Reviews tagging 'War'

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz by Lucy Adlington

4 reviews

courteneykenyon's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

A powerful story that deep dives into some of the most challenging parts of the Holocaust. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Religious bigotry, War, Xenophobia, Ableism, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Confinement, Deportation, and Murder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Racism, Misogyny, Abandonment, Torture, Sexism, Mass/school shootings, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Gore, Suicide, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Abandonment, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Rape, Body horror, and Child death

gabriellainman's review

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

5.0

In a heartbreaking retelling of history, “The Dressmakers of Auschwitz” discusses the courageous women who sewed in a workshop to survive. This Upper Tailoring Studio saved twenty-five women and girls, and explained how the friendships made in this studio helped the women survive. 

This novel is a chilling collection from a small group inside Auschwitz; extensively researched and well-sourced, Adlington offers a new take on the Holocaust and what people did to survive by using quotes, pictures, and interviews from survivors. The author does a fantastic job weaving in history and real accounts to make for an easier read. 

This was not a group that I had previously known about, and it was heartbreaking to learn of these women. It was a difficult read, and it was difficult to imagine just what these women went through to survive the Third Reich. If you enjoy reading about WWII history or reading about just how dark the history of fashion gets, this is the book to read. 

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

armuse's review

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and War

katrinaburch's review

informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.0

This was such a great book that it pains me to have to give it 4 stars. Why? Because the author uses endnotes!! And if she was only citing sources I wouldn't have a problem with it but once you start including extra information, having to flip back and forth is so freaking distracting and annoying. Extra information like the author includes here go as footnotes. 

Otherwise this book is really really good! I have read a lot of Shoah material and I mean a lot but yet I had never hear of these women. The author also talks about things I had never heard before either. 

If interested I also recommend Anne Sebba's book: Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved, and Die... Which discusses clothing quite a bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and War

Moderate: Antisemitism, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, and War