emily_in_wonderland's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
theoverbookedbibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
"My Real Name is Hanna" begins in the present day from the perspective of adult Hanna Slivka (who now goes by Marcelina Rosenberg) as she shares her story with her daughter. She details the experiences she and her family went through between 1941-1945 as they struggled to survive the Holocaust in their hometown of Kwasova in Ukraine during WWII – events that led to her family finally leaving behind their home, their country and even their real names.
The story begins with a brief picture of the changing political landscape as the Nazi occupy Ukraine and the growing intolerance and discriminatory practices against the Jewish population that follows. Fourteen-year-old Hanna’s life changes as she can no longer move about freely, is unable to attend school and her family struggles to make ends meet with the meager rations allotted to them. While most of their acquaintances turn away from them, they do find kindness in a few who are willing to help them including their neighbor, Mrs. Petrovich, with whom Hanna shares a beautiful friendship. As the Germans call for "Judenfrei”, a Jew-free Ukraine, the Slivka family is forced to flee their home and take shelter in a cabin in the forest to avoid being hunted, deported, or killed. When they sense they are no longer safe there, the Slivka family, along with others, make their way to the gypsum caves near the valley further away from their shtetele where they spend over one year in hiding. What follows is a harrowing account of a family forced to fight illness, starvation and the constant threat of discovery and their struggle to stay alive and keep one another safe.
“Abram Slivka (my Papa)
Eva Slivka (my Mama)
Hanna Slivka (14 years old, loves to read)
Leeba Slivka (12 years old, loves to sew)
Symon Slivka (10 years old, a really good boy
who loves his dog)
Ovid (our dog)
Steed (our horse)
We all lived in this house until October 12, 1942. If
you find this,
say these names out loud, please, and bury this paper
in the yard.”
Just as other works that revolve around the Holocaust, this is not an easy read. I did like how the author weaves bits of Ukrainian and Jewish traditions, culture and folklore throughout the narrative. The author’s note at the end of the book states that though this book is a work of fiction, the story was inspired by the true account of the Stermer family (reference Esther Stermer’s memoir "We Fight to Survive") who spent over 500 days in gypsum caves to avoid capture by the Germans. She also mentions that only 5 % of Jews in all of Ukraine survived the Holocaust.
Tara Lynn Masih’s “My Real Name is Hanna” is a story about courage, resilience and survival. This is an important, well-written and well-researched story - the kind that should be read and shared and never forgotten. Though the target audience is YA and thus the tone is somewhat subdued, I feel that this would appeal to adults who are interested in historical fiction set in the WWII era.
The story begins with a brief picture of the changing political landscape as the Nazi occupy Ukraine and the growing intolerance and discriminatory practices against the Jewish population that follows. Fourteen-year-old Hanna’s life changes as she can no longer move about freely, is unable to attend school and her family struggles to make ends meet with the meager rations allotted to them. While most of their acquaintances turn away from them, they do find kindness in a few who are willing to help them including their neighbor, Mrs. Petrovich, with whom Hanna shares a beautiful friendship. As the Germans call for "Judenfrei”, a Jew-free Ukraine, the Slivka family is forced to flee their home and take shelter in a cabin in the forest to avoid being hunted, deported, or killed. When they sense they are no longer safe there, the Slivka family, along with others, make their way to the gypsum caves near the valley further away from their shtetele where they spend over one year in hiding. What follows is a harrowing account of a family forced to fight illness, starvation and the constant threat of discovery and their struggle to stay alive and keep one another safe.
“Abram Slivka (my Papa)
Eva Slivka (my Mama)
Hanna Slivka (14 years old, loves to read)
Leeba Slivka (12 years old, loves to sew)
Symon Slivka (10 years old, a really good boy
who loves his dog)
Ovid (our dog)
Steed (our horse)
We all lived in this house until October 12, 1942. If
you find this,
say these names out loud, please, and bury this paper
in the yard.”
Just as other works that revolve around the Holocaust, this is not an easy read. I did like how the author weaves bits of Ukrainian and Jewish traditions, culture and folklore throughout the narrative. The author’s note at the end of the book states that though this book is a work of fiction, the story was inspired by the true account of the Stermer family (reference Esther Stermer’s memoir "We Fight to Survive") who spent over 500 days in gypsum caves to avoid capture by the Germans. She also mentions that only 5 % of Jews in all of Ukraine survived the Holocaust.
Tara Lynn Masih’s “My Real Name is Hanna” is a story about courage, resilience and survival. This is an important, well-written and well-researched story - the kind that should be read and shared and never forgotten. Though the target audience is YA and thus the tone is somewhat subdued, I feel that this would appeal to adults who are interested in historical fiction set in the WWII era.
basicbbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I haven’t heard much specifically about Jews in Ukraine, this story was very interesting. Beautifully written. Loved the character of Alla
I haven’t heard much specifically about Jews in Ukraine, this story was very interesting. Beautifully written. Loved the character of Alla
panda_charlotte's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
krivas91's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
5.0
Finished reading: July 23rd 2018
"Life is not good, however you are living it, if you become like those who don't value you."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Mandel Vilar Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
Give me a WWII historical fiction story and I'm sold. Add a lesser known setting (Ukraine), and I'm just about jumping up and down from sheer excitement. Oh yes, I had high expectations for My Real Name Is Hanna and not just because of the beautiful cover and comparison to Between Shades Of Gray. While I do have to note that the ARC version I read had a lot of editing issues (both related to the font, repeated words over and over again and sentences being cut and never finished), I am confident those issues will be fixed in the final sentence and therefore I won't hold it against the story itself. And there is no doubt that this story set in WWII Ukraine is absolutely wonderful. Though not based on a specific true story, the events are all too real and will shine a light on how Jewish families tried to hide and survive in Ukraine. Both descriptions of the setting and the different characters make the story really come alive and it feels as if you are living the horrific experiences along with them. I really liked the writing style and the way the story was told; the inclusion of local customs a huge bonus. The character development is thorough as well and it was interesting to see them evolve over time, reacting to the increasingly dire situation. If you are like me a fan of WWII survivor stories, My Real Name Is Hanna is a must-read.
Hanna Slivka is still young when Hitler's army crosses the border to Ukraine, and soon the Germans are closing in. Her shtetele used to be run by Russians, and she used to spend her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings as well as helping her neighbor with her decorative pysanky eggs. But all that ends when the Germans take over, and both Hanna, her family and other Jewish families are forced to flee the shtetele in order to try and stay alive.
I was drawn to My Real Name Is Hanna from the very first time I saw it mentioned. I have a weak spot for WWII stories and this one sounded particularly interesting. And there is no doubt that this YA historical fiction story delivered. Well written, well developed, emotional, harrowing, heartbreaking and with a healthy dose of local customs and excellent descriptions of the setting... Oh yes, there is a lot to love in My Real Name Is Hanna. This book shouldn't be missing from the wishlist of any WWII historcial fiction fan.
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
lizbethandthelifeinbetween's review against another edition
4.0
Interview with author at the bottom!
I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book was written beautifully. Hanna's attention to detail and youthfulness came out in the novel. They had a strong, loveable voice that I could hear in the back of my head I read the book. The description in this novel was amazing. Little things were described with just one extra word, the flowers were yellow, and it somehow made the book more complete. It made Hanna feel like a fully fleshed-out person living in the real world. It might seem like nothing in just one small example, but when many are strung together they paint an amazing picture. The author managed to hit the sweet spot with the description. It was just a bit more than I'm used to, but not enough to be boring or to take away from the story.
There wasn't much in the way of the plot. It was a survival story about families and struggles and ties. I found it slow at some points for there wasn't much action. Still, I never completely lost interest in this novel, which was surprising as having it on my laptop meant I sometimes when a while without reading it and I wasn't carrying it around with me everywhere as I do with paper copies of books. This book always drew me back in.
The family feeling in the book was very present. I felt connected to all the characters and none of the relationships felt forced or unnatural. My hopes and desires were with them as I read. I was entirely captivated by all their dynamics and their necessity to stay together and I felt as sad as Hanna did when they all had to part ways.
I loved the aspect that it was Hanna telling tp story to her children. While knowing this from the beginning, I knew that Hanna had to live, but I still felt like she was in physical danger at times and was always concerned for those around her. It seemed a bit odd that it was told in the present tense, but it was an engaging choice as it was narrated in the first person.
Storytelling was a big aspect of this book. There was a bit where the adults were just telling stories to the children, and it was so interesting to see what they decided to tell. They talked about family mostly, and I loved how I could see what they valued and what they wanted their children to value when they could finally be free.
Interview with the author Tara Lynn Masih:
Q: What are the differences between writing short stories and a novel?
A: For me, it's a huge difference. The length of the course comes into play. I have a natural tendency to condense, as poets do, so it was a struggle for me to expand the narration. I get bored when there is too much filler in books, so I had to find a good balance between making the reader feel like they are living in Hanna's shoes, but not letting the story get too mundane for me. Still, it's a short book. Some don't like its brevity, but luckily, so far, most do.
Q: Why did you choose to write this book in the present tense?
A: That's an excellent question! The first final draft was actually in the typical past tense, but some editors complained that the action did not seem immediate. My preference has always been to write in the present. My writing flows better. But being that this was the first novel, I tried to fit it into the standard mold that editors find more acceptable. Bad idea. Go with what your strengths are. I painstakingly converted the whole manuscript back to present tense, and we got multiple offers.
Q: What do you think the ethics are of writing about historical events and figures?
A: Another wonderful question. I can't speak about ethics in general for all writers, I can only speak about what I tried to follow. First, I was inspired by a real family, the Stermers. But I did not want to "steal" their story. I believe it should mostly be left for their descendants to tell, out of respect for their trauma. So I fictionalized a whole town and family, and only borrowed impersonal events, dates, survival skills, and two small quotes. Also, in writing about the Holocaust, I did not go fully into the nightmarish atrocities that befell the Jewish population, as some other books have. But my personal feeling was that if I did, I would somehow be desecrating it.
I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book was written beautifully. Hanna's attention to detail and youthfulness came out in the novel. They had a strong, loveable voice that I could hear in the back of my head I read the book. The description in this novel was amazing. Little things were described with just one extra word, the flowers were yellow, and it somehow made the book more complete. It made Hanna feel like a fully fleshed-out person living in the real world. It might seem like nothing in just one small example, but when many are strung together they paint an amazing picture. The author managed to hit the sweet spot with the description. It was just a bit more than I'm used to, but not enough to be boring or to take away from the story.
There wasn't much in the way of the plot. It was a survival story about families and struggles and ties. I found it slow at some points for there wasn't much action. Still, I never completely lost interest in this novel, which was surprising as having it on my laptop meant I sometimes when a while without reading it and I wasn't carrying it around with me everywhere as I do with paper copies of books. This book always drew me back in.
The family feeling in the book was very present. I felt connected to all the characters and none of the relationships felt forced or unnatural. My hopes and desires were with them as I read. I was entirely captivated by all their dynamics and their necessity to stay together and I felt as sad as Hanna did when they all had to part ways.
I loved the aspect that it was Hanna telling tp story to her children. While knowing this from the beginning, I knew that Hanna had to live, but I still felt like she was in physical danger at times and was always concerned for those around her. It seemed a bit odd that it was told in the present tense, but it was an engaging choice as it was narrated in the first person.
Storytelling was a big aspect of this book. There was a bit where the adults were just telling stories to the children, and it was so interesting to see what they decided to tell. They talked about family mostly, and I loved how I could see what they valued and what they wanted their children to value when they could finally be free.
Interview with the author Tara Lynn Masih:
Q: What are the differences between writing short stories and a novel?
A: For me, it's a huge difference. The length of the course comes into play. I have a natural tendency to condense, as poets do, so it was a struggle for me to expand the narration. I get bored when there is too much filler in books, so I had to find a good balance between making the reader feel like they are living in Hanna's shoes, but not letting the story get too mundane for me. Still, it's a short book. Some don't like its brevity, but luckily, so far, most do.
Q: Why did you choose to write this book in the present tense?
A: That's an excellent question! The first final draft was actually in the typical past tense, but some editors complained that the action did not seem immediate. My preference has always been to write in the present. My writing flows better. But being that this was the first novel, I tried to fit it into the standard mold that editors find more acceptable. Bad idea. Go with what your strengths are. I painstakingly converted the whole manuscript back to present tense, and we got multiple offers.
Q: What do you think the ethics are of writing about historical events and figures?
A: Another wonderful question. I can't speak about ethics in general for all writers, I can only speak about what I tried to follow. First, I was inspired by a real family, the Stermers. But I did not want to "steal" their story. I believe it should mostly be left for their descendants to tell, out of respect for their trauma. So I fictionalized a whole town and family, and only borrowed impersonal events, dates, survival skills, and two small quotes. Also, in writing about the Holocaust, I did not go fully into the nightmarish atrocities that befell the Jewish population, as some other books have. But my personal feeling was that if I did, I would somehow be desecrating it.
helenedesmond1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jennbib's review against another edition
4.0
This is a difficult, thought provoking, must read. It’s always difficult reading anything to do with the Holocaust and saying that you have enjoyed the book, but it is important that we continue to read books like one this to remind us not only of the harrowing events, but as played out in this book, the strength, determination and hope that people had during this time,
This was a haunting book that I read quickly as i needed to know more about Hanna and her journey. A beautiful book that I have recommended to family and friends.
This was a haunting book that I read quickly as i needed to know more about Hanna and her journey. A beautiful book that I have recommended to family and friends.
chandaferguson's review against another edition
5.0
I was intrigued by the content of this story: A Ukrainian family of Jews trying to escape the threat of death and torture for the Soviet Union which is moving in closer and closer and becoming more and more dangerous. It tells of the family’s hiding, narrow escapes, living in caves and underground, starving and struggling, and much more hardships and conflicts. It’s a fictional story based on true elements, ideas, and people. Details maybe altered, but the overall story is a realistic fiction. Thus it’s tragic, heart-breaking, and difficult to read at times, but also so necessary and important for better understanding these aspects of history.
In the midst of pain and hardship, it tells a story of hope, perseverance, and resilience. It depicts surviving through what seems unsurvivable, which is such a heart-wrenching story. It’s one I do recommend for anyone, and it’s also a free Audible read. This book leaves out triggering and extremely difficult to read moments by alluding to facts and ideas (for example, the mother returns from the market with her clothes ripped and her face scratched but she never discusses what happened to her), but the main idea is a young girl recounting her story, so her perspective allows for some naivety that the reader may be able to read in between the lines for. I believe this is a highly effective technique for telling such a tragic story, so the reader isn’t overwhelmed with grief and hardship, and instead can focus on other elements of the story. It has beautiful moments in the midst of all the darkness and despair.
I think this is a wonderful story for young adults and teens to read in regards to a realistic depiction of the Jews stories. This is a highly sought after topic for that age as well, which I think makes this an even more effective and wonderful novel! It’s one everyone should try!
In the midst of pain and hardship, it tells a story of hope, perseverance, and resilience. It depicts surviving through what seems unsurvivable, which is such a heart-wrenching story. It’s one I do recommend for anyone, and it’s also a free Audible read. This book leaves out triggering and extremely difficult to read moments by alluding to facts and ideas (for example, the mother returns from the market with her clothes ripped and her face scratched but she never discusses what happened to her), but the main idea is a young girl recounting her story, so her perspective allows for some naivety that the reader may be able to read in between the lines for. I believe this is a highly effective technique for telling such a tragic story, so the reader isn’t overwhelmed with grief and hardship, and instead can focus on other elements of the story. It has beautiful moments in the midst of all the darkness and despair.
I think this is a wonderful story for young adults and teens to read in regards to a realistic depiction of the Jews stories. This is a highly sought after topic for that age as well, which I think makes this an even more effective and wonderful novel! It’s one everyone should try!