Knowing this was based upon a true story alongside the subject matter and themes it reveals, I cringe at the thought of assigning it the rating I do, but I feel it’s important to remain authentic. I have read numerous books covering this dark period in our world history, and perhaps that is part of the reason why this one did not hit home in the way I expected.
To be fair, I believe that I picked up this book at the wrong point in my life. There’s admittedly a lot of challenging and life-altering things going on around me (both in the world and personally), so diving deep into subject matter that will tear at the emotional fabric of your being might not be the best reading choice during that period.
The story of Lale and Gita, the troubles they endure both separately and together, is simultaneously heart wrenching and heartwarming. It’s hopeless and hopeful. It makes one question the humanity while putting faith in it at the same time. It was so easy to get torn and pulled abruptly from one extreme to the other. In a sense, this was genius in making us as a reader feel the utter confusion, unrest, and chaos inherent in the daily lives of each of these characters. Each and every time a gunshot went off on the page, I was jolted into a realization of what was happening, so callously and without regard for how much we need the same things as human beings, no matter what side of the fence we sit on. This was evident in the characters portrayed on the Nazi side of the equation. Even if their actions lay on the far side of immorality, the author did a good job of showing how beneath the external façade, we all want and need the same things.
So, with all these words of praise, why is the rating so low? I will chalk it up to two things. First, reading this at a point in my life where I wasn’t ready to dive deep back into the darkness. Second, it felt like much of the emotion was portrayed in an expositional style of writing. This happened, then this, and then this… instead of feeling what was happening on a deeper and more visceral level. I know it sounds hypocritical to say I wasn’t prepared for the traumatic themes explored through these words and this story, but I might have gotten more lost and immersed in the moment if I felt less like I was always shocked into a reaction and instead felt that deep ache of something more in my heart and soul.
This is obviously a highly revered and award-winning book, and mine is just one humble opinion. The themes of love and survival are inspiring and necessary in our world, now more than ever, and if one is prepared to travel down this dark path in our world’s history, this might be just the book to renew hope and shed some all-important light on the resilience of the human spirit.
Dave’s Rating: ☕️☕️
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