In a Nutshell: This offers a perspective of WWII I’ve never seen so far – the story of the Norwegian resistance. But it becomes quite hazy in its focus and hence my final feelings are quite muted.

Story:

Norway, 1942. Twenty-five year old Rumi Orlstad is mourning the death of her fiancé Magnus, who drowned while operating the ‘Shetland Bus’ (the secret special-ops waterway link between Shetland in Scotland and German-occupied Norway.) In a bid to bolster Norway’s resistance fight against the German occupiers, Rumi and her dad become part of the underground movement who smuggle agents and fugitives across the North Sea to Scotland. One such agent is half-Norwegian Jens, who has a great role to play as the local coordinator between various resistance groups.
When Rumi’s friend Anya finds herself in a special German-run maternity camp, Rumi knows that she has to help Anya out.
The book comes in a limited third person perspective of Rumi, Jens, and one character from the maternity camp where Anya is located.

Where the book worked for me:
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The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham follows Norwegian citizens during World War II, discovering that the Nazis are impregnating local women to enhance Aryan genes. Mrs. Robotham is a journalist, who became a midwife, and who is now a writer.

Rumi Orlstad is part of a Norwegian group that smuggles British agents, supplies, and fugitives across the North Sea, into Scotland. The operation, Shteland bus, is done right under the noses of Norway’s Nazi occupiers and their local helpers.

Together with an SOE (Special Operations Executive) agent Jens Parks, Rumi is trying to help smuggle Anya, her childhood friend. Anya was date raped by a German officer, and was put in a program to give birth to Aryan babies which will be then sent to Germany.

This is a story that one might never hear about. I read a whole bunch of World War II books, but I’ve never heard of the Nazi intent to impregnate Norwegian women and steal their children to enhance Aryan genes.

The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham tells of these events, as well as others involving the occupation of Norway. Through her characters, the author shows the sadness, tragedy, as well as bravery which involved being in the Norwegian resistance in 1942.

This is a well written historical-fiction, the characters are absorbing and their intentions clear. The reader becomes interested in the future of the characters, and the dangers they face. The courage of the Norwegian resistance is always in the background, and often front and center.

Baby trafficking was an actual order given by Hitler, part of his plan to turn Norway into a Nazi utopia. In Mein Kampf, the pathetic oppressor actually admitted that he considered those of Viking roots to be at the top of the Aryan blooldline. Thousands of women either had consensual relations with Nazis, or were raped. Either way most of the babies were stolen, to be given to German families. Ironically, after the war the Norwegian government declared those mothers and their children “mentally retarded”.

For a book about baby trafficking, there was very little about the subject. I thought there would be a build up to it, especially when Lebensborn camp was introduced, but that was the beginning and end of it. I understand the author tried to personalize the program through Anya, but I expected more of the narrative focus to be on it.

I certainly appreciated the stress and dangers the protagonists went through. However, I especially enjoyed reading about the cultural importance of the ocean, boats, food, and knitting to my surprise. As a side note, from some reason this book sells under the “Religious Historical” category. I’ve no idea what’s that about as I didn’t get that any religion references whatsoever. ( )

There's a dragon in me that might well breathe fire again.

The Nazi's have invaded Norway, taking special interest in their genetic stock for the Lebensborn program. After losing her fiance to the Resistance, Rumi Orlstad doesn't want to take any more risks. However, when she completes the task of rescuing two Special Operations, Rumi is pulled back into the Resistance. One of the SOE operatives, Jens asks Rumi for help obtaining information, Rumi is quick to accept. Rumi soon learns of a friend, Anya, that was raped by a Nazi and has become pregnant. Anya is placed in a maternity home for unwed mothers and soon learns of the Nazi's plans for their children. Rumi and Jens work together to help rescue Anya and her child while the Nazi's are hot on their trail.

The Resistance Girl is a story of hope, persistence and overcoming obstacles during World War II in Norway. I don't really know a lot about Norway's participation in World War II and I was really interested to find out what the Nazi's had planned for the Norweigen people and how they fought back. I was very intrigued by the Norwegian Resistance as well as the Lebensborn program. Through the changing viewpoints of Rumi and Jens with some interjections by the maternity ward housekeeper, I could clearly see how the Nazi's plans and the paths of resistance that the SOE and the Norweigan people were planning. I was immediately taken with Rumi's character. I loved her attitude and willingness to help. Rumi and Jens were both clearly grieving and showed this in very different ways. Together, they were able to move through their grief and use that to help others in need. . The suspense builds as the Nazi's became closer to finding out Jens' whereabouts and how the Resistance kept one step ahead. I could feel the fear, excitement and determination of Rumi, Jens and their allies as they outmaneuvered the Nazi's. Rumi and Jens' romance progresses naturally, while I could tell from the beginning that this would be part of the story, I enjoyed that it took a slower pace and allowed for healing within both characters. While Rumi and Jens do help some women in the Lebensborn program, it almost seems like an afterthought. I would love to know if there was an operation to rescue women from the program.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

This is a book about Rumi Orlstad and her family and friends living in Bergen, Norway during World War 2.
I think that it is really good that books as well written as this are still available to tell people how life was during the war.

Great Characters, Great Storyline, Significant Historical Interest. Fantastic!

The angle in this book was slanted to the difficulties that women faced, but it didn't forget those of the men.
The characters were original and generally strong, and definitely of great interest.
I had heard of the Shetland bus, but this book helped to put some flesh on the very flimsy skeleton that I knew of.
Full of just enough twists and turns, and well balanced sadness and happiness.
I hadn't heard of Mandy Robotham before but will be looking out for her now.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review. ( )

Bergen, Norway 1942

Rumi Oristad and her fellow resistance fighters smuggle British agents, fugitives and supplies across the North Sea into Nazi-occupied territory. It is an unforgettable journey of young people risking it all for a movement against Hitler’s regime. The story in this WW11 fiction could possibly have happened and marvels in its descriptions. The bravery of sailors risking their lives on the Shetland bus to help those escaping the Nazis is incredible so are the heartbreaking accounts told by Norwegians.

In alternate chapters, the narration moves between Rumi and Jens, a young British man she rescued from a drop. The two tell their story in vivid details along the way we are drawn into an intriguing and informative read that includes the disturbing Lebensborn maternity program Himmler’s had created. Rumi and Jens helped two young women in their late semester escape via the Shetland bus. The panic and anxiety is palpable. It is easy to get invested in their survival.

It is evident the author loves her subject and know how to penned and exciting story. Her characters are nicely defined so much so that we want their mission to succeed whether is sending a coded message or freeing someone from a difficult situation or even having a quiet moment in the cold snowy mountains....The are many characters POV’s in his wonderful story to captivate us (Peder,Marjit, Selig, Anya,Rubi, Karl, Fru Nesse) to name a few contribute to make this novel a captivating read.

“The Resistance Girl” is an absorbing read, once started hard to put down. The everyday survival, the fear, the suspicions are well captured so is love, family and friendship. Well-said.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via Netgalleys for my thoughts: this is the way I see it ( )

’ve read and really liked a few of Mandy Robotham’s historical fiction books. Her main characters typically are strong, independent women and the background stories factually accurate.

The Resistance Girl, told from different POVs, focuses on the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II. It tells of the Quisling collaborators and the Norwegian’s courageous resistance, as well Hitler’s secret Aryan maternity program, Lebensborn.

While I didn’t like this book quite as much as Robotham’s others, it still is a well written, worthwhile, engrossing read. It is atmospheric and suspenseful. It is also heartbreaking, given what is happening now in Ukraine. How can this be happening again?

One of the things I particularly like about Robotham’s writing is that she usually ends with a strong resolution, tying up loose ends for all her characters.

I highly recommended Many Robotham’s works. ( )