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A review by theliterateleprechaun
The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood
5.0
It’s without a doubt that Ellie Midwood’s, The Violinist of Auschwitz, to be published on November 18, 2020, will stay in my memory for a very long time. Midwood has truly honoured Rosé and her valiant musicians with this extremely well written true story of how music gave a handful of prisoners a means of escape within the barbed-wire confines of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Caught with a fake passport, Alma Rosé, a Viennese Jewish concert violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic, is sent to the infamous Nazi death camp in the summer of 1943. Recognized by a high-ranking Nazi, Rosé is soon treated differently than the other prisoners. She’s moved from an experimental block to the woman’s camp and appointed as conductor of an orchestra who will play on request of the officers. Ultimately offered a chance at a life-saving performance, not only for herself but also for the other musicians, Rosé desperately scrambles to assemble and teach other prisoners in order to please the officers. Stoic and armed with the power of position, Rosé manages to obtain rewards, comforts of a former life, for herself and the musicians as they play to breathe another day.
Midwood's research is reflected in her storyline and readers will learn more about the camp than previous historical fiction writers on the same topic. Her ability to evoke terror, tears, and compassion through her words is amazing as is her ability to shed light on the plight of these real individuals.
This book reminded me of the afternoon, I wasn’t even 10 years old, when I saw the blue number tattoo on my Hungarian neighbour’s left arm. Long gone, I’ve never forgotten him nor his parallel account of playing chess for his freedom. I wonder if he ever met Alma Rose. I’d like to think so.
Like Anne Frank, Rosé reminds readers that we each have potential heroism within us and it can be summoned by even the vilest human beings. Let's remember that.
Thank you to Ellie Midwood, Bookouture and Netgalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
It’s without a doubt that Ellie Midwood’s, The Violinist of Auschwitz, to be published on November 18, 2020, will stay in my memory for a very long time. Midwood has truly honoured Rosé and her valiant musicians with this extremely well written true story of how music gave a handful of prisoners a means of escape within the barbed-wire confines of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Caught with a fake passport, Alma Rosé, a Viennese Jewish concert violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic, is sent to the infamous Nazi death camp in the summer of 1943. Recognized by a high-ranking Nazi, Rosé is soon treated differently than the other prisoners. She’s moved from an experimental block to the woman’s camp and appointed as conductor of an orchestra who will play on request of the officers. Ultimately offered a chance at a life-saving performance, not only for herself but also for the other musicians, Rosé desperately scrambles to assemble and teach other prisoners in order to please the officers. Stoic and armed with the power of position, Rosé manages to obtain rewards, comforts of a former life, for herself and the musicians as they play to breathe another day.
Midwood's research is reflected in her storyline and readers will learn more about the camp than previous historical fiction writers on the same topic. Her ability to evoke terror, tears, and compassion through her words is amazing as is her ability to shed light on the plight of these real individuals.
This book reminded me of the afternoon, I wasn’t even 10 years old, when I saw the blue number tattoo on my Hungarian neighbour’s left arm. Long gone, I’ve never forgotten him nor his parallel account of playing chess for his freedom. I wonder if he ever met Alma Rose. I’d like to think so.
Like Anne Frank, Rosé reminds readers that we each have potential heroism within us and it can be summoned by even the vilest human beings. Let's remember that.
Thank you to Ellie Midwood, Bookouture and Netgalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Caught with a fake passport, Alma Rosé, a Viennese Jewish concert violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic, is sent to the infamous Nazi death camp in the summer of 1943. Recognized by a high-ranking Nazi, Rosé is soon treated differently than the other prisoners. She’s moved from an experimental block to the woman’s camp and appointed as conductor of an orchestra who will play on request of the officers. Ultimately offered a chance at a life-saving performance, not only for herself but also for the other musicians, Rosé desperately scrambles to assemble and teach other prisoners in order to please the officers. Stoic and armed with the power of position, Rosé manages to obtain rewards, comforts of a former life, for herself and the musicians as they play to breathe another day.
Midwood's research is reflected in her storyline and readers will learn more about the camp than previous historical fiction writers on the same topic. Her ability to evoke terror, tears, and compassion through her words is amazing as is her ability to shed light on the plight of these real individuals.
This book reminded me of the afternoon, I wasn’t even 10 years old, when I saw the blue number tattoo on my Hungarian neighbour’s left arm. Long gone, I’ve never forgotten him nor his parallel account of playing chess for his freedom. I wonder if he ever met Alma Rose. I’d like to think so.
Like Anne Frank, Rosé reminds readers that we each have potential heroism within us and it can be summoned by even the vilest human beings. Let's remember that.
Thank you to Ellie Midwood, Bookouture and Netgalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
It’s without a doubt that Ellie Midwood’s, The Violinist of Auschwitz, to be published on November 18, 2020, will stay in my memory for a very long time. Midwood has truly honoured Rosé and her valiant musicians with this extremely well written true story of how music gave a handful of prisoners a means of escape within the barbed-wire confines of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Caught with a fake passport, Alma Rosé, a Viennese Jewish concert violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic, is sent to the infamous Nazi death camp in the summer of 1943. Recognized by a high-ranking Nazi, Rosé is soon treated differently than the other prisoners. She’s moved from an experimental block to the woman’s camp and appointed as conductor of an orchestra who will play on request of the officers. Ultimately offered a chance at a life-saving performance, not only for herself but also for the other musicians, Rosé desperately scrambles to assemble and teach other prisoners in order to please the officers. Stoic and armed with the power of position, Rosé manages to obtain rewards, comforts of a former life, for herself and the musicians as they play to breathe another day.
Midwood's research is reflected in her storyline and readers will learn more about the camp than previous historical fiction writers on the same topic. Her ability to evoke terror, tears, and compassion through her words is amazing as is her ability to shed light on the plight of these real individuals.
This book reminded me of the afternoon, I wasn’t even 10 years old, when I saw the blue number tattoo on my Hungarian neighbour’s left arm. Long gone, I’ve never forgotten him nor his parallel account of playing chess for his freedom. I wonder if he ever met Alma Rose. I’d like to think so.
Like Anne Frank, Rosé reminds readers that we each have potential heroism within us and it can be summoned by even the vilest human beings. Let's remember that.
Thank you to Ellie Midwood, Bookouture and Netgalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.