Lilac GirlsLilac Girls
Score Modern
What it's about
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, Caroline Ferriday, Martha Hall Kelly's debut weaves together the stories of three women: a New York socialite, a Polish teenager sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, and a German doctor who works there. It's a story of love, redemption and secrets hidden for decades.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 65 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It brings to light a little-known chapter of the war.
You'll love it if you liked
The Nightingale
All the Light We Cannot See
The Tattooist of AuschwitzGood to know
It includes disturbing scenes of medical experiments at Ravensbrück.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #69 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #130 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #610 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1157 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is Lilac Girls worth reading?
Yes. It spent 65 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,157 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lilac Girls about?
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, Caroline Ferriday, Martha Hall Kelly's debut weaves together the stories of three women: a New York socialite, a Polish teenager sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, and a German doctor who works there. It's a story of love, redemption and secrets hidden for decades.
How long does it take to read Lilac Girls?
About 10 hours (400 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Lilac Girls?
If you liked it, try The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr or The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.