lizmart88's review against another edition
4.0
One of the more unique additions to the field of Holocaust books focusing on children. The narrator is portrayed with all his eccentricities as a young Jewish boy in the Warsaw ghetto. We hear and see the progression of the war through his eyes, and we witness the mistakes he makes and tries to overcome. Based in part on a real life man who ran an orphanage, the book is haunting and beautiful.
lizcastner's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Violence, Antisemitism, Confinement, Religious bigotry, War, Child death, Death of parent, Deportation, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Police brutality
castlelass's review against another edition
4.0
This book tells the story of a boy growing up in the Warsaw ghetto during WWII. It is told in a simple and straightforward manner, the way in which a youth would speak. I imagine this method of writing is much more difficult than a typical novel which uses all the words at the author's disposal. It describes a heroic figure from the boy's perspective, the doctor who runs the ghetto orphanage, and his positive impact on the boy even in the midst of unspeakably horrible conditions. It is a book that reminds us of the need to remember, so we never repeat, the attempt to wipe out an entire race.
klnbennett's review against another edition
3.0
This book is about the Holocaust and the cruelty human beings are capable of. The story takes place in the Warsaw ghetto and was brutal to read. Cruelty in this story comes not just from Nazis but from other victims. It was tough to get through and I had a hard time getting into the story as it was told mostly through dialog.
portcitykt's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such tough read but very worthwhile. Shepard creates such amazing characters that everything in this story pulls at your heart strings. The mother/father relationship, Aron's understanding of himself, the gang members, and the young girls, Sofia and Adina, gave the book so much depth. Korczak's relationship with Aron and Aron's ability to find the better side of himself helped me get to the end.
roksanalyasin's review against another edition
2.0
After recently reading The Librarian of Auschwitz and The Tattooist of Auschwitz, I was looking forward to this book and the story it offered. It follows the life of Aron, a young Polish Jew, and his experiences in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw during World War II. I was expecting it to be a difficult read due to the topic, but soon found the main hurdle was the writing - I simply didn't enjoy the stream of consciousness style and how it developed through the book. Despite having direct access to Aron's thoughts, I couldn't relate to him; the writing was too stagnant and, in the latter half, it was often difficult to follow. Perhaps this was designed to enhance the POV - Aron is, after all, a scared, starved boy/teenager - but mostly it made it frustrating. Even the inclusion of Janusz Korczak's story, which should certainly be acknowledged, felt awkward. I learnt very little and the style made it difficult to develop anything beyond a brief, shallow connection with a character apparently central to the narrative.
mhall's review against another edition
3.0
There's an old Lynda Barry Marlys comic that gets stuck in my head sometimes, a home ec class where Marlys and her cousin arrange their disappointing lemon squares in the shape of a cross, because "no one will give less than a B- to the shape of the cross." Similarly, it's hard for me to give less than 3 stars to a novel about a boy trying to survive in the Warsaw ghetto during the Holocaust.
I felt the second half, about the orphanage, was much better than the first half. The whole story had a detached feeling, but it wasn't hard to read.
I felt the second half, about the orphanage, was much better than the first half. The whole story had a detached feeling, but it wasn't hard to read.
bethnellvaccaro's review against another edition
4.0
This book took a while for me to get into,but once I caught onto the rhythm I was glued. This is a tough read, but worth it. Very compelling.
martacerqueira's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0