a well-written book, it didn’t really work for me. What I enjoyed: the overall plot/premise of the book was compelling, but it felt like it had been done before. I kept getting confused about what I’d read in this book vs another very similar novel. Friendships were a big part of this book, some of which infused the story with hope despite the bleak feeling of the book at times. Hunger, disease, and death are common themes throughout the story, making it feel like torture porn which I don’t particularly enjoy. The main difference between this one book vs other internment novels I’ve read was the choir, which I’ll be honest, was not of any interest to me. Who might enjoy this? Anyone who loves character-driven stories with a strong focus on female friendships, hardships, and loss, and the power of music may enjoy this one.

Heather Morris has done it again! Her stories immerse the reader into the character’s lives as well as the times they live in. Sisters Under the Rising Sun shares the horrific experiences of several groups of women captured by the Japanese during WWII after their ships were sunk. Their spirit and desire to live overcame tremendous obstacles…fed very little vermin infested food, having to find their own source of limited water, made to perform difficult manual labor tasks, the beatings by the guards, provided with no medical supplies, the endless moves to “new interment camps” … the obstacles seemed endless and many would have given up but these women used music to bond them together. Their perseverance was absolutely incredible and deeply moved me. While many did not survive their Three and a half years under these extremely debilitating circumstances I came to admire and then love these women, Nesta, Norah, Ena, “Inchie”, Betty, Bulwinkle and so many more amazing women.
Knowing that much of this was based on real women made it that much more heartbreaking.
The passages about the concerts were so very moving and inspirational.
Thank you Heather Morris for sharing the resilience of these heroic women. Many many thanks to Heather Morris, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the amazing opportunity to read an arc of this incredible just published read.

This story is based on a true story. It is about the Vyner Brook Tragedy. The Vyner Brook was a merchant ship. It was carrying evacuees from Singapore when the Japanese Air Force hit the ship and sunk it. The survivors of the sinking ultimately swam to a remote island and were captured by Japanese soldiers. The book is the story of how the survivors endured prisoner of war camps run by the Japanese. This was a novel that was well researched, with well developed characters. I have read many books about the WWII in Europe, but very little about the war in the Pacific. What an eye opener for me. Highly recommended. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the words 'Tenko' about a third of the way through this book I suddenly remembered why the story of internees from Singapore of English and Australian women during WW2 sounded so familiar. It was from the British TV show TENKO from the 1980s. I watched that program avidly with my mum, horrified by the treatment of the women and children.
The women and children in 'Sisters Under the Rising Sun' are actual people who lived through three years and seven months of captivity in camps not fit for humans in Indonesia. Their resilience and ability to find joy and humour in such heartbreaking conditions were touching to read. Heather Morris took on the mantel of these women's tales with warmth and respect. She didn't just write 300 pages of woe and horror, because that isn't how women react to things. The stories of how the women overcame hunger, lack of basic rights, tropical weather, and fear, to find small things to build morale were phenomenal. This book shows what humans are capable of; the brutality of the captors and the strength of the captives. I am so glad these stories will live on and new generations will read about these extraordinary women.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Title: Sisters Under the Rising Sun
Author: Heather Morris
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: October 24, 2023

I received a complimentary finished and eARC copies of this book from St. Martin's Press, as well as ALC from Macmillan audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Harrowing • Inspirational • Valuable

📖 S Y N O P S I S

In the midst of World War II, an English musician, Norah Chambers, places her eight-year-old daughter Sally on a ship leaving Singapore, desperate to keep her safe from the Japanese army as they move down through the Pacific. Norah remains to care for her husband and elderly parents, knowing she may never see her child again.

Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, has enlisted to tend to Allied troops. But as Singapore falls to the Japanese she joins the terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the Vyner Brooke merchant ship. Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia, and in a matter of hours, the Vyner Brooke lies broken on the seabed.

After surviving a brutal 24 hours in the sea, Nesta and Norah reach the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured by the Japanese and held in one of their notorious POW camps. The camps are places of starvation and brutality, where disease runs rampant. Sisters in arms, Norah and Nesta fight side by side every day, helping whoever they can, and discovering in themselves and each other extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness and determination.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I had previously read and enjoyed Heather Morris' other novels, and while I understand there is controversy surrounding them, I still appreciate her brining to life WWII stories and consider her worth reading. Her newest release Sisters Under the Rising Sun explores Japanese prisoner-of-war camps from a female perspective. I've read books from the male POW perspective, but this was the first from a female perspective..

The strong and resilient woman in this story were created based off the stories of women who lived and survived the Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. These women lived through horrific situations, yet the real focus of this book is on their characters, their unbroken spirits, and the friendships that blossomed.

Unfortunately, the easy-to-read writing style lacked the deeply personal level of emotion I'd been anticipating. There are so many characters that it didn't allow me as the reader to really get to know any of them that well. Additionally, because the timeline spans 3.5 years in such a short amount of time, it's no surprise I didn't get the depth I really wanted. It's certainly emotional, but I wanted so much more.

The audiobook, narrated by Laura Carmichael, is incredibly well done. The voice characterization of each woman is distinct. As music plays a significant role throughout the story, I particularly appreciated the inclusion of the Sydney Women's Vocal Orchestra performing the prison songs that helped uplift the POWs. It was this level of personal connection I'd been craving throughout the entire book.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention the absolutely stunning cover artwork. Just wow! As well, the extras - including an author's note detailing where she drew her inspiration from, a bibliography for further reading, excerpts from family members of which some of the characters were based, and a collection of photographs - at the end of the book added value to the story that wouldn't have been there without them.

Overall, an incredible story of women during the war that needs to be told, yet lacking the real emotional depth and connection I desperately wanted. While not my favourite of her books, the immense research that went into creating this novel is eye-opening and I'll definitely be interested in what story she chooses to tell next.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the female perspective historical fiction
• WWII historical fiction enthusiasts

⚠️ CW: war, genocide, violence, gun violence, physical abuse, torture, confinement, blood, injury/injury detail, medical trauma, death, drowning, grief

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"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 poisoners of war, their sufferings no less; their courage to care for their fellow sisters who perished and their own survival should be acknowledged and honored."

I've read a couple of this author's books and wept through them as I did a lot of this one.

A ship is downed and all aboard have to do their best to swim, float on wood, or possibly in life boats. Two sisters, Norah and Ena, and Norah's husband John are on the Vyner Brooke merchant ship along with many others fleeing their country. They are no longer safe. Norah and John had sent their daughter away with her aunt. To be safe. When they are taken prisoner by the Japanese their lives will never be the same. All the things that happen to them and others are so horrible.

You meet the nurses from Australia also. This story is about them and what all they did to help everyone in this POW camp. Sister Nesta James who is in charge of the nurses is a force to be dealt with. You get to know her. You will admire her and look up to her even though she is only a bit over four feet tall. Her and Norah become the best of friends and help each other many times.

Though there are no gas chambers where these women are many die. When the nurses start dying it's so heartbreaking. They are not even suppose to be there. They are suppose to be protected in wartime. Nothing good comes from war. There is a lot going on. Starvation, sickness, friendships, loss. Such sadness.

You learn about a side of the war that you may not have read about. How the Japanese soldiers treated their prisoners. What they expected and what they would do if denied anything. To starve a group of human beings in such a way is horrifying. What happened in this story is so sad. And it's all true. It's not made up.

This book is well written and so well researched. It is about prisoners of war. How it can happen. It did happen. It should not have though.

Make sure you read the Author's Notes at the end. You learn so much about each of the key characters in this book. Each person who was in this horrible camp. What happened to them. It's very interesting.

This book will make you shed lots of tears. No way around that if you have a heart. But it's good. It's worth reading.

Thank you #NetGalley, #HeatherMorris, #StMartinsPress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4.5 stars.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun is an unforgettable novel. Based on the true, but seldom told, stories of women held captive in Japanese POW camps during WWII. Many of the prisoners are Australian nurses (sisters) and there are also women and children. Every character is extraordinary in their positive attitude and determination to survive. Morris's two previous novels were Holocaust stories and this plot is just as sad and shocking. Yet it must be told and Morris does so in a dignified and captivating way. Morris has definitely honored these fascinating women with this incredible novel.

This is the 3rd book that I have read by this author. The other stories held me captivated and moved me as I heard these heart wrenching tales. This book did not grip me in the same way. I had a very hard time connecting with the characters. Although it was another sad story about the victims of war, I was pretty bored reading it. I did finish it and I was happy with the ending. Thank you for the advanced copy to read.