Saturday, February 14, 2015

Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma {Review & Giveaway}



About the book: Be swept away to exotic places in Liz Tolsma's Remember the Lilies! Filled with mystery, romance, and a race to find a family before it's too late, you'll want to keep the pages turning.

Irene and Rand come from very different walks of life. Will they find common ground in their fight to survive?


Irene has grown up in the jungle as a missionary with her Aunt Anita, but now she and countless others are imprisoned by Japanese soldiers at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in the Philippines. Irene and her aunt are safe there, and she keeps busy with her duty of delivering censored messages to the camp's prisoners, but like everyone else, she prays for the war to end and for her freedom.

Rand is a wealthy, womanizing American, whose attempted escape from the internment camp has put himself and others in danger. When Rand and Irene's Aunt Anita meet one another in the hospital, Irene learns more of his story and her heart is determined to save his family.


But the danger outside the walls of the hospital worsens every day, and life in this exotic place is anything but luxurious. Can Irene find Rand's family before they disappear forever? And can a humble missionary woman and an arrogant man find common ground in the face of their biggest fears?

My thoughts: As I began reading Remember the Lilies I made side trips online to discover the real history of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila.This was the location of this work of fiction by Liz Tolsma. I had never heard this bit of WWII history, so it was a revelation to me. I knew of the atrocities of prisoner of war camps of both the Japanese and Germans. I knew of the atrocities of the Holocaust victims in German encampments. But I had missed this bit of history where the civilians - American, Australian, English, German, etc, were imprisoned on the Santo Tomos campus for three years. At first, it was somewhat livable and survivable, but as the war was waning the Japanese became more brutal and starvation was the menu. I read several accounts of this period and it fleshed out Remember the Lilies with reality.

Tolsma has written a good story. The characters are believable and well done. The scene is painted in grim and realistic word pictures without grisly details. It is brutal enough as written.


The story covers characters who range from the wealthy owner of nightclubs, niece of a missionary, doctors, and nurses. They are reduced to living in huts or shacks made up of mats which do little to protect from rains and mud. They do have a "clinic" comprised of doctors, nurses, and nuns in captivity. Their captors, the Japanese, who guard them are uncaring and brutally harsh on them. The least infraction results in extreme measures of punishment. The children, too, are there and bring rays of sunshine into the midst of suffering. The adults give up of themselves and their meager food supply to care of these youngest amongst them.


The story of faith, redemption, perseverance runs strong through the darkness that is their struggle. The end is predictable because we already know who won WWII. But surprises are in the storyline. Surprises of joy in the midst of sorrow.


A good story. A good read. An opportunity for a romp into a bit of history with which we might not be familiar.


GIVEAWAY: A copy of Remember The Lilies is reserved for one of Chat With Vera's readers. Just enter using the form below. Begins February 14 & ENDS March 10 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review. Read more reviews here.

26 comments:

  1. I think probably the only way for me to survive a situation like that is through a strong faith in God. I know I couldn't do it in my own strength.

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  2. I've read a few books set in the Pacific theater during World War II. One of my uncles was stationed in the Philippines but he didn't like to speak of it.

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  3. My faith and family would help sustain me.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  4. My father served in the Air Force stateside. I know more about the European campaign than the Pacific campaign.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  5. I learned that Sascha's little brother and sister couldn't remember what good food tasted like when they were in the camp. Food was scarce so they lost a lot of weight. Her mother was dangerously underweight when they were liberated by Americans.

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  6. From the interview, the interviewee's mother weighed 78 pounds when the camp was liberated.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  7. to answer the question, my mom and dad were in Germany during WWI, and through their stories about their tragic experiences in prison camps, etc, I know that I would be very frightened. I don't know honestly, if I would be physically strong enough...

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  8. My in-laws were in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was bombed. My father-in-law fought in the 442nd in the Italian front lines and as I mentioned my German parents saw things from the "other" side.

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  9. I learned it was hard for people to avoid stealing because of their great hunger. I remember my mom told me that they chewed tree bark to survive. Pretty tough times. I am glad she has written this all down and I have made copies of it for the family.

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  10. I would have to depend on my faith and God's leading for what He would have me do each and every day.

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  11. The on ly way I could survive if I did would be through Gods love and help. I would have to give it to Him and let HIM guide me through by faith. It would have to be my faith in HIM to ever make it through such an ordeal. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  12. My oldest brother, brothers-in-laws, family friends, and cousins fought in WW ll. We moved from a very small town to Houston, TX. so my dad could work in the shipyard. Everyone joined to help any way they could. Two friends never made it home.
    Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  13. I learned that the people were starving at the prison camp of Santos Tomas. That the mother lost down to 78 lbs. And how happy they were to see the soldiers who rescued that they didn't sleep that night. Maxie .> mac262(at)me(dot)com <,

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  14. I think this setting sounds fascinating! I hope to get a chance to read this book soon! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday! (I figured I'd stop by today since I hope to be very busy with a new baby next week at this time!)
    Tina

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  15. Hopefully, I will survive with lots of prayer, family and good friends. I'd be terrified!

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  16. My grandfather served in World War I, but I'm not sure if any relatives served in WWII.

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  17. I am glad you wrote about this as I really like historical fiction. I have read much about the Jews in concentration camps and the atrocities in Europe, but this is a piece of WWII I know nothing about as you wrote. My father was in WWII on the islands of the Pacific. But he never had to endure imprisonment by the Japanese for which I am so very grateful. Thanks for this review.

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  18. That's a hard question. I definitely would not be prepared for that!

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  19. I learned from Liz Tolsma's interview that the survivor of the Santo Tomas interment camp had dengue fever when she was there.

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  20. Prayer would be the only way to survive.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  21. My Dad went to Japan after the bombing (thank goodness it was after)! He told of how bad it looked after the bombs but he didn't like to talk about it much. I always enjoy reading books about World War II since he was a soldier during the war.

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  22. The American soldiers gave them candy and it gave them diarrhea!

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  23. World War II has always been one of my favorite time periods to learn about.

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  24. No matter what the situation, faith sustains.

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  25. I think my faith would sustain me in a situation likes this.

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  26. I know about the Pacific Theater from college history. I did have uncles who served there.

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