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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Horror and Heroism
Each narrative of the horror of the Holocaust, the barbarism of Auschwitz-Birkenau is important in the retelling. There are so many stories of the inmates of Auschwitz that need to be heard. Individuals who did all they could in the face of inhumanity, to remain decent, kind and humane.
Ellie Midwood has skillfully created a work of fiction that is inspired and infused with the real story of Mala and Edek. Two individuals caught up in the vicious death camps who not only found each other, but inspired and helped so many people within the camps. Gave them hope when all around was hopelessness. Two people who became lovers and were able to plan a daring escape, aided and abetted by a sympathetic SS Guard, Edward Lubusch. It sounds fanciful, invented. But the events are real and all the more poignant and heart-rending as a result.
As with Ellie Midwood's other books, her writing is convincing and unflinching, but has an underlying empathy and gives voice to people whose stories deserve to be known.
Each narrative of the horror of the Holocaust, the barbarism of Auschwitz-Birkenau is important in the retelling. There are so many stories of the inmates of Auschwitz that need to be heard. Individuals who did all they could in the face of inhumanity, to remain decent, kind and humane.
Ellie Midwood has skillfully created a work of fiction that is inspired and infused with the real story of Mala and Edek. Two individuals caught up in the vicious death camps who not only found each other, but inspired and helped so many people within the camps. Gave them hope when all around was hopelessness. Two people who became lovers and were able to plan a daring escape, aided and abetted by a sympathetic SS Guard, Edward Lubusch. It sounds fanciful, invented. But the events are real and all the more poignant and heart-rending as a result.
As with Ellie Midwood's other books, her writing is convincing and unflinching, but has an underlying empathy and gives voice to people whose stories deserve to be known.
Sadly this book wasn’t for me, I have to admit I don’t read historical fiction like this much and I kind of feel there are enough true life stories to be told, I don’t think fiction is the way to go, yes I’m aware this is based on a true story, but I’d rather read an account, biography, not a fictionalised version. I’m sure plenty will appreciate this, just not one for me
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction during the WWII time period and also to those who simply love a story of keeping faith through adversity. I enjoyed it but it wasn't my favorite historical fiction book. It did not capture my attention as much as I’d hoped. I struggled reading the middle of the book and found my attention wandering.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start this review by discussing some of the criticisms others have put in their reviews.
Someone has complained that the book had a sad ending - 1. It's Auschwitz, scene of the biggest horror the world has even seen, 2. The book doesn't start with "once upon a time", 3. It's based on a true story so what a massive disservice this would be to lie at the end. I was gobsmacked that this was a criticism.
Another complaint was that the main characters could've just waited a few months to be free.....Are you serious?! Can you even begin to fathom the atrocities of Auschwitz. It was completely a reality that you could be shot, burned alive, tortured etc. any second. When the allies did arrive there was no way they'd keep all of those people alive to share their stories. It even says it several times in the story. It’s because of brave souls like them that we’re not all speaking German right now.
Now for my own feedback....
This was a fantastic book. Truly harrowing, heart breaking and gripping. It's so surreal to search for all of the characters in this book and to see their photographs and their own wiki pages.
I’m not a particularly emotional person but this book really got to me. Ellie Midwood does a truly amazing job of describing the reality for all of those poor people. She writes about this world in such detail you can imagine yourself there. The horror comes from realising that this isn’t in the slightest fictional and the cruel things that are done to the inmates, which you think how could an author come up with that, are real.
Another thing I really valued in this book was how Ellie writes about the SS commanders. In particular, those guards who have their humanity still. I’m sure we’ve all wondered if everyone who was a Nazi was actually evil or if they just went along with it to keep themselves alive. This book does a wonderful job of talking about SS Edward Lubush and how he really tries to be a good man despite the danger to himself and his family. It was a really refreshing change to read about the humanity of some of these German’s who were just as much prisoners as the inmates (albeit in considerably better conditions).
I don’t want to spoil the story too much but I would like to end this review with a photograph of Mally and Edek. No one can look at this photograph and not feel immense pride at how incredibly brave Mala aged 26, and Edek aged just 21 were. I know at 28 I don’t think I could be as brave as they were.
I normally scrapbook all of my 5 star reads but I can't bring myself to do it with this book. If you do want to see them then follow me on Instagram @green_wonderland_home
I want to start this review by discussing some of the criticisms others have put in their reviews.
Someone has complained that the book had a sad ending - 1. It's Auschwitz, scene of the biggest horror the world has even seen, 2. The book doesn't start with "once upon a time", 3. It's based on a true story so what a massive disservice this would be to lie at the end. I was gobsmacked that this was a criticism.
Another complaint was that the main characters could've just waited a few months to be free.....Are you serious?! Can you even begin to fathom the atrocities of Auschwitz. It was completely a reality that you could be shot, burned alive, tortured etc. any second. When the allies did arrive there was no way they'd keep all of those people alive to share their stories. It even says it several times in the story. It’s because of brave souls like them that we’re not all speaking German right now.
Now for my own feedback....
This was a fantastic book. Truly harrowing, heart breaking and gripping. It's so surreal to search for all of the characters in this book and to see their photographs and their own wiki pages.
I’m not a particularly emotional person but this book really got to me. Ellie Midwood does a truly amazing job of describing the reality for all of those poor people. She writes about this world in such detail you can imagine yourself there. The horror comes from realising that this isn’t in the slightest fictional and the cruel things that are done to the inmates, which you think how could an author come up with that, are real.
Another thing I really valued in this book was how Ellie writes about the SS commanders. In particular, those guards who have their humanity still. I’m sure we’ve all wondered if everyone who was a Nazi was actually evil or if they just went along with it to keep themselves alive. This book does a wonderful job of talking about SS Edward Lubush and how he really tries to be a good man despite the danger to himself and his family. It was a really refreshing change to read about the humanity of some of these German’s who were just as much prisoners as the inmates (albeit in considerably better conditions).
I don’t want to spoil the story too much but I would like to end this review with a photograph of Mally and Edek. No one can look at this photograph and not feel immense pride at how incredibly brave Mala aged 26, and Edek aged just 21 were. I know at 28 I don’t think I could be as brave as they were.
I normally scrapbook all of my 5 star reads but I can't bring myself to do it with this book. If you do want to see them then follow me on Instagram @green_wonderland_home
challenging
hopeful
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:
Yes
So this is my second story that Ellie Midwood has written and there is some mention of Alma Rose in this book that was the main protagonist in The Violinist Of Auschwitz.
This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon as Its a very powerful and extremely well written and that nothing is left out as the author has done an immense amount of research.
This book was very hard to read as a whole but it will stay with me for a very long time.
Ellie Midwood thank you for your research and for writing this amazing story of both Mala and Edek who deserved to have their stories told in a way that did them justice.
Overall a heart wrenching, absolutely beautifully devastating story of two lesser known heroes of Auschwitz.
This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon as Its a very powerful and extremely well written and that nothing is left out as the author has done an immense amount of research.
This book was very hard to read as a whole but it will stay with me for a very long time.
Ellie Midwood thank you for your research and for writing this amazing story of both Mala and Edek who deserved to have their stories told in a way that did them justice.
Overall a heart wrenching, absolutely beautifully devastating story of two lesser known heroes of Auschwitz.
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
Sweet storyline through a dark period in history.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A disturbing and yet heart-wrenching story; it was extremely hard to read this book and impossible to put it down too. What makes it even more hard to read is the knowledge that these were actually real people, not fictional characters, and they really did go through the horrors and depravity mentioned in the book.
Mala and Edward are inmates in the Auschwitz camp where she serves as an interpreter and he is a political prisoner, plotting his escape. The story reveals how the two find love and hope in each other amidst the horror that is Auschwitz.Both Mala and Edward were incredibly brave and kind-hearted people who went out of their way to help and bring hope to others, despite the torture and terror they faced.
The book was absolutely gripping with the characters coming to life off the page. The scenes between Mala and Edward were poignant, more so, because the time they had together was short-lived. It is hard to imagine that humans could inflict such brutality on fellow humans. Having said that, it was heartening to see that atleast a few of them retained their humanity. While the ending was already obvious, it was heart-breaking all the same.
Overall, a beautiful story, not for the faint-hearted; but one that should be told anyways, if only not to repeat the mistakes of history.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mala and Edward are inmates in the Auschwitz camp where she serves as an interpreter and he is a political prisoner, plotting his escape. The story reveals how the two find love and hope in each other amidst the horror that is Auschwitz.Both Mala and Edward were incredibly brave and kind-hearted people who went out of their way to help and bring hope to others, despite the torture and terror they faced.
The book was absolutely gripping with the characters coming to life off the page. The scenes between Mala and Edward were poignant, more so, because the time they had together was short-lived. It is hard to imagine that humans could inflict such brutality on fellow humans. Having said that, it was heartening to see that atleast a few of them retained their humanity. While the ending was already obvious, it was heart-breaking all the same.
Overall, a beautiful story, not for the faint-hearted; but one that should be told anyways, if only not to repeat the mistakes of history.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.