The Sunflower House

DEBUT Katrine knew absolutely nothing about her mother Allina’s life prior to her immigrating to the United States after World War II. Then one day, while straightening up her mother’s bedroom, Katrine discovers a wooden box hidden in the floor. Inside the box are the secrets Allina has kept about her life in Germany; secrets she is now willing to share with her daughter. The notorious Lebensborn program schemed up by Nazi Germany becomes the focal point of Allegri’s deftly written debut, as one woman tries not just to survive but also do her own small part to help others in a world gone mad. Allegri doesn’t shy away from detailing the brutalities committed by Nazis and the lengths to which they would go to create a master race. But carefully threaded throughout this gripping story is a message of hope and resilience.