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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Like most of these stories, Cilka’s journey is a rather harrowing tale. Mainly because it’s not a fantasy, made up circumstances in a make-believe world. And at the same time, it’s not exactly factual. And it’s exactly this mixture of fact and fantasy that makes it hard for me to rate it higher. The story is awful but important, the delivery… idk, decent.
Of course I understand that the format of a novel as an artistic choice, for its power and appeal aside from any practical reasons like, I don’t know, the fact the eponymous protagonist wasn’t alive and relatively few (and contradictory?) facts about her were uncovered.
I understand, too, that it’s necessary to fill in the blanks and that the author attempted to exercise her creative license respectfully. But WAS she successful? I haven’t done the research to determine this, and message of the book still stands, it doesn’t diminish the very real history of women like Cilka her. But… something about this book bothered me. And it’s vaguely reminiscent of my feelings about The Nightingale—though at least these women were fictional.
Either way, any indeterminable gut feelings and basic writing style aside, the story itself, the shame and injustice of it all, are all so important to remember and thus to read about.
Of course I understand that the format of a novel as an artistic choice, for its power and appeal aside from any practical reasons like, I don’t know, the fact the eponymous protagonist wasn’t alive and relatively few (and contradictory?) facts about her were uncovered.
I understand, too, that it’s necessary to fill in the blanks and that the author attempted to exercise her creative license respectfully. But WAS she successful? I haven’t done the research to determine this, and message of the book still stands, it doesn’t diminish the very real history of women like Cilka her. But… something about this book bothered me. And it’s vaguely reminiscent of my feelings about The Nightingale—though at least these women were fictional.
Either way, any indeterminable gut feelings and basic writing style aside, the story itself, the shame and injustice of it all, are all so important to remember and thus to read about.
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Heather Morris wrote another emotional tale about Cilka Klein’s journey after she was liberated from Auschwitz-Birkenau. You met Cilka in Lale’s story in the book The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Lale always described Cilka as one of the bravest people he’d ever met, and in reading Cilka’s Journey you really start to understand how resourceful she was to stay alive in Siberia.
Lots of emotions were experienced while reading this book. First I was mad that someone would be seen as a collaborator with the Nazis, then sad she was sent to another imprisonment. Then happiness that she found peace. It was nice to see Cilka slowly find her place within the Siberian labor camp.
I found it to be a very moving and telling story, but the novel only covers her time in Siberia and it left me wanting more. Throughout the story she fancies this one man, and in the end they finally talk and get to know each other, and the story ends. Morris mentions in the extras that she wanted to protect his family's privacy which is why his real name isn’t mentioned, which could also explain why it briefly touched on their relationship. Morris does a great job going into details of Cilka’s life, and adding some back story throughout the book, so you get an understanding of her family life prior to imprisonment.
I would recommend Cilka’s Journey to anyone who has read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and any Historical Fiction fans.
Lots of emotions were experienced while reading this book. First I was mad that someone would be seen as a collaborator with the Nazis, then sad she was sent to another imprisonment. Then happiness that she found peace. It was nice to see Cilka slowly find her place within the Siberian labor camp.
I found it to be a very moving and telling story, but the novel only covers her time in Siberia and it left me wanting more. Throughout the story she fancies this one man, and in the end they finally talk and get to know each other, and the story ends. Morris mentions in the extras that she wanted to protect his family's privacy which is why his real name isn’t mentioned, which could also explain why it briefly touched on their relationship. Morris does a great job going into details of Cilka’s life, and adding some back story throughout the book, so you get an understanding of her family life prior to imprisonment.
I would recommend Cilka’s Journey to anyone who has read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and any Historical Fiction fans.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I first read this book when i was quite young and i really enjoyed it. Reading it as an adult my opinion has changed on both the book and the author.