One of the hallmarks of good literature is a story in which things --- and people --- are not as they appear. In BAND OF SISTERS, author Lauren Willig effectively accomplishes this and more. She writes about women who are not as they seem, but also about the horrors of war, using the real history of a group of alumnae from Smith College.

In other words, the devastation we see in these pages is exactly as it appears, and Willig’s gripping historical novel is filled with incredible real tales of heroism and valor alongside examples of the worst behavior of which humans are capable --- all carefully researched. The totality of her work is a story that is fascinating and inspiring, as it makes us consider not only a global war, with its allies and enemies, but smaller bonds as well, such as friendship and family.

"In addition to exploring the actions of this group of college-educated women exemplifying bravery, intelligence and valor, Willig has managed to produce a novel that forces us to consider important questions about war, community, sacrifice, friendship, family and love."

As Willig explains in her Historical Note, almost every event she includes in the book actually occurred and is based on her extensive research into the women who went to France as part of the Smith College Relief Unit. But the two protagonists, Kate Moran and Emmeline Van Alden, are made up. Sometimes the greatest truths are told through fiction.

Kate and Emmie attended Smith College and became best friends in spite of their difference in “class” and “station.” Emmie’s mother is a DAR, her lineage impeccable, and a staunch fighter in the war for women’s suffrage. Emmie grew up with every luxury imaginable, while Kate was raised on the very edge of poverty. Kate’s father was a cart driver who was killed when she was just a child. Her mother took work cleaning, and they barely scraped by. Kate recalls being humiliated by scathing comments from the woman who gave her a new pair of shoes because hers were so worn.

When her mother married a policeman, and they started a new family, Kate felt removed from them. She comes to realize that such distance was completely of her own making, and her stepfather and brothers love her dearly. Emmie, on the other hand, has every material possession one might wish to have, but her mother was always more concerned with the rights of others than with the welfare of her own children.

That the setting of the novel is a century ago doesn’t change the fact that, human nature being what it is, we still make those same assumptions about others today simply based on what we see. Perhaps that happens even more frequently now, given our obsession with Instagram image perfection. If you are rich, you must be happy. If you appear to be rich, you must be happy.

Willig builds the novel not only through plot and dialogue, but interestingly through written correspondences from the characters, which act as an introduction to each chapter. The letters and diary entries serve to give us a hint as to what will happen, jumping ahead while the actual story continues chronologically.

Although Kate and Emmie are the main characters, we also meet the other women in the group, such as Emmie’s cousin Julia, who is a doctor. Julia is yet another example of someone who is not as she first appears. Kate has known Julia for over a decade, yet she doesn’t really begin to understand her until they are at the front lines together, where secrets are difficult to keep hidden.

The Historical Note is of utmost interest, and it is quite intriguing to realize what Willig has accomplished in this fictional tale that is based almost completely on real-life events. In addition to exploring the actions of this group of college-educated women exemplifying bravery, intelligence and valor, Willig has managed to produce a novel that forces us to consider important questions about war, community, sacrifice, friendship, family and love. Several of her characters are unforgettable, and the violence and tattered post-war existence of the survivors is indelibly etched in our minds, as is a beautiful love story.