This book is due to be published on 20th March. I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

Unintentionally I seem to have read a lot of WWII themed books recently. This story focuses on an aspect I have read little about, namely the Dutch resistance to their occupation by Germany. It follows Hannie, who is studying law at the University of Amsterdam when war breaks out. Propelled by the violent murder of her Jewish friend and the eventual closure of the university by the Nazis (the “Moffen”), Hannie is enraged and joins the resistance movement.

The genre is historical fiction, but I had to wonder if it is also aimed at young adults. The language is very simple and reads more like “teenage girls doing teenage stuff” in a monstrous setting. Matthews often writes in clichés “her heart thumped in her chest - she was pouring over - a sigh of frustration – overcome by a deep feeling of dread….”. Furthermore, descriptions of Nazi behavior are far tamer than most accounts; at one point the girls “plot to trick the Nazis” with fake IDs. The characters often tell each other high risk information immediately such as “I am hiding Jews” or “there is a hidden door in the wardrobe”, or “my friend is making fake IDs for Jews” which is why I wonder if it is targeted for the younger reader. At one point Hannie wanted to work for the resistance as otherwise she would be bored.

I definitely learned elements about the Dutch resistance, including the network of farmhouses that hid Jews, that the Dutch had a sympathetic Nazi party (NSB) collaborating with the Germans, and lastly, about the Westerbork camp, which operated as a holding camp for Jews to be transported to Germany and Poland.

Overall, it was a bit too light and fluffy for me, but perhaps would be interesting for the younger reader or for those who find more abrupt accounts of WWII too traumatic and confronting.

Hannie is a university student in Amsterdam when the Germans invade Holland. Her best friend, Sophie, is a Jew. Hannie hates what Germany is doing to Holland, so she gets involved in the resistance. The longer the war goes on the more heavily she is involved. Because of her unique red hair, she is easily recognized and soon is on the watchlist of the Germans.

The Girl with the Red Hair, by Imogen Matthews, takes the reader on the exploits of Hannie and her fellow resistance friends. The writing is not up to the quality of some other writers, and the story ends abruptly -- thus the 3-star rating. All in all, it is an interesting story of a young woman who becomes a fearless resistance fighter in Holland. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

A sweet but a heartbreaking story about loss, love , courage and hope. You Will fall in love with the Main characters,. The book Will make you think, cry and smile. A must read.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Set in Haarlem outside of Amsterdam, Hannie is a young Dutch woman enjoying law school and hanging out with friends in between her studies. As war wages on throughout Europe, Hannie is shocked when the Germans invade her country and her worst fears become a reality. As more and more of Hannie’s freedoms get taken away by the new Nazi laws, and Hannie’s best friend Sonja is forced to live in hiding, Hannie realizes she must do one thing: resist.

Hannie joins the resistance to fight for those not able to fight for themselves. In the midst of her work, she befriends Jan, a fellow resister. While the two make a dynamic duo fighting together, Hannie begins to realize how much she cares for Jan. But with a war going on, resistance work to be done, and trying to take care of her best friend and her family, can Hannie do it all and save everyone, while having Jan in her life too?

This was a great read!

I thought this book was pretty good. I enjoyed Hannie and most of the characters. I think where the story line lost me a little was the last 15% after a tragic incident. I just felt the story after that was a rush to finish with little added to the story. And then it was just finished.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Amazing, Inspired by the incredible true-life story of a brave young Dutch woman who would stop at nothing to fight for justice and freedom. If you’re looking for a fast pace story that you can get swept into fairly quickly this is the book for you.

Kudos to Imogen Matthews for bringing us the story of another World War II Dutch resistance heroine. The star of this book is Hannie Schaft, an incredibly intelligent, brave university student who refused to submit to the Nazi control of her country. What struck me was what a normal college student she was before the war, enjoying campus life to the max like we all did. She was in law school planning to be an international rights lawyer in Geneva until the German Occupation.

You may think that this book is a bit slow at first but I think that the author did this intentionally. The pacing of the story mirrors the controls implemented by the Germans. The Nazis didn't crack down on the Dutch citizens with changes immediately but rather bit by bit until they had a stranglehold. We feel the tightening of the screws slowly, just as Hannie and her friends did until their country was unrecognizable. The plight of Dutch Jews is felt through the experiences of Hannie's best friend Sonja and her sister. The reader feels the loneliness and despair of Jews in hiding, risking discovery just to feel the sun again. It was a privilege to read about Hannie Schaft and her many accomplishments as a resistance fighter. We can honor Hannie's sacrifices by fighting continued injustices now. "Every small act of kindness was worthwhile." I highly recommend this powerful book.

If I had to describe this book in three words, I’d say it was equally beautiful, captivating and heartbreaking. Imogen Matthews did a phenomenal job with this book. She depicted the bravery of Hannie and the friendship of Hannie and Sonja in a way I’ll never forget. I really enjoyed this book and am excited to explore more of Imogen’s work in the future.