Hollywood legend Lena Browning is visited in 2005 by beautiful movie star Sienna Hayes, who wants to direct and star in a movie about Browning's life. The 85-year-old actress agrees to open up for the first time and begins her incredible story in 1943. Lena's name is really Bina Blonski, a Jewish woman imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto with her husband Jakub along with his brother Aleksander, who has lost his wife and child to the Nazis. Bina is blond and able to pass as an Aryan woman. Her determination to survive and help others transforms Bina into a clever and fierce member of the resistance. Even after she finds her way to the United States and becomes a star, her desire for revenge is never forgotten.
One of my favorite books of 2022 was Lisa Barr's Woman on Fire. I couldn't wait to read The Goddess of Warsaw, which was the first book on my 2024 must-read list. Bina/Lena is an unforgettable character. After finishing it, I had to let my feelings settle as I was so affected by this moving and suspenseful story. The tragedy of WWII and the Holocaust has been told many, many times including accounts of the horrors within the Warsaw Ghetto. While I'm a big historical fiction fan, I have to take long breaks between reading books about this heartbreaking era. It takes a wonderful author like Barr to create a story that is a true standout. So, grab a box of Kleenex and don't wait to read it after it is released.
Many thanks to Harper Perennial for providing an advance copy, which is sure to be one of my 2024 favorites.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Historical Fiction.
Publication Date: May 28, 2024.
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