Reviews

I Was a Boy in Belsen by Tomi Reichental

miradanielak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

eabhawall's review against another edition

5.0

This was extremely powerful. Took me longer than I anticipated to finish, as it's quite heavy digesting in the midst of a global pandemic. I've never read a first hand account of the Holocaust before, only fictionalised. To know that every single thing documented happened sent chills down my spine on more than one occasion. Reichental is a remarkable man and an excellent storyteller. It was quite something to read about such horrors through the eyes of a child. Fascinating too, the ability of a child's mind to shield oneself from such darkness, to retain imagination & wonder.
Excellent

ashleyl20's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

elliemayxox's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

saz93's review against another edition

informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.25

brookesbookstagram's review against another edition

4.0

TW: death, holocaust, WWII, murder, geoncide

Once again, I am blown away by the ability of such a remarkable person to have experienced, witnessed and bared horrendeous, unfathomable trauma. To then share their lives, their suffering, their unimaginable pain with us is truly incredible.

Tomi was nine-years old in October 1944 when he was rounded up by the Gestapo in a shop in Bratislava, Slovakia. Along with 12 other members of his family he was taken to a detention camp where the elusive Nazi War Criminal Alois Brunner had the power of life and death.

This book shares Tomi's life before being detained, throughout his time in the death camps, and his life since, showing his unwavering ability to move forward in his life. Thank you Tomi for sharing your life.

cmack314159265's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Death, and Antisemitism

Moderate: War

sailwordb's review against another edition

5.0

A straightforward, blunt, undeniably moving account of a young boys life during the Nazi regime in Europe, the early days of the war, life in a concentration camp, and his life post-liberation. This doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of life in a concentration camp, so some chapters may not be for the faint of heart, but it's worth the read to understand the horror that was endured. The author has also been the subject of two documentaries during the latter stage of his life, both of which I would highly recommend. They include topics such as the rise of Anti-semitism in Europe, revisiting his family home in modern-day Slovakia, and celebrating his birthday in a local Mosque in Dublin.

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Murder, Child death, Violence, Slavery, Hate crime, and Antisemitism

dianevr's review

4.0

4,5 stars. A must read.