I had heard of Joseph Mengele and his reputation as a butcher. However, this tale has enlightened me. Stasha and Pearl are taken to Auschwitz in late 1944 alongside their Mother and Grandfather. Because they are twins, Stasha and Pearl are taken to the "Zoo" to become part of Mengele's research into twins. I won't go into details, but he was a very twisted person. They are separated from their family, not knowing if they are alive or dead, having been promised that they will be looked after. Among the other occupants of the Zoo are Peter, Bruna and Patient Blue. Over the very cold winter of 1944 and early 1945 the girls are subjected to various procedures by Mengele and one day Pearl disappears. Stasha, devasted by this, cannot accept that Pearl is dead and vows to find her. As the war is being lost, the camp is abandoned by Mengele and Stasha, by playing dead, manages to lescape the death marches, eventually making her way to Warsaw with vengeance in mind. She wants to kill Mengele.
I liked the viewpoint of this book, and it was hard going in places, but I had to remember I was looking at it from the view point of a young girl. I won't say it's enjoyable as the subject matter is truly horrific in places, but a good read.
I liked the viewpoint of this book, and it was hard going in places, but I had to remember I was looking at it from the view point of a young girl. I won't say it's enjoyable as the subject matter is truly horrific in places, but a good read.