Band of Sisters
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Julia Whelan
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Written by:
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Lauren Willig
About this listen
"With heart and humor, Willig explores the complexities of female friendships - feuds, forgiveness, and all. A touching portrait of triumph and found family in the midst of war. Bravo!” (Stephanie Dray, New York Times best-selling author of America's First Daughter and The Women of Chateau Lafayette)
A group of young women from Smith College risk their lives in France at the height of World War I in this sweeping novel based on a true story - a skillful blend of Call the Midwife and The Alice Network - from New York Times best-selling author Lauren Willig.
A scholarship girl from Brooklyn, Kate Moran thought she found a place among Smith’s Mayflower descendants, only to have her illusions dashed the summer after graduation. When charismatic alumna Betsy Rutherford delivers a rousing speech at the Smith College Club in April of 1917, looking for volunteers to help French civilians decimated by the German war machine, Kate is too busy earning her living to even think of taking up the call. But when her former best friend Emmeline Van Alden reaches out and begs her to take the place of a girl who had to drop out, Kate reluctantly agrees to join the new Smith College Relief Unit.
Four months later, Kate and 17 other Smithies, including two trailblazing female doctors, set sail for France. The volunteers are armed with money, supplies, and good intentions - all of which immediately go astray. The chateau that was to be their headquarters is a half-burnt ruin. The villagers they meet are in desperate straits: women and children huddling in damp cellars, their crops destroyed and their wells poisoned.
Despite constant shelling from the Germans, French bureaucracy, and the threat of being ousted by the British army, the Smith volunteers bring welcome aid - and hope - to the region. But can they survive their own differences? As they cope with the hardships and terrors of the war, Kate and her colleagues find themselves navigating old rivalries and new betrayals which threaten the very existence of the Unit.
With the Germans threatening to break through the lines, can the Smith Unit pull together and be truly a band of sisters?
©2021 Lauren Willig (P)2021 HarperCollins PublishersYou may also enjoy...
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Narration was awesome, taught me about interesting women in recent history.
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What listeners say about Band of Sisters
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Gail Nameth
- 2021-07-23
Great story based on a real group of women
I could not stop listening to this book, I listened until 3am just to find out what happened. The characters were all so varied in personality, strangers that became a family while helping others.
I highly recommend this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Carol-Anne
- 2024-10-13
Love the characters!
The story was believable & interesting. The characters were nuanced and charming.
The narrator was excellent!
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- LK
- 2022-10-14
Women active in WW1
This novel was charming. One minute the plot was serious with gripping recollections of the varied activities these women were expected to perform interspersed with sections which were hilarious! The author has skills in the humor arena.
The narration was fabulous as one would expect from this skillful woman.
Overall, I highly recommend this somewhat unusual historical fiction .
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- Selena Ojala
- 2021-06-11
❤❤❤
Absolutely loved every minute of it. great narrator and wonderful story. we are blessed to have no knowledge of war.
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- Anynomous
- 2021-12-22
Compelling historical fiction
A captivating, creative and artful piece of historical fiction that is expertelly performed. Highly recommend.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Lynne G
- 2022-10-09
Truly inspiring
Such a beautifully written novel. It captures the reality and truth historically, as if you can totally imagine everything that is happening. The author takes you deeply into every character and pulls at your heartstrings. Excellent performances by the narrator. Definitely a favourite on my reread list.
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- Mandy Melnyk
- 2022-06-28
unbelievably great
This book was so good I am so sad it is over from or from the actual character development history development mixed in with the historical reality there's there is so much we don't know about what happened in World War I this book is truly 1 of the best I have ever Listen to
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2 people found this helpful
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- Ayjai Young
- 2024-03-12
Not for me.
I love books based around WW1 and 2.... usually. This one was more like a hen party than a loved book. I forced myself through it... hoping...to no avail.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2022-10-15
Soft plot, strained narration
Could not finish this. So boring... could not even make it past the character development. Also, I love Julia Whelan as a narrator - have selected books because of her. However, this was not her best work. So many voices felt very cliché. I actually winced evertime a couple of them began talking. Maybe too many voices and she was reaching to make each so distictive. Dunno. Not for me.
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