I absolutely adored this novel! It was so incredibly moving I had tears welling up and my heart was racing. I did not want to put it down.
The violinist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Alma, who found herself in Birkenau, Auschwitz. Alma is a famous violinist who gets permission from the SS to create a women's orchestra. Along the way she meets both heroic and terrifying people.
My absolute favourite part of this novel was the heroism shown by so many of the characters, especially Alma, and the relationships they have with one another. Alma fights for what she believes is right, even if it puts her safety at risk. Some of her actions are so deeply moving and heroic that I had to put the book down to take a deep breath. Midwood managed to create such wonderful scenery I felt like I was actually there, I could practically hear the orchestra in the room with me. The characterisation was phenomenal, managing to mix good and bad within the same person, showing the complexity of the situation.
I loved the section on the true historic information that influenced the novel. It brought Alma and the other characters to life even more. Novels such as this one are so important, they highlight to the world how we can never let something like Auschwitz happen again.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in emotive true stories, historical novels or Auschwitz.
I want to send a big thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am so grateful to have had the pleasure of reading and experiencing a novel like this. I will be buying a copy for my bookshelf that I can keep forever!