This really is a remarkable book. It’s a novel but it’s based on the true story of Lale Sokolov as told to the author. It’s a story he wanted the world to know about and it’s a story everyone should know about.
Lale is sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942 and this is the story of his struggle and determination to survive no matter what is thrown at him. The conditions in the camps are worse than anything you could possibly imagine. The treatment the inmates receive shows us how truly vile the SS were but, for all that, this is a book full of hope and caring and people wanting to help each other and, above all else, it’s a story of love. Lale’s love for Gita is his driving force and he is determined that they will survive this hell and be together for the rest of their lives.
There are some other lovely characters in the book- Gita’s friends, Lale’s assistant, some of the other men in the huts and the lovely Romany families. There are also truly horrendous SS characters - the most horrendous being the monster that was Dr Josef Mengele. Every time he appears on a page it makes your heart stop beating.
This is a time in the history of the world that must never be allowed to be forgotten and it must also never be allowed to happen again, despite worrying noises we hear regularly nowadays with the rise in power of the right wing in various countries.
You expect this book to be dark and harrowing and upsetting and it is all those things and more but, most of all, it’s full of love and hope and care for other people. Please don’t let it pass you by. It will make you cry. It will make you so very angry. It will make you wonder how on earth people can treat their fellow man worse than they would treat animals. It will also make you smile. It will make you believe in the decency of people with nothing who will do all they can to help others with even less. It will make you believe that the power of love and determination to be together will help you through anything.
Lale is sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942 and this is the story of his struggle and determination to survive no matter what is thrown at him. The conditions in the camps are worse than anything you could possibly imagine. The treatment the inmates receive shows us how truly vile the SS were but, for all that, this is a book full of hope and caring and people wanting to help each other and, above all else, it’s a story of love. Lale’s love for Gita is his driving force and he is determined that they will survive this hell and be together for the rest of their lives.
There are some other lovely characters in the book- Gita’s friends, Lale’s assistant, some of the other men in the huts and the lovely Romany families. There are also truly horrendous SS characters - the most horrendous being the monster that was Dr Josef Mengele. Every time he appears on a page it makes your heart stop beating.
This is a time in the history of the world that must never be allowed to be forgotten and it must also never be allowed to happen again, despite worrying noises we hear regularly nowadays with the rise in power of the right wing in various countries.
You expect this book to be dark and harrowing and upsetting and it is all those things and more but, most of all, it’s full of love and hope and care for other people. Please don’t let it pass you by. It will make you cry. It will make you so very angry. It will make you wonder how on earth people can treat their fellow man worse than they would treat animals. It will also make you smile. It will make you believe in the decency of people with nothing who will do all they can to help others with even less. It will make you believe that the power of love and determination to be together will help you through anything.