The Sunflower House

A Novel

By: Adriana Allegri

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Dallin Bradford, Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

This program features multicast narration.

Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory—a real-life Handmaid's Tale—during World War II.

In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it's 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling.

One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program.

The Sunflower House is a meticulously researched debut historical novel from Adriana Allegri that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.

A tale of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can. The threads of this poignant and heartrending novel weave a tale of loss and love, friendship and betrayal, and the secrets we bury in order to save ourselves.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2024 Adriana Allegri (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"The Sunflower House is an unforgettable story of love and sacrifice. Written with heartfelt compassion for people facing choices no one should be made to make, this novel draws you in and leaves you a better person for knowing this story. Allegri is an author to watch, and this is an exceptional debut."—Heather Morris, #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

"[A] stirring debut . . . Allegri keenly depicts her characters’ moral calculations, and she convincingly portrays the horrors of the Lebensborn program. This will stay with readers."—Publishers Weely

“Adriana Allegri’s impressive debut is a riveting, heartrending story of love, sacrifice, and redemption set amid the horrors of the notorious Nazi Lebensborn Program. Immersive and full of compelling characters, The Sunflower House is a moving tribute to the power of ordinary people to resist and to overcome.”—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times bestselling author of Resistance Women

Heartbreak

The story is so heartbreaking. The narrators did a fantastic job though. I hope a lot of people in this country read this book and learn something. The things that happened were atrocious. So sad. How anyone could treat children so cold and then use some for testing. It’s just horrid.
This is a part of history that I’ve only read a small amount of. It needs to be shared.

More, please

This morning I finished The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri, a beautifully written and well-researched book set during WWII. The story brings to light the lesser-known history of Lebensborn homes in Germany, designed to perpetuate the Aryan race. My 4-star rating is primarily because I felt the book should have been longer. At 10 hours on Audible, it easily could have extended to 15+ hours. By slowing down the narration and focusing more on the danger, risk, and love, Allegri could have explored the depths of the story even more. The denouement felt rushed, and I wasn't ready for it to end.

Although fictional, The Sunflower House parallels many real-life stories of Mischlings trying to survive without being discovered, the young women willingly entering these homes in service to the Reich, the heroes risking their lives to save as many children as possible, and the bittersweet reality of love during wartime. The book alternates between the wartime experiences of Allina, the heroine, and the modern-day life of her daughter Katrina, creating a compelling and emotional narrative.

The historical aspect of the Lebensborn homes is both fascinating and horrifying. These homes were part of a Nazi program aimed at increasing the Aryan population by offering special care and privileges to women who bore children deemed racially pure. Key figures in the creation and secrecy of this program included Heinrich Himmler, who founded Lebensborn, and Gregor Ebner, the chief medical officer, who ensured the program's medical and racial policies were strictly followed. Fortunately, the program was not as successful as it was designed to be.

Despite its flaws, The Sunflower House is an engaging read that provides valuable insight into a dark chapter of history. It reminds us of the courage and resilience of those who fought against oppression and the complexities of love and survival during war. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII history, personal stories of struggle and resilience, or simply looking for a captivating read.