The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Publication Date: January 11th 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Goodreads Rating: 5/5
Source: Own Copy

This novel is based on the true story of two Slovakian Jews who survived the horror of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Lale Sokolov was made the tattooist at Auschwitz and had to scratch numbers into his fellow inmates' arms every day. He was forced to carve what eventually became a prominent symbol of this terrible time.

Lale used this position of relative superiority to create a small business of trade. His survival and that of those around him, depended on it. His post allowed him a certain degree of movement, which he used to exchange money and jewels taken from his murdered comrades for food and essential supplies. "Many owed him their survival"



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Two hours. That's how long it took me to finish this book, because I just could not put it down. Heather Morris brought a true artistry to the table with her storytelling skills, emphasizing just the right moments, drawing me in to every single word. I felt like sobbing for Lale and applauding him at the same time. There was just no part of this story that I would improve.

Morris didn't shy away from any of the morbid details about the camp, instead, writing about them with the same monotonous tone that any inmate would maintain. Occasionally, she highlights Lale's disgust at the medical experiments and the treatment of women in the camp, among other things. It brings back the sense of humanity to the novel.

There is also a touch of romance in this story. Lale met his future wife, Gita, at Auschwitz, and the novel follows their unorthodox relationship as well. They eventually settled down in Australia, but the road was extremely bumpy for them. With raids and sudden punishments, Lale and Gita's once-a-week schedule was regularly disrupted.

We've all read books about the Holocaust, but I don't think I've ever read one as harrowing as this one. I was with Lale every step of the way and the book really woke me up to the horrors of all our pasts. This is a book that history buffs just cannot afford to miss. It's definitely high up on my "Best Historical Fiction" list!