Will Roman and Elzbieta survive not only the war but each other or will it simply be too much to overcome? However, with Roman’s dangerous actions and Elzbieta’s family at risk the decision to part ways comes at great cost and neither can predict what the future has in store for them. Making the most unlikely team, they will learn to depend on and trust each other if they are going to make it through. When Roman and Elzbieta’s paths cross in the ghetto, they seem to be from two entirely different worlds even in the midst of the same war. But with this change, Elzbieta has no idea how much risk is involved and what this means for her future.
Coming face-to-face with the realities of war, she dives into the world of secrecy and bravery that will change her forever. With her parents trying to keep her “protected”, she longs for something more and to be a part of something bigger. However, will his desire for justice and his reckless behavior allow him to survive and fight for more or will the darkest part of him control what happens next?Įlzbieta, also called Emilia, is no stranger to the devastation and loss that this war has created. When he seems to lose the last of his hope, the anger is too much, and he knows there is more fight left in him. While he struggles to adapt to this new way of life he is driven by a deep love for his family and country. Roman Gorka’s family now calls the ghetto region in Warsaw home.
Relatable characters intertwined with themes of hurt and hope, loss and love along with anger and forgiveness gives the reader another avenue to witness the cruelty and almost impossible survival that we all know too well for this time period. These two components (which are different from my usual WWII reads) combined with Rimmer’s fantastic storytelling ability make this book easy for any reader to get lost in. Rimmer not only chooses Poland for the setting of this story but also allows the reader to view the war through the eyes of two young adults/teenagers. However, when I came across Kelly Rimmer’s new release, The Warsaw Orphan, I knew I was in for a treat from the very first page. This is especially true for me since this genre is my absolute favorite and I cannot seem to read enough about this particular time in history. With the vast number of WWII themed books available at our fingertips, it is sometimes hard to find one that may be “different” from something we have read before.