Sisters Under The Rising Sun is Morris' latest historical fiction, about the experiences of a group of women evacuating from Singapore in the wake of the Japanese invasion of the island. Told from the perspectives of Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, and Norah Chambers, a English civilian escaping Singapore with her ill husband after sending her young daughter ahead of her on an earlier ship. After Nesta and the other Allied nurses board the ship to safety along with hundreds of civilians, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk by the Japanese. Surviving a brutal 24 hours adrift at sea Nesta and Norah along with a group of female survivors are sent to Japanese POW camps deep in the jungle. Years of starvation, disease, torture, and desperation to survive follow and the women must stick together to help each other survive captivity.

Overall, I rated this 3.5/5. I like Morris' writing, it truly feels like you're alongside the characters navigating every tragedy. I did find that there were a lot of characters to keep track of which made following the plot difficult at times. Nesta was definitely the stronger lead character from my perspective and I almost felt like she could have led the book herself.

Incredible story of hope, survival, and sisterhood
Heather Morris once again educates me on past history that I had no knowledge of. Sisters Under the Rising Sun is an incredible true story of a group of women held captive by the Japanese Army in the jungle of Sumatra for over 3 and half years. They are beaten, starved, sick, exhausted, but are survivors. They find their courage, resourcefulness, friendships, hopefulness, and the gift of music which uplifts them.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (October 20, 2023)
#SistersUnderTheRisingSun #HeatherMorris #HistoricalFiciton #WWIIFiction #StMartinsPress @heathermorrisauthor @stmartinspress #netgalley

I have read all of Heather Morris’ historical fiction novels and while I enjoyed this one, this was not my favorite. There’s something about this one, whether it’s the number of characters or the overly cheery disposition of prisoners of war that just didn’t work for me. I was often confused about who each of the people were and their relations to each other. I also thought it was almost cheesy the way they always had a happy thought and positive attitude, not once despairing, almost as if it was a commercial created by the Japanese to show they were being treated well; it was all so contrived and didn’t ring true. I was excited to see that a different part of WWII was going to be covered but this was not at all what I was expecting and I was a little disappointed that the same grittiness that’s in her previous novels is absent in this one.

SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN by Heather Morris is a powerful and gripping story of sisterhood, resilience and survival in the face of the unthinkable brutalities of war. Based on real events and people, it tells the story of many brave women who become imprisoned in Japanese prisoner of war camps after the fall of Singapore and their attempted escape by sea on board the ill-fated merchant ship, Vyner Brooke. English musician Norah Chambers, her sick husband, John, and her sister, Ena, are among those onboard the Vyner Brooke. Also onboard is West Australian nurse, Sister Nesta James. But only two days into their journey, the Japanese bomb the ship off the coast of Indonesia, leaving few survivors. After twenty-four hours at sea, both Nesta and Norah reach the beach of a remote island only to be captured by the Japanese and thrown in a POW camp. There they meet other women who have been captured. They form a strong sisterhood based on courage, determination and the will to survive. The utterly brutal conditions in the camps were hard to read about, but this was also a story of bravery, friendship and endurance under the direst conditions imaginable. The sacrifices these women made for each other were inspiring and their stories uplifting. This story, set in the Pacific arena during World War II, was lesser known to me. Despite the harrowing topic, this was a very well-researched and well-written book and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Another great book by Heather Morris. I loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey, and Three Sisters. This book transports us to a Japanese camp during WWII. Loved the characters, felt their pain and learned more about people's experiences during the war. Wonderful historical fiction.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris was truly compelling and utterly unputdownable.
Morris writes the most beautiful historical fiction stories that stay with you long after you’re done reading them.
This is a beautifully told tale, Heather Morris captures the essence of the POW camps and World War II.
The characters were brave, scared and so determined that while I was reading this book I truly felt so inspired while also breaking my heart in two.
This story gives a voice to the females of World War II.
Norah and Nesta fight, help, survive and discover themselves in the making while trying to stay alive. They show courage, resourcefulness and determination. And it was so beautiful to read about these two.
Although upsetting, saddening and at times quite unimaginable, there is such a beautiful story at the heart of it all.
Sisters under the Rising Sun is a story of women in war: a novel of sisterhood, bravery and friendship in the darkest of circumstances.
By the end of the book I was sobbing. It was beautifully written. I never wanted to put it down.
I would encourage everyone to add this to their list of books to read.
It needs to be read and felt. This story is going to stay with me for a long time.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun is a story about found family, strength, perseverance, and friendship. Inspired by the true story of several WW2 Japanese POW camp internees in Indonesia, this story follows Australian nurse Nesta James and Englishwoman Norah Chambers as they flee Singapore early in WW2 and become prisoners of the Japanese military, moving from camp to camp over the course of 3 1/2 years until the end of the war.

I was so excited to read this as I loved and devoured the author’s previous WW2 books, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka’s Journey, and Three Sisters. This particular story was about a side of WW2 I knew little to nothing about so I was looking forward to diving in to another of Morris’s compelling, emotional stories.

Sadly, this was not that and I was so disappointed in that in fell flat in many ways, and was kind of, dare I say, dull in parts. There was a lot of telling rather than showing and I had a hard time forming any sort of emotional connection with any of the characters. I could certainly sympathize with their situation, which was abhorrent, but there was no depth when there definitely could have been! It was all surface level.

I felt like I was constantly missing something as I read, like I had mistakenly skipped pages. Things would happen off the page and that weren’t conveyed well in the writing so I was constantly trying to piece together new things that happened.

All this is not to say this was not a good story. There IS a compelling story here and I loved learning about this particular aspect of WW2. However, I don’t think the author did this story the justice it deserves in this particular book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris. This is my fourth novel by Ms. Morris. She is an extremely gifted and wonderful historical fiction writer. 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 is an aspect of World War II that I have not read about. When you think of captives/prisoners you think of Jewish concentration camps or Vietnam War POW camps. Up until I read this book I had no idea that the Japanese kept people in camps. The people who survived the sinking of the Vyner Brook were held hostage for three years and seven months. They were moved multiple times. They endured horrific circumstances including torture, disease, starvation or even death.

As in her other books, Ms. Morris has the ability to clearly remind us that even though one has suffered unspeakable events it is possible to keep looking up. The focus of this tragedy is on a woman’s camp. Among the survivors are a group of Australian Army nurses and two sisters. (The Army nurses were also referred to as sisters.) Collectively, the ‘sisters’ lean upon their personalities, careers and each other to survive. Their ability to care for and help others even when they themselves are suffering is not only noble but unfathomable.

The characters are rich, deep and unforgettable. As you are reading you remember that these are based on the lives of real people which is even more devastating. How the ‘sisters’ relied on each other and the other prisoners was remarkable. Each incident, each illness, each punishment, each move, makes the reader feel the sadness of how horrific humans can be to each other.

The setting was different for me and I felt it was a fresh perspective for World War II. You can picture the jungle, the dirt, the heat, the squalor and horrid living conditions these women endured. I am awed that every time I read one of Heather Morris’ books she brings another important part of history into the spotlight. Her readers will have much to learn in this book. I recommend you read, after the book ends, about the real women who this book was written about. They are unforgettable. I can’t wait to see what Heather Morris has in store for us next! Well done.

I would like to thank Heather Morris, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris. This is a phenomenal book (being released on October 24th) by the talented Morris. She so artfully tells this heavy story of Nesta James, Norah Chambers and the other women and children who are interned in camps by Japan during WWII. Nesta is one of the Australian nurses helping the Allied troops in the Pacific front, and Norah has a music background and had sent her daughter off on another ship several days ahead of her in hopes of keeping her daughter safe.

Nesta, Norah, Norah’s sister Ena, and others board a ship as they flee Singapore in an attempt to escape the Japanese army. Their ship is bombarded and sinks. They endure the waters and eventually come ashore, only to be captured by the Japanese army and imprisoned in one POW camp after another.


Morris tells shares the stories of these brave and strong women so that we may know, rather than remember, them. While this is historical fiction, it is clear that Morris heavily researched these women and events; I appreciated the end notes with the biographical information about all of the main characters.

I loved this book and know it will remain with me a long time.


Thank you to Morris, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, what a compelling read about a section of WWII I knew nothing about. This made me want to learn more!

I was super excited when I was approved for this book on NetGalley. I enjoyed Heather Morris’ The Tattooist of Auschwitz, so I couldn’t wait for this one!

I didn’t love this one but I didn’t hate it either. It was an ok read I was just wanting more. I struggled getting through some parts and it just felt so “blah” at times. I never really invested in the characters and they sort of fell flat for me. There were some things that happened that just seemed super unrealistic. I can’t really pinpoint what was missing but I had a hard time staying engaged.

I loved the premise of this book and I think it’s so super important to speak of the women who were captured by the Japanese during WWII and held as POWs. These women suffered through horrible and devastating circumstances and I appreciate Morris telling their stories.

I’m sure many will love this one and it is a good read! If you enjoy historical fiction and reading about heroic women, this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

In 1942, the Japanese are attacking all over Eastern Asia when it is decided to evacuate Singapore. The Vyner Brooke, a merchant ship, is filled with civilians as well as a contingent of nurses from Australia but is bombed and sunk. There are many deaths but also many survivors who manage to reach the island of Sumatra, but the joy of survival is quickly overcome with the reality of becoming prisoners of war. For the next 3 years and 7 months, these captives endure hardship after hardship - hunger, disease, and cruelty from their captors. The stories of several women of incredible fortitude under awful conditions are inspirational to say the least.

When I saw another historical fiction ARC by Heather Morris, I jumped at the chance. The first three (the journey of three sisters during the Holocaust) were all captivating. While this story was very interesting, particularly since it covered an aspect of the war in the Pacific that I was not familiar with, the writing was not nearly as captivating as the earlier books - choppy with so many main characters to follow. That being said, the afterword did give further insight into these heroines and their life after the war. Their ability to survive the inhumanities was still moving, so while not the greatest historical fiction novel ever written, it might be worth your time. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.

Another beautifully moving historical fiction story based on the lives of real women who survived WWII. This time bestselling author Heather Morris highlights the bravery of the women held in Japanese POW camps and the courage it took to survive the harsh conditions, starvation and abuse there. This was uniquely excellent on audio as music plays a key part of the story, with the women using songs to bolster their spirits and several are included on the audiobook.

There is also excellent narration by Downton Abbey actress, Laura Carmichael. I highly recommend listening to this book if you are able or so inclined. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy and St. Martin's Press for sending me a beautiful finished copy in exchange for my honest review! This book is perfect for fans of other WWII stories like Angels of the Pacific by Elise Hooper.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This story follows some remarkable women through their struggles as prisoners in Japanese POW camps during WWII. The storyline mostly focuses on two sisters, and a nurse with the Australian military as their ship fleeing Singapore is sunk by the Japanese, and then they are taken into captivity. It spans many years, and shows the ways these women (and their fellow captives) overcame their circumstances to continue to have hope.
I think my struggle with this book was the large number of characters and time span. We follow these women for over three years and get to know a lot of the many women at the camp. But I felt like we only skimmed the surface of who they were. I didn't feel as connected to them as I did with the characters in her other books. I understand her desire to make this story known and share the details of these brave women. It was still a good story, although difficult at times.
It is set to be published on Tuesday, 24 October, so if you enjoy learning about WWII and especially lesser known parts of it, you'll enjoy this story!
#NetGalley #SistersUnderTheRisingSun

Heather Morris has done it again! This was such a good read. I couldn't put it down! Nora and Nesta's stories are incredible and so worthy of being told. Heather Morris always handles difficult situations with such care, and this story is no different. I'm inspired, heartbroken and in awe of the women depicted in this story, as I knew I would be! I especially loved the historical section at the end that gave the real life history of many of the characters in the book. This story is full of courage, resilience and the power of friendships to get people through the darkest of times. I'm so grateful this story was told.

If you loved Heather Morris's other work, you'll love this one too!

Thanks to Netgalley and Heather Morris for the advanced copy to review.

As Singapore is falling Norah and John make the difficult decision to send their daughter away with the help of an aunt with the expectation of following the next day but their ship is sunk and they become captives of the Japanese for the next three and a half years.

I felt the book was easy to read but it just didn't depict the horrors that the women lived through. Having read Unbroken that showed the brutality and cruelty of the Japanese and there were a couple instances where the brutality was depicted but mostly it seemed like the women were slapped as punishment. There was little food, some rice that had bugs in it, but they still managed to hold concerts and keep the camp cleanish. At times it seemed more like a summer camp.

The Australian nurses were a big part of the story but even though there were a lot of characters none were really developed. I would have loved to know more about Nesta and her motivation.

I love historical fiction and this would definitely fit in this category.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

I was intrigued by this book because I have read the Tattooist of Auschwitz and enjoyed it. I was also interested in the time period of this book: The Fall of Singapore. I have never read a book about that so I was excited to learn more! With that said, I struggled with parts of the plot. I didn't really care for the music/production part of it and it didn't come off realistic. I also didn't care for a lot of the characters but that may be because I didn't think there was enough character development for me to want to care about them. This author usually gets straight to the point with her books-which I do appreciate but it sometimes doesn't pull me in emotionally. I am bummed I didn't like it very much because I was excited but I would still read more from this author!

As a fan of the authors other books, it pains me to say that this didn’t work for me. I can’t really pinpoint what was missing but I had a really hard time staying engaged. I put the book down for long periods and was not anxious to return to it. I enjoyed it just fine but it was missing something that would have elevated it for me. An emotional connection between the characters perhaps? Their connection felt forced/off. I’m sad to say I liked it, didn’t love it.

This book undoubtedly has many commendable aspects, and I can appreciate why it resonates with many readers. However, I struggled with the writing style to the point where I had to set the book aside at the halfway mark. While I did appreciate the prominent themes of friendship/sisterhood and support among the women, these elements didn't ring true to me, nor did they portray the kind of strong, relatable women with fears and vulnerabilities I would expect from them under their circumstances.

The dialogue within the story struck me as unrealistic. It felt artificial and overly optimistic, lacking the authentic tone I would expect from women under the stress they should have been under. This, unfortunately, prevented me from fully stepping into their shoes and sharing their feelings and I could not connect to any of the characters.

What an incredible telling of a true story. Strength, friendship and survival during WWII and being Japanese prisoners of war. This story starts at the fall of Singapore and takes us through the end of the war.
Numerous point of views throughout the story,
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.