“The German people might want war. But this? This wasn’t war. This was something else. Something the civilized world had never seen.”

A Song of Silence by Steve N. Lee opens in a small town in Poland in the Fall of 1939 and revolves around Mirek Kozlowski, a Polish writer who also runs an orphanage with over ninety children under his care, a number that continues to increase as WWII rages on. Mirek’s prime concerns were providing for those in his care and keeping his children safe – a task that becomes increasingly difficult when the Nazis invade their small town, wreaking havoc in the lives of the residents. As the narrative progresses, we follow Mirek as he bears witness to atrocities committed by the SS. As the situation gradually worsens, Mirek struggles to a find way to protect his family while navigating the restrictions imposed upon the residents, censorship, food shortages and the surveillance of the SS headed by Hauptsturmführer Kruger who appears to have taken a keen interest in Mirek and his orphanage.

Having enjoyed the author’s previous work of WWII fiction To Dream Of Shadows, I was more than eager to read the author’s latest offering and I was not disappointed. This is a heart—wrenching read but so beautifully written that I could not put it down. With elegant prose, well-thought-out characters and a keen sense of time and place, Steve N. Lee weaves a powerful story of bravery, sacrifice and humanity in the face of pure evil. The author does not hold back from describing the episodes of mass violence, persecution and other war crimes committed by the SS and the plight of civilians struggling to survive in Nazi-occupied Poland. Needless to say, some scenes might be difficult to read. But amid the darkness, some moments will make you smile. Mirek’s devotion to his orphanage and his children and their love for their ”Papa Mirek” will melt your heart. Baba Hanka is an endearing character and I particularly enjoyed how the author chose to portray the growing bond between Ania and Merik through the course of the narrative. This is the kind of story that stays with you long after you have turned the last page.

As with any work of historical fiction, I place a lot of importance on a well-penned historical note as these segments elevate the overall reading experience. In this context, I must commend the author for the informative Behind the Scenes segment on the true events and the real people who inspired this novel. In addition to this segment, the author has also provided the link to A Song of Silence: The Story Behind the Story, where not only does he share further details on his research, the historical context of the novel and the creative liberties have has taken while crafting this story, but he also offers bonus chapters wherein we get to know the fates of several of the other (fictional) characters we met in the story.

Overall, I found this to be an absorbing read that I would not hesitate to recommend to fans of WWII fiction inspired by true events.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )

A terrifying time, and a man just doing his best to keep his young charges safe, is brought to life in this poignant, dark, and at times heartwarming and heartbreaking story. Lee truly makes you travel back in time, and pulls no punches as to the realities of being in Poland during WWII when the Germans arrived. At times, it was difficult to read, simply because it made my heart ache so much. I highly recommend reading this with some tissues and your favorite comfort drink nearby. Mirek is a beautiful soul, who desperately wants to save all those in his care, and you can feel his desperation to do so, and the pain when he can’t, flowing off the page. While this is by no means a light read, if you’re looking for a book that is dark but unforgettable, with a small glimmer of hope within, then you’ll want to grab this. ( )

This World War II story was based on a real person so all of the horrific pain that was part of the book really happened. It's still difficult to believe that a group of people could be so cruel and heartless to people that they believed were 'less than'. Not just Jewish people but their cruelty also extended to sick people, homosexuals and any people who didn't fit into their narrow description of what a perfect Aryan person was.
One person was a beacon of hope and it's his sacrifices that leave the reader with feelings of love and compassion.

In 1939, when the Nazis invaded his small Polish town, Mirek Kozlowski was running an orphanage. He was also a popular writer of children's books. The orphanage took care of almost 100 children of all ages. It was apparent early on that Mirek would do whatever he could to keep 'his' children safe. But no matter how hard he tries, the cruelty of the Nazi officials in his town kept dragging him and the children closer to danger. The SS captain who is in charge of the town is beyond cruel but at first it looks as if he may like Mirek as a person and Mirek even goes so far as to read and critique the novel that he has written. But as time goes on, he turns on Mirek and on the children. He removes the Jewish children and then he removes many of the young girls to work in a brothel for the soldiers. Finally it appears that the Resistance may have found a way to save Mirek and the children and he puts his life on the line to try to save 'his' children. Will their plan succeed?

Mirek is a compassionate and loving person who wants to protect other people even if he is harmed in the process. His love brought a beacon of hope for the future. I read a lot of WWII fiction but this one really touched me. I think it was because there was so much senseless cruelty toward children and it hurt to see them facing so much evil. This novel brought tears to my eyes several times with a major tears at the end. This is a book that I won't forget because of the love and compassion of one man who tried to save those he loved. ( )