The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz

I am enjoying a variety of WW2 based fiction lately.  None have impacted me as much as the story of Mala Zimetbaum as told in The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz.  I’m not saying other WW2 haven’t drawn me in completely, but this one drove me to learn more.  Let’s talk eh?  Oh… yes, must get the legalities out the way.  I’ll be linking to Amazon so you can find it easily should you wish.  The proceeds of that affiliate link help me bring you move reviews.  🙂

The Basic Details

Title: The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz: A world war II novel based on a true story
Author: Ellie Midwood
Genre: WW2, WW2 fiction, 20th Century historical romance, WW2 historical fiction
Formats: Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Pages: 390
Additions: Book Club Discussion Questions
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Intended Audience: Young Adult, Adult

Discovering the Author and the Book

Ellie Midwood can be found on facebook, and is an author of historical fiction.  A New Yorker, she lives with her fiancée and dog (Shark Bait).  Her grandfather fed her love of history with his stories of fighting as part of the 2nd Guards Tank Army.  A Jewess, she feds her love of WW2 and Holocaust History by collecting rare materials concerning it. 

After reading The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz I urge you to learn more about Mala Zimetbaum.  You’ll see the cruelty and kindness of people during WW2 and life in the concentration camps.   The lies told, the truths seen, and how hope can live even in hard times.   This is the fictionalized story of Mala and Edward.  A love born in the hardness of Nazi extremism. Desperation leads to hope in escape.  Can it be done? Will it last?  We already know the story, but getting there… it’s worth the journey.

The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz

How does one find hope in horrible situations?

It’s not an easy thing to do you know.  When you are surrounded by death, bullying, and lies.  How does one find hope?  For Mala, being in a privileged position due to ability with languages, hope came in small things.  Finding ways to help fellow inmates, ways to change another’s fortunes, and ways to be beyond your present circumstances.  It’s not easy, and for hope to be overcome, is too often possible. 

And then Edward.  Unexpected, a fellow prisoner, finding courage to ask for help.  Discovering in each other a common ally. 

The clear writing pattern, and the personalization of Mala and Edward brought this story to life.  The gruffness of the Russian prisoners, the hopelessness of moms losing their children, the choice to believe despite smoke and stench, and betrayal of the photo op prisoners.  All the emotions out on a shirt sleeve for all to see, wrapped up with straight-forward depictions of being in prison just for being who you are. 

This is a well-written story to draws you in.   Definitely recommend. 

And it to your schooling?

Are you researching European History?  Or perhaps studying WW2?  Perhaps your study is more along the lines of understanding why people in confinement act they way they do.   The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz will add depth to those studies.  Showing you how people can live beyond religious lines, and find hope in the hard things of life.   Even if the story doesn’t end in roses, it shows that people can stand for more than you think when push comes to shove.  And THAT my dear readers, is worth reading about. 

Want to read other WW2 books?  Check out this list.