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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
Not without its flaws, but definitely amongst the top WW2 books I have read - in retrospect, a very rosy picture of ideal scenarios, but I guess that's why they acknowledge they were the lucky ones.
This novel follows a Jewish family living in Poland under the Nazi Germany regime. The story follows each family member for they are all separated within the country. In hopes of reuniting with their family they must first try to survive.
I totally understand having a big family and being in a culture where family orientation is important. My parents, my siblings and I live in different places as well. I can't imagine the constant worry and fear of not reuniting with them. Especially if something terrible were to happened in one's country from war. Being separated from your family not knowing where they are totally makes me have anxiety now. I felt that anxiety for all the characters in this story.
I liked how the chapters start with a fact about the war. The facts and dates show the timeline of events that would have occurred during this time. I enjoyed following this family. It was a story of pain, fear, worry, and loss. Yet it was also a story of love and hope.
I totally understand having a big family and being in a culture where family orientation is important. My parents, my siblings and I live in different places as well. I can't imagine the constant worry and fear of not reuniting with them. Especially if something terrible were to happened in one's country from war. Being separated from your family not knowing where they are totally makes me have anxiety now. I felt that anxiety for all the characters in this story.
I liked how the chapters start with a fact about the war. The facts and dates show the timeline of events that would have occurred during this time. I enjoyed following this family. It was a story of pain, fear, worry, and loss. Yet it was also a story of love and hope.
the story is heartbreaking yet at the same time hopeful and shows how the human spirit can endure and even thrive in the face of its darkest moments.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter~
Based on the true story of how The Kurc family-husband, wife, their 5 children and spouses all miraculously survived the holocaust. The story is not just how they survived, but what had to be endured and the sacrifices along the way.
The book starts in 1939, where the family gathers together to happily celebrate Passover. The tremors of unrest are slowly being felt, yet it is still so early, and the family has hope. This hope and the love they have for one another is how they survived, their sheer will to save each other and always persevere-no matter the odds.
A heart-wrenching and inspiring read, I very much enjoyed this book. My one critique is the writing itself is moderately novice in presentation, but the story is gold. I am also in the process of watching the series, and it does not disappoint. Highly recommend both!
Based on the true story of how The Kurc family-husband, wife, their 5 children and spouses all miraculously survived the holocaust. The story is not just how they survived, but what had to be endured and the sacrifices along the way.
The book starts in 1939, where the family gathers together to happily celebrate Passover. The tremors of unrest are slowly being felt, yet it is still so early, and the family has hope. This hope and the love they have for one another is how they survived, their sheer will to save each other and always persevere-no matter the odds.
A heart-wrenching and inspiring read, I very much enjoyed this book. My one critique is the writing itself is moderately novice in presentation, but the story is gold. I am also in the process of watching the series, and it does not disappoint. Highly recommend both!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
WHAT I LIKED: Georgia Hunter has every reason to be proud of her incredible family heritage. She did an excellent job blending historical facts and her ancestors' stories. Her book will be a source of inspiration and pride to all related to the Kurc family for generations to come.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: This historical fiction story does not represent the common experience. The Kurc family beat incredible odds. 90% of Poland's Jewish population was murdered during the Holocaust. I felt there was not enough insight on why the members of this particular family survived. It would be an insult to those who perished to think that torture and death could have been avoided if you were clever and courageous enough (Ms. Hunter never suggested that this was the case). On a side note, I would love to see an analysis in the Afterword, perhaps by someone like Malcolm Gladwell, that would propose some insights on why this family survived.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: This historical fiction story does not represent the common experience. The Kurc family beat incredible odds. 90% of Poland's Jewish population was murdered during the Holocaust. I felt there was not enough insight on why the members of this particular family survived. It would be an insult to those who perished to think that torture and death could have been avoided if you were clever and courageous enough (Ms. Hunter never suggested that this was the case). On a side note, I would love to see an analysis in the Afterword, perhaps by someone like Malcolm Gladwell, that would propose some insights on why this family survived.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
De heldige er en fuldstændig fantastisk magisk fortælling om mod, kærlighed og håb. En fortælling, der tager læserne med på en brutal, hjerteskærende og mørk rejse gennem et af det forrige århundredes mest afskyelige perioder – men efterlader dem i visheden om, at i de værste tider vil den menneskelige styrke sejre og blomstre.
Bogen byder på en historie så fantastisk, at kendte man ikke dens faktuelle ophav ville man tænke den som værende en smule for fantasifuld. Men en imponerende research danner grundlag for bogen, og Georgia har på bemærkelsesværdig vis formået at give karaktererne levende stemmer.
En af de fascinerende ting ved bogen var diversiteten i familiens oplevelser. Spredt for alle vinde er det vidt forskellige prøvelser de udsættes for – selvom essensen er den samme. Historien fortælles gennem synsvinklerne fra de fem søskende (Genek, Mila, Addy, Jakob, and Halina), og det giver en meget levende fortælling. De kan dog i starten være en smule forvirrende. Hvis du vælger at høre bogen som lydbog, vil jeg derfor anbefale at du laver et lille notat med de forskellige karakterer og hvor i verden de befinder sig. I den fysiske bog findes et stamtræ i starten af bogen. Desuden startes hvert kapitel med en kort historisk note om krigens udvikling.
Det er i sagens natur en barsk historie, forfattet i et unådigt sprog og med en ubøjelig fremdrift. Vi følger hver karakter fra 1939 til 1947 og lærer deres historie – om overlevelse, separation, fortvivlelse og mod. Men skrivestilen er fængende, og Georgia har på bedste vist formået at vise kontrasten mellem krigens brutalitet og familiekærlighedens blide styrke.
De heldige er en fortælling, der vil vække følelser hos selv den hårdeste læser. I en tid, hvor antisemitismen endnu engang er på fremdrift, kan man kun håbe at mange vil læse bogen og få øjnene op for en anden verden.
Bogen byder på en historie så fantastisk, at kendte man ikke dens faktuelle ophav ville man tænke den som værende en smule for fantasifuld. Men en imponerende research danner grundlag for bogen, og Georgia har på bemærkelsesværdig vis formået at give karaktererne levende stemmer.
En af de fascinerende ting ved bogen var diversiteten i familiens oplevelser. Spredt for alle vinde er det vidt forskellige prøvelser de udsættes for – selvom essensen er den samme. Historien fortælles gennem synsvinklerne fra de fem søskende (Genek, Mila, Addy, Jakob, and Halina), og det giver en meget levende fortælling. De kan dog i starten være en smule forvirrende. Hvis du vælger at høre bogen som lydbog, vil jeg derfor anbefale at du laver et lille notat med de forskellige karakterer og hvor i verden de befinder sig. I den fysiske bog findes et stamtræ i starten af bogen. Desuden startes hvert kapitel med en kort historisk note om krigens udvikling.
Det er i sagens natur en barsk historie, forfattet i et unådigt sprog og med en ubøjelig fremdrift. Vi følger hver karakter fra 1939 til 1947 og lærer deres historie – om overlevelse, separation, fortvivlelse og mod. Men skrivestilen er fængende, og Georgia har på bedste vist formået at vise kontrasten mellem krigens brutalitet og familiekærlighedens blide styrke.
De heldige er en fortælling, der vil vække følelser hos selv den hårdeste læser. I en tid, hvor antisemitismen endnu engang er på fremdrift, kan man kun håbe at mange vil læse bogen og få øjnene op for en anden verden.
Wow, just wow. The heart wrenching events in this story compounded with all the love. Just read it. Now