Daughters of the Fatherland by Jericho J. Johnson is a poignant historical novel that explores the experiences of Romani children during World War II, particularly the lesser-known Romani Holocaust, known as the Porajmos. The story follows Rosa, a young girl navigating the brutal realities of war while holding onto hope and resilience.

The audiobook has received praise for its compelling narration, which enhances the emotional depth of the story. Many reviewers highlight the gripping and action-packed nature of the book, noting that it keeps listeners engaged from start to finish3. If you're interested in historical fiction that sheds light on overlooked aspects of history, this might be a great listen!

The story of the Roma people's experience in World War II is one that is not very well known. The Holocaust literature mostly focuses on the plight and destruction of the Jewish communities of Europe, but the narrative misses the story of the gypsies who were rounded up and killed by the Nazis.
This story give a look at the experience of one of these Roma girls, who luckily escapes the fate of her fellow Romani, but who is forced to use her street smarts and cunning to survive the war. Through a series of fortuitous events she is an extra on a German film, a fighter, and eventually a survivor.
I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the Roma experience as well as the dark underbelly of the German propaganda machine during World War II.
I listened to this as an audio book and found the narrator compelling and engaging.

What. A. Ride. 😮‍💨With NEXT LEVEL NARRATION!!
**LOVED LOVED LOVED Alyona Popova's performance!

This historical fiction gem gave me a full-circle experience that kept me plugged in to the very last page! Rosa—a blue-eyed, blonde-haired girl adopted by a Romani couple—goes on 20+ wild, gut-wrenching, and courageous adventures during WWII, all with one goal in mind: finding her father. 🧭👣

From the very beginning, I was drawn in by the promise of a Romani perspective, a lesser-seen lens in WWII narratives. While I wish we had spent more time immersed in Romani culture before Rosa and her family were tragically torn apart and imprisoned in concentration camps, the emotional weight still hit hard. 😢🎻

But WAIT! This book isn't just tears and tragedy; many laugh-out-loud, action-packed scenes (naked soldiers, a gun fight, and a tank..not what you think)

Rosa escapes from the infamous Tiefland film set (yes, that one directed by Leni Riefenstahl🎥🧟‍♀️...HONEY, this side story is a good HOT MESS..LOVED IT), and things get next-level intense from there. Disguised as a Nazi boy soldier (yes, you read that right 😳), Rosa does what she does best—survive, adapt, and lead. 🥷🏽💼👦🏽

She becomes the unexpected leader of a ragtag squad of young soldiers, and what starts as a disguise transforms into a found-family story that hits you right in the feels. 💔➡️❤️ The bonds Rosa forms, the courage she shows, and the choices she makes under extreme pressure make this a rollercoaster of heart, grit, and survival. 🎢🔥

Yes, the book is dense at times and some readers may be tempted to check out before the halfway mark... DON’T. I repeat—DO. NOT. DROP. OFF. The second half brings all the payoff, and then some! 🙌🏾✨

If you’re into:

Hidden pieces of WWII history 🕵🏽‍♀️

Fierce female leads 💪🏼

High-stakes plot twists 🔄

And tearful-but-triumphant endings 😭➡️🏆

...this one’s for you.

Final thought: Rosa may have been born into chaos, but she chooses courage again and again. A worthy 4⭐️ read that shines a light on a shadowed chapter of history. 👏🏽📚🕯️

this was a different read for me, its a time in story that I don’t know much about, and to be honest, everyone heard about the genocide against Jews, but we don’t know much about the one against romani, I was enthralled in the story from the beginning and even knowing some decisions sounded bad for Rose, I still sympathised with her… so brave and honest, and this was a story how a 10 years old had to grow up and learn to live with loss…

I got to listen to the audiobook, and I must say I did enjoy the woman reading the book Alyona Popova, she did a terrific job, she tried to pass to the listener the different characters and feels of the situations, while the story is so sad, it was a very enjoyable audiobook. And I must say, if I find another book read by Alyona I will definitely check it out.

I really recommend this book for people who like to learn more about story and about things we don’t usually learn about in school, while it is fiction, many of the character really did exist and that gives to us an honest feeling…

Thank you Netgalley and Interactive Publications Pty Ltd | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks, for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

*Daughters of the Fatherland* by Jericho J. Johnson is a poignant and powerful historical novel that sheds light on the experiences of children during World War II, with a focus on the Romani Holocaust, known as Porajmos. The story follows Rosa, a young girl navigating the chaos and brutality of war, as she seeks love and redemption amidst unimaginable loss. Johnson's evocative prose and vivid storytelling capture the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring hope for peace. This novel is a moving exploration of humanity's capacity for both destruction and healing, making it a deeply impactful read.

Thank you Netgalley and Interactive Publications Pty Ltd | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read and listen to a ton of WWII historical fiction as well as WWII nonfiction. It’s a time period I cannot get out of my head and I’ve been interested since I was a child. I however, have rarely found anything that focuses so much on the Romani people so this was something I found myself not wanting to press pause on and I’m inspired to learn more about the Romani experience during this time.

I thought this was well written, I felt invested in Rosa’s experience and I was HEARTBROKEN when Peter died just as Rosa learned about their impact on each other’s lives long before they ever “met”.

All in all, I thought this was a great book.

The characters in this book were beautifully written and seamlessly intertwined with the real life historical figures throughout it. Rosa seems to be a World War II Forest Gump, appearing at many major events throughout the war that highlight both her luck and misfortune. Not only did I care about these characters, but the writing also made me do additional research into people and places that Rosa ended up and interacted with. I will definitely be recommending this to some of my students with special interests in World War II and Holocaust research.

World War II provides such a rich backdrop for historical fiction. Every year, at least one title tends to make it onto my reading list. However, I am getting more and more selective in which ones I choose to read. I want something that has ties to history rather than the war as a backdrop.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with Daughters of the Fatherland. The idea of looking at the gypsy population who was targeted by the Nazis was something a little different from other titles I've read. I also like to have an audiobook accompany me on daily walks.

At the start, you meet the young Gypsy girl, Rosa. She seems to have a knack for getting in trouble and her mother does her best to squish her outspoken nature. You also learn that Rosa doesn't look like the other Romani children. She has the blond hair of the 'ideal German', something her mother continually hides with dye. Rosa is told of how she was an orphan found on the streets of Berlin and taken in by the older Romani family.

The caravan has heard rumblings of increased hostility and decide to leave for potentially safer ground. They have to cross a bridge in Cologne to do so. Unfortunately, they do not make it. Rosa and her mother are shipped off to the Women’s Gypsy Concentration Camp in Austria, while her father is sent to the Men’s Gypsy Camp in Berlin. After a while (and a very awful consequence to Rosa's nature of bucking authority), Rosa finds herself with Nazi Director Leni Riefenstahl who needs Romani children to film Tiefland.

Without giving away much, I'll say that Rosa's story does not end with the filming of Tiefland. She ends up making her way to Berlin in search of her beloved father. Along the way, she learns a lot about herself and her place in the world.

The story does have a bit of after the war written into it.

Like other historical fiction novels I've enjoyed, this one had me searching for more information about the real-life people in the book. Rosa may be fictional, but the author did pull the name from one of the Romani children used by Leni. This and more is explained in the author's note at the end. (I didn't wait for that, though, and started my research after Leni was introduced.)

Alyona Popova did a good job narrating the story. It felt like the young Rosa was speaking to me instead of an adult Rosa reflecting back a decade or more after the war.

The title gives readers a different perspective of the period and is one that young adults could easily enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley, Interactive Publications Pty Ltd, and Jericho J Johnson for the advance audiobook copy to review. All opinions are my own.

I picked up this book because I like reading about WWII, and I wanted to read it from a different perspective than I normally do. I feel like this is a story that needed to be told, but it fell a little flat for me. Rosa being our disobedient child main character making it out alive seems so unrealistic for this time period. Although it seem unrealistic to me I did enjoy learning about the film propaganda from that time period. That’s something I haven’t read or explored in other books. While this wasn’t my favorite WWII book, it was good and interesting especially because it was about a different group of people and The Women’s Gypsy Concentration Camp. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy Historical Fiction and/or the WWII time period.

Daughters of the Fatherland by Jericho J. Johnson is a powerful, concise historical novel that brings the overlooked Romani Holocaust into sharp focus. Centered on Rosa—a young girl abandoned at birth and forced to navigate the brutalities of WWII—the narrative captures her fierce determination to survive and restore her fractured world. Johnson’s vivid, emotionally charged storytelling offers both a moving tribute to resilience and an insightful look at a dark chapter in history.

It is fascinating to read stories of life and survival inside Germany during WWII. In the US we have the stories of the Allies and our soldiers, and stories of concentration camp survivors, most often Jewish, who have come to the US after the war. This book reminds us that the Nazi discriminated and hated more than Jews - any culture that was not a part of their master's plan was a target for "cleansing.' Also in the US, we do not have Romani or Gypsy travelers or camps coming through our towns and back roads, trying to live in their traditional ways. I found this book enlightening and though provoking. The introduction of historical persons who were active in film making at the time added an additional level of interest and intrigue, and the development of how Rosa became acquainted with them was an example of how life can twist and turn, especially when the world is shrunk by war. We observe Rosa as she grows from a child to a young woman and grieve with her as she gains and loses those she cares for. I have found that Rosa and her story continues to linger with me.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I loved this book! This is a very thought-provoking story about the life of a young Romani girl in WWII. It's a perspective I haven't read about before and to know that this is based on real life events breaks my heart even more. I was hooked from the very beginning - there are so many historical references throughout the story, so I was often googling events along the way.

I listened to the audiobook and mostly enjoyed the narration. I did find that the narrator sounded too young, and the characters didn't really come to life for me. It came across more as if my teenage daughter was reading a story to me, which wasn't unpleasant, but also wasn't to the standard I'm used to. I soon got over this and allowed myself to enjoy the story; it's just a personal preference as opposed to bad narration. The narrator spoke clearly, and I certainly didn't consider not finishing the story because of the delivery.

The author's notes at the end are very informative, and I'm always eager to separate fact from fiction, so I was very happy that the notes were included in the audiobook edition. I'll be looking for more books by this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ALC for review. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntary.

I don't even know how to start this review. I guess I'm still trying to process everything that happened. In all fairness, I just finished the book.

Let's begin at the start. It is the beginning of World War II, and we follow 10-year-old Rosa and her family, who are Romani trying to get out of Germany. Unfortunately, when the war starts, they are captured in Köln and sent to prisoner camps. Rosa and her mother are sent to a women's prisoner camp in Austria, while her father is sent to Berlin. Early in the book, we learn that Rosa was adopted by the couple who found her mother dead during Germany’s Great Depression. To conceal her German appearance, she is forced to dye her hair black. Rosa is emotionally driven, and this trait often leads to a lack of self-control that gets her into trouble.

After facing particularly severe consequences for her actions, she decides to escape the camp to find her father. But before she can escape, she is recruited by Leni Riefenstahl to participate in the filming of her movie "Tiefland". And that is where her adventure begins.

The development of Rosa’s character is quite impressive; she grows and learns a great deal throughout the story. It's hard not to, in such challenging circumstances. Rosa is determined, and she tries to move heaven and earth to find her parents. It is important to note that she is also entering puberty, which makes her journey more complicated.

I’m not sure how to describe it, but this book broke my heart. It does show how resilient children can be, especially stubborn ones. It breaks my heart because we see the perspective of Rosa, a child who was persecuted during the war. At the same time, we have the perspective of younger German boys who were thrown into combat at the end of the war. And by younger I don't mean to teenagers I mean the 10-year-olds. 

I have to say this is probably one of the best books I have read this year, if not the best so far. I would give it five stars. The author did a lot of research, which you can see, and has a way with words. There is a beautiful message about fairy tales and storytelling in the book that I believe is going to stay with me. We are all children at heart, especially when we are sad or crying. In the end, this is a story of survival.

I had the opportunity to listen to this book narrated by Alyona Popova, who nails every character. This is a personal preference, but I appreciate when an audiobook is easy to listen to, letting me multitask. And the way she did it, just nailed it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Interactive Publications for letting me listen to this audiobook, I enjoyed it immensely.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this delightful book. The female narrator had a very pleasant voice and the transition between characters was smooth and distinct. It was very enjoyable to listen to. I have read WWII books before, but not from the perspective of a gypsy. It was an intriguing read and I highly recommend it to others interested in historical fiction.

The narrator was fantastic, very easy to listen to, with a lovely voice. She gave the characters different tones and it was easy to follow who was talking at any conversation.

The story was decent, seemed to drag a little in the middle and despite being classed as true-to-life seemed to be too convenient at times when the main character Rosa was put into situations… such as the bombing of Dresden, the Reich Garden and other places. It seemed that Rosa lived in the moment a lot of the time but also had planning and wits when needed.

Overall I enjoyed the book, and the characters. Having the biographies at the end was a nice touch.

Thank you Netgalley and Interactive Publications Pty Ltd | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have listened to/ read many books set during WWII time period, I have to say this may be one that I remember for awhile. I thought the story line was well thought out and you really got to know the characters. The book is based from a different point of view than I've read from again. I believe this would kind of be considered a coming of age story, which I don't normally care for, but I just couldn't put this audio book away, I needed to know what happened next. I do believe the story line slowed down about 3/4th of the way through, but the ending made it worth is.

This story focuses on a Romani girl and her family during WWII. That’s was what drew me in; I have not read many books fact or fiction, that detail the horrible acts against the Romani people during WWII. I found myself very interested in hearing what would happen to Rosa next and if she and her family would reunite. Oftentimes I found myself feeling so upset for Rosa and what she was going through and also so frustrated with her when she got herself into trouble by not listening to her parents. I did admire the strength she showed in doing what was necessary to stay alive and then carry on as best as possible after losing basically everything. Overall, I would recommend this to others.

I have read quite a lot of fiction and non-fiction books that are set and about this era of history but very few focus on the Romani and their experiences so felt this would provide some information given it is billed as "true-to-life" and whilst I'm sure there are aspects that are just that, it just left me feeling a bit like the author was trying to put too much into it to cover all bases which resulted in it becoming OTT.

It's not a bad book but it's not the best I've ever read or listened to. The narrator was good and I think she managed all the characters well.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Going to be blunt and a little harsh here- this was a story that needed to told, but it was very… dry. Everything felt like it was only half done, but the first half was enough to make me finish the book. I wish the characters, their dialogue, the imagery, and a lot of other things had just gone deeper.

On the other hand, I did enjoy Rosa’s character and watching her grow up. It just all felt like it was missing something.

Exactly the right amount of history in this historical fiction. I learned more about the Roma people and their holocaust experience but also about the making of propaganda films, Marlena Dietrich and her tours to encourage the troops. Daughters of the Fatherland has a compelling character in Rosa who carries you through a rough patch of history while maintaining a hopeful perspective. Highly recommend.