Reviews with content warning for Confinement - Night

New review (1/28/23):
A rating less than five stars would be ridiculous. This is the best memoir ever written. I don't have much to say other than this is a must read for everyone. We must remember what happened. In Wiesel's words, "...one could not keep silent no matter how difficult, if not impossible, it was to speak."

He also says, "For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."

We have a responsibility to stand firmly against evil and bigotry. If you stay silent, you are taking the side of the oppressor. That is the reason why Wiesel wrote this book. To make sure the world knew what happened and we never forget it.

"Because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices."

Again, this is a must read. Not only is this story important, the way Wiesel writes is magnificent. His talent shines through. He has such a strong narrative voice, one I could never forget, even if I tried.

Old review:
A lot of books about the Holocaust end with a renewed hope of life or a lesson learned through the experience. This one doesn't have that. Wiesel's telling of his experiences are so raw and truthful. He tells it exactly how it happened and how it made him feel. It's so much more realistic for someone to completely lose their faith and hope after a horrific experience like this, which is what Wiesel talks about in this book. As sad as it is, it's just so truthful and blunt.

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zakcebulski's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This book is so vitally important. It is an absolutely heartbreaking exploration into one man's experiences in to some of the most hellacious events in the history of mankind. The things that occurred were to the point I needed to put this book down for a moment. I am glad to have the chance to read this book, as it is important to know and learn about the Holocaust more and more. The Holocaust is such a broad view of unrivaled suffering and tragedy that these memoirs and personal experiences within the book are necessary to understand the impact on the human condition that this genocidal racism had.

I can't say more, but, I do urge each and every person to read this book, and others like it to educate yourselves on the tragedy of the Holocaust, and other genocides, so that these events are not forgotten.

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nejmia_remis's review against another edition

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thattheatrekid's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I read this for class and will never regret it. Wiesel is a masterful writer. It feels like you’re reading a novel as he relays his real experiences in such a real way. The violence is not grotesque at all, simply stated in a matter-of-fact way. The way this book emphasizes the emotional and psychological developments of the Holocaust victims really punches in the impact of what happened. I wept when they arrived at Auschwitz and walked with Wiesel through his words. I don’t care what your personal reading preferences or sensitive topics are; read this book. We are here. We will never stay silent.

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