I was late to the party with this book...and normally I'm really fussy and stubborn about reading something that everyone else is raving about so had decided for a while I wasn't going to bother with it. However, after fishing about my To Be Read pile for something different I decided to give it a bash. A part of me is sorry that I did because the story is so beautifully heart-breaking that I couldn't shake the feeling it left me with for so long. That feeling was the deepest sadness and the most sincere gratitude. I am grateful that I do not live in country plagued by war and suffering.
This book follows the true story of Lale Sokolov prior to and throughout his experience at Auschwitz, tattooing assigned numbers on to prisoners as they enter the camp. There are themes of love, family, fear and coercion, loyalty and above all hope. The characters are relatable and despite what I said above I actually genuinely am glad I read this book. It was wonderfully and respectfully written, and it gave a 'real-feel' insight into life in a concentration camp. My edition also had some appendices which detailed interviews the author conducted and pictures of original artefacts which informed her work and this really completed the experience for me. It shocked me, it moved me, I laughed and I cried. I will not forget this book. And I will not be so quick to dismiss 'hyped up books' in the future.
This book follows the true story of Lale Sokolov prior to and throughout his experience at Auschwitz, tattooing assigned numbers on to prisoners as they enter the camp. There are themes of love, family, fear and coercion, loyalty and above all hope. The characters are relatable and despite what I said above I actually genuinely am glad I read this book. It was wonderfully and respectfully written, and it gave a 'real-feel' insight into life in a concentration camp. My edition also had some appendices which detailed interviews the author conducted and pictures of original artefacts which informed her work and this really completed the experience for me. It shocked me, it moved me, I laughed and I cried. I will not forget this book. And I will not be so quick to dismiss 'hyped up books' in the future.