Karen McMillan

I did enjoy how this novel didn't shy away from the actual horrors of WWII. From medical experiments in Ravensbruck to the brutal '44 Warsaw Uprising to the everyday atrocities experienced in that country, the author presents a stark look at a world deep in horror and pain.

I must also commend the author on her historical research. I got to explore a world not often experienced in WWII fiction, that of Nazi-occupied Poland and the world of the Polish pilots in the RAF who fought so hard to liberate their country by helping the Allies. The author does a very good job in bringing these worlds to life and transporting her readers to a different era, harsh though that era may be. For the most part, she's historically accurate. The whole Treblinka thing, though... Made me gash my teeth at the inaccuracies there... But then that's just a pet peeve of mine. So, probably not a game stopped for other readers.

The characters took me longer than expected to sympathize with and really want to get to know. I'd say the first third of the book, I found most of the characters pretty two-dimensional and non-engaging. They just seemed almost too perfect and didn't really have any varying emotions. Now, once the s**t hit the fan and people started getting deported and killed, that changed drastically. I think I saw the most change in Celina. She went from a flat pretty girl to a hard-as-nails survivor, determined to live out the war and find her loved ones again.

This book was a surprising find. I enjoyed the seeing how the author wasn't afraid to present the world she was writing about in all its stark reality. And for the most part, her historical research was sound. The characters, on the other hand, didn't really catch the reader until about a third of the way through the book. And then only after some real trials had started to change them. If you're looking for a novel set in Nazi-occupied Poland, check this one out. There's not a large pool of them out there, and this one is actually a pretty good one overall. Just be prepared for a few disappointments.… (altro)

From http://www.karenm.co.nz/
This book is Karen McMillan's response to her involvement with cancer. It is the book she wished she had had while coping with her parents' illnesses and subsequent death. Karen McMillan has continued to work as a Hospice volunteer and to seek knowledge and understanding of cancer and how it affects other people and other families. Unbreakable Spirit tells her family's story and records the experience of 20 people (aged between two and 80) facing cancer - people from all walks of life, with different cancers, treatments, attitudes and backgrounds - some who have survived and others who are terminally ill. There are also stories from families who share how they coped with the death of a loved one, hospice workers, an oncologist, and a GP and counsellor. As well as the physical challenges, people talk about their emotions and spirituality, the impact cancer has on family and friends, their dreams and aspirations. People talk candidly about how their relationships are affected by cancer. For some there is financial insecurity and the loss of their career. For others it is the beginning of a new stage in life. Insightful and inspirational, Unbreakable Spirit will help anyone facing cancer - and their family and friends. Through the wide range of stories they will see that there are many ways of living with cancer. The information provided by the medical practitioners, cancer nurses and hospice workers who have contributed will help demystify the strange new world that a patient and their families are thrown into. Previously an award-winning freelance designer, three years ago she traded a successful career in fashion for working in book publishing. She is a prolific writer who has had a variety of articles and short stories published.… (altro)