In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.
Imprisoned for more than two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.
One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
✼
Historical fiction is dangerous, because it needs to have a perfect balance between fact and fiction in order to be successful. If it is too unrealistic, the story does a disservice to the genre. Yet these novels also need a captivating story that embellishes reality, bringing to life the facts and history that support it. You have to get the perfect balance between what is real, and what is fabricated, or such a novel just simply won’t work.
This book had the perfect balance between the two. As it is based on true events, and Heather Morris took care to recreate them as accurately as possible, it felt very real, whilst still maintaining that emotional attachment that you get from reading fiction. I loved being able to follow Lale’s story over the years, and it was a book that highlighted the beauty of humanity amidst the most terrible events.
Definitely a must-read.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫
SPOILER ALERT
The Story
It’s not difficult to see why Lale’s story was deemed powerful enough to constitute a novel. His story is extraordinary, with the many twists and turns, trials and tribulations he goes through. Lale was such a gentle soul, and he was a really good character to follow. He’s the true symbol of resilience and hope in this novel, and his kind spirit makes him easy to root for. It’s impossible to imagine being able to withstand so much pain and persecution, but he does it, and it’s admirable. Morris wrote his character perfectly, capturing the spirit of hope during the holocaust, and he really does shine through in this story. The job of the tätowierer is an interesting one; it focuses on something different to other works of fiction based on this era, and following Lale round for so many years was intriguing, as so much happens to him. It helps that the story spans over a couple of years, because it helps to keep the pace up, and it also magnifies just how long this horror continued.
The connection that Lale has with Gita is very sweet. It’s difficult to believe in love at first sight, especially within a circumstance that promotes fear and isolation, but it’s adorable. I loved their connection, and the way they leaned on each other for support over the years. It becomes even more impressive when you consider that this relationship really happened, and that the lives of Lale and Gita really became intertwined in this way in history. The really special part of this book is that it is so beautiful; despite the awful events and terrible conditions, this story has a beautiful relationship at the heart of it. It was captured really well, and I love that that is the focus throughout, and the rest is background noise.
Quite unbelievably given the subject matter, the entire book felt very gentle, and the ending was like a slow burn rather than a massive climax. The way Lale escapes is so tame, and so gentle, and exactly in keeping with his personality. Consistent to the very end. I loved that his sister was still alive and in support of his feelings for Gita. Is it realistic to believe that he would be reunited with Gita so easily? No, even though I know the story is based on real events. But I loved it. It’s so satisfying that they find their way back together after all that time together in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
This novel was written so well, and was incredibly easy to read. I never struggled to wade through, and never struggled to work out where I was in the story. Lale is the perfect hero to follow in this book, as his calm nature contrasts well against the brutality that surrounds him.
The History
Set within the most infamous concentration camp, this story needed to ensure that the essence of Auschwitz-Birkenau was captured, even if it was only as a backdrop to the real story that the author was trying to tell.
As a history graduate, I often find it very difficult to read historical fiction, because I often find that it is filled with drama purely for the sake of exploiting the horrors. I didn’t have the same problem with this novel. This was a slow burn, and no element of Lale’s story felt exploited in order to prove a point about the time in which he lived. The horrors are there, but they are written about as if totally normal; which, of course, they were at the time, especially for those that lived through them. Lale’s regular lack of surprise for the awful events that happen over his time at the camp is actually very telling about just how normal they were considered to be. Morris really captured the reality of these camps, which provided a really important setting for Lale’s character to survive.
I particularly loved hearing more about Lale’s backstory at the end of the book. The inclusion by Morris of an account of her meetings with Lale was really heartwarming, and provided even more depth to the story. It made a real connection between the story and the reader, and I think it also made the story feel more special. Knowing a book is based on real events often makes no real difference to the reader, as there is nothing tangible to grasp onto that your mind associates with the seemingly fictional story. This little collection at the back of the book really brings it home that these events actually happened. Heather Morris really met with Lale and found out all about his relationship with Gita, and all of the other experiences he went through. It makes it more emotional to see exactly what the process of this book was, and to know that Lale wanted to document his years in the camp for others. It was a lovely touch and it warmed my heart to find out more about Lale in his later years, and in the years since the point where the novel ends.
The Verdict
I loved everything about this book. It wasn’t flashy and dramatic for the sake of it. The drama came from the normality of the experiences that Lale has, and I feel that Heather Morris did a great job of allowing this to be a realistic backdrop alongside which Lale’s story can shine.
Fundamentally, this story isn’t about the holocaust. It’s about Lale, and about his love story with Gita, which blooms despite the horrible circumstances under which they meet. The connection they embrace is a small spark of beauty amidst a world of brutality, and I loved reading about their story. Morris states in the back of the books that Lale had wanted his story to be told so that such events would not be repeated, and I think that is a strong message to send. But stronger is the message that, despite the worst of experiences, you should always have hope that things can get better. Lale encouraged Gita to hold onto that hope, and it’s a powerful message that is articulated throughout this story. It’s a message that should not be forgotten.
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