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A review by alallen548
The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood
5.0
I've procrastinated on writing this review because I'm not even sure where to start or how to adequately put my feelings into words.
I guess TL; DR: This book is difficult to read at times due to the subject matter; however, it isn't the main focus of the story. If you can handle the more gruesome parts of the story, you'll be gifted with one of the most beautiful books written recently. You'll also come away more knowledgeable about an important part of history.
I feel like this review is going to get long and rambling, but this book hit me in a way that hasn't happened in a really long time.
Plot: This follows the (true!) story of Alma Rosé, a famous violinist who was sent to Birkenau-Auschwitz and took over the women's orchestra. She became one of the best-treated and most-respected prisoners to ever reside in a concentration camp and used her status to elevate the lives of all of the girls under her care. This is the story of how she came to Auschwitz, took over the orchestra, transformed it into a true musical phenomenon, and even fell in love. ***Spoiler*** If you know her story then you know it doesn't end happily, as she dies the year before Auschwitz was liberated.
Background: So from what I've gathered, this book stays very close to the true and documented stories of Alma. The only aspect that is more fictional is regarding her love interest, though even that may not be all fiction. ***Spoilers ahead*** In the book she falls for a man who is staying in the Family Camp, a privileged camp that was under Red Cross protection. Near the end of the book, the entire Camp is killed. After his death, she becomes suicidal and eventually commits suicide. So while the love story may be fictionalized, it is documented that she became suicidal after the extermination of the Family Camp. Her death is also somewhat argued, as it isn't known for sure whether it was suicide or not. The author has used the suicide plot in the book and I think it fits well with the story and character.
Characters: These are some of the most well-rounded characters I've had the pleasure of reading. All of the side characters were well fleshed-out and I truly felt I knew all of them. A rare book where the characters jump off the page. Even the side-side characters were more alive than some main characters I've read - such as Drexler *shudder* who was terrifyingly menacing with minimal mention. What's more interesting (horrifying?) is that almost all of the characters were real people, and the author has tried to stay true to their documented actions and personalities. But Alma - it's like you become her when reading this, it's so well written. Her thoughts, struggles, all of the planning and devising that she did is presented in such a way that I was holding my breath in fear and laughing out loud at her audacity. Her struggle with needing to command respect from the SS in order to protect her orchestra girls but also being disgusted with the fact that the SS respected her so highly was just... heart-wrenching.
Setting: I mentioned in the TL;DR that the subject matter can be difficult but isn't the main focus. Let me explain more fully - This is the story of Alma, and her thoughts and actions are the focus, not Auschwitz. Having said that, she IS a prisoner in a concentration camp, and it is reflected in the story. Some parts of this book had me silently crying in horror and wishing it was truly a work of fiction. There were days I had to put the book down and couldn't continue because I was so broken-hearted. I feel that it is so important to read books like this for those very reasons.
Storytelling: The author manages to keep a critical balance with this book. She describes gruesome aspects of life in the concentration camp, but in a way that feels respectful and observational rather than for the sake of being gruesome, if that makes sense. It would be easy to use the setting for shock factor and include gratuitous violence but she instead describes it as Alma sees it. It at times blends into the background in a strange way, until something happens to remind you that this isn't a fun cultural night but a concentration camp and you could be murdered at any moment. It's very natural, and I'm impressed with the author's ability to walk that line.
Thoughts: This book will stay with me, and I'm very thankful to the author for bringing Alma's story to life. I tend to shy away from books with difficult subject matter, but I'm so glad I didn't with this one. I think one reason the author has done such a fantastic job in writing this story is because her respect and love of the subject matter are evident - not only in the story itself, but in the background and research information she included afterward. ***Spoiler*** My one (small) gripe is that I'm not sure why Miklos dies. I guess it's to give a reason for Alma's suicide (which fits with the story of her depression after the Family Camp extermination mentioned above), but it still seemed pointless. He was so happy helping the resistance and then he just...decided to die? For what purpose? He didn't seem to be suicidal, quite the opposite. If he'd spoken up they wouldn't have sent him to die with the rest of the Camp. Maybe it's just my broken heart, but I don't see the point.
I feel like I could write a million more things about this book, but I'll stop here. I want to say thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for lending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
I've procrastinated on writing this review because I'm not even sure where to start or how to adequately put my feelings into words.
I guess TL; DR: This book is difficult to read at times due to the subject matter; however, it isn't the main focus of the story. If you can handle the more gruesome parts of the story, you'll be gifted with one of the most beautiful books written recently. You'll also come away more knowledgeable about an important part of history.
I feel like this review is going to get long and rambling, but this book hit me in a way that hasn't happened in a really long time.
Plot: This follows the (true!) story of Alma Rosé, a famous violinist who was sent to Birkenau-Auschwitz and took over the women's orchestra. She became one of the best-treated and most-respected prisoners to ever reside in a concentration camp and used her status to elevate the lives of all of the girls under her care. This is the story of how she came to Auschwitz, took over the orchestra, transformed it into a true musical phenomenon, and even fell in love. ***Spoiler*** If you know her story then you know it doesn't end happily, as she dies the year before Auschwitz was liberated.
Background: So from what I've gathered, this book stays very close to the true and documented stories of Alma. The only aspect that is more fictional is regarding her love interest, though even that may not be all fiction. ***Spoilers ahead*** In the book she falls for a man who is staying in the Family Camp, a privileged camp that was under Red Cross protection. Near the end of the book, the entire Camp is killed. After his death, she becomes suicidal and eventually commits suicide. So while the love story may be fictionalized, it is documented that she became suicidal after the extermination of the Family Camp. Her death is also somewhat argued, as it isn't known for sure whether it was suicide or not. The author has used the suicide plot in the book and I think it fits well with the story and character.
Characters: These are some of the most well-rounded characters I've had the pleasure of reading. All of the side characters were well fleshed-out and I truly felt I knew all of them. A rare book where the characters jump off the page. Even the side-side characters were more alive than some main characters I've read - such as Drexler *shudder* who was terrifyingly menacing with minimal mention. What's more interesting (horrifying?) is that almost all of the characters were real people, and the author has tried to stay true to their documented actions and personalities. But Alma - it's like you become her when reading this, it's so well written. Her thoughts, struggles, all of the planning and devising that she did is presented in such a way that I was holding my breath in fear and laughing out loud at her audacity. Her struggle with needing to command respect from the SS in order to protect her orchestra girls but also being disgusted with the fact that the SS respected her so highly was just... heart-wrenching.
Setting: I mentioned in the TL;DR that the subject matter can be difficult but isn't the main focus. Let me explain more fully - This is the story of Alma, and her thoughts and actions are the focus, not Auschwitz. Having said that, she IS a prisoner in a concentration camp, and it is reflected in the story. Some parts of this book had me silently crying in horror and wishing it was truly a work of fiction. There were days I had to put the book down and couldn't continue because I was so broken-hearted. I feel that it is so important to read books like this for those very reasons.
Storytelling: The author manages to keep a critical balance with this book. She describes gruesome aspects of life in the concentration camp, but in a way that feels respectful and observational rather than for the sake of being gruesome, if that makes sense. It would be easy to use the setting for shock factor and include gratuitous violence but she instead describes it as Alma sees it. It at times blends into the background in a strange way, until something happens to remind you that this isn't a fun cultural night but a concentration camp and you could be murdered at any moment. It's very natural, and I'm impressed with the author's ability to walk that line.
Thoughts: This book will stay with me, and I'm very thankful to the author for bringing Alma's story to life. I tend to shy away from books with difficult subject matter, but I'm so glad I didn't with this one. I think one reason the author has done such a fantastic job in writing this story is because her respect and love of the subject matter are evident - not only in the story itself, but in the background and research information she included afterward. ***Spoiler*** My one (small) gripe is that I'm not sure why Miklos dies. I guess it's to give a reason for Alma's suicide (which fits with the story of her depression after the Family Camp extermination mentioned above), but it still seemed pointless. He was so happy helping the resistance and then he just...decided to die? For what purpose? He didn't seem to be suicidal, quite the opposite. If he'd spoken up they wouldn't have sent him to die with the rest of the Camp. Maybe it's just my broken heart, but I don't see the point.
I feel like I could write a million more things about this book, but I'll stop here. I want to say thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for lending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I guess TL; DR: This book is difficult to read at times due to the subject matter; however, it isn't the main focus of the story. If you can handle the more gruesome parts of the story, you'll be gifted with one of the most beautiful books written recently. You'll also come away more knowledgeable about an important part of history.
I feel like this review is going to get long and rambling, but this book hit me in a way that hasn't happened in a really long time.
Plot: This follows the (true!) story of Alma Rosé, a famous violinist who was sent to Birkenau-Auschwitz and took over the women's orchestra. She became one of the best-treated and most-respected prisoners to ever reside in a concentration camp and used her status to elevate the lives of all of the girls under her care. This is the story of how she came to Auschwitz, took over the orchestra, transformed it into a true musical phenomenon, and even fell in love. ***Spoiler*** If you know her story then you know it doesn't end happily, as she dies the year before Auschwitz was liberated.
Background: So from what I've gathered, this book stays very close to the true and documented stories of Alma. The only aspect that is more fictional is regarding her love interest, though even that may not be all fiction. ***Spoilers ahead*** In the book she falls for a man who is staying in the Family Camp, a privileged camp that was under Red Cross protection. Near the end of the book, the entire Camp is killed. After his death, she becomes suicidal and eventually commits suicide. So while the love story may be fictionalized, it is documented that she became suicidal after the extermination of the Family Camp. Her death is also somewhat argued, as it isn't known for sure whether it was suicide or not. The author has used the suicide plot in the book and I think it fits well with the story and character.
Characters: These are some of the most well-rounded characters I've had the pleasure of reading. All of the side characters were well fleshed-out and I truly felt I knew all of them. A rare book where the characters jump off the page. Even the side-side characters were more alive than some main characters I've read - such as Drexler *shudder* who was terrifyingly menacing with minimal mention. What's more interesting (horrifying?) is that almost all of the characters were real people, and the author has tried to stay true to their documented actions and personalities. But Alma - it's like you become her when reading this, it's so well written. Her thoughts, struggles, all of the planning and devising that she did is presented in such a way that I was holding my breath in fear and laughing out loud at her audacity. Her struggle with needing to command respect from the SS in order to protect her orchestra girls but also being disgusted with the fact that the SS respected her so highly was just... heart-wrenching.
Setting: I mentioned in the TL;DR that the subject matter can be difficult but isn't the main focus. Let me explain more fully - This is the story of Alma, and her thoughts and actions are the focus, not Auschwitz. Having said that, she IS a prisoner in a concentration camp, and it is reflected in the story. Some parts of this book had me silently crying in horror and wishing it was truly a work of fiction. There were days I had to put the book down and couldn't continue because I was so broken-hearted. I feel that it is so important to read books like this for those very reasons.
Storytelling: The author manages to keep a critical balance with this book. She describes gruesome aspects of life in the concentration camp, but in a way that feels respectful and observational rather than for the sake of being gruesome, if that makes sense. It would be easy to use the setting for shock factor and include gratuitous violence but she instead describes it as Alma sees it. It at times blends into the background in a strange way, until something happens to remind you that this isn't a fun cultural night but a concentration camp and you could be murdered at any moment. It's very natural, and I'm impressed with the author's ability to walk that line.
Thoughts: This book will stay with me, and I'm very thankful to the author for bringing Alma's story to life. I tend to shy away from books with difficult subject matter, but I'm so glad I didn't with this one. I think one reason the author has done such a fantastic job in writing this story is because her respect and love of the subject matter are evident - not only in the story itself, but in the background and research information she included afterward. ***Spoiler*** My one (small) gripe is that I'm not sure why Miklos dies. I guess it's to give a reason for Alma's suicide (which fits with the story of her depression after the Family Camp extermination mentioned above), but it still seemed pointless. He was so happy helping the resistance and then he just...decided to die? For what purpose? He didn't seem to be suicidal, quite the opposite. If he'd spoken up they wouldn't have sent him to die with the rest of the Camp. Maybe it's just my broken heart, but I don't see the point.
I feel like I could write a million more things about this book, but I'll stop here. I want to say thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for lending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
I've procrastinated on writing this review because I'm not even sure where to start or how to adequately put my feelings into words.
I guess TL; DR: This book is difficult to read at times due to the subject matter; however, it isn't the main focus of the story. If you can handle the more gruesome parts of the story, you'll be gifted with one of the most beautiful books written recently. You'll also come away more knowledgeable about an important part of history.
I feel like this review is going to get long and rambling, but this book hit me in a way that hasn't happened in a really long time.
Plot: This follows the (true!) story of Alma Rosé, a famous violinist who was sent to Birkenau-Auschwitz and took over the women's orchestra. She became one of the best-treated and most-respected prisoners to ever reside in a concentration camp and used her status to elevate the lives of all of the girls under her care. This is the story of how she came to Auschwitz, took over the orchestra, transformed it into a true musical phenomenon, and even fell in love. ***Spoiler*** If you know her story then you know it doesn't end happily, as she dies the year before Auschwitz was liberated.
Background: So from what I've gathered, this book stays very close to the true and documented stories of Alma. The only aspect that is more fictional is regarding her love interest, though even that may not be all fiction. ***Spoilers ahead*** In the book she falls for a man who is staying in the Family Camp, a privileged camp that was under Red Cross protection. Near the end of the book, the entire Camp is killed. After his death, she becomes suicidal and eventually commits suicide. So while the love story may be fictionalized, it is documented that she became suicidal after the extermination of the Family Camp. Her death is also somewhat argued, as it isn't known for sure whether it was suicide or not. The author has used the suicide plot in the book and I think it fits well with the story and character.
Characters: These are some of the most well-rounded characters I've had the pleasure of reading. All of the side characters were well fleshed-out and I truly felt I knew all of them. A rare book where the characters jump off the page. Even the side-side characters were more alive than some main characters I've read - such as Drexler *shudder* who was terrifyingly menacing with minimal mention. What's more interesting (horrifying?) is that almost all of the characters were real people, and the author has tried to stay true to their documented actions and personalities. But Alma - it's like you become her when reading this, it's so well written. Her thoughts, struggles, all of the planning and devising that she did is presented in such a way that I was holding my breath in fear and laughing out loud at her audacity. Her struggle with needing to command respect from the SS in order to protect her orchestra girls but also being disgusted with the fact that the SS respected her so highly was just... heart-wrenching.
Setting: I mentioned in the TL;DR that the subject matter can be difficult but isn't the main focus. Let me explain more fully - This is the story of Alma, and her thoughts and actions are the focus, not Auschwitz. Having said that, she IS a prisoner in a concentration camp, and it is reflected in the story. Some parts of this book had me silently crying in horror and wishing it was truly a work of fiction. There were days I had to put the book down and couldn't continue because I was so broken-hearted. I feel that it is so important to read books like this for those very reasons.
Storytelling: The author manages to keep a critical balance with this book. She describes gruesome aspects of life in the concentration camp, but in a way that feels respectful and observational rather than for the sake of being gruesome, if that makes sense. It would be easy to use the setting for shock factor and include gratuitous violence but she instead describes it as Alma sees it. It at times blends into the background in a strange way, until something happens to remind you that this isn't a fun cultural night but a concentration camp and you could be murdered at any moment. It's very natural, and I'm impressed with the author's ability to walk that line.
Thoughts: This book will stay with me, and I'm very thankful to the author for bringing Alma's story to life. I tend to shy away from books with difficult subject matter, but I'm so glad I didn't with this one. I think one reason the author has done such a fantastic job in writing this story is because her respect and love of the subject matter are evident - not only in the story itself, but in the background and research information she included afterward. ***Spoiler*** My one (small) gripe is that I'm not sure why Miklos dies. I guess it's to give a reason for Alma's suicide (which fits with the story of her depression after the Family Camp extermination mentioned above), but it still seemed pointless. He was so happy helping the resistance and then he just...decided to die? For what purpose? He didn't seem to be suicidal, quite the opposite. If he'd spoken up they wouldn't have sent him to die with the rest of the Camp. Maybe it's just my broken heart, but I don't see the point.
I feel like I could write a million more things about this book, but I'll stop here. I want to say thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for lending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.