I enjoyed this book, it was moving and thought provoking. There are many books around at the moment exploring aspects of Auschwitz (“The ______ of Auschwitz” seems to be the formula for many popular paperbacks at the moment) but this is one of the first and the best. The characters and their motivations are well explored and compelling. Despite the mountain of books, TV and films around concerning the Second World War and Nazis this book somehow manages to give a fresh perspective. The descriptions bring the characters to life and move the reader to consider the painful experiences and the impact on future generations. I enjoyed the author’s discussion on how she made the decision to write the book and the real life people she met with, this made the story somehow more authentic. I look forward to reading the follow up novel “Cilka’s Journey” and hope that it is as well written as this.