emilywr's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't actually finish this book; I got half way through and put it down because I just really was not getting along with it. Being the diary of a young child I found it incredibly tedious and repetitive and thought that she only skimmed over all the events never going into any depth. Yes, I know it's a child's diary so it's not going to have the detail of a fictional book but I didn't like this and didn't enjoy reading it.
Also I didn't like the German words that were left in for 'authenticity' because it affected my understanding of the book when the meanings were not clear.
The translator I found annoying as he was also repetitive and wrote about unnecessary things in his note: persistently reminding us that some of it was written by Helga in the present day.
Also I didn't like the German words that were left in for 'authenticity' because it affected my understanding of the book when the meanings were not clear.
The translator I found annoying as he was also repetitive and wrote about unnecessary things in his note: persistently reminding us that some of it was written by Helga in the present day.
jennifermreads's review
3.0
Like many readers Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl began a fascination with the Holocaust. I go through periods where I cannot read enough stories about the survivors, the camps, and the war itself. This is a welcome addition to the vast library on these subjects.
A plus: Helga survived the war and, as of this writing, still lives today. This can be handy info for parents looking for reading about the Holocaust without the horror of a death at the end ... if it is possible to read any Holocaust story without feeling horror.
The actual diary was written during Helga's time in Terezin (Prague) while her time in Auschwitz and return home were reconstructed later. This translation includes ample footnotes explaining lapses in time and/or areas that were later added/recreated. A glossary and interview with Helga round out the book nicely.
Even given all my reading about the Holocaust - both fiction and nonfiction - I had not heard of Terezin. And, frankly, reading Helga's account of this camp made it out to seem like a hotel compared to the other camps; the treatment there just did not seem as brutal. It just goes to show that there is always something new to learn about this horrible event in our history.
A plus: Helga survived the war and, as of this writing, still lives today. This can be handy info for parents looking for reading about the Holocaust without the horror of a death at the end ... if it is possible to read any Holocaust story without feeling horror.
The actual diary was written during Helga's time in Terezin (Prague) while her time in Auschwitz and return home were reconstructed later. This translation includes ample footnotes explaining lapses in time and/or areas that were later added/recreated. A glossary and interview with Helga round out the book nicely.
Even given all my reading about the Holocaust - both fiction and nonfiction - I had not heard of Terezin. And, frankly, reading Helga's account of this camp made it out to seem like a hotel compared to the other camps; the treatment there just did not seem as brutal. It just goes to show that there is always something new to learn about this horrible event in our history.
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