Book Review: ‘The Prisoner’s Wife’ Is A Great Historical Fiction Novel By Maggie Brookes

There’s nothing I like better than Historical Novels. Every time I read one I learn something new. The Prisoner’s Wife is based on a real life story and it’s a fascinating one at that. Author Maggie Brookes has written a great love story and done her research to bring this powerful story to life in this novel. I had not idea of how the story would go as I read it and the reader roots beyond all hope for the two main characters.

The story starts out in 1944 in Czechoslovakia during WWII. 20 year old Izabela and her mother along with her eight year old brother are trying to keep their farm intact. Her dad and older brother have left to join the resistance. The German in charge of the area is rather nice for a Nazi. He offers to bring some of the POWs he has to help work the farm. Among them is Bill, an English prisoner.

Once Bill and Izabela lock eyes it’s long at first site. They get some stolen moments and soon declare their love for each other. Bill says no matter what happens he will always come back and find Izzy. He asks her to marry him. She says she will find a way to get this done. She finds a local priest who gets permission to do this. Izzy and Bill devise a plan to get married and then to take off and try to get to a safe place.

Part of the plan is dress Izzy like a boy and write out a fake serial number just in case they’re caught. They’re on the run but soon they are caught by some Germans. They are taken to a camp and per their plan Izzy cannot talk and only write things. If she’s caught as a woman it can mean certain death. Bill confides in his fellow prisoners and they all band together to protect Izzy and the secret. It means covering for her to go to the bathroom, help hew when she gets her periods and keep her away from danger.

We follow their lives through different camps, losses of fellow friends and prisoners, horrible weather and near death experiences. The only question is will they live long enough for the allied troops to save them and end up together?

You can find out on Tuesday, May 26th when The Prisoner’s Wife is released by Berkley.