The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Author : Heather Morris
Genre : Historical Fiction
Number of pages : 256

"Identified by their race, not their nationality, and this is something Lale still cannot understand. Nations threaten other nations. They have the power, they have the military. How can a race spread out across multiple countries be considered a threat?"

Like every other story about the most barbaric times faced by the human race, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, hits a cord with it's readers. The story is advertised to be the love story of Lale and Gita but it is so much more. It is a story of struggle, of the choice to survive no matter what, of living to see another day so that he can finally leave the concentration camp to be with his lady love, Gita, as a free man.

“If you wake up in the morning, it is a good day.”

What I liked : Morris has done a great job in not letting the love story aspect dominate the book. There isn't enough said about the plight faced by people during the Holocaust, the story of Lale and Gita exposes it to the world on so many levels. If at some point the reader loses the connection of the story to the reality, then towards the end of the book there are photographs of the proof related to Lale and his story and that is enough to give one a reality check.

"Lale finally works out what it is about her voice that saddens him. It is emotionless. Whether relaying stories of happy times with her family or the tragedy of being here, there is no change in tone."

What I didn't like : The writing style of the author didn't involve or grip me into the story much. There were places where I wish Morris had explained things more. There wasn't much of atmosphere or scene build-up. Nonetheless, I couldn't put this book down and I had to finish it once I started reading it, all because the story demanded to be heard and talked about.

Conclusion : Such books are a constant reminder of what our worst selves can do and why we shouldn't do it. It reminds us with hard-work, love and hope one can possibly get through worst of times. I would definitely suggest this book if one is looking to read about the Holocaust.

My Verdict : 4/5


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