A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Paperback, 294 pages

Published 7th May 2015 by Sceptre

(First published 27th August 2012)

Shelves: adult-fiction, better-than-expected, comfort-novels, lasting-impression, mental-health, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction, really-good, suicide

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots - neighbours who can't reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d'etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents' Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.

But isn't it rare, these days, to find such old-fashioned clarity of belief and deed? Such unswerving conviction about what the world should be, and a lifelong dedication to making it just so?

In the end, you will see, there is something about Ove that is quite irresistible...

The word-of-mouth bestseller causing a sensation across Europe, Fredrik Backman's heartwarming debut is a funny, moving, uplifting tale of love and community that will leave you with a spring in your step - and less ready to judge on first impressions a man you might one day wish to have as your dearest friend.

As a member of several book communities, there are certain books that I see mentioned again and again. Whenever someone is looking for fiction recommendations, you can almost guarantee that the book 'A Man Called Ove' will be mentioned at some point - though likely, you'll find several fans. When there's a lot of hype surrounding a book, I often end up feeling disappointed, but thankfully that wasn't the case with this one. Fredrick Backman is rapidly gaining popularity - especially due to his most recent book and upcoming Netflix series Anxious People -  and after reading his work for myself, it's completely understandable why his popularity is only increasing. 

I didn't really know what to expect from A Man Called Ove, only knowing that it is constantly getting rave reviews from many readers. Admittedly, it took me a little time to get into it - I did feel, initially, that Ove seemed a little too forced, too much of a caricature of your typical 'grumpy old man' stereotype, but as the book progressed I became more understanding of Ove as he grows into a very authentic character. I think several people will take some time to understand and empathise with Ove and that's the charm of this book - like the characters surrounding him, we initially only see a lonely, complaining curmudgeon but we quickly come to learn his history and his true self. Like any well-written character, I could relate to Ove in small ways and definitely saw some features of others within him. Though he's not an immediately loveable person, you just can't help but see that he has a big heart. 

Though this book isn't particularly long, there is an impressive amount of growth and development for both Ove and those around him. This book is essentially a character study of Ove, letting us know how his mind works, all his thoughts and feelings and most importantly, how and why he thinks and acts the way he does - there are of course some external plots,  events serving to allow us further into our protagonist's mind and history. Occasionally, some parts felt slightly slow or repetitive (the parking situation), but overall the story kept my attention well.

There are so many serious issues touched upon in this book without it ever feeling too 'heavy' - if you are feeling upset at any point, you can guarantee that there'll soon be some humour to cheer you up again.  Though the book is very comedic in style, it also addresses some very serious and potentially dark issues such as suicide and grief. Ove's past history is a key factor of the book and the story comes across as both beautiful and heartbreaking in equal amounts. His story - his life - is one of loss, growth, grief, friendship and new beginnings. I laughed, I cried and I now understand why so many people across the globe have fallen in love with both this book.

It's actually been a few months since I read this story, but I still think about it and I still think about Ove - to me, that's the sign of fantastic writing - a story that stays with you long after you close the last pages. Fredrik Backman is clearly an exceptional character creator and story-teller. This book is repeatedly described as 'charming' and I completely see why - it is the perfect descriptor for this book and for Ove. This is a real treasure of a book that I will continue to recommend to all.

The Only Plane In The Sky

The Only Plane In The Sky: The Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

Hardback, 512 pages

Published 10th September 2019 by Monoray

Shelves: better-than-expected, books-i-own, favourites, historical, lasting-impression, non-fiction, read, read-in-2021

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

The Only Plane in the Sky is nothing less than the first comprehensive oral history of 9/11, deftly woven and told in the voices of ordinary people grappling with extraordinary events. Drawing on never-before-published transcripts, recently declassified documents, new and archived interviews from nearly five hundred people, historian Garrett Graff skilfully tells the story of the day as it was lived.

It begins in the predawn hours of airports in the Northeast, where we meet the ticket agents who unknowingly usher terrorists onto their flights. In New York, first responders confront a scene of unimaginable chaos at the Twin Towers. From a secret bunker beneath the White House, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice watch for incoming planes on radar. In the offices of the Pentagon, top officials feel the violent tremor as their headquarters come under attack.

We hear the stories of the father and son working on separate floors in the North Tower, the firefighter who rushes to the scene to search for his wife, the telephone operator who keeps her promise to share a passenger's last words with his family, the chaplain who stays on the scene to perform last rites, losing his own life when the Towers collapse, the teachers evacuating terrified children from schools mere blocks from the World Trade Center; the generals at the Pentagon who break down and weep when they are barred from rushing into the burning building to try and rescue their colleagues.

The Only Plane in the Sky is a unique, profound and searing exploration of humanity on a day that changed the course of history and all of our lives..

Once again it is that infamous date in the calendar - the day where we all rightfully remember those who lost their lives during the horrific terrorist attacks against America. I find 9/11 extremely fascinating and wanted to take the opportunity to read a book about the events. There are several books on the topic and I am so glad that I chose to purchase and read a copy of The Only Plane In The Sky: The Oral History of 9/11. 

It is truly incredible to see how things quickly unfolded, from the people of New York awaking to a beautiful, bright, cloudless day to witnessing the complete destruction of a city complex and the consequential deaths of thousands only hours later. This book is informative and raw, documenting so many important moments. This book effectively captures the atmosphere, the fear, the strength and the spirit of America on that fateful day. I have learned so much from reading this collection.

As the title suggests, this book is an oral history of an absolutely unforgettable day in history. The book begins with some very helpful maps, flight plans and illustrations that allow you to envisage the following stories that are told and this context really helps as you progress through the events of the day. Through these illustrations and the provided photographs it is relatively easy to get quite a precise, firm idea of what was happening, where and when, despite the distressing and shocking events that occur.  Graff has created such a vivid account of the day through the words of those who lived it. 

The story is told through a multitude of first hand accounts including but not restricted to direct interview quotes, phone calls and transcripts. We hear from all sorts of people - on land, in the air and even in outer-space - and that's what makes this book so special and effective. We hear from the president, top government officials, pilots, emergency service workers, those who worked in the towers, those who awaited news from loved one and even kids in the city who thought that they were just going to school on another normal day. Each individual adds so much personality, so much gravity and it truly feels as though no stone was left unturned, no person unrecognised, when Graff decided to compile this extraordinary book. 

I can honestly say that I found every single part of this book to be compelling and thought provoking. Though I personally expected to find the survivors stories to the most interesting sections, I was equally fascinated by the story of the Bush administration and how the government attempted to handle the unprecedented situation that day. I particularly found the story of the events upon Air Force One thrilling and emotive as well as educational. 

Without a doubt, The Only Plane in the Sky is one of the most incredible non-fiction books I've ever read. There is so much that can be said about this book but it really is an experience that needs to be personally read by everyone who can get their hands on a copy. The multitude of perspectives bring a multitude of emotions - some hopeful, many distressing but each and every recollection deserves to be there. Despite what may be an initially daunting book of over 500 pages, I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone (in fact, I feel like I already have)!

 

Lockdown

Lockdown by Peter May

Paperback, 399 pages

Published 16th June 2020 by Quercus

Shelves: adult-fiction, better-than-expected, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, dystopian, read, read-in-2021, sci-fi, title-appeal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Written over fifteen years ago, this prescient, suspenseful thriller is set against a backdrop of a capital city in quarantine, and explores human experience in the grip of a killer virus. 

'They said that twenty-five percent of the population would catch the flu. Between seventy and eighty percent of them would die. He had been directly exposed to it, and the odds weren't good.' 

A CITY IN QUARANTINE 

London, the epicenter of a global pandemic, is a city in lockdown. Violence and civil disorder simmer. Martial law has been imposed. No-one is safe from the deadly virus that has already claimed thousands of victims. Health and emergency services are overwhelmed. 

A MURDERED CHILD 

At a building site for a temporary hospital, construction workers find a bag containing the rendered bones of a murdered child. A remorseless killer has been unleashed on the city; his mission is to take all measures necessary to prevent the bones from being identified. 

A POWERFUL CONSPIRACY 

D.I. Jack MacNeil, counting down the hours on his final day with the Met, is sent to investigate. His career is in ruins, his marriage over and his own family touched by the virus. Sinister forces are tracking his every move, prepared to kill again to conceal the truth. Which will stop him first - the virus or the killers?t

I picked up Lockdown during the UK's third COVID lockdown and despite the eerie comparisons, I'm glad that I did! The book starts with a preface that tells us that initially the book wasn't published as in 2005 the thought of the UK capital, London, being in total lockdown seemed  too outlandish, but now we're all too familiar with both the term and the reality, meaning the book was published and has become a hit during these unprecedented times.

I have to admit that I was very happily surprised by this book. Though you should never judge a book by its cover, this isn't a book that I'd usually be tempted to pick up and the title is the sole reason that I did. I don't know what possessed me to want to read a book that was in reflective of our current trying times, but I thought that May predicted and portrayed life in lockdown impressively well. Granted, the lockdown in the book certainly seemed more grave than what we've been dealing with, issues such as fear and social issues were tackled very well. 

The story is set in London during lockdown as a new, highly virulent flu-type disease sweeps the population, threatening the lives of all. We are introduced to our protagonist, D.I. Jack MacNeil as he is tackles his last case before leaving the police force. As human remains are found at a construction site, he makes it his main purpose to bring justice to the victim. During the investigation we are introduced to many people including the forensics team which work tirelessly to discover the identity of the young victim. The book may primarily be a crime thriller, but we're also treated to a romantic storyline as we read about MacNeil's relationship with forensic orthodontist, Amy Wu. I enjoyed the characters in this book but Amy definitely was the most interesting to me as we learnt more as her character developed alongside the criminal case. I also liked the insight into both race and disability that Wu brought to the story.

Overall, the story was one that held my interest, it was easy to follow and had a bit of everything - mystery, action and romance. I was never bored whilst reading this one. I enjoyed reading about May's chaotic Lockdown London and mostly, I am impressed with his precognition! I was disappointed by the ending of the story which was, quite frankly, ridiculous and I felt that it did let the book down. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read this and would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more of May's work in the future.

The Prized Girl

The Prized Girl by Amy K Green

Paperback, 384 pages

Published 20th February 2020 by HQ

(First published 1st January 2008)

Shelves: abuse, adult-fiction, better-than-expected, crime-thriller-mystery, death, lasting-impression, new-adult, rape, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction, really-good

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.

I hadn't heard of The Prized Girl or of Amy K. Green before glancing upon this book in my local bookshop but I am so glad that I happened upon it. The book tells us of the story of Jenny, a young beauty queen who has been found tragically raped and murdered and her older sister's journey in trying to discover what happened to her. 

This book seems to be the perfect bridge between young adult and adult fiction, mainly featuring younger characters and recounting several school experiences, but has a storyline that will appeal to fans of crime stories and psychological thrillers and focusing on some adult themes. The characters were not overly developed but  still well written. Though I didn't feel much of a connection to them, I could've read about them for days. There are two timelines in the book, the story of the past, of Jenny, as we see what led up to the dramatic events which resulted in her untimely death and the story of the present, as told by Virginia as she unravels plenty of secrets and attempts to discover the truth. 

The storyline takes precedence in this book and it's clear that Green is a great storyteller. I was gripped from the start. Although I did manage to predict 'whodunnit' around two thirds of the way through, this never distracted from the enjoyment of the story as there was so much that was explored and revealed in the book. I was always wondering something and curious about how the timeline would fit together in the end. This really was a page turner and I was very reluctant to put it down. Although there was a lot going on in the book and there were many twists, turns and revelations it was easy to follow. I was also very pleased that everything felt succinctly wrapped up at the end, though thankfully not rushed. The author did a fantastic job with a truly engrossing plot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book as it really captivated me and I sped through it! It was simply but eloquently written and an extremely compelling story which tackles several extreme subjects. The Prized Girl is definitely a book that I will be recommending and I would love to read more by Amy K. Green.

Island of Lost Girls

Island Of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

Paperback, 255 pages

Published 3rd September 2009 by Sphere

(First published 1st January 2008)

Shelves: abuse, books-i-own, contemporary, crime-thriller-mystery, disliked, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

While parked at a gas station, Rhonda sees something so incongruously surreal that at first she hardly recognises it as a crime in progress. She watches, unmoving, as someone dressed in a rabbit costume kidnaps a young girl. Devastated over having done nothing, Rhonda joins the investigation. But the closer she comes to identifying the abductor, the nearer she gets to the troubling truth about another missing child: her best friend, Lizzy, who vanished years before. For this is not the only white rabbit Rhonda has known - there was another in her childhood; one she feels she has been chasing all her life. The rabbit of her past holds the key to a mystery that has stained the lives of Rhonda and her friends, and now she must track him down - even if it means following where she doesn't want to go ...From the author of the acclaimed Promise Not to Tell comes a chilling and mesmerizing tale of shattered innocence, guilt, and ultimate redemption.

When I started Island of Lost Girls, I had quite high hopes for it. I thought that the premise was really intriguing and I enjoyed the opening section. Our protagonist, Rhonda is at a gas station when she witnesses the abduction of a child by a person wearing a rabbit costume. Following this, she decides to find out what happened to the child and who the person in the costume was.The event also leads us to learn about the unsolved disappearance of Rhonda's childhood friend, Lizzy. 

I enjoyed some of the writing and when we were first introduced to the child's imaginative  setting of the 'submarine' (a car in the backyard), I was originally quite impressed and enjoyed it, but unfortunately the novelty quickly wore off. The author takes us into this fictional world of the submarine, which is nice and novel but didn't really end up having much significance. As well as the submarine, the book also explored a rabbit theme and a Peter Pan theme but unfortunately these didn't work very well. These sections of the book felt like the author was just trying too hard to try and be elaborate and quite honestly, the book would have been better without them. It almost felt as though the author was trying too hard.

Though the book wasn't very thick, it felt as the author was trying to fit in as much as possible meaning that it was quite difficult to keep focus on one part of the story. There are two missing person stories going on at the same time alongside all of the discussions of childhood play. The story itself was very predictable, so that made it slightly easier to follow. There is a deeper, very dark storyline weaved within the story of the children's group which had potential to be interesting but was just far too predictable to redeem the book. 

Overall, this isn't a book that I would recommend. Unfortunately the book couldn't keep my attention and it was neither creepy or intriguing enough.

Five Chimneys

Five Chimneys: A Woman Survivor's True Story of Auschwitz by Olga Lengyel

Paperback, 232 pages

Published 30th August 2005 by Academy Chicago Publishers

(First published 1947)

Shelves:  books-i-own, historical, lasting-impression, memoirs-biographies-etc, read, read-in-2021, non-fiction, translated, ww2

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
 
Description via Goodreads:

Olga Lengyel tells, frankly and without compromise, one of the most horrifying stories of all time. This true, documented chronicle is the intimate, day-to-day record of a beautiful woman who survived the nightmare of Auschwitz and Birkenau. 

Having lost her husband, her parents, and her two young sons to the Nazi exterminators, Olga Lengyel had little to live for during her seven-month internment in Auschwitz. Only Lengyel's work in the prisoners' underground resistance and the need to tell this story kept her fighting for survival. She survived by her wit and incredible strength. 

Despite her horrifying closeness to the subject, Five Chimneys does not retreat into self-pity or sensationalism. When first published (two years after World War 2 ended), Albert Einstein was so moved by her story that he wrote a personal letter to Lengyel, thanking her for her "very frank, very well written book".

This book is a necessary reminder of one of the ugliest chapters in the history of human civilization. It was a shocking experience. It is a shocking book.

Five Chimneys is one of the most formidable memoirs that I have ever, or will ever, read. This is a no-holds-barred portrayal of life in the Holocaust's largest extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, vividly remembered by a Hungarian woman, Olga Lengyel, who endured seven long months there. 

This is a book that needs to be read in order to fully appreciate the true intensity of both the experiences that Lengyel faced and the true horrors of the Holocaust in general. It is impossible to put this across in a review. The book was more factual rather than reflecting on Lengyel's emotions, but, thankfully, this didn't detract from the effectiveness of the book. The author's ability to submerse the reader in the depressing, intimidating atmosphere of the camp and to really make you feel as though you're there is as impressive as it is disturbing. The honesty and authenticity of the book is both uncomfortable and necessary. Though the book is not very long at just over 230 pages, it took me a significantly long time to read due to the content. I had to stop reading several times as the information was just so graphic and impactful. This is not a negative - it is important that we are told the true, unfiltered horrors of this period of history. 

Many topics are covered in this memoir, particularly the everyday experiences in the camp including Lengyel's medical work in the women's camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. This part of this book which will be particularly interesting and informative to those who have read the fictional books 'The Child of Auschwitz' by Lily  Graham and 'Cilka's Journey' by Heather Morris. We also hear of Lengyel's experiences with other people in the camp, an assortment of other prisoners - and more well-known historical figures such as Dr Josef Mengele and the infamous Irma Grese. 

It is difficult to criticise any memoir, especially one from a Holocaust survivor, but there was one particular issue in this book that did bother me. The author repeatedly refers to 'homosexuals and other perverts' and criticises the 'feeble-minded' which I found very difficult to stomach. The book is a reflection on the impact of hatred and persecution against others, yet the author then perpetuates this by being discriminative herself. I understand that the book was originally published in 1947, but I was still disappointed by this.

Overall, this book was vivid, disturbing and one of the most effective pieces of writing concerning experiences at Auschwitz-Birkenau. This is a book that is certainly not enjoyable but it is educational and it is so important. I would highly recommend this book to any adult looking for more information about the Holocaust. 

The Road

 The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Paperback, 307 pages

Published 4th May 2007 by Picador

(First published 26th September 2006)

Shelves: apocalyptic, books-i-own, dystopian, if-i-were-a-boy, read, read-in-2021

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. 

The Road is a book that I have been meaning to read for a very long time. I don't know what encouraged me to finally pick it up (especially during a global pandemic!) but I did and I am glad that I've finally read this book which has quickly become a lauded modern classic. 

Initially, I wasn't entirely sure if I would enjoy this book. I do enjoy dystopian stories but that's all I really knew about this story - that it was about a boy and his father making a journey across an apocalyptic wasteland. It turns out that was what the book was about and quite frankly, that was all it was about. There wasn't much of a plot to this story, there wasn't many twists or turns, no real 'goal' to achieve by the end. The story was a journey - a journey across a dreary landscape. This experimental style isn't something that would usually appeal to me, but I am so glad that I gave it a go.

When starting the book, I was initially mostly surprised at the writing style. The writing seemed very strange and somewhat unnatural. The characters are never named and there is a distinct lack of punctuation (particularly quotation marks). I found these issues a little uncomfortable to begin with but I adjusted to the style surprisingly quickly. I swiftly became enamoured by McCarthy's writing and I thought that a lot of the prose was truly beautiful. 

This book is short and, on the surface, simple yet it is easy to see why The Road is considered to be a modern masterpiece. The characters are basic but well formed - vulnerability and strength both shine through the pages. The plot is uncomplicated - it is a journey from one place to another. McCarthy has managed to form a scarily realistic, bleak apocalyptic world. Overall, I really enjoyed the 'journey' of this book and became immersed in it easily which is why I would certainly reccommend it. I did find the ending disappointing and the child's choice to be bewildering, but everything that came before was absolutely captivating. 

The Twins of Auschwitz

The Twins of Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor

Paperback, 224 pages

Published 11th August 2020 by Octopus Publishing

Shelves: books-i-own, historical, medical-conditions, non-fiction, read, read-in-2021, ww2

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

The Nazis spared their lives because they were twins. In the summer of 1944, Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz. Within thirty minutes, they were separated. Her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man who became known as the Angel of Death: Dr. Josef Mengele. They were 10 years old. While twins at Auschwitz were granted the 'privileges' of keeping their own clothes and hair, they were also subjected to Mengele's sadistic medical experiments. They were forced to fight daily for their own survival and many died as a result of the experiments, or from the disease and hunger rife in the concentration camp. In a narrative told simply, with emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins of Auschwitz shares the inspirational story of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil. Also included is an epilogue on Eva's incredible recovery and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis.

Through her museum and her lectures, she dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and worked toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world. 

The Twins of Auschwitz is the memoir of Eva Mozes Kor, an inspirational Jewish woman who managed to survive the horrors of Auschwitz, primarily thanks to her 'fortune' of being born as a twin. The story tells us of Eva and, her sister, Miriam's time in Auschwitz, what led to them being there and what happened after liberation.

Eva was and will forever continue to be an educator. If you've watched documentaries about the Holocaust, in particular, Auschwitz, it's likely that you may have heard of or seen Eva before - I was familiar with her story due to the large amount of education and experience she has shared on numerous historical documentaries but even with prior knowledge of her story, it was very interesting to get a slightly more detailed account of her experiences in the camp.

This is a relatively short book, with photographs interspersed throughout, and so it didn't take me long to read at all - only a few hours. Expectedly, we do learn some horrific things about the treatment of Eva, her sister and other prisoners at Auschwitz - certainly enough to have a significant emotional impact, but the book isn't overly distressingly-descriptive and so would be a perfect introduction to the Holocaust for school-aged children and upwards. The memoir gives us a particularly fascinating insight to Doctor Mengele's heinous 'medical experiments' on twins.

Something that makes this book, and Kor herself, stand out is that she discusses the issue of forgiveness. Eva repeatedly stated that she forgave the Nazi's for what they did to her and that is a statement that, understandably, has caused a lot of controversy. I found this concept both difficult and interesting to read about but it was extremely interesting to get an insight into the lasting mental  impact of what happened. It certainly leaves you with a lot to think about. 

Overall, this is a very simple yet effectual recollection of Eva and Miriam's lives. I would certainly recommend The Twins of Auschwitz to anybody - it is an important, intriguing and unpleasant story that must be remembered. Whether you know little or lots about the Holocaust, this is certainly worth reading. Kor was undoubtedly a very inspiring woman and will continue to be, well into the future. 

The Child of Auschwitz

The Child of Auschwitz by Lily Graham 

Paperback, 242 pages

Published 8th November 2018 by Bookouture

Shelves:  adult-fiction, books-i-own, historical, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction, ww2,young-adult

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

‘She touched the photograph in its gilt frame that was always on her desk, of a young, thin woman with very short hair and a baby in her arms. She had one last story to tell. Theirs. And it began in hell on earth.’ 

It is 1942 and Eva Adami has boarded a train to Auschwitz. Barely able to breathe due to the press of bodies and exhausted from standing up for two days, she can think only of her longed-for reunion with her husband Michal, who was sent there six months earlier. 

But when Eva arrives at Auschwitz, there is no sign of Michal and the stark reality of the camp comes crashing down upon her. As she lies heartbroken and shivering on a thin mattress, her head shaved by rough hands, she hears a whisper. Her bunkmate, Sofie, is reaching out her hand... 

As the days pass, the two women learn each other’s hopes and dreams – Eva’s is that she will find Michal alive in this terrible place, and Sofie’s is that she will be reunited with her son Tomas, over the border in an orphanage in Austria. Sofie sees the chance to engineer one last meeting between Eva and Michal and knows she must take it even if means befriending the enemy… 

But when Eva realises she is pregnant she fears she has endangered both their lives. The women promise to protect each other’s children, should the worst occur. For they are determined to hold on to the last flower of hope in the shadows and degradation: their precious children, who they pray will live to tell their story when they no longer can. 

The Child of Auschwitz is a fictional story which focuses on Eva Adami, a young Jewish girl who is born and raised in Prague where she also ends up falling in love with a musician, Michal. As  their love blossoms, they marry and are excited to begin a new, happy life together. Life seems full of potential and happiness for the couple but unfortunately it is a turbulent time, 1938, and whilst their dreams are coming true, so are their nightmares as the Nazis begin to invade. 

Eva and Michal are determined to survive, but they are soon find themselves separated and Michal is sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, where Eva follows in the hope of finding him. Eva quickly makes a close friend, Sofie, a woman who is looking for her cousin who is caring for her son, Tomas. Sofie and Eva's bond is a quickly formed but beautifully genuine and intense, showing the true power and beauty of human friendship. It was good to read about such strong female characters. The character development of other people in the camp was also well done, with each having their own distinct personalities, making it easy to feel genuine compassion towards them. 

The book is clearly well researched and was inspired by the true story of Vera Bein, a lady  who gave birth in Auschwitz-Birkenau and whose story is paralleled well in the book. It was very interesting and emotional to read about the challenges and changes that a hidden baby brought into the camp and it really brought home how incredible and shocking it is that, in reality, at least seven hundred babies were born in Auschwitz-Birkenau (though sadly few survived). I really did love this section of the book and it was by far the most compelling part to me. The exploration of motherhood during the Holocaust is always a sensitive and intriguing subject.

Graham has done a wonderful job of balancing the absolute horrors of the Holocaust alongside  hope and I think that this book certainly gives us a good sense of both. She did well to create an atmosphere and to submerge me, as a reader, into camp life and, as aforementioned, I really took to the characters. My only criticisms would be that I did sometimes find that the book felt a little too sanitised and didn't capture the true, visceral horror of Auschwitz and I although I do enjoy a complete ending, I felt that some parts were a bit too idealised. However, I can understand why this was the case - the book isn't overly complex and is written more for entertainment/past-time purposes than any sort of heavy education.

Overall, despite being a work of fiction, Graham has created a well written and impressively researched story with an authentic array of characters. This is a highly popular book and I can understand why. It is hopeful, intriguing, emotive and I would recommend it to anybody looking for an easy-to-read fictional story focusing on both motherhood and the Holocaust.

Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood

Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood by Julie Gregory

Paperback, 320 pages

Published 30th September 2004 by Arrow

(First published 2003)

Shelves:  abuse, books-i-own, currently-reading, let-down, medical-conditions, memoirs-biographies-etc, mental-health, misery-lit, read-in-2021

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

A young girl is perched on the cold chrome of yet another doctor’s examining table, missing yet another day of school. Just twelve, she’s tall, skinny, and weak. It’s four o’clock, and she hasn’t been allowed to eat anything all day. Her mother, on the other hand, seems curiously excited. She's about to suggest open-heart surgery on her child to "get to the bottom of this." She checks her teeth for lipstick and, as the doctor enters, shoots the girl a warning glance. This child will not ruin her plans.

From early childhood, Julie Gregory was continually X-rayed, medicated, and operated on—in the vain pursuit of an illness that was created in her mother’s mind. Munchausen by proxy (MBP) is the world’s most hidden and dangerous form of child abuse, in which the caretaker—almost always the mother—invents or induces symptoms in her child because she craves the attention of medical professionals. Many MBP children die, but Julie Gregory not only survived, she escaped the powerful orbit of her mother's madness and rebuilt her identity as a vibrant, healthy young woman.

Punctuated with Julie's actual medical records, Sickened re-creates the bizarre cocoon of her family's isolated double-wide trailer, their wild shopping sprees and gun-waving confrontations, the astonishing naïveté of medical professionals and social workers. It also exposes the twisted bonds of terror and love that roped Julie's family together—including the love that made a child willing to sacrifice herself to win her mother's happiness.

The realization that the sickness lay in her mother, not in herself, would not come to Julie until adulthood. But when it did, it would strike like lightning. Through her painful metamorphosis, she discovered the courage to save her own life—and, ultimately, the life of the girl her mother had found to replace her. Sickened takes us to new places in the human heart and spirit. It is an unforgettable story, unforgettably told.

Sickened is a very well-known memoir that I have been wanting to read for a very long time. I am very interested by mental health and I was extremely intrigued try the thought of reading a book about the rare but highly interesting condition called Munchausen By Proxy (now known as Factitious Disorder by Proxy). Gregory certainly was very successful in bringing awareness to this illness.

Sickened is the memoir of Julie Gregory, a woman brought up by a mother who has  Munchausen by Proxy and has abused her since childhood. This book tells us about her childhood, often spent seeking out different medical specialists and being subjected to numerous unnecessary drugs and procedures. There were some more interesting and shocking scenes described in the book but I often wished there was more depth to them - I felt the book often focused on the negatives of Sandy, Julie's mother, rather than the true impact of her abhorrent actions. The memoir has copies of Gregory's medical records interspersed throughout. I found reading the medical documents to be the most interesting parts of the book.

Despite the fascinating subject matter, I have to be honest and say that I unfortunately just didn't find this book compelling. This book should have been gripping but I really just couldn't connect with it and as a result, I felt more apathetic towards it than I should have. This may partially be to the overly verbose writing style which I really didn't enjoy. Naturally, I felt both sympathy and a sense of respect for Julie but, mainly, I held a strong disdain towards her mother and father.

Unfortunately I can't say that the book had a great impact on me. I think that this may have actually been better portrayed if the Gregory had worked alongside a more experienced writer in order to tell her story. This is one of those books that I do feel bad for criticising due to the sensitive content, but in all honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. I will, however, continue to look for both more stories and factual information about the very important and destructive Factitious Disorder by Proxy.