Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris
Having read The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey by the same author I was interested to know how the author would present the lives of the women who were held in Japanese POW camps during World War II. She focussed on certain women who actually existed and made excellent use of their personal stories to involve the reader in their trials. Sisters Nora and Ena feature prominently in the story as do Margaret Dryburgh, Mrs Gertrude Hinch and Sister Nesta James. Nesta James and a number of other Australian nurses boarded a ship called the Vyner Brook hoping to find safety. Aboard this same boat were Nora and Ena. They travelled with John, Nora’s husband but they have only just begun their voyage when their ship is hit by enemy fire and they sink. They survive in the sea and eventually find a remote beach but from here they are found by the Japanese and incarcerated in a Japanese POW camp.
They find themselves accompanied by the nurses and the women demonstrate amazing resilience as they cope with everything which the Japanese do to weaken and debilitate them. Their fortitude and bravery in the face of inhumane treatment is amazing and Heather Morris captures wonderfully the powerful bonds which develop between these strong women.
The book is well constructed and depicts their stories with power and humanity. It is also fascinating to read of their lives after their release. The book does not wallow in the horror of their situation but you feel incredibly moved by their story. I found their story gripping and would definitely recommend it to those for whom this period in history is perhaps not as well-known as others during World War II. Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

Standing ovation for Heather Morris!

Another beautiful,, heart wrenching story done by Heather.

A good author does her research, and you can tell Heather is one of those. There is no other way could she capture this heart warming story so well.

Heather Morris always takes heavy stories and writes them so poignantly - she has a true gift. It’s fascinating to read these stories that are told so respectfully.

If you’ve read any of Heather Morris’ previous books, you’ll know she is an author like no other. Bringing to light the war stories of individuals, we hear of the true horrors of WW2, but also the sheer determination and incredible sense of hope from the protagonists and those around them.

In contrast to Heather’s other stories, this one is not set in Germany in the concentration camps, but in a Japanese POW camp in Indonesia.

This story opened my eyes to the sheer brutality of the war in the eastern countries - how it impacted Australians, for example. I knew little about the Japanese’s part in WW2 so I’m thankful that I got to learn that bit more through Norah & Nesta’s stories.

As with all of Heather’s books, the main characters, all real people, show incredible resilience and strength in the most merciless of places with the women of Sisters Under the Rising Sun bonding over music in a bid to keep spirits up. Something so simple yet ultimately lifesaving.

It really is one of those stories that will stay with you.

A fan of Heather Morris' previous work, I always go into her novels with high expectations. She has yet to let me down. Her style of prose is so eloquent whilst being so easy to read. I love authors who make history accessible; removing the density and fear that complete biographies of such difficult times often give.

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Sisters Under The Rising Sun - Heather Morris

This was another absolutely beautiful war novel from Morris. Having read Tattooist of Auschwitz a few years ago I've been making my way through the other books, so far the only one I've not read is the Three Sisters.

Sisters under the rising sun starts off in Singapore as nurses and sisters are getting on a boat to set sail away from war. Very quickly the boat is attacked and they wash up on a beach surrounded by Japanese soldiers. The women are then moved between camps of varying quality. The story mainly focuses on Norah and Nesta, but the lives of women from all parts of the world are told during the book. Nesta takes on the role of lead nurse in the camp whilst musician Norah brings joy in the darkest of moments.

Much like Morris' other books I absolutely adored this story. It was completely heartbreaking at times but also full of the small joys in life and trying to bring joy to those who almost seem like they have no hope. If you haven't picked up the books from Morris you really are missing out, Tattooist of Auschwitz remains my favourite but all are incredible.

I feel that there are a lot of books focusing on WW2 and the holocaust, but very few that focus on the events elsewhere in the world at the time. This book was heartbreaking, yet it felt educational at the same time. Well written and very well researched. 5 stars!

So I actually got this book originally through Netgalley, however because I knew I just wanted it because I love Heather Morris so much, I actually went and bought it and read my own copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heather never fails to deliver such raw emotions, desperation and togetherness throughout any of her books and Sisters Under the Rising Sun is no different. Although I knew it would, I couldn’t help but cry throughout this one. I loved reading about Nesta, Ena, Norah, Mrs Hinch and all the other sisters in this book.

And although they weren’t all sisters, but brought together under such difficult circumstances, forced to do whatever they could to survive. That is what they became. Sisters.

This story was at its heart, however terrible the subject is, a story about strength during a time of captivity and the friendships and love that got them through that time.

Heather Morris has done it again, with a wonderfully written novel! It is the heartbreaking and difficult story of the Prisoners of War in Japan and the mistreatment of the individuals within the camp.

It follows the story of Norah, an English musician and Nesta, an Australian nurse, who are both captured in Japan and become POWs.  The story follows their journey in the camps for nearly 4 years and fellow women prisoners. Reading the author's notes at the end their has been so much research into this book, which makes it all the more saddening to read as this was the true life story of these women.

I would highly recommend this book!

Another well researched read by this author covering the lives of women and children enprisoned by the imperial Japanese Army during WW2. Comfortable, privileged lives are changed irrevocably by the fall of Singapore and Indonesia to these brutal and inhumane captors. Undeterred by the horrors of their situation, living and sanitary conditions, lack of food and water, separation from their loved ones, these women somehow find their fight and inner strength. They are tested to the limit with a traumatic night spent in the waters of the Indian Ocean following an attack on their rescue ship and imminent capture by the enemy. Norah Chambers and the group of Australian military nurses endeavour to keep themselves safe, as comfortable as possible and entertained during their incarceration.

A very dramatic read, tragic in many ways, at times I felt unbelievable, so far removed from the comfortable lives we now lead. Revived memories of watching the Tenko series years ago.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I loved the setting and the theme of female friendship supporting you even in the darkest of settings.

Somehow though it fell a little flat in the telling.

Not quite sure how but it felt like a struggle to finish.. I can tell how meticulously researched it was, and I’m glad I persevered with it as these brave women’s stories should be heard.

I loved this book and have recommended it to my friends.
Based on a real life story of Australian nurses trapped in Hong Kong during the Second World War and then deported to Japanese Prisoner of War camps. Joined by civilians who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, the story tells of the courage and determination of those who were imprisoned.
Heartbreaking read but so interesting.

Based on fact, Heather Morris tells the untold story of Australian army nurses held captive by the Japanese in Malaya.
The nurses are taken captive when their merchant rescue ship, the Vyner Brooke is sunk by enemy bombs.
The nurses are kept in prisoner of war camps along with British sisters Norah and Ena, and up to 500 other women.
Conditions are worse than terrible, with no food and little water.
This is their story.
Well researched and well written. Heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measures.

Another emotional book by Heather Morris, both gripping and powerful.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I enjoy fiction books set within historical events and this is a nice example.

It uses an aspect of WW2 that I wasn’t as familiar with so the premise is fresh and absolutely harrowing.

The characters are well written and their courage and compassion will stay with me.

Whatever you write about about this book will not give it justice. Sensitively written, bringing together the horrors suffered by women in Japanese camps but also the hope that tied them together. It is hard to read because of the nature of what it is about but I would recommend it to anyone.

I struggled with this one. I love the premise and am fascinated by the era. I'm sure the plot is great but I found the writing so clunky and laboured that I couldn't carry on with it.

I will be the first person to put my hands up and say that I don’t read that many books about war and the people during those times. Maybe it’s because I know they’re going to be sad and I’m not fully ready for that, as I like to read to escape from the sadness. However, on saying that, I do always devour Heather Morris’ books, regardless of how sad they are, which is usually a given when I go into reading her books, possibly because of how her books are based on real events and real people, which hits a little more while reading them. They are always well written and drag me into the story and the characters lives and emotions almost instantly, with her translating people’s stories and lives into something so compelling, that you can tell that it’s done with care and a load of research. This one was no different!!

Unlike Heather Morris’ previous books, where I had gone into them knowing about the events that surrounded the characters (eg. the nazi concentration camps), I went into this book not knowing about the events within. I don’t know if it’s because I was learning new things while reading it, but I did find it a little bit more difficult to get into it and a little difficult to distinguish between the characters. However, once I did get into their stories, I flew through the book so quickly, that I would have liked it to have been longer.

It was such an emotional and well written book that felt a little short for some reason, possibly because I read it so quickly, because I would have liked more or as stated above, because it took me a little while to get into it. I did prefer her previous works, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy this book, if enjoy is the right word to use when describing this book and topics within, because it’s still a highly rated book.

The events that took place seemed a little repetitive after a while, which only adds to the mundane and repetitive nature of the women in these camps. The misery was echoed throughout the pages with even the longing for the simple things in life that we can easily take for granted, such as a banana, leaving a desperate feeling while reading. Although there was so much misery and heartbreak within these pages, there was also the power of hope and how important the smallest flutter of hope can be in such an awful situation. From the simple act of singing, having something to do, can add something that is so much more powerful than anyone could imagine and how this can spread from person to person.

Set during WW2, this book tells the story of female prisoners of war captured by the Japanese following the sinking of the boat which is supposed to take them to safety from the perils of Singapore. It is very reminiscent of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's War, tracing the everyday lives of those interned in the camps, drawing from stories told to the inmates relatives. Whilst at times I didn't like the writing style and found the book very sad, I would still give it a solid 4 stars - I knew nothing of the lives of women captured by the Japanese before reading this book. I now have a far better understanding of what they have gone through and again Heather Morris's book makes me glad that I live in a different time and different place to that described in the book. It is a story that has stayed with me several weeks later - which is not always the case.

What a fabulous story about women caught up in WW2 in Malaysia and Singapore. I say story but it is a fictionalisation of several women who were interred together. A story of women’s strength, sisterhood, overcoming adversity under the most difficult circumstances.

Nesta, an Australian Army nurse and her team, sisters Nora and Ena are on a boat to escape the advancing Japanese forces. Their boat gets sunk but they manage to get ashore where they get captured.

It follows the women and their treatment by the Japanese in the prison camp, how they make the best of things during a very difficult time. It made me laugh, it made me cry. But I am so glad I read this book and learnt about these women’s life.