Band of Sisters: A Novel

Written by Lauren Willig

Narrated by Julia Whelan

“With heart and humor, Willig explores the complexities of female friendships—feuds, forgiveness, and all. A touching portrait of triumph and found family in the midst of war. Bravo!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times Bestselling author of America's First Daughter & The Women of Chateau Lafayette

A group of young women from Smith College risk their lives in France at the height of World War I in this sweeping novel based on a true story—a skillful blend of Call the Midwife and The Alice Network—from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig.

A scholarship girl from Brooklyn, Kate Moran thought she found a place among Smith’s Mayflower descendants, only to have her illusions dashed the summer after graduation. When charismatic alumna Betsy Rutherford delivers a rousing speech at the Smith College Club in April of 1917, looking for volunteers to help French civilians decimated by the German war machine, Kate is too busy earning her living to even think of taking up the call. But when her former best friend Emmeline Van Alden reaches out and begs her to take the place of a girl who had to drop out, Kate reluctantly agrees to join the new Smith College Relief Unit.

Four months later, Kate and seventeen other Smithies, including two trailblazing female doctors, set sail for France. The volunteers are armed with money, supplies, and good intentions—all of which immediately go astray. The chateau that was to be their headquarters is a half-burnt ruin. The villagers they meet are in desperate straits: women and children huddling in damp cellars, their crops destroyed and their wells poisoned. 

Despite constant shelling from the Germans, French bureaucracy, and the threat of being ousted by the British army, the Smith volunteers bring welcome aid—and hope—to the region. But can they survive their own differences? As they cope with the hardships and terrors of the war, Kate and her colleagues find themselves navigating old rivalries and new betrayals which threaten the very existence of the Unit.

With the Germans threatening to break through the lines, can the Smith Unit pull together and be truly a band of sisters?  

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Mar 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063070332

Lauren Willig

Lauren Willig is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Band of Sisters and Two Wars and a Wedding, plus four popular historical novels cowritten with Beatriz Williams and Karen White. An alumna of Yale University, she has a graduate degree in history from Harvard and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She lives in New York City with her husband, two young children, and lots and lots of coffee.

Reviews for Band of Sisters

[Emily Lassiter Branch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first "solo" book by Lauren Willig (I've read a couple of her collaborations with Beatriz Williams and Karen White) but it certainly won't be my last. This was fascinating historical fiction, based on the experiences of the Smith College Relief Unit, a group of Smith College alumnae who aided in humanitarian relief work in France during and after the First World War. These were young women who signed up for various reasons and with various expectations, but once they got to France most of them found that what they'd actually be doing didn't quite match up with their expectations. Most of these were privileged young women from wealthy families. The two main characters were roommates at Smith, but came from vastly different backgrounds, one from a wealthy family, the other a scholarship student with a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she never felt she fit in at Smith, despite her many accomplishments there and the friendship of her roommate. Many events in the book are based on letters from the women of the unit to their friends and family back home, which Willig found in her research. The growth of these young women is fascinating to watch, learning skills and lessons that they never expected when they signed up for the unit. Julia Whelan's narration of the audiobook is impeccable. Be sure not to miss the "Historical Note" at the end, where Willig describes how the book came about, and to do a web search for images of the Smith College Relief Unit. They deserve to be remembered.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

[Jonathan Kaczka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved that this was a true historical event even though characters were added or embellished. The amazing work of women during a time when many did not have the right to vote or inherit property.

[MLJS-piano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, wow, wow. This is my new favorite book. So well written and researched, and, as you'll find at the endnote, all the events are basically true! Unbelievable bravery by those young women ... when they'd mostly been raised to hold charity luncheons and attend the opera. I'm still very very moved by this women's war story, and I'll definitely seek out more info. I want to congratulate the author particularly for her sensitive and insightful and compassionate nuance regarding the social and class differences between the girls. My dad was a truck driver too, and I went to college on Teamsters scholarship... in the 1980s. The issues of privilege and longing -- for both the higher and lower born girls -- are so well done. Highly recommend this book!!

[Nicky hintz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well written and engaging. The narrator in the audiobook did a good job of making the characters sound different so I could tell when one was talking vs a different one.

[elaine clarke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel conveys the unbelievable strength and awe inspiring courage of the Smith band of Sisters.The desperate and wretched conditions, after the German invasion, in the small French villages was unbelievable .The author imparts the amazing story of that dreadful time with humour ,fellowship, romance and courage.
Elaine C

[Sibyl Bal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best Novel I have read in the last few years!

Highly recommended!

A must read!

I read the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I listen to the book through scribd

Well Done

[Gina Johnson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting book with an amazing narrator! I enjoyed learning about the Smith women.

[Denise Wellman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting. I always enjoy a book that tells me something about history I didn’t know.

[Doug Engstrom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had never heard of the real-life Smith College Relief Unit or their work during WWI in France, but this well-written novel brings the whole story to life. A fascinating read—or “listen” in this case. The audio version is well-voiced and well-produced.

[Claire Barnier · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredible story based around true events and the women who lived them. Highly recommended reading

[debs4jc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Based on a true story, this book follows several woman who answer the call from their Alma Mater - Smith College - to become relief workers in France during World War I. If that sounds daunting, it certainly was and these book truly does bring out the realities that these woman were little prepared for. I really admired the way that the author crafted believable characters - Kate and Emmie have relatable inner conflicts and doubts and much of the book is about the strained relationships between the woman as they live and work together in close quarters. I felt like this gave the story a real human element, and I appreciated seeing how the conflicts were eventually resolved and watching a true sisterhood grow among the woman. It may have all resolved a little to neatly at the end, but I do also appreciate a positive ending to my stories so I enjoyed that aspect as well. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction, especially fiction that emphasizes the woman's role in history. And I definitely want to check out more books by this author!

[kimd66 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this novel loosely based on a group of Smith College alumni, who form to assist French citizens survive and sustain themselves in the midst of World War I.

15 women. Thousands of needy people, including children, in 3 cities who need shelter, food, schools...hope.

The story follows the maturation and personal growth of some of the 15, and the downfall of others. All in all, it's a tale of STRONG women who prove that with determination and grit, anything is possible.

[beckyhaase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren WilligPowerfully written and exhaustively researched, this lightly fictionalized account of the Smith College Relief Unit that assisted French villages decimated by Germany during WWI is an exciting tale of daring do. The Smith Unit, made up of recent graduates of Smith College, were young women mostly brought up to be wealthy, pampered society darlings. They were inspired by a visionary speech and formed a unit that soon found them living in filthy, bombed out buildings and working in dangerous, frontline areas of France.Willig used the Smith College archives to find the families (and occasionally the women themselves) of the Unit. She had access to letters and diaries written by the women as they toiled in France. The book uses these intimate writings to flesh out the women and tell of their deeds as the women lived them. The women and villagers come alive on the page. A wonderful book well worth your time. 5 of 5 stars

[desiree_reads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Band of Sisters stands out in the crowd of 20th Century-based, historical war fiction. Excellently researched and solidly told, Sisters is chock-full of believable characters, each with their own personality, and from varying backgrounds.

Band of Sisters is a lovely tale based on the true story of a group of women from Smith College who journeyed to France to help out countryside villagers devastated by the ravages of World War I on the local French residents. Possessing little practical skills, save their determination, these dogged ladies find themselves accomplishing so much more than they dreamed possible. They treat the sick and injured and grow food for the villagers. They take off across the torn landscape in order to get supplies or deliver people where they need to go. They even scrape together their meager supplies to throw modest parties for the locals as well as the military men in the area.

If it won’t ruin it for you, with this book I would recommend reading the Historical Note(s) at the end of the novel first. I don’t think this story made quite the impression on me it should have until I read these end notes and discovered just how much research Lauren Willig put into the novel, and how entrenched in true history the story actually is. The Historical Notes moved this novel from a 4-star to a solid 5-star for me. Willig details out what parts of the tale are true, where she had to bend the story a bit to fit a novel’s pacing, as well as the names of the real “Smithies” in the Smith College Relief Unit who went to France, along with her inspiration and sources for the story.

I especially loved how the book was peppered with “quotes” from the various “sisters” of the Smith group. While spoken from the point of view of Willig’s fictional characters, the lives and stories of the Sisters women were based on the vast piles of letters and journals by Unit members housed in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. The book itself is based on Willig’s research into thousands of pages of source material, allowing her to lovingly recreate the group’s time in France and the lives of these incredible women.

As an aside, along with the efforts of the Smith College ladies, the reader also gets a brief glimpse of additional volunteer women from Andover, Boston College, and Reed College, who also travel to France to assist with relief efforts.

Hear from Willig herself on Band of Sisters on SoundCloud. And be sure not to miss the Book Club Kit for a Q&A with the author, photos of the real-life Smith College Unit, suggestions for further reading, and more!

~~~~~

Drop me a Comment below and let me know what you thought of this review… And if you decide to read Band of Sisters (and I hope you do), let me know your thoughts on the book too!

A big thank you to Lauren Willig, William Morrow’s Custom House Books, and NetGalley for providing a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.

Band of Sisters released on March 2, 2021 and is available now in hardcover and large-print paperback from William Morrow & Company publishers. Get your copy today at bookshop.org – the online bookstore that donates 75% of each book’s profit margin back to independent bookstores. Over $13.6 million contributed since 2020!


From the publisher: Lauren Willig is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including The Summer Country, the RITA Award–winning Pink Carnation series, and three novels cowritten with Beatriz Williams and Karen White.

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Tags/Shelves:
General Fiction (Adult)
Historical Fiction
Women's Fiction
World War I
2021 Release
March 2021 Release

[mrstreme · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Band of Sisters is the type of book that grows on you as you read it. I almost abandoned the book around page 100, and I am glad I didn't. It got better as the story progressed!Band of Sisters tells the story about the Smith College alumnae who went to the French countryside to help villagers during World War I. Many of the story's twists and turns really happened, as gleaned by author Lauren Willig from the correspondence of the Smith Unit. While the characters are fictional, it's compelling to know what they experienced was real: the mud, the hens who were really roosters, even the invading German army. Not only were the Smith women brave, they were industrious, resourceful, and tenacious. Time and time again they faced obstacles that they overcame, together. Band of Sisters shows the cooperative spirit of like-minded women, united in common cause. And while so many books have been published about the women of World War II, it was interesting and important to learn how women helped during World War I.If you read Band of Sisters, be patient as the story unfolds and get ready for a gripping ending!

[shazjhb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous story. Loved the letters. Amazing what people can do when they are committed. Enjoyed the personalities.

[whiskeyinthejar-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 starsI received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Band of Sisters is a historical fiction account of the Smith College Relief Unit that brought aid to French villagers during World War I. In the author's note, Ms. Willig states that she took real events as inspiration for fictional twists. Instances that happen in the book are all taken from researched materials, particularly the Smith girls' letters to back home, and reshaped with some artistic license to create this story while character names are changed but heavily inspired by the real women.Debutante nonsense, her mother called it. Good enough for those that don't have to worry about getting their living. While the Unit was comprised of over ten women, the author brings the central focus to two, Kate Moran and Emmie Van Alden. They were former roommates and great friends during college but have drifted apart the six years after graduation. The chapters begin with letters from different Smithies, providing the reader with a more rounded look at the personality of the Unit, while the chapters alternate between Kate and Emmie's point-of-view. Kate went to the college on a scholarship, where Emmie comes from a powerful rich family; their falling out stems from Kate overhearing Emmie's cousin Julia, who is a doctor for the Smith Unit and gets a strong secondary character focus, calling Kate a charity case. Kate's feelings of inadequacy and not feeling like she fits in anywhere has her restless and agreeing to join the Unit when Emmie calls to ask. Emmie has her own feelings of inadequacy because of how respected and known her mother is, a powerful suffragette. Their friendship, finding themselves, and coming into their own is more the core of the story than I expected with the War more as a strong setting. To decency, the officer had said, and those who persist in practicing it.She would persist. She would.Knowing that the Smith Unit was real and the events I was reading that they endured and achieved were real, of course, add a richer and deeper feel and experience to the story. From the Unit traveling to France hoping not to be torpedoed, having to create plan z when nothing planned works out quite the way it had been envisioned, and to realizing they're going to have their homebase at Grecourt, in the Somme, which was much closer to the front than any had anticipated had me locked into the story. A few villagers grew close to the women but for the most part, the focus of the story stayed on Kate and Emmie and the navigating of their friendship and their self-growth. There was also a slow building relationship added between Emmie and an English solider that had him popping in and out, because of this you could say there was a romance element but I wouldn't go the full step of adding the romance tag. She looked at the six other remaining members of the Unit, huddled together around the trucks, each and every one of them a wonder, each and every one of them her sister. They had been strangers to each other when they arrived seven months ago, but now she knew each of them down to the bones, just as they knew her, better than she had ever known anyone.The ending brings the War more out of simply being the setting and into the story with the Smith Unit having to retreat from Grecourt, in what we now know was the Ludendorff Offensive. The War begins to touch the Smithies more personally and presently as instead of trying to help the French villagers rebuild, they are with them fleeing for their lives. Here is where I thought the story's emotions were felt the most and meet more of what I was expecting with a World War I setting in the Somme during 1917-1918. The ending felt somewhat abridged but the epilogue gives us answers and closure with a few letters to let us know where Kate, Emmie, and the rest of the Smithies highlighted find themselves after the War. Band of Sisters doesn't necessarily bring World War I to you but it does provide a well written way to sink into a historical fiction account, mainly through the eyes of two women, of the Smith College Relief Unit and learn about the real ways these women made a difference.

[brangwinn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As I listened to this, I kept wondering how this group of Smith College graduates managed to do so much in France during World War I. The fictional characters are based on real people. Willig did a lot of research in letters written by the 17 women, most of whom grew up in luxury, find themselves raising chickens, nursing people and providing stability for several small villages in France during the Smith College Relief Tour. While all 17 women in the group are given voice, the story is told from the point of view of two of the women. Kate Moran is the only one of the “Smithies” who didn’t grow up with money and the fact that she can’t pay her way is a major frustration for her. Emmie, her Smith roommate grew up in a well-known wealthy New York family with a mother who was an ardent Suffragette but ignored her own family. This band of sisters grew into tough, determined, courageous people who made a real difference for French “peasants” during the war. As always, Willig has done a lot of research when writing historical fiction. The afterword is a must read to discover who the real band of sisters were. Julia Whelan did a excellent job of narration. Her ability to distinguish the voices of the many characters in the book. Without her expertise, the story could have become an audio muddle of confusion.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoy historical fiction, and this book did not disappoint, it kept my attention right to the end, and then beyond with the author’s notes!You are given the feeling that you are in the trenches of this horrible war, we see the aftermath of what is left behind when the enemy retreats, and wonder how things will ever get back to some normalcy, if there is such a thing, and how and if these people will survive.While fictional this story is brimming with facts, and just thinking of these young woman so close to those trenches, knowing how the enemy was spewing gas on those fighting for freedom.I enjoyed this, it is good to remember the past, so hopefully it doesn’t repeat!I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher William Morrow, and was not required to give a positive review.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

1917-18, ww1, family-dynamics, friendship, France, college-alumnae, discrimination, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, perseverance*****Can anyone whose country has never been invaded, occupied by force, and shelled repeatedly really be prepared for the reality other people are living through? In any century, in any war? Even rural folk would be stymied, but city women of a certain financial status and naivete? This well researched historical novel gives voice to the growth and strains a documented group of just such individuals volunteering as aid workers grew through. Told in the format of fiction with excerpts from letters home, this is one awesome book. The characters are depicted so well and completely by both author and narrator. My only complaint is that I (history geek) found it too riveting.Voice actor Julia Whelan did a wonderful job with all the voices and really acted out the story and did not just read it. Her voice brings the characters to life with her inflections entirely suited the situations and characters.I requested and received a free temporary audio copy from Harper Audio via NetGalley. Thank you!

[nbmars · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author reports becoming engrossed by the true story of the Smith College Relief Unit, a group of American college women formed in 1917 who went to the Somme to give aid and assistance to French citizens during World War I. Willig used the vast collection of letters and journals by Unit Members still housed at Smith College to form her own story, using the women’s actual experiences to provide the story for her fictional characters.Thus we read about Kate Moran and seventeen other alumnae who sailed to France with money, supplies, and high ideals. Of course when they arrived, nothing was what they expected. The inn where they were to stay was mostly a big pile of ruins. They had no vehicles. They had no experience with the farm animals that were to feed them. Dangers increased when an invasion by Germany became imminent. By that time, they were committed to the villagers, and helped them evacuate instead of running themselves.All of these brave hard-working women from the Smith College Relief Unit survived the war and helped many of the French villagers to survive as well, becoming heroines in a story not well known (up to now) about Americans overseas during World War I.Willig is to be commended for bringing this story to light with her meticulous research and good plotting and pacing. It’s a story you won’t soon forget!