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Elaine Stock
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We Shall Not Shatter: A WWII Story of friendship, family, and hope against all odds (Resilient Women of WWII Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Elaine Stock (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 182 ratings
An unforgettable story of friendship, family and hope as two courageous young women face one of history’s most horrific tragedies

Brzeziny, Poland, 1939 Zofia’s comfortable lifestyle overturns when her husband, Jabez, who monitors Nazi activity, has gone missing. Rather than fleeing the country with her young son, as she had promised Jabez who is fearing retaliation, she decides to stay. She cannot possibly leave her friend, Aanya. Since their childhood they have amazed fellow Brzeziners that it does not matter that Aanya is Jewish and deaf, and that Zofia is Catholic and hearing. Now, more than ever with war looming, Zofia will do whatever is necessary to protect her family and Aanya.

As both love and war approach their Polish town, Zofia and Aanya must make choices that will change the meaning of family, home, and their precious friendship. The journey, decisions and the no-going-back consequences the women face will either help them to survive—or not—as Hitler’s Third Reich revs up its control of the world.

Inspired by the author’s paternal heritage from Brzeziny, this is a heartbreaking yet beautiful story of two women who are determined to remain united in friendship and to live freely despite the odds.

"The story and its characters will linger in the reader’s heart for days... perhaps forever."
— Patricia Bradley, Author of the Logan Point Series, Memphis Cold Case Novels, Natchez Trace Park Ranger Series
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Resilient Women of WWII
  2. Print length
    308 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    May 15, 2022
  6. File size
    7.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

WWII historical fiction
WWII historical fiction

WWII historical fiction

WWII historical fiction

WWII historical fiction

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For anyone who loved 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr, this is another beautiful journey of not just one woman's story through the turbulent times of Nazi Germany, but two. A story which will touch your heart, and perhaps bring a few tears to wipe away, showing how love does indeed break barriers and sees beyond human labels and disabilities. You will absolutely fall in love with Zofia and Aanya, and how strong friendships were forged in the heat of oppression from Hitler's Germany despite their different faiths."
-- Historical Fiction Company


"Drawing from her own family's history, author Elaine Stock has created a compelling story of enduring friendship, heart wrenching sacrifice, and resilient strength. While set during one of the darkest moments on history's stage, We Shall Not Shatter's themes—conveyed through characters who will inhabit your heart—have much to say to readers in today's world, too."
— Carrie Schmidt, ReadingIsMySuperPower.org


"Elaine Stock's novel, We Shall Not Shatter, the first of a promised trilogy, Resilient Women of WWII, is a poignant and heartfelt tale of perseverance, of friendship across boundaries, of making families in different ways, of horror and of healing. In the characters of Zofia and Aanya, and the families they make and lose in their native Poland, the barbarities of war, the added peril of Aanya's deafness, and their harrowing escape, the story is offset by the plot strands of Christians helping Jews, Germans helping Poles, hearing people cherishing the strength of the deaf, and the deaf healing others. This is a story not only of resilience, but of the victory of love and friendship over pain and suffering."
— Barbara Stark-Nemon, author of the award-winning novels, Even in Darkness and Hard Cider, Speech-language therapist and Teacher Consultant for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing


"We Shall Not Shatter is a compelling novel, inspired by real-life events in Brzeziny, Poland that so dramatically changed the fortunes of both a close-knit Jewish family and a Catholic family during the Hitler years. Elaine Stock's poignant narrative charts the despair, confusion and sheer will to survive during this terrible period in modern European history. This is a story that oozes tragedy, hope, love and courage in the face of adversity."
— Ron Vincent, author of The House on Thrömerstrasse: A Story of Rebirth and Renewal in the Wake of the Holocaust

About the Author

Elaine Stock writes historical fiction, exploring home, family, and friendships throughout time. She enjoys creating stories showing how all faiths, races, and belief systems are interconnected and need each other. Elaine's grandparents, on both sides of her family, narrowly escaped World War II by immigrating from Poland and Austria to the US. Fascinated by the strong will of people to overcome the horrors from this era, she wrote We Shall Not Shatter, book one of the resilient women of WWII Series, inspired by her deaf great-aunt who was left behind as a teenager in Brzeziny, Poland, and perished in the Holocaust, while her other deaf siblings were permitted to enter the US when their young ages helped them to circumvent medically revealing exams. Other extended family members also remained in Poland to lose their lives in the Holocaust. Although multi-published in award-winning inspirational fiction, and a past blogger and online magazine contributor, Elaine now pens novels for the general reading audience. She is a member of Women's Fiction Writers Association and The Historical Novel Society. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a city gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09RD8VL7H
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amsterdam Publishers
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 15, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9493231771
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Resilient Women of WWII
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 182 ratings

About the author

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Elaine Stock

Elaine Stock

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Elaine Stock pens historical fiction of courageous women because life is full of challenges, and we must bravely step forward. Her next novel, The Last Secret Kept, releases on April 24, 2025. Her award-winning Resilient Women of WWII trilogy novels have made several Amazon Bestseller Lists. What pleases her the most is that readers from various countries have reached out to say that these novels encouraged them to face their tomorrows.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
182 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this WWII story heartwarming and moving, with well-developed characters. The book receives positive feedback for its readability and writing quality, with one customer noting the author's careful attention to detail.

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Heartwarming storyReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting quality
26 customers mention "Heartwarming story"23 positive3 negative

Customers find this book heartwarming, describing it as a very moving and thought-provoking story of friendship that truly touches the heart.

"...The characters are well developed and the story fast paced...." Read more

"...drawn into the story from the very beginning and found it to be very interesting since the Second World War touched the lives of both my parents too...." Read more

"Great portrayal of friendship in WE SHALL NOT SHATTER by Elaine Stock between two women, Anya- deaf and Jewish and Zofia- hearing and Catholic, from..." Read more

"...But with that there was hope, beauty, and faith. There were moments that required tissues, and moments that enabled rejoicing...." Read more

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging.

"...Well done I also believe that she did a wonderful job of creating characters that are easily relatable...." Read more

"...Kudos to Elaine Stock for a wonderful book that shall stay with me for a long time. I’m anxious to read the rest of the books in this series." Read more

"Wow! Just WOW!! This book a amazing!! I don't know where to start. I don't want too drop any spoilers! The characters are phenomenal!..." Read more

"This is an amazing book. I’ve read many books set during the time of WWII and this one is definitely one of the best...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer noting the author's skill in portraying a character who is deaf.

"...The love shared by the characters, and the hopes for a better life in America, carry throughout the story...." Read more

"...I feel that the author did a nice job of conveying a character who is deaf which I have never read before...." Read more

"...The characters were strong and enduring and made this story come to life as I turned the pages...." Read more

"...I don't want too drop any spoilers! The characters are phenomenal! It's like a movie! it should be a movie!! So much action!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting the well-crafted descriptions and another mentioning the author's attention to detail.

"...that she did a wonderful job of creating characters that are easily relatable...." Read more

"...You can tell how special this story must be to Stock. She took such care with the details, even the small ones, to get them just right...." Read more

"...The people seemed so real. The descriptions were so well written that I felt like I was there. I can't imagine living like they were forced to...." Read more

A Novel Worth Reading
5 out of 5 stars
A Novel Worth Reading
Elaine Stock has written a heartwarming, compelling, page-turning novel of friendship, loyalty, sacrifice, and love during the most horrific conflict during World War II....the Holocaust. She has brought to life fictional characters and set them into factual events, all while keeping the reader at the edge of their seats. I thought of the characters, long after I finished reading WE SHALL NOT SHATTER, as though they were people I actually knew and cared about.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Bo Shea
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Different POV
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I am a fan of historical fiction and this story intrigued me. While reading books set during WWII is not new territory, the setting of Poland and the Jewish peopler was.

    The story begins and encompasses the lives of two women who have been friends since childhood. The characters are well developed and the story fast paced. The love shared by the characters, and the hopes for a better life in America, carry throughout the story.

    I am looking forward to the next volume in the series.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A captivating story
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Overall I enjoyed this novel. I feel that the author did a nice job of conveying a character who is deaf which I have never read before. Well done I also believe that she did a wonderful job of creating characters that are easily relatable.
    My only critique is that throughout the story there are pivotal scenes that I felt kind of fell flat. Meaning they were somewhat rushed and didn't contain the emotion that I thought they deserved.
    With that said I do recommend this book to others and I will continue to read the rest of this trilogy.
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  • S Chapel Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love in the midst of Evil
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Realistic story that is both heart wrenching and heart warming. This is Fiction and is about the WWII years and the aftermath of the Holocaust in Poland. The Author has well researched the history and events that actually happened in and around Brzeziny Poland during the time that the Nazi forces began to occupy and control that part of Europe. The Author actually has ancestry that died in Nazi prison camps and some where forced to live in Jewish ghettos in Brzeziny and surrounding communities. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and found it to be very interesting since the Second World War touched the lives of both my parents too. I found the book to be captivating and unpredictable. Even with the hardships and suffering that the Jewish people or anyone who was not Jewish who reached out to help them , love wove it’s way into the heart of the story. It was romantic and had a strong sense of hope for better days ahead in the future. The characters were strong and enduring and made this story come to life as I turned the pages. The book had a beautiful ending that bought me to tears . Five stars but the book certainly deserves more.

    Zofia and Aanya were friends from childhood and on to their adult years. Zofia was Polish Catholic and Aanya was a Jewish girl. This story covers the years before the second war, during the war and the years after the war. The two main characters lived together for safety reasons during the time German Nazi began to occupy Brzeziny and force the Jewish people into filthy ghettoes . Anya was a nurse practitioner and Zofia was a wife to Jabez and mother to her seven year old son Eban. Aanya and Zofia became separated when Sofia's husband Jabez joined the resistance program and feared for his families safety. Sofia and Eban fled to America but Aanya and her new husband Author were forced to stay behind and suffer persecution at the hands of the German Nazi soldiers. Aanya was also deaf and tried to keep her disability from the Nazi because they would have killed her immediately if they had found out. Would the Jewish couple eventually be separated or would they be sent to the death camps to be euthanized ? Would Zofia and Jebez be reunited in America after the war ended?

    I recommend this book to readers of the WWII genre and for those who enjoy Historical Fiction. We Shall not Shatter is book one of the Resilient Women of WWII series. I can’t wait for book two to be released.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Judy Abelove Shemtob
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable Friendship between Two Women
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Great portrayal of friendship in WE SHALL NOT SHATTER by Elaine Stock between two women, Anya- deaf and Jewish and Zofia- hearing and Catholic, from the time they were young girls! The author highlighted strained emotions between characters living in a land infiltrated with Nazi soldiers, Jew-haters, and those who tried to come to the aid of Jews while Hitler came to power in Poland. As Anya fell in love with Arturo, a German who left the Nazis, a strain permeated her relationship with Zofia. Unfortunately Zofia did not know if her own husband Jabez was safe in America or where he was and still prepared to leave with her son. Worry, trauma, and growing dangers in the world situation affected Anya as she learned that the ship taking Zofia and Eban to America might not be allowed to land and might be sent back since it carried many Jews. When Arturo left Anya and returned with bruises, tensions continued building throughout the story. As Anya worked to heal a Nazi back to health, she worried about possible consequences since the officer knew her name and could have her killed or sent to a camp. I loved reading how Anya and Arturo hid her deafness and signing from the people around her, as well as the guilt Anya felt in surviving situations while so many other Jews hadn’t. The author interspersed quiet, tender moments experienced between characters amidst great distress. Stock weaved the story of the women and their extended families throughout her chapters. I found myself rooting for individuals to be reunited with loved ones despite seemingly impossible odds. Hats off to Amsterdam Publishers for publishing so many holocaust stories, some of which are shared with readers at the end! We must never forget!
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jo Sorochinsky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hope and love between friends, marriage partners, parents and children prevail midst war horrors
    Reviewed in Canada on October 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    We Shall Not Shatter realistically portrays how hope prevailed midst the horrors of WW2 in Poland. It's a story of friendship, love, resilience and unexpected rescue, which does not gloss over the destruction of human decency even as it depicts acts of enormous self-sacrifice and bravery. I found the portrayals of the friendship between the two Polish women, of marriages changed by war, parenthood and adolescence to be particularly well rendered. While the scenes of ghetto "life" disturb deeply, the overall message of optimism leaves the reader with a strong sense of continued hope in human nature.
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  • Christine Boos
    4.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and enthralling story!
    Reviewed in Germany on May 31, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    What a story!! Poland, 1939: two best friends, Aanya, a deaf Jewish woman, and Zofia, a Gentile woman. Will their deep friendship survive WWII ? Will they survive the war?
    This a story about friendship, love, resilience, tolerance and hope. Aanya, Zofia and their families will not escape the war. Before Zofia's husband disappeared, he had arranged for his wife and son to join his cousin in New York. Zofia is torn between saving her son and leaving her Jewish friend in Poland. Is this separation really necessary? Could she live with her guilt?
    I really enjoyed all main characters who strive to focus on their human values, while experiencing doubts, despair and guilt. A very moving, poignant and absorbing story.
    Very well written by the author whose Polish family inspired her to write this first novel of a trilogy. The second book should be published next autumn. I will definitely read it! Highly recommended!
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  • carolyn scarcella
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful and a bond of friendship; best friends communicates in sign language
    Reviewed in Australia on June 30, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is the last book of June I’ve read. I am so excited to read about a deaf person in the book. First book I’ve ever read about deaf people during the Holocaust, because I’m deaf, myself too. The book title is called “We Shall Not Shatter” written by Elaine Stock. I truly believe this should have made into movies by now. I loved reading a romance book also. I must say she writes engrossing, extraordinary, and captivating, and is one of the best books I have ever read. It gives you all the chills. There is a few twists. The author was inspired to write about her family history especially her grandparents have escaped to Austria to the U.S. through the Holocaust. She has a deaf great aunt who stayed behind as a teenager in Brzeziny, Poland and perished in the Holocaust, while her other deaf siblings were permitted to enter the US by medical exams that have passed. This story unfolds two different women are determined to hold a friendship that last forever. Both girls were 5 years old when they meet. Zofia is hearing and Catholic and Anaya is deaf and Jewish. They became best friends. They grew up in Brzeziny, Poland. Zofia marries Jabez and has one son Eban. Anaya lives with her mum. She is a practitioner nurse. Zofia is a housewife and a mum. When her husband joins the resistance. He told her to flee to America. She was torn to protect her son or leave her best friend Anaya behind in Poland. Anaya meets an injury German solider, Arthur, out of blue. Did Zofia and Eban went to U.S. for good or not? Did Anaya, Arthur have survived? Will two women reunited with each other? You can decide.
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