| Description: 1944, Germany. Two sisters seek to overcome impossible odds to be reunited, in this utterly devastating and unforgettable novel about sisterhood, courage and survival. All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart. After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together. But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her. Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her. |  |
But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
A completely heartbreaking, utterly gripping tale of courage, loss and overcoming impossible odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Ragged Edge of Night and The Orphan’s Tale.
A completely heartbreaking, utterly gripping tale of courage, loss and overcoming impossible odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Ragged Edge of Night and The Orphan’s Tale.
My thoughts
Just like me, Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany. So, it was very interesting for me to read a WWII book in English that is not a translation. The author got her inspiration for this book during a trip she took to the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp in Lower Saxony, Germany, where the pictures of the children who suffered in the concentration camp caught her eye. One picture in particular inspired her to create the character of 4-year-old Mindel in this story and her 17-year-old sister Rachel. Here is a link to the picture: kummerow.info/bergen-belsen-concentration-camp. The story is told from the perspectives of these two amazing girls who get separated but refuse to give up hope of reuniting. The author goes back and forth between the girls' POVs. It was great to read Mindel's POV. I'm usually not a fan of books written from a child's perspective--let alone from the perspective of such a young child. Oftentimes, the characters are annoying. Not in this book! The author brings across the age-appropriate perspective but she does so without using very childish language. When reading the story, you can tell that the girl is still very young but the wording used is "easy on the brain." The entire character-driven story reminded me a lot of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" (another excellent book by the way). It was fantastic to see the war and the horrendous Nazi crimes through the eyes of a 4-year-old. I did in particular like Mindel's relationship with her best friend Laszlo. The author definitely did her research. This book is one of those very realistic historical fiction books. You can feel what the characters feel, you can picture yourself at the camp, and some of the characters we meet in the book seem to be inspired by real people, e.g., she mentions Anne Frank. The character seem familiar without retelling stories we've read about in other novels or accounts of true events in non-fiction literature. If you love WWII historical fiction, I'm 100% sure you will like this book!
 | About the author: Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to "discover the world" and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she's now living with her family. Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemma, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round. https://kummerow.info/ https://www.facebook.com/AutorinKummerow/ https://twitter.com/MarionKummerow |
| Product details:
| Where to buy: Amazon: https://geni.us/B08QSDHH41social Apple: https://apple.co/3mqOnQZ Kobo: https://bit.ly/3gSgHdU Google: https://bit.ly/34knyrf |
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