And this new self, clutching Ania’s papers in her dirty palm, is nothing but a husk, an empty shell waiting to be inhabited.

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PRAISE FOR JESSICA SHATTUCK AND THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE

“Moving. . . . Shattuck’s characters represent the range of responses to fascism. Her achievement—beyond unfolding a plot that surprises and devastates—is in her subtle exploration of what a moral righteousness like Marianne’s looks like in the aftermath of war, when communities and lives must be rebuilt, together.”

—New York Times Book Review

“Jessica Shattuck offers a mesmerizing new look at the aftermath of the war . . . [and] answers the question ‘How do good people become Nazis?’ with insight and empathy. The Women in the Castle stands tall among the literature that reveals new truths about one of history’s most tragic eras.”

—USA Today

“Captivating, fascinating, and incredibly faithful to the events as they happened, and Jessica Shattuck reveals an entirely new side of what it’s like to be a woman in wartime.”

—Newsweek

“If you’re a historical fiction fan, this will be your new favorite novel. . . . Set in the stunning, castle-lined backdrop of the Bavarian countryside, The Women in the Castle explores the lives of three women as they discover what it means to survive, forgive, and ultimately love again in the cold ashes of war. It’s so emotionally powerful there’s a chance the literary-induced chills will stay with you well into summer.”

—Redbook

“A masterful epic.”

—People

“A virtuoso of time and place, Jessica Shattuck has created a heart-smashingly good novel, an important story that will change the way you look at current events, how you regard your neighbors. It will leave you asking, ‘What would I do if I were in these characters’ shoes? Would my conscience pass the test?’ Powerful and prescient, an important book everyone should read.”

—Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

“A poignant, World War II page-turner.”

—Marie Claire

“Jessica Shattuck weaves a heartbreaking story of three widows haunted by the past and brought together by the will to survive. Riveting and emotional, The Women in the Castle is a WWII story like you’ve never seen before.”

—Bustle

“I couldn’t put Jessica Shattuck’s gorgeous novel down, an intricate and intimate portrait of the lives of three women whose fates draw them together in World War II Germany. A wonderful, wonderful read.”

—Janice Y. K. Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher

“Poised and astute. . . . Shattuck unleashes a skewering gift for social commentary.”

—Jennifer Egan, New York Times Book Review, on The Hazards of Good Breeding

“For fans of The Nightingale and other classic World War II stories, here comes the riveting tale of German women, some the widows of resisters and some who may not be so innocent, struggling to survive with their children in Nazi Germany. You will fall in love with this novel and the unwavering strength of Marianne von Lingenfels as she gathers these refugees at her crumbling Bavarian castle. She has made a solemn promise, but the struggle for ethics and for survival is complicated on the wrong side of history. A compelling new perspective on women at war.”