The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

This brilliantly written story of three very different women, not only in character, but also social status, set against brewing history leading to WWII and its aftermath as war ends, is rich in historical details and dips deep into human character, touching reader’s emotions. 

Marianne is a niece-in-law of a countess, living a privileged life. The book opens with prologue and countess giving a harvest party in November 1938 at which Marianne meets Benita, a young woman to be married to Marianne’s old and good friend.

Seven years later, in June 1945, WWII ends and both women, Marianne and Benita, make their way from Berlin to Burg Lingenfels (American controlled zone) to her husband’s great-aunt’s castle. At the same time, the story of Benita and her to be husband is being revealed and moves back to pre-war Germany, revealing Hitler’s ideology of racial cleansing with Aryan children seen as master race and the role of BDM (German League of Girls) to serve and carry Nazi world views.

With story of Marianne, the effects of after war are being revealed, Berlin’s division of zones (American or Russian), the robbery of Red Army, and the fate of prisoners of war. As story re-tracks to the time of war, it reveals resistance movement and the plan to assassinate Hitler and horrific account of mass murder of Jews in the area south of Lublin, Poland, known as “Jewish Action.”

Soon after the women arrive at the castle and settle down, Marianne picks up Ania and her sons from Displaced Persons Camp and hosts them at the castle, bringing the subject of Europe’s DP camps’ dilemma and local people volunteering and hosting displaced persons. At the same time, Ania’s story surfaces of fleeing from east to west, fleeing from uncertainty of horrific stories of Red Army approaching west. 

As second part of the book moves to five years after the war, 1950, and women move out of the castle, it seems as the story is about to change its tone and Ania’s story keeps missing. But then it moves back to post WWI and reveals Ania’s childhood and rationale behind her choices.

This story of three very different women who are bind by shattered world is engrossing to the very end and takes a turn you may not expect. This richly detailed story in history and rationale of why those horrific events ever took place is moving with lasting effect.

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