The true story of survival during one of the worst times in history really struck a chord and made me see a completely different side to the Holocaust. When reading about Lale Sokolov, the Slovakian prisoner, I had to keep pausing and reminding myself that this was a true story. Reading the events that took place seemed unbelievable, so the fact they actually happened is all the more heartbreaking. Seeing what life in the concentration camp was like from the point of view of the tattooist was such a unique perspective that many people wouldn't have even considered before. Having to tattoo numbers to thousands of prisoners, day in , day out- never knowing people’s names and stories, just as a number , should have numbed Lale to any and all emotions. However the opposite happened. He managed to help whoever he could with extra food and even fell in love, in a place that was surrounded by horror.
There were times I would have liked to know more about the other characters. What were their back stories, how were they feeling? However when you read more about how the book was created (through a series of interviews with Lale) it’s to be expected that the story will focus on his point of view as he would never have known exactly what the other prisoners were feeling.
When I started the book, I thought I would finish it in tears, and although the book is inevitably traumatic and heart breaking, the fact that Lale survived it all and lived to tale the tale decades later was both inspirational and heartwarming.
This book and story proves the persistence of humanity and the importance of love. It is a book I will (and have) been recommending to friends and friends whenever possible.
There were times I would have liked to know more about the other characters. What were their back stories, how were they feeling? However when you read more about how the book was created (through a series of interviews with Lale) it’s to be expected that the story will focus on his point of view as he would never have known exactly what the other prisoners were feeling.
When I started the book, I thought I would finish it in tears, and although the book is inevitably traumatic and heart breaking, the fact that Lale survived it all and lived to tale the tale decades later was both inspirational and heartwarming.
This book and story proves the persistence of humanity and the importance of love. It is a book I will (and have) been recommending to friends and friends whenever possible.