Tag: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Sunday Summary – 8th December 2024

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It’s been a stormy weekend here folks, but I haven’t been blown away thankfully! In today’s Sunday Summary, I’m still here – and I’ll update you on my reading and blogging adventures for the week.

The first post I shared with you was my monthly wrap-up for November. It was a month of catching up with ongoing reads, and getting to those I had already set on previous TBR’s and not started. If you want to find out what my reading progress was like, here’s a link to take a look.

Next, my final TBR of 2024 went live on Friday. Given I’m nowhere near my 2024 reading goals, this TBR is about finishing the year on a high with some good books instead of furiously trying to hit my targets. Again, if you want to take a look, here’s a link to do so!


Books Read


The Eye of the World

Progress continues with The Eye of the World. As of last week’s Sunday Summary I was a third of the way into the book. Over the course of this week, I’ve read around another 120 pages to bring myself to around 50% progress.

Ironically, the storm this weekend helped with that! I stayed in most of Saturday and took advantage of the time to pick up my book. Then, when we lost power last night, plans of catching up with TV (I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here) changed to reading. I swapped from my physical copy of the book to my kindle instead! Fortunately I also have an e-book copy that I bought a few years ago…

I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made so far this week. It’s a chunky narrative and there’s a lot to keep up with. Especially now characters are separated, I have two timelines and settings to keep track of. It does feel a little like one thing is happening straight after another without a breather between, but I’m intrigued by the characters and people in play.


Three Sisters

As of my last Sunday Summary post I was 25% into Three Sisters by Heather Morris.

I’ve made really good headway with this audio, more than I have done of late anyway. The setting and story has gripped me, making me want to keep listening and make the time for it. As a result, I’ve listened to another 3 and a half hours this week bringing me a bit over halfway through.

Three Sisters is everything I expected and I’m loving the book so far! Whilst it’s not a fun narrative given its subject, I’m really invested nonetheless.


Books Discovered

After a few weeks of new books trickling into the household, this week I’ve been good. Hard to believe I know, but Christmas is on the way you know. I have to behave until then at least!

 

Coming Up…

So, what’s on the agenda next week? I did debate taking part in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday post, as the subject is topical. Books to read during a storm? Well I chose The Eye of the World. It’s dark and atmospheric to go with the weather, but it’s not for that reason I chose it. The easiest choice during a power cut is whatever you have available on a decently charged and backlit kindle!

No. Instead I’ve decided to share a book review with you. I’m overdue one of those. This week’s feature is an Eastern inspired fantasy, which contrasts a lot from the heavily westernised fantasy I read more of generally, but also I’m reading right now. I’m talking about Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

On Friday I’ll return with a First Lines Friday post. As for the book I choose to feature, well, you’ll just have to wait to find out. I haven’t decided as yet on either the feature or whether there I’ll get a theme or challenge. We’ll both find out in due course I guess!

Last, but certainly not least, I’m back again next Sunday with my next Sunday Summary update. Will I finish Three Sisters or The Eye of the World, or at least be close to a finish? Let’s hope so!

Thanks for reading!

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Monthly TBR – September 2024

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I’m back with my reading list for September in this monthly TBR post!

I’ve been pushing myself these last few months to try and read more, but ultimately not got through the reading list. I now need to consider that I am studying for an exam in November. As a result, I have less time to read than usual, so I’ve tried to shorten the reading list to allow for that and without feeling guilty.

Here are the reads I have been, and will be reading, this month. Let’s get stuck in!


Fixed Reads


Eruption

Eruption is one of the reads I carried over from August. I’m pleased to say that I just finished the book last night. However, it’s only fair to include the 155 pages so I’ve read this month;  the time taken to read that will naturally affect what time I have left for the rest of this TBR.

Undoctored

My second carryover is Undoctored by Adam Kay. It’s another book that I’ve already finished so far this month!

I was listening to the audiobook version and it’s been great to have a humorous non-fiction read for a change. If you’ve already read and loved other books by Adam Kay, such as This is Going to Hurt, Undoctored will offer you the exact same experience with brand-new anecdotes and personal stories. Where the first book focuses on his years as a junior doctor, this latter focuses more towards the end of his doctoring career and his move into becoming a writer and comedian.


The Lost Apothecary

I’m including The Lost Apothecary on my fixed reading list because it is a library loan due back in just over a week.

I picked up this book at the very beginning of the month as I wasn’t feeling the reads I had originally lined up. Instead, I wanted to pick up something a lot lighter, and the synopsis of this book appealed to me.

I’ve only really sat and read this for any length of time once so far at the beginning of the month. I’ve been prioritising finishing Eruption. However, I really enjoyed what I read and I managed to get about 20% through the book in that one sitting. I’m expecting this to be a nice quick read and as it’s now my priority read as of drafting this monthly wrap-up, I hope to get through it soon!


Defiant

The last book I’m including in the fixed section of this monthly TBR is Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. I am determined to finish this series and to make that possible this month, I’ve picked up the audio copy of this book. I’ve read the previous instalments of the series are the physically. However, I currently have no qualms about switching to audio as it’s a form format that means I can access reading at a time where I can’t sit down conventionally. That’s happening more often than it ever used to so it makes sense to adapt.

I’ve not long started the audio of this book, but already I’m getting back into the setting and familiarising myself with where we left off in Cytonic.

I’m looking forward to listening to this audio and finishing this series. It’ll be bittersweet I think.


Mood Reads


Three Sisters

Another audio I’m hoping to pick up this month is Three Sisters by Heather Morris. This is the third book in The Tattooist of Auschwitz series and will mark another series completion for me once read.

I’ve had this audiobook for some time. Given my reading time constraints, having another audio will make the reading list a little easier. It’s also the format I have read the other books in, so it will be consistent.

It’s been a little while since I picked up any books in the series. However, as I don’t think this directly relates or follows on from either of the earlier books, that doesn’t really matter.


The Kingdom

I mentioned in my Sunday Summary last week that I was planning on changing up some of the books I had planned for this TBR. Some of the books stayed on the list, and The Kingdom is the first of these.

The setting of this book is a little whimsical. Combine fantasy theme park with AI and a murder, and you’ll get an idea of what this book is about. I also think the book is told through a variety of formats. I’m excited to pick up something that I wouldn’t typically.


Jingo

Another series I would like to progress with is Terry Pratchett’s Discworld universe. The next book on my list is Jingo, which is part of the city watch series. I’m quite looking forward to this book as it deals with the topic of war, and will feature a character I enjoy and find quite relatable – Sam Vimes.

If I recall correctly, the last city watch book I read was Feet of Clay. I wasn’t as much of a fan of this one, but I’m confident this will be a much more interesting read.

If nothing else, Terry’s books usually contain quite a bit of humour and they are relatively light-hearted. Given I’ve got a busy month ahead at work, as well as studying, it will be good to help carry me through. It’s for this reason that Jingo survived the TBR switch up alongside The Kingdom.


Summary

I’m glad I revised my monthly TBR down a little from what I had originally planned. On the off-chance I get through all of the books on this list then I’ll be able to pick up what I want and when.  However, there’s enough here that should keep me challenged for the month.

I’m also happy that I’ve taken off some of the larger and heavier books out of this monthly TBR. I was originally thinking of continuing with Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King. I also entertained picking up Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb. Neither are quick reads. Whilst they’re both still on my list, I’ll read them at a time that better suits and give myself plenty of time for them.

What are you reading right now?

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Audiobook Review: Cilka’s Journey – Heather Morris

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Today’s audiobook review is for my second historical fiction novel by Heather Morris. I loved listening to The Tattooist of Auschwitz despite its subject matter, so I knew I had to listen to Cilka’s Journey as well!

As if the events of Auschwitz aren’t harrowing enough, Cilka’s Journey centres around a young woman who is imprisoned in a labour camp after being liberated from the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau site. She is imprisoned for helping the Nazis – her crime: prostituting herself to them… like she had a choice!

 

Cilka’s Journey – Heather Morris

Goodreads – Cilka’s Journey

In this follow-up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz, the author tells the story, based on a true one, of a woman who survives Auschwitz, only to find herself locked away again.

Cilka Klein is 18 years old when Auschwitz-Birkenau is liberated by Soviet soldiers. But Cilka is one of the many women who is sentenced to a labor camp on charges of having helped the Nazis–with no consideration of the circumstances Cilka and women like her found themselves in as they struggled to survive. Once at the Vorkuta gulag in Sibera, where she is to serve her 15-year sentence, Cilka uses her wits, charm, and beauty to survive.

 

My Thoughts…

The first thing I loved about this story is that it taught me something new. I didn’t actually know about the labour camps and the trials men and women such as Cilka went through. So much is known about the conditions and the treatment of prisoners in Auschwitz-Birkenau and I think it’s overshadowed other events following the Second World War. I have read a few books around the subject now, but nothing like this.

As with The Tattooist of Auschwitz, the tale is based on a real person’s account of what happened to them. Reading about it in a fictional sense is upsetting enough, but knowing that many people lived through such a terrible experience is even more harrowing. There is a lot of detail to the narrative, which I really enjoy; it validates the authenticity of the events and conditions people were forced to live in. It also makes it very easy for us as listeners/readers to put ourselves in Cilka’s shoes, feel her pain, sorrow, and a few moments of joy.

The bleak descriptions of the bitterly cold Siberian labour camp are haunting. Living in such cruel conditions made the lives of these women very difficult, especially for those left weak from their time in the concentration camp. It’s frighteningly easy to feel the isolation these women have from the rest of the world. Not all is bleak, however, as many strong friendships are forged between them in their common suffering. They have few personal possessions of their own, but readily give up what they can to help others. They find solace in each other and help one another through their darkest days.

This is an audiobook review, so it’s only fair to comment on how well the audiobook is narrated. The narrator Louise Brealey’s narration style is fantastic. Cilka’s Journey is an emotional account of horrific events and her ability to encapsulate the emotion makes it even easier for the reader (listener) to immerse themselves with the story.

As I hope you can tell from the review, this was a five-star read (listen) for me. I absolutely loved it and I’m sure it’s a book I will go back and read again!

Have you read Cilka’s Journey or The Tattooist of Auschwitz? Let me know in the comments!

 

 

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Audiobook Review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris

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Later than billed, today I am sharing my review of the audiobook version of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. (Sorry! In my defence though, I did say probably Friday, not definitely). As a result of moving my blog to a self-hosted site, I have had a lot of back-end fixes to make. Naturally, this has eaten up my time. Apologies for any inconvenience folks – I am trying to get everything fixed as soon as I can!

So, without further delay –

 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Goodreads – The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival—literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims’ arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.

…

Like many survivors, Lale and Gita told few people their story after the war. They eventually made their way to Australia, where they raised a son and had a successful life. But when Gita died, Lale felt he could no longer carry the burden of their past alone. He chose to tell his story.

 

My Thoughts…

It is easy to forget that this is a story built around a true experience of the Holocaust. The depth of the narrative immerses you completely in the trials/ turmoils of Lale (pronounced La-le) and Gita Solokov. Taken away from his parents and transported to Auschwitz, Lale begins a new, cruel chapter of life. He is forced to tattoo the identification numbers on those brought into those awful concentration camps after him. Should he refuse, he would be killed and replaced without further consideration. Thousands died in that awful place (and many others just like it, no doubt).

Figuring that doing it in the kindest way he can is more merciful, he begrudgingly takes up the role. Exploiting what freedoms he has as a result of the role, he makes the lives of those he shares the camp with better.

 

“If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.”

 

It is difficult to believe that the horrors re-lived in Lale’s narrative are based on the atrocities that did, in fact, happen. I will openly admit I had forgotten that the book was written from a survivor’s experience by the end. The narrative pulls you right into the story and you share the feelings of despair, hated and desperation along with our characters.

There are even times when the characters you think you should hate… the gun-wielding officers charged with policing the camps, are seen in a compassionate light. Described as barely more than children themselves, they are only acting as instructed; they aren’t made out to be as evil as they could be. I think there’s truth in that. The majority were probably only acting out of self-interest, or fear, just as the prisoners were. A survivor would have every right to portray these men as the monsters for their oppression. To recognise that there was more to them than that takes wisdom. It begs the question, were the officers prisoners, of a sort, as well?

I have taken to listening to audiobooks whilst getting ready for work in the morning. On the last day of listening to this book, I wanted to finish it so badly that I listened to it in the car. If you are… sensitive… to difficult topics such as this, I do not recommend listening to the last couple of chapters whilst trying to drive. That or even when you are going out in public, for that matter! I made that mistake but spared myself too many questions with the help of a little bucket load of concealer.

 

The audiobook in itself is narrated remarkably well – I think Richard Armitage captured the tone of the text just right. Although the story covers a tragic and delicate topic, there were times in which to laugh; to love. Such is life… and at these times we, as the listener, were uplifted by these small victories. We very much feel a part of the fight to survive the oppression… and dream to live and love outside of the confines and squalour of the present as much as our protagonists do.

 

End Note

The Holocaust is always going to be a difficult topic to broach, but for me, that’s not a reason to shy away from it. It is only by educating ourselves and our children, then their children that we can seek to avoid making the same mistakes. I am by no means saying we will – but we can remain hopeful. I have tried to keep the detail to a minimum, as this will not be for everyone to read. If that is the case, then I wouldn’t recommend the book to you either. If, however, you enjoy historical fiction or have enjoyed reading books of a similar nature, then this will appeal to you.

It sounds awful phrasing it like that… but you know what I mean.