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A review by emilinkaa
The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
TRIGGER WARNING: Holocaust, graphic violence, infanticide.
Ana and Esther are two Polish women, one Jewish and one in the Resistance, who both end up in Auschwitz. And when it comes to light that they're both midwives, they're put to work helping the women of the camp give birth. But the children aren't given the chance to live, ripped from their mothers to be given to German parents if they look Aryan enough, or killed by the SS. Still, Ana and Esther work as hard as they can to save the children and their mothers.
This book wrecked me. Based on the true story of a midwife at Auschwitz, it made my heart ache, and I kept hoping for a happily ever after for everyone involved. But this wasn't a love story, and I don't want to say much more without giving spoilers, but I found this to be a very well written, very well researched, historical novel. I studied WW2 in college, and have been to Auschwitz, and can say that the author's descriptions of many of the places in Poland, and at Auschwitz, line up with what I have seen myself. 5/5 stars. Bring the tissues.
I was provided an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks to the publisher and the author for providing it to me.
Ana and Esther are two Polish women, one Jewish and one in the Resistance, who both end up in Auschwitz. And when it comes to light that they're both midwives, they're put to work helping the women of the camp give birth. But the children aren't given the chance to live, ripped from their mothers to be given to German parents if they look Aryan enough, or killed by the SS. Still, Ana and Esther work as hard as they can to save the children and their mothers.
This book wrecked me. Based on the true story of a midwife at Auschwitz, it made my heart ache, and I kept hoping for a happily ever after for everyone involved. But this wasn't a love story, and I don't want to say much more without giving spoilers, but I found this to be a very well written, very well researched, historical novel. I studied WW2 in college, and have been to Auschwitz, and can say that the author's descriptions of many of the places in Poland, and at Auschwitz, line up with what I have seen myself. 5/5 stars. Bring the tissues.
I was provided an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks to the publisher and the author for providing it to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Murder, and War