Extraordinary Bravery

The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham is a powerful historical novel set in occupied Norway during World War II.

The reader hears about the extraordinary acts of bravery of ordinary men and women against the occupying Nazis. Brave souls worked along fully trained operatives to sabotage the plans of the Nazis.

Secrecy was the order of the day as was the ability to run at the drop of a hat.

War robs people of so much as we follow a young woman grieving the death of her fiancé. “For a short time [she] was pulled from her swamp of grief by those in a far worse position than herself.” Helping others lifts us above our circumstances as we focus on them.

We see that many help in whatever ways they can – be it knitting, hiding or healing. People do what they can when they can.

We also hear about the lebensraum program to repopulate Germany. Here the women were often not willing participants but taken advantage of. Their bodies were merely used as incubators.

The story is written in the alternating points of view of the two lead characters and a housekeeper of the lebensraum program. We see the brave men and women fighting for their homeland.

Mandy Robotham has produced a marvellous story about a little known, to me, slice of history. It is a compulsive tale that I can highly recommend.

I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON