I have read several other stories about the harsh conditions of the Hitler regime, but this book really puts it on a personal level. You almost feel like you are the main character, Gerta, who never even knew she was Jewish until she was taken away. All the dignities that could be stripped away, the Germans did. I hear of so many people calling others racist, but if anyone has a right to complain about being treated unfairly due to race, it is definitely the Jews. I already had a heart for the Jews, but this story really drenched me with the harsh realities of even living minute to minute. Or how surviving through it all was barely living again or having to start from scratch. Many stories with characters have drama, but because the Jews were thrust into such an unspeakable situation, the drama was mainly what was happening to all of them. I do not speak a lick of German, so I wish I had known about the glossary at the end of the book while struggling to read some of the words and phrases. Use it if you need it. I love the author's dialogue at the end of the book which gave a perspective of her life which really did add a lot of the flavor to this book. The only spoiler about that I will provide is that both she and the character Gerta are very musical. However, there are other similarities. I love to hear how and why an author wrote a story. I like to digest everything about that story that helps me to relate and understand it better. This book would be excellent in a middle or high school, as well as any adult who wanted to read it. ( )

2.5 Stars ( )

This book was mentioned a few times on a BookTube channel I watch. I probably didn't listen very carefully. I remember it being described as a graphic novel set during the Shoah. It's a novel with skilled black and white illustrations in it. I dread every book with illustrations someday being called a graphic novel, but that's beyond the scope of this review. The illustrations, while detailed and eye-catching, add nothing to the story being told. I've read wonderful novels set during the Shoah that have teens as heroes. I was expecting that level of compassion and heartbreaking drama. I took notes throughout my reading this book, so this review might seem disjointed.

This story is nothing more than an utterly stupid teen romance set during the Shoah. Seriously, less than ten percent of the book was about Shoah itself. Teen romances can be well-done and heartwarming. This was not one of them. I was not a fan of the love triangle. I gritted my teeth as the heroine steeped herself in misogyny towards other girls who merely looked at her so-called boyfriends and was furious when she gleefully toyed with them. My description is kinder than the words she uses to describe her own actions.
For such an effective antagonist in the first few chapters, Roza turns into an adored friend unrealistically quickly.

It was six million people that died during Shoah, with one million being Jewish. This is a common misconception. The others who died were Romani, socialists and communists, LGBT people, and also disabled people who had not been immediately killed. So many died, and should at least have the dignity to be described accurately. And I say this as a practicing Jewish person.

Three quarters into this, I couldn't wait for the book to end. There was a stunning amount of purple prose. Oh, it sank my opinion of the book. I cackled with delight when the heroine walked in on Micah with another girl. Schaudenfreude. She even stated she wasn't sure he was her boyfriend, and had very high expectations of him, and of her own self. She's clear she's playing with both her romantic interests. She doesn't care. This really wasn't the book for me, but I'm proud of myself for finishing it. ( )

This was a one day read for me.
See my full review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxAXTBHFAK1/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet ( )