Another month has gone, and another book to add to the "read" pile. Unfortunately, this month I only read one book. I wish I could give a reason; the lack of motivation, procrastination, or just February blues. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I read my assigned book this month.
The book for this month was The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. This book is a historical fiction piece loosely based on the true story of Lale Sokolov and Gita Furman. Lale was imprisoned at the Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp in April of 1942. After working manual labor jobs, Lale impressed the officers with his ability to speak multiple languages, so he was given the job of tattooing new prisoners as they entered the camp. Then, in July of 1942, Lale met Gita when she was sent to get her tattoo redone. There was an instant connection between the two, and they spent the rest of their time in the camp doing whatever they needed to do to survive and have a life together.
Overall, this book was very good. That being said, there were times when it was hard to get through. We have all learned about the Holocaust in history classes, read books published by survivors, and even seen the artifacts and pictures housed in museums. However, that doesn't make reading new material about that time in history easier. At times, I could only make it through one chapter before I had to put the book down and step away for a little while. This book may have been historical fiction, but that still doesn't take away from what happened to those held in the concentration camps against their will.
That being said, the love story between Lale and Gita was pure. They only knew the bare minimum about each other, but that didn't matter. They would do just about anything to get a quick glimpse at each other. They made deals with the devil, knowing all too well it could get them killed. But above all, they looked out for each other. In the end, it didn't matter that they were living in hell because they used their love for each other as motivation to survive. Lale and Gita's story is proof that love at first sight exists.
This book took me on an emotional roller coaster I was only mildly prepared for. I felt the intense love that Lale and Gita had for each other. But I also felt every loss. Plus, the cruel treatment all those innocent people endured inside the camps was enough to make my stomach churn. But, in all that darkness, love's light shined bright. That love provided a sense of hope that everyone thought was lost. In this case, it gave Lale and Gita a reason to wake up and push forward. I wholeheartedly believe that the true moral of this story is that even in the most unimaginable conditions, love truly conquers all.
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