jackie_beyondthebookends's review against another edition
3.0
I’m torn about this book. I love the story of this book- an entire family surviving the horrors of the holocaust. The name of the book gives that away. But, the way the story is told lost me. There is not a single survival story that is not remarkable in its own way. However, this book didn’t inspire any emotion while I read it. There was too little information on too many characters. The story jumped from story to story and person to person. The result is a discombobulated story that left me lacking an emotional connection to any of the people in the story. While this story does read like a work of fiction, it’s not a particularly well written book of fiction. I was expecting a lot from this book and was left disappointed.
invisiblejulie's review against another edition
4.0
Rounded up from 3.5. Wonderful story of survival.
yoteach87's review against another edition
4.0
In my senior English class we are doing a literature unit on the Jewish holocaust. Wanting to know more about the topic, I checked out Georgia Hunter's "We Were the Lucky Ones" - a story of one family's survival during the holocaust. Before reading, I had a limited grasp on this period of world history. Hunter puts meticulous details, mostly from the perspective of the Poles, that it feels like history coming alive with each page. That statement rings true especially when you consider that this novel is based on Hunter's own family. She essentially took on a quest to find out more about her past and turned it into a full-fledged story.
"We Were the Lucky Ones" is a story about determination and the importance of family. It is within these pages that we learn the close calls of survival. If only this had happened, or if they weren't at this place at the right time, it could have ended only in tragedy. Although the book does not explicitly mention a faith in God, mentions of prayer are there but few and far between, you can see His work in keeping the family safe. Of the 30,000 Jews I'm their hometown of Radom only 300 survived including the entire immediate Kurc family.
By book's end you feel like an honorary member of the Kurc family. You've read their struggles, their attempts of survival, the sacrifices they made to keep their family together. Although it does take a few chapters to get going, this story of a Jewish family is certainly worth a read. 4/5.
"We Were the Lucky Ones" is a story about determination and the importance of family. It is within these pages that we learn the close calls of survival. If only this had happened, or if they weren't at this place at the right time, it could have ended only in tragedy. Although the book does not explicitly mention a faith in God, mentions of prayer are there but few and far between, you can see His work in keeping the family safe. Of the 30,000 Jews I'm their hometown of Radom only 300 survived including the entire immediate Kurc family.
By book's end you feel like an honorary member of the Kurc family. You've read their struggles, their attempts of survival, the sacrifices they made to keep their family together. Although it does take a few chapters to get going, this story of a Jewish family is certainly worth a read. 4/5.
teachingkids1982's review against another edition
4.0
Good solid read. i definitely enjoy a good dose of historical fiction now and then!
bijourin's review against another edition
2.0
Just couldn’t finish this one. I made it 3/4 of the way through but had a hard time keeping up with the various family members, scenes and timeline throughout. And with this constant change, it was hard to feel a connection with any one person. I read though some other reviews and found this to be a common note for those that rated under 4 stars.
hiltzmoore's review against another edition
5.0
I went into this book rather blind and didn't know much about it other than that it was a story of a large Jewish family from Poland and their stories during WWII. Other than the title hinting that at least some of them would survive, I didn't know anything about the author's history or connection to the story. This was an incredible book and when I finished it last night, I stayed up talking to my husband about the characters and what they went through. I'm so glad the author did all the research involved and told this story, as it really is incredible.
mwbuntin's review against another edition
5.0
This book was given to me by a friend. I have read lots of books during World War II and this has got to be one of my favorites. It was compelling and based on true events. Excellent from start to finish. I want to be part of this family!
lisa11111's review against another edition
3.0
Really 3 1/2 stars. Another time I wish there were 6 stars. This was a really good book. Lots of good history and amazing story of what this family actually went through.
jmpeck16's review against another edition
5.0
Stunning book. Absolutely absorbing. The storytelling and characters are so vivid and beautiful. As devastating as some parts of it were, it was also probably one of the LEAST painful ways to make it through the Holocaust through the eyes of a Jewish family that could be imagined. Would recommend!
mtkachulis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0