admin Author: Heather Morris
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow – just..wow. The Tattooist of Auschwitz is such a beautiful, necessary read. My book club picked this historical fiction for our May read, and I’m so glad we did – it’s been sitting on my shelf for months, and I just hadn’t gotten around to reading it yet. When I bought it on a whim, I knew it looked good, especially because I really enjoy (not sure if that’s the best word..value?) Holocaust literature, but it exceeded every expectation.
Also, although this is considered historical fiction, it is based on real people. The author was actually approached by the main character to write his story, and they met often.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a love story at its heart: a love story between Lale, a prisoner at Auschwitz who is assigned to be the person who tattoos numbers on the arms of new prisoners, and Gita, a young woman whom Lale tattoos upon her arrival to Auschwitz. Lale falls in love with Gita instantaneously, and from that moment on he knows that they must survive because they must be able to love each other wherever and whenever they want – not just behind the walls of Auschwitz, fighting for their lives. This story follow Lale and Gita over the course of the years – years – they spend fighting to survive in Auschwitz. The love between them is what gives them a reason to fight and to hope – especially Lale. I was constantly in awe of his bravery and optimism in the face of such horrors, and it seemed like his own outlook and faith that he and Gita would survive is what often kept Gita going as well.
While this isn’t an easy read, it can be a quicker one – I read it in one day. Throughout the story, so many times I found myself wondering, “what would I do, if I were in their shoes?” This is the reason I value Holocaust literature so much; I have yet to find any other kind of book that really makes me turn inward and examine who I am at my core – and who I want to be. The prisoners of Auschwitz, Lale, Gita, and so many others they knew, had to do whatever was necessary to survive – even when what was necessary was terrifying or horrific. The strength they had is just unfathomable. We talked a lot about this during book club – how it is easy for us to sit here in 2019 and say that we of course would have resisted, spoken up, fought back, etc. – and I don’t necessarily doubt that, knowing the ladies in my book club – but we can’t begin to pretend to understand how terrifying it must have been at the time.
I also found myself wondering a question that can’t be answered, and which I don’t know is fair to ask…but the only reason Lale and Gita ever met is because they were imprisoned at Auschwitz. If not for this, they likely would never have met. I just couldn’t help but wonder…do you think they would have rather not met if it meant they were never imprisoned during the Holocaust? It’s really an impossible question, I know. But this is what I mean about Holocaust literature. It makes me think more deeply about humanity than any other kind of writing.
This review has been a little all over the place, and I feel like I’m not doing justice to this book, but you need to read The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It is a moving, complex, beautiful story of love, survival, and hope. It will make you feel a whole mix of emotions and hopefully keep you thinking long after you’ve read the last page, the way it has for me. Hands down, 5/5 stars for this wonderful story.
