Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
The story is essentially about 2 sisters and swaps between their lives in the latter part of WW2 and 9 years later. As the book progresses it reveals many layers of relationships between individual Russians, Germans and British people with influence from Americans across the political divides. Whilst it is a novel about spies and double agents the reader is enabled to understand the constant underlying threat of suspicion, arrest or capture and interrogation which could result in death suffered in some countries.
I thought the author wove a fascinating tale, I found it hard to know who was double-dealing and who was telling the truth! The ending was satisfying even though it included some sadness. A brilliant piece of writing!

A really well written and interesting different look at a soviet historical fiction, the different threads were well
Pulled together and I enjoyed this very much.

An amazing historical novel focusing on two sisters and their mutual fight during the dark days of the Cold War. An excellent historical depiction of those important events and a fascinating storyline!

Two sisters, Russian soldiers in Berlin during the aftermath of the Second World War. Maria and Vera are loyal Russian women, thrown into a world of changing ideals and loyalties. One sister, Marja, ends up in a Russian gulag; her sister Vera, a Russian secret policewoman, makes her way up in the Russian political system. The story recounts the sisters' time in Berlin, and examines Marja's prosecution and imprisonment. I read this book over 36 hours, it was completely gripping!! Such a well researched and fascinating story- it felt like it could be a true story! A great insight into life in Berlin during this period and a brilliant read!

This was a fantastic, engrossing page-turner. Absolutely fascinating for anyone even remotely interested in Cold War history or intimate family relationships. Inventively written. Absolutely worth reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

After studying the Soviet Union in my history degrees, this book immediately took my interest. Needless to say, it didn’t miss the mark. This book follows two sisters who are on opposite sides of the Soviet Union’s fanatical thinking. It’s on a dual timeline and POV of trying to work out if the case of one sister was justified or if there was something more behind it. As the characters were trying to work out the case on one timeline, it took you back to the past where you as the reader tried to work out the exact same thing, but as it was happening rather than in the future. I found this a fantastic and new way of writing historical fiction novels which truly helps the book to stand out.

The only issue I had was the first and the mid parts were incredibly tedious and drawn out. I kept pushing through to get to the ending. Of course the ending sped up and was definitely worth the wait! But the struggle up to that point was definitely something I couldn’t overlook.

I'm afraid this book wasn't for me. I found it very confusing. It's a great plot line but the more I read the more I struggled. Unusually I gave up after 50%. I'm sure many people will appreciate and enjoy the story and the writing.

This is a brilliant story with I thoroughly enjoyed. I tried so hard to read this book in one day and failed with 30 mins of reading left I just couldn't stay awake long enough. It was a very exciting story who end up on completely different sides during the WW2 and the years after including after stalin. This became a very fascinating read and very unpredictable. This story was very well wrote at a medium to fast pace. I loved the development of the story and the 2 sisters characters especially on what was going to happen if the 2 sisters should meet again eek great build up. It was probably my fault it didn't get the 5th star as either the pace of the book slowed in the middle or I just switched off and lost my way a bit I don't know. But I missed some of the story but soon got back on track for a very exciting finish full of twists and turns and some shocking events where your jaw is likely to hit the floor . I definitely recommend you give this book ago if your a fan of historical fiction as im sure you won't be disappointed. 

Only the highest praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such an amazing read. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this fantastic author. 
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-soviet-sisters-by-anika-scott-duckworth-books-4-stars either under my name or ladyreading365

This is a story of betrayal, but who betrayed who? It follows two Russian sisters, and goes between the present day (in this case 1956) and events in Berlin in 1947.

Both women are officers in the Soviet army and have been brought up to do their duty for the Motherland but one of them ends up in Siberia, labelled a traitor. But was she?

I found the story confusing to follow as there were so many accusations and counter-claims. However the period written about was interesting which helped my enjoyment.

Thanks to the author, Dickworth Books and NetGalley for this advance readers copy. The opinion is my own.

Brilliant Cold War novel, that is also a family drama. Well-written, well researched with excellent characterisation. Would recommend this to anyone interested in history of post-war Europe, the Soviet mindset, human emotions; in fact, anyone.

'The Soviet Sisters' is a real page-turner, with some 'Oh, no' moments.

With many thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth for an ARC.

I loved the German Heiress and Anikia Scott dd not dissapoint me with The Soviet Sisters, a fascinating tale of two very different sisters. Told from each sister's angle the story twists and turns, and at times I struggled to keep up as they told such different accounts of what happened to them but the intrigue she creates made me want to keep reading to find out whose version of events was the truth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read The Soviet Sisters

I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. It’s set in grim and bleak times and the writing felt the same. Neither of the sisters were reliable narrators and this eventually became tiresome.

I found this book completely compelling. Such an interesting insight into post-WW2 Berlin. It takes you on a twisting journey of espionage, betrayal, and the personal conflict between love, family loyalty and patriotism. It’s brilliantly written switching between the first narratives of the two sisters. A genuine page turner which I enjoyed from start to finish.

If you are a history buff or obsessed with historical fiction based on Cold War Events, then this book is one for you.

Vera and Marya are sisters and are devoted to their Soviet government despite all the hardships and despair they were facing as a family. Then Marya moves to Berlin, where she works as an interpreter and falls in love with a British man named Henry. Somehow, Marya ends up being imprisoned in Gulag, a notorious prison in the heart of Siberia and is a prison for war criminals and when the Stalin government changes, Vera would do anything to save her sister from the horrors of the prison.

This was a very different type of novel that I have read. The writing was great and the story is told between past back in 1947 when Marya was having a love affair with a British soldier and present day when Vera wants to find answers about her sister's arrest. The story is also a bit political as well as Vera herself along with her husband works for the Soviet government. The author manage to show the complex relationship between Vera and Marya and also the affair between Marya and Henry. The ending was really good.

Overall, if you like a historical fiction with a Russian setting and based on Cold War then this one is for you--worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Initially, I gave the novel 5 stars, but it is merely because I absolutely loved the second half of the book; when I was completely immersed in the story and kept on reading because I wanted to know the ending. I found the beginning and the midsection a bit boring, far-fetched and contrived, like a pick-the-traitor game.

Part of the story is a prelude to the Berlin crisis of 1958-1959 (which eventually would escalate in the erection of the most iconic image of the Cold War: the Wall; the other timeline are transcribed accounts, to prove the innocence of USSR citizen Marya, who was arrested for high treason in Berlin and sentenced to serve 15 years in a gulag, and going back to the events leading up to her arrest.

The protagonists are more or less representative of the forces that determined the course of events.: the USSR sisters vs the Allied Powers, with Germany/Marlow right in center of this playing field.

The author opted for a character-driven story about love, and betrayal, however, I feel there was more to be had.
The author barely addresses major events, and I think she could have given a little more background information on a divided Berlin. I know the city well, but why use Friedrichstraße, when the whole world knows this as Checkpoint Charlie?
I feel that a map of Berlin would have been useful, - Treptow (park), Tiergarten, Tegel, et&t - that means nothing to people who don't know Berlin.

I found the ending disappointing, it left too many unanswered for. How can one be so forgiving? Sadly, and imho, Mayra's betrayal is more severe than that of her sister, and I am baffled Henry would take her back…
The aspect with the fairy tale book made me feel uneasy: I wonder if readers are aware that 'fairytale books' (most likely Grimm's Kinder-und Hausmärchen) were mandatory items for any German family in Nazi Germany, as part of Nazi propaganda; putting Marlow's downfall in a whole new and more powerful light.
Albeit, since the author mentions these issues only in passing, the book loses power and depth, and remains a bit superficial and romanticized.

If you read this as is, it's a quick, immersive and emotional read, for me it was a good read, yet feel there was more to be had.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. I leave this review voluntarily.
Recommended, 4 stars.

I struggled a bit with "The Soviet Sisters" due to the politics, plot twists and the fact that you could not necessarily believe what people said! Having enjoyed a previous book by Anika Scott (The German Heiress/Finding Clara) though I persevered and eventually found the novel enjoyable.

The Soviet Union had a hard time during WW2, a lot of it at the hands of the Germans, but they still became one of the powers, with Great Britain, USA and France, managing the situation in Germany and particularly Berlin immediately after the war. There seems to have been very little trust between these different countries, and a lot of double agents and general double crossing. This is what makes the plot of this novel so complex and makes the reader want to reach the end to discover what happens to the various protagonists.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Moscow in 1956 just after the death of Stalin, Vera, a high-ranking Soviet official starts to look into the arrest of her sister, Marya, who is in a prison camp in Siberia. Marya was arrested for spying in 1947. The story follows two timelines and narrators – Marya in Berlin in 1947 and Vera in 1956. At times I found the two separate accounts quite confusing but then this is a book about espionage. I was happy that my confusion was resolved by the end. The two sisters are very different characters and seem to have a love hate relationship. During the course of the book they find out shocking revelations about each other. The account of Berlin just after the war with the divisions and the different ways of life for the German population and each of the occupying forces, was fascinating. I also enjoyed the descriptions of life in Soviet Russia and the political turmoil after Stalin’s death were. Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for the ARC.

I love historical fiction and so I loved this book. It was well written, with a compelling plot with a dual timeline and narrative, and well developed characters, some of which I loved. A really enjoyable read.

This was a really captivating story!!! Two Soviet sisters, two completely different personalities, one of them might be a spy, or are both of them spies? Can love play a role in their life? Dare they have a private life? Or is the Soviet Union more important than individuals? Quite an emotional read that got me thinking, that made me angry and sad as well. I really really enjoyed it!
I received this novel as a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review from NetGalley.

The Soviet Sisters by Anika Scott is an excellent WWII/post WWII era historical fiction that has it all: history, suspense, mystery, intrigue, twists and turns, amd surprises that helped keep me interested from beginning to end. I loved it!

I really enjoyed Ms. Scott’s previous book, The German Heiress, so i was keen on reading this book as well. And what a gem!

Alternating between two different timelines, two different sisters, really kept my mind turning and whirling trying to figure out what details were actually correct, and which details were part of the “shaded” truth. Entering into the minds of each sister, Vera and Marya, purposely kept some of the truths and plot points vague so as to not reveal too much at one time. It really gave me a better understanding of the confusion, political intrigue, double crossings, and the high stakes that were present in the post-war/Cold War atmosphere. The questions that were carried through on what really did happen, and where did loyalty really fall, were finally revealed at the end, and made for a very gripping and addictive narrative.

It was very unique and I highly recommend it for any historical fiction fan.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Duckworth Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/14/22.