I gave this book 5 stars as I thought it was an absolutely beautiful book, and the author was able to deal with very difficult and harrowing topics in a very sensitive way. I adored the characters and was completely rooting for them throughout. I have been to auschwitz and could picture the characters there in that harsh and bleak environment which the author was able to describe perfectly. The story of the tattooist is one which will stay with me for a long time and also made me keen to read the sequel to this, cilka’s journey, which followed the character of cilka more closely. I adored the relationship between the two main characters and thought the story was beautiful but also obviously heartbreaking in many places and in many ways. It gives a sense of humanity to something which was so bleak and so terrible, and makes you feel so strongly for these people.