The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman

The Wartime Sisters is a very engaging story about two sisters Ruth and Millie and their tenuous relationship that at times nearly destroys them both.  While the story begins in Brooklyn, the heart of the plot develops at the Springfield Armory during World War II.  Ruth has always been known for her brains and responsible behavior, sometimes to the point of being termed a 'cold fish.' Millie, on the other hand, was known for her beauty and was always indulged by her mother.  These two differing views pitted the sisters against each other at an early age.  As in any instance, there are always two sides to a coin and people also grow and change.  The Wartime Sisters takes a look at their strained relationship with a well crafted story that also highlights two other strong and memorable female characters Lillian, the commanding officer's wife and Arietta, the cook/singer.  

I loved this story of complex women and their relationships with each other and their families.  Each character was so well written and deeply developed.  I would find myself empathizing with Ruth and then the next chapter completely understanding where Millie was coming from.  I also thought the stories of Arietta and Lillian added so much to the novel.  I think this book would make a marvelous book club selection as there is so much to discuss.  This was most surely a five star read for me.  It made me search out the author's previous novel to add to my reading pile.  

I received this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

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