Daughters of Victory

 Daughters of Victory by Gabriella Saab

published by William Morrow an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

A brilliant novel spanning from the Russian Revolution to the Nazi occupation of the Soviet Union and following two unforgettable women - their fates intertwined by the ties of family and interrupted by the tragedy of war

Daughters of Victory by Gabriella Saab is published on 2nd March 2023 by William Morrow PB/ Harper 360 My thanks to the author and publisher who sent me a copy and Random Book Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.

Synopsis

Russia, 1917:  Beautiful, educated Svetlana Vasilyevna Petrova defied her stifling aristocratic family to join a revolution promising freedom. Now, release after years of imprisonment, she discovers that her socialist party if vying for power against the dictatorial Bolsheviks, and her beloved uncle, a champion of her cause, was murdered by a mysterious assassin named Orlova. Orlova's signature ? Blinding her victims before she kills them. Svetlana resolves to avenge her uncle's death by destroying this vicious opponent, even as she longs to reunite with the daughter she has not seen in years.

USSR, 1941: Now living in obscurity in a remote village, Svetlana opens her home to Mila Rozovskaya, the eighteen-year-old granddaughter from Leningrad she has never met. She hopes to protect Mila from the oncoming Nazi invasion, but when the enemy occupies the village, Svetlana sees the young woman fall under the spell of the resistance - echoing Svetlana's once-passionate idealism. As Mila takes up her fight, dangerous secrets and old enemies soon threaten all Svetlana holds dear. To protect her family, she must confront her long-buried past- yet if the truth emerges victorious, it holds the power to save or shatter them A risk Svetlana has no choice but to take.

My review

This is a gripping story that gives an insight into the Russian Revolution and the Nazi occupation of the USSR, through the lives and experiences of Svetlana and Mila. The twists, terror and intrigue within the story keep you hooked to the end.

The similarities and determination of these two,very strong, women to kill Orlova are written in parallel and make for a very compulsive read.

The unexpected twist towards the end of the novel has you wondering who you can trust and also how dangerous it was for anyone working for resistance parties during any conflict.

This is an incredibly well-written story in which the main characters are loosely based on real women, though Gabriella, whilst taking their ideals and some of their actions, develops and links their lives in a very emotional and heart wrenching way. 

Throughout the story you experience the emotional turmoil and determination both Svetlana and Mila face to achieve their aims, along with the frustration, anger and horror that emerge as their lives become intertwined. Their feelings and understanding of each other are sensitively played out from when they meet each other for the first time to the closing pages and how they see themselves in each other.

Gabriella has researched her story thoroughly and it is hard not to be affected by the atrocities that were committed and the expert way in which she conveys this through the lives of two exceptional women. 

A gripping, all consuming 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟read.

About the author

Gabriella Saab is the author of The Last Checkmate . She graduated form Mississippi State University with a bachelor of business administration in marketing and lives in her hometown of  Mobile, Alabama, where she works as a barre instructor. She is of Lebanese heritage and is one of the cohosts of @HFChitChat on Twitter, a recurring monthly chat and community celebrating the love of reading and writing historical fiction.

www.gabriellasaab.com

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