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A review by byashleylamar
Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson
4.0
Once We Were Brothers is a distressing and deeply emotional novel; one that readers should expect to bring forth plenty of tears and heartache. In Pre-World War II Poland Otto Piatek’s mother has abandoned her family and his father is struggling to find work. 60 years later in Chicago, Illinois Ben Solomon confronts wealthy philanthropist Elliot Rosenzweig at a high profile social event and accuses him of being Otto Piatek, the Butcher of Zamosc. Is Ben right or has his desperate search for justice caused him to accuse an innocent man of unspeakable atrocities?
This novel is designed to strike an emotional chord with the reader, as are most books that take place during WWII. While Ben Solomon is recounting his story to the ever impatient attorney Catherine Lockard he repeatedly tells her not to rush him because the details of his life story are critical. This emotional investment is as much for Catherine as it is for the reader. Balson pulls the reader so deeply into Ben’s story that it is easy to overlook the plot holes and lack of development for so many of the supporting characters. There are questions that are not fully addressed but readers are not likely to be concerned because Ben’s story is so emotional. There are characters that deserved more depth or at least finality to their part of the story. What happened to Piatek’s parents? Elzbieta, for being such an integral part of Ben’s story and his life in Poland, deserved more attention. As a reader, I wanted desperately to know more about this young woman who risked so much to help her friends.
Ben wants justice for the terror, pain, heartache and sheer suffering that he endured during the events in Eastern Europe from 1941-1945. He is desperate for a final resolution. The question to be answered is whether or not his desperation is causing him to accuse an innocent man. After all, Rosenzweig immigrated to America in 1947 along with other displaced persons. He has a tattoo on his arm from his time spent in Auschwitz. He has given millions of dollars to Jewish charities. It can’t all be a ruse, can it?
This novel is designed to strike an emotional chord with the reader, as are most books that take place during WWII. While Ben Solomon is recounting his story to the ever impatient attorney Catherine Lockard he repeatedly tells her not to rush him because the details of his life story are critical. This emotional investment is as much for Catherine as it is for the reader. Balson pulls the reader so deeply into Ben’s story that it is easy to overlook the plot holes and lack of development for so many of the supporting characters. There are questions that are not fully addressed but readers are not likely to be concerned because Ben’s story is so emotional. There are characters that deserved more depth or at least finality to their part of the story. What happened to Piatek’s parents? Elzbieta, for being such an integral part of Ben’s story and his life in Poland, deserved more attention. As a reader, I wanted desperately to know more about this young woman who risked so much to help her friends.
Ben wants justice for the terror, pain, heartache and sheer suffering that he endured during the events in Eastern Europe from 1941-1945. He is desperate for a final resolution. The question to be answered is whether or not his desperation is causing him to accuse an innocent man. After all, Rosenzweig immigrated to America in 1947 along with other displaced persons. He has a tattoo on his arm from his time spent in Auschwitz. He has given millions of dollars to Jewish charities. It can’t all be a ruse, can it?