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debandleo's review against another edition
4.0
Great information on a period in the lives of one Jewish family in Ukraine. I learned a lot about the history of this time.
haliensarereal's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this up for free on Audible Plus, I don’t really like historical fiction but it was free and beggars can’t be choosers. But I am happy that I read this. It was beautifully written. It showed the harsh, often unspoken and unthought of realities of war without being too overwhelmingly awful and heavy. It had beautiful undertones and wisps of hope scattered throughout which made it so much more enjoyable.
Reading this during the current Russian/Ukraine war was hard and honestly a reality check.
The audiobook was lovely and I adored the authors note, it was sadly so real and needs to be heard. 5 stars. ⭐️
Reading this during the current Russian/Ukraine war was hard and honestly a reality check.
The audiobook was lovely and I adored the authors note, it was sadly so real and needs to be heard. 5 stars. ⭐️
lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
poplartrees_'s review against another edition
4.0
This book was intense and hopeful in all my favorite ways…
I’ve always been intrigued by the holocaust, but I have never read about the Ukrainian jews before. Though the holocaust books I have read are often about Denmark and their people and customs, I am also always intrigued by Ukrainian culture, as my family had a girl (who became like my older sister) from Ukraine live with us for a school year when I was eight.
Hanna was honest and realistic, but hopeful. It is inspiring the way their heritage was honored and held in place by their family and her father.
At the end of the book, the author speaks of their faith and family carrying them through the terror, isolation, and starvation. Their strength came from the trust they held in God, and the way their family stayed together.
I loved all the characters, and while I am disappointed by the way some of the subplots ended, I believe it all worked out for good in the end.
I also loved the narration style of Hanna speaking to her daughter about her younger life and all the horror she survived.
Summary: though dealing with tragic events, this book was hopeful & encouraging!
I’ve always been intrigued by the holocaust, but I have never read about the Ukrainian jews before. Though the holocaust books I have read are often about Denmark and their people and customs, I am also always intrigued by Ukrainian culture, as my family had a girl (who became like my older sister) from Ukraine live with us for a school year when I was eight.
Hanna was honest and realistic, but hopeful. It is inspiring the way their heritage was honored and held in place by their family and her father.
At the end of the book, the author speaks of their faith and family carrying them through the terror, isolation, and starvation. Their strength came from the trust they held in God, and the way their family stayed together.
I loved all the characters, and while I am disappointed by the way some of the subplots ended, I believe it all worked out for good in the end.
I also loved the narration style of Hanna speaking to her daughter about her younger life and all the horror she survived.
Summary: though dealing with tragic events, this book was hopeful & encouraging!
susanp's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent, powerful coming-of-age story set in Ukraine during World War II. From the point of view of a 14-year-old Jewish girl, this story has some jarring and chilling turns and is well-written and almost poetic.
kellerko's review against another edition
4.0
2% of Southern Ukrainian Jews survived the Holocaust. How this family survived is a testament of the things people can endure for a chance of life. A short but powerful book.
marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
My Real Name Is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih (Author), Suzanne Toren (Narrator)
It's 1942 and Hitler's army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine during the time that Hanna Slivka turns fourteen. Life has already been difficult for Hanna and her family, as most of her non Jewish neighbors and townsfolk began pulling away from the danger involved with associating with Jewish people. Until now, her little town has escaped the worst horrors of the approaching German occupation but it's soon obvious that the family must go into hiding or face certain deportation or death.
This is when a group of over a dozen people, including Hanna's immediate family, flee to a forest cabin where they sleep as many hours as possible so that they can do their necessities during the dark hours of the night. Later the family must flee again, with people from a nearby cabin, and their new home is an underground cave where they will live for the next thirteen months. As fortunate as they are to not be captured or dead, as the story takes us through this time in the lives Hanna and her family and friends, the slow starvation, sensory depravation, malnutrition, and sense that they will never live above ground again, is a horrific fate. These are the lucky ones, those still alive, but it's only a matter of time before their dying bodies give up.
The story is told by Hanna, to her daughter, many years later. We see things through the eyes of a teenager, whose family and faith are the most important thing in her life. Hanna also loves her elderly neighbor, Alla, a mentor and best friend, someone who is always thinking about Hanna while Hanna will always remember her. Alla is one of the good people, willing to help the Jews despite the risk of death for doing so.
The story is beautiful because of Hanna's fairy tale way of relating the events. The love of family and these close friends keeps each person going, there are babies and children with them and giving up would mean giving up the hope that these little ones would ever grow up. The audiobook narrator does a wonderful job of giving Hanna her voice.
Published September 15, 2018
It's 1942 and Hitler's army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine during the time that Hanna Slivka turns fourteen. Life has already been difficult for Hanna and her family, as most of her non Jewish neighbors and townsfolk began pulling away from the danger involved with associating with Jewish people. Until now, her little town has escaped the worst horrors of the approaching German occupation but it's soon obvious that the family must go into hiding or face certain deportation or death.
This is when a group of over a dozen people, including Hanna's immediate family, flee to a forest cabin where they sleep as many hours as possible so that they can do their necessities during the dark hours of the night. Later the family must flee again, with people from a nearby cabin, and their new home is an underground cave where they will live for the next thirteen months. As fortunate as they are to not be captured or dead, as the story takes us through this time in the lives Hanna and her family and friends, the slow starvation, sensory depravation, malnutrition, and sense that they will never live above ground again, is a horrific fate. These are the lucky ones, those still alive, but it's only a matter of time before their dying bodies give up.
The story is told by Hanna, to her daughter, many years later. We see things through the eyes of a teenager, whose family and faith are the most important thing in her life. Hanna also loves her elderly neighbor, Alla, a mentor and best friend, someone who is always thinking about Hanna while Hanna will always remember her. Alla is one of the good people, willing to help the Jews despite the risk of death for doing so.
The story is beautiful because of Hanna's fairy tale way of relating the events. The love of family and these close friends keeps each person going, there are babies and children with them and giving up would mean giving up the hope that these little ones would ever grow up. The audiobook narrator does a wonderful job of giving Hanna her voice.
Published September 15, 2018
susani_'s review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful book about one of the most horrid and shameful moment in human history. The moment where we showed how cruel, horrible and evil humans can be.
Inspired by real Holocaust events, this poignant debut novel is a powerful coming-of-age story that will resonate with fans of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray.
Hanna Slivka is on the cusp of fourteen when Hitler's army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Soon, the Gestapo closes in, determined to make the shtetele she lives in "free of Jews." Until the German occupation, Hanna spent her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings, admiring the drawings of the handsome Leon Stadnick, and helping her neighbor dye decorative pysanky eggs. But now she, Leon, and their families are forced to flee and hide in the forest outside their shtetele--and then in the dark caves beneath the rolling meadows, rumored to harbor evil spirits.
Very good book and would recommend to everyone!
Inspired by real Holocaust events, this poignant debut novel is a powerful coming-of-age story that will resonate with fans of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray.
Hanna Slivka is on the cusp of fourteen when Hitler's army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Soon, the Gestapo closes in, determined to make the shtetele she lives in "free of Jews." Until the German occupation, Hanna spent her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings, admiring the drawings of the handsome Leon Stadnick, and helping her neighbor dye decorative pysanky eggs. But now she, Leon, and their families are forced to flee and hide in the forest outside their shtetele--and then in the dark caves beneath the rolling meadows, rumored to harbor evil spirits.
Very good book and would recommend to everyone!
chapters_and_pages's review
1.0
DNF at 26%.
I really liked the idea of this book. I love reading about the WW2 era, I find it really fascinating! However I found this book to be very difficult to read. One of the main reasons for this being that my Kindle copy was all messed up and not at all formatted correctly. Technical issues aside, I just didn’t connect with this book and I couldn’t understand what was going on half the time unfortunately (not really sure if this is because of the issues or not).
I really liked the idea of this book. I love reading about the WW2 era, I find it really fascinating! However I found this book to be very difficult to read. One of the main reasons for this being that my Kindle copy was all messed up and not at all formatted correctly. Technical issues aside, I just didn’t connect with this book and I couldn’t understand what was going on half the time unfortunately (not really sure if this is because of the issues or not).