I am a huge fan of historical fiction books ... specifically those set during WWII. However, the fact that this one took place in the Pacific and focused on nurses who were held captive in a Japanese POW camp was a new one for me. This is not a light read. You will be appalled at the way the prisoners of war were treated. But the strength, dedication, and resilience the women demonstrated is nothing short of awesome. The fact that I listened to the audiobook version was a plus in that I was treated to the singing and orchestra voices of the chorus that some of the characters formed. The ability of these women to find joy amidst such horrible treatment was amazing. Though many did not survive the evil the Japanese army forced on them, the bond of sisterhood and family that they developed was touching. I appreciated the author’s willingness to introduce us to the characters of Nesta James, Betty Jeffrey, and Vivian Bullwinkel. I will not soon forget their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I was excited to read SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN as CILKA’S JOURNEY is my favorite Heather Morris book. The beginning had this reader totally drawn into the story with an evacuation from Singapore by the ship VYNER BROOKE. I could not imagine putting my little eight-year-old girl on the ship by herself trusting that others would take care of her. This little girl as well as many other characters are headed for safety in Australia. Unfortunately, the ship was hit and sunk. Passengers survived 24 hours in the water before reaching an island under Japanese control. I was thoroughly involved in the story.

The remainder of the book involves surviving the control of the Japanese in several camps. I was involved in the various stories that showed how the women survived by working together. I did feel that there was more “telling” than “showing” what happened.

I enjoyed reading the Author Notes at the end of the book and finding out information about the survivors. I am raising my rating from 3.5 stars to 4 stars due to the excellent author notes. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

This story is divided into three parts. Two of the main characters take turns narrating the chapters.
The story is about survival and friendships. What a horrific part of history. Parts of the book were very hard to read.
The story is based on real people which makes it even more gripping to read.
A powerful, well written and moving story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Heather Morris is a master of rendering heartfelt, character-driven historical fiction and this is no exception. Terrible atrocities committed by the Japanese are exemplified and the survivors, all true heroes, come alive on these pages. It was difficult to read at certain points but us a story that most definitely needed to be told.

This is the fourth Heather Morris book I have read. This book like the others I have read is very Impactful and will leave you thinking about the characters long after you've finished the book. This book is well written but at times can be very hard to read due to the tragic nature of the story. Unfortunately that comes with the territory of being a historical fiction that is inspired by true events. Overall I enjoyed reading this book ⅘ stars. Thank you Netgalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

Captivating story of women captured and sent to POW camps by the Japanese in World War 2. This book told part of of an unknown (to me) story of these brave women struggling to survive while caring for others. There was a group of Australian Army nurses whose story and kinship was remarkable. Along with these nurses several other groups of broken families and a musician. They all helped inspire everyone to work together to survive in the different camps in the jungle.

It seemed like a well researched book and the author provided a good epilogue of the what happened to these women later in life. I agree with the author that the book isn't about remembering them it is about learning about them. One cannot remember if you never knew the story to begin with. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

Spellbinding! A gripping historical fiction, Sisters Under the Rising Sun (great title, by the way) is about sisters and their families, along with a group of Australian nurses, trying to escape from Singapore, only to have their ship bombed. Some in lifeboats but most swimming in the sea, they made it to a beach but were then taken captive by the Japanese during WWII. Separated from the men who survived, the women were taken to an internment camp, where they relied on each other to be strong and resilient to survive their captivity. Amazing to me, they woke up each day and rose up to make their environment livable and better for others within the camp. Together, they pulled on their talents, immediately with Sister Nesta James and the nurses setting up a hospital and caring for others while Norah and her sister encouraging others with their music to lift their spirits. Working together, Nesta and Norah become sisters as they deal with all the trials and tribulations of camp, with little food, harsh beatings, disease, sexual abuse, and never knowing day to day what would happened. And yet they had HOPE. This is a story of friendship, courage, and survival. This is the story of true people in history. I found it fascinating and yet heartbreaking. What special people they were to stay strong and survive. A different aspect of how the war affect civilians during WWII that we don't often hear about. I strongly recommend it. Many thanks to #netgalley #sistersundertherisingsun #heathermorris #stmartinspress for the opportunity to red and review this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy of Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris in exchange for an honest review. It published October 24, 2023.
This is a worthy title to be shelved with other WWII novels, for sure. It has the same feel of ups and downs in the genre, and there are a lot of similarities, however, the fact that this was about real people, and not just a story sets it apart. Also the fact that it takes place in Asia, rather than Europe.

Phenomenal! Based on true events. Get ready to cry, be angry and shout with joy…10 Stars!
This is simply a must-read. Period. Told in three parts with 23 chapters and an epilogue. Many chapters are made up of a compilation of events that may be attributed to our principal characters as well as an amalgamation of other characters without names. Ms. Morris enjoys putting a face to a name so in the back will be pictures of several of the people mentioned in the story. This is a tragic journey of women who had to endure starvation, brutal punishment and degradation in an enemy prison camp in Indonesia during WWII. There is a significant difference between reading a novel that makes you cry and reading a book based on facts that makes you cry. There will be anger along with the sorrow, but also there will be moments of such pure joy. To share more of this story will not do it justice. To reiterate, this is a must-read. The blurb gives you a brief sketch of the hardships endured by these phenomenal women.
For those people who only know about the internment camps where the Japanese were held during WWII in the US, this will be an eye-opener. I was not aware that the Japanese harbored prison camps in Indonesia. Their camps did not allow the Red Cross to intervene on behalf of the prisoners, nor did they allow anyone to know they even existed. Our principal characters were all presumed dead until the Japanese surrender in 1945, more than three years after they had been captured! It is worth looking up the song written by Margaret Dryburgh with music composed by Norah Chambers: “Song of Survival: The Captives’ Hymn.” The version that I particularly like was sung by the UWF Singers of the University of West Florida found on YouTube.
This has been the absolute most awe-inspiring book that I have read this year. If you like reading non-fiction about people during modern war times, you will want to read this book. Get your tissues! I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy of Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris in exchange for a honest review.Having read Heather Morris’ other books that dealt with the Holocaust this book was a change of pace set in the Pacific but was equally gripping..Dealing with loss and extreme circumstances, the main characters are Nesta James an Australian Army nurse and Norah Chambers a woman musician who was fleeing Singapore with her husband and sister when their boat was torpedoed.Captured and sent to a remote island they are are forced to endure unimaginable circumstances by the Japanese troops.Norah and her sister form an orchestra to lift spirits and Nesta and her nurses are willing to suffer and go without so others can be saved.Based on true characters , this is truly a story of remarkable women whose bravery shone through during terrible times.

Heather Morris continues to tell the stories that need to be told, of people that need to be remembered. Like her Auschwitz books, she tells us of strong women during WW2 who survive horrific conditions. This time it's a ship full of women who were trying to get out of Singapore after the Japanese invaded, only to have their ship sink. They were then taken prisoner by the Japanese they were trying to escape. These 200+ women were starved, beaten, tortured, and some were even raped while they were forgotten by the rest of the world. They only were released after the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered.
Heather Morris shares these women's story, as sad and painful as it is, so we can remember their sacrifice and their perseverance that got them through their own personal war. I personally didn't even know this tragedy happened, and I am so grateful to Morris to learn about these heroic women.

loved, loved this book! Very different for this author and loved how she explained from the nurses' point of view how the war affected them. Highly recommend this book to everyone

Readers who read novels based on historical events will be interested in this story. It's amazing how this group of women bonded together to endure the hardships of the camp. I felt the story was rather disjointed at times and rather matter of fact. I liked the author's note which provided much information.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris is a moving story of women in Japanese prisoner of war camps during World War II. This is based on a true story of real people. One of the groups of women we follow is a group of Australian army nurses deployed to Malaya. When the Japanese attacked they attempted to evacuate but their boat was sunk and they were captured. Thus began a three year and seven month journey of survival. Nesta was not in command of the nurses, but she was their leader, figuring out how to survive and, up until the last few months, working to cure the ills of others, when, due to lack of supplies and clean water the task became overwhelming. As it turned out, many of the supplies they needed had been sent by the Red Cross but were held by the Japanese. Norah was part of a group of survivors from another ship, non-military. She, her husband, John, and her sister, Ena evacuated the day after they sent their daughter out with with another sister’s family. Norah and John were separated almost immediately into men’s and women’s camps. Ena’s husband had stayed behind with the daughters’ parents as their father was too ill to travel. Along the way they came upon a little girl, five, called June, who had been separated from her mother. They became a family. The list goes on and on and Morris kindly fills the reader in with short biographies at the end of the book.

The women worked tirelessly to not lose their humanity along the way. Some of the Japanese were easier than others and sometimes life was almost decent. But, then it wasn’t. The courage of these women and the will to survive puts the rest of us to shame. It was a well-written book, very descriptive and interesting. It is hard to imagine that these things really happened, but sadly, this book is part of the documentation. No wonder the rules of war and the concern for innocent populations we see in today’s world.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Sisters Under the Rising Sun by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #HeatherMorris #SistersUnderTheRisingSun

During World War II, English musician Norah Chambers sends her daughter Sally away from Singapore to protect her from the advancing Japanese army. Norah stays behind to care for her family. Sister Nesta James, an Australian nurse, also ends up on a ship leaving Singapore, and they experience a harrowing journey. After their ship sinks, they survive at sea and are eventually captured by the Japanese and held in a POW camp. Together, they face unimaginable hardship, showing incredible courage and resilience. "Sisters under the Rising Sun" is a story of women's bravery and friendship in wartime, emphasizing the bond between Norah and Nesta.

I was elated to be granted the privilege of reading an Advance Reader's Copy of "Sisters Under the Rising Sun," written by Heather Morris. This is my third book by this author and certainly won't be my last. I am so grateful for the opportunity extended to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Within the pages of "Sisters Under the Rising Sun," one discovers a heart-rending chronicle, masterfully woven, delving into the lives of several civilian women, children, and a group of gallant Australian nurses. Amidst the abundant plethora of historical fiction works that take place during World War II, the book stands out as a unique storyline that is written exceptionally well.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris is a story of sisterhood, bravery and friendship in the darkness of war. As World War II spreads through the Pacific, Norah Chambers places her eight year old daughter on a ship leaving Singapore, hoping to keep her safe from the advancing Japanese army. Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, enlisted to tend to Allied troops but as Singapore falls to the Japanese, she joins a ship of terrified people. When their ship is sunk off the coast of Indonesia and surviving hours in the sea, the survivors find themselves on the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured by the Japanese and held in one of their notorious POW camps. With disease, brutality and starvation rampant, the survivors must find a way to fight back with resourcefulness, determination, and courage.
Heather Morris has gained a reputation for writing about little known stories filled with amazing inspiration of survival and courage. Sisters Under the Rising Sun is no exception. With most World War II stories focused on the European theater, it is great to finally see a story featuring events in the Pacific theater. The descriptions of what these people endured and survived is horrifying and yet inspirational. It is a testament to the strength and reliance of the human spirit to survive. There is a slow build to the events, but once the story builds up, it is a hard book to put down. I worried and hoped these amazing people survived and were reunited with their loved ones. If you enjoy World War II stories and want to read the different areas of the war, I highly recommend Sisters Under the Rising Sun.

Sisters under the Rising Sun is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

Another knock out of the park historical fiction by Heather Morris. Unlike the previous works I have read by her this is not about the Nazi concentration camps but the Japanese interment camps. Following sisters, nurses and nuns throughout their interment in Japanese camps. Trying to flee Singapore and being captured after their ship was sunk these ladies survived the Ocean and in the end the Japanese. Throughout their interment music played an integral part in their mental health in their Ryder to give them the strength to survive.

Fleeing from Singapore in February 1942, caught between two fighting forces, with bullets raining down, it is a wonder that anyone survived. But many endured. This story tells of the fortitude and strength of these incredible people.

However horrible it was to survive near drowning it did not compare with the dreadful conditions that these brave folks lived through from February 1942 till they were liberated on September 11, 1945. Five different POW camps, all of which left more starving or dead.

This book is one everyone should read, to learn that one can survive, if you have friends around you. Received through St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, these impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

4.5 ⭐

I loved the authors note, as well as the historical snippets about the women in the book.

Nora and Enid, singers and sisters, are fleeing from the invading Japanese in Singapore. When their ship is bombed and sinks off shore, they barely make it to safety. On board the ship is also a group of Australian nurses. Nesta is second in command and the nurses take charge of helping as many people to safety as they can.

When they wash up on a small island, they each encounter different experiences, but one thing is clear. They are no longer safe and they have become prisoners of war.

This book is the story of the men and women held as prisoners of war for 3 1/2 years by the Japanese. The book is powerfully moving, but seemed a little slower than Heather Morris' other books.



Thank you to netgalley for a digital arc to review.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun
Author Heather Morris
Publishes today!

Thank you, @stmartinspress and @netgalley, for my #gifted e-arc! This was my first read by Heather Morris, and I have a few others of hers to get to on her backlist!

Sisters Under the Rising Sun is a powerful story of friendship, resilience, and survival; however, it was a little slow at times and did not sufficiently grasp my interest. Although it was well- researched and has a unique historical fiction setting.