Book Review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

I'm glad my library had this book on the recent acquisitions shelf. I'm not always in the mood for yet another World War II story, but can never turn down a promising audio book. Thankfully, this summer most of my walk time on the treadmill takes place before my boys are up and around (the book had a fair amount of language and some sex, though not graphically portrayed). It was difficult to listen to because of the conditions in those notorious death camps, but, as with most war stories detailing atrocities, redemption and hope shone through.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based upon the true story of a Slovakian Jew sent to Auschwitz and assigned the job of tattooing numbers on incoming prisoners. Yet, even amid great despair and horrendous terror, a love story emerges. Lale Sokolov falls for Gita the minute he lays eyes on her. Hope for a life together keeps both Lale and Gita from giving into despair.

This book immediately pulls the reader into the atmosphere of the concentration camps. The love story emerges with passion and intensity. The characters are endearing and the pacing consistent. I was a bit skeptical that Lale managed his subversive activities for so long without confrontation and then resumed similar activities after escaping punishment. Moreover, at times it felt like the author pushed the love story to a higher plane than the survival story. Although the prologue seemed to merely rattle off the details of the aftermath of their story (I would have preferred a slower, more leisurely pace), the main part of the story is full of conflict and driving interest. It might be yet another Holocaust story, but it definitely merits exposure. So many endured conditions that might overwhelm comfortable Americans today and their stories remind us of the power of love and the hope of a future.