What a moving story. I really appreciated the change to review this, the first book was so memorable and the story of Cilka was too. What a journey.

I loved this book so much. It's gritty in its honesty and doesn't let the reader think there are any avenues that a human being won't consider for survival. It truly made me feel humble. I loved how it kept hope alive for me even as hope was dying all around.

I'm so glad I read it. We all have our battles to fight, though every journey is different. Here's to everyone's struggle and whether we win or lose isn't really that important. It's how we played the game.

To think not only being in one unimaginable place but two. Cilka’s Journey is gut wrenching.

This is the story of a brave young 16 year old Jewish girl who grew up too fast in Auschwitz concentration camp. A story of survival and guilt for doing so.

After the end of hell for many people, Cilka’s continued. She was sent to Gulag for sleeping (being raped) by upper officers while held prisoner. She preserved, was trained medically and continued to serve others.

The words are hard to read, the reality unimaginable. Heather Morris did this story great justice.

Such a heavy book. And recently I have had a harder and harder time reading such heavy books. Not only the topic but the emotional toll it takes while reading. This is why I am careful which Holocaust books I read. Had I know the actual story of this book, I probably would not have requested it. Just too much of an emotional toll that I don’t have the capacity for. Such trauma that happened to the people involved in the Holocaust, sadly on pretty much every side. So while I found the story intriguing, it was also disgusting. Parts made me nauseous, and while it should make any human feel l that way, it isn’t entertainment for me. You know.
I have read these books backwards, therefore I haven’t read “Tattooist” yet, and I’m not sure if i will.
Also. I think the controversy of the reality of this book and Cilka’s story is kind of ridiculous. It is clear in the author’s note that while it is based on true story and real people that she took liberties. That’s what historical fiction is. And I’m always surprised that people cannot separate the history from the fiction. Anytime I see “based on” a true story, I assume the majority of it is fictionalized. That’s just common sense.

I have friends who loved this book, but I had several issues with the writing and tone.

First, for me this book smacked to hard of the "not like other girls" trope, where Cilka is a supernaturally kind, beautiful soul who has not let her trauma change her, and every other woman in her same situation is a backstabbing harpy who has lost her humanity. She was just a little too good to be true, and I would have like a little more complexity to her.

Second, despite that traumatic and intense subject matter, the author writes in such a way that I make no emotional connection to the story. I'm a very empathetic reader and I could not connect to this book at all. Not sure I would read any more from this author.

A raw story set in WWII describing the horrors of the Nazis from a point of view I never anticipated. MUST READ.

I have had this book on my shelf for over a year both in paperback and ebook. I don’t know why I’ve put it off. Maybe I knew it wouldn’t be an easy breezy read. I decided I was picking it up as I wanted to take part in @netgalleynovember and this would be a great big #tickoffthetbr for me. I couldn’t put this book down. I found this a much easier book to read than the tattooist of Auschwitz. It was every bit as hard hitting and made me feel all the emotions but didn’t seem just as graphic when it came to the events that took place. Cilka was one very brave and courageous lady and did everything she possibly could to get by but most importantly to make a difference and help others. I felt like the whole way through this book I went from sad to filled with hope. This book really packed a punch for me and I’m glad I finally picked it up.

Great story. Love how it diverts a little from a typical WWII novel. I learned a lot that a tragedy that I had never even heard about - the Russian Gulag. I read this book in a day. It was so good. Kept my interest well. I did wish there was a little more descriptive language around the camp so I could get a better picture in my head. But aside from that the story was so well written.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars. Thought this one was ok but even after a long break of WWII books, I'm still burned out on the topic, I think. Cilka's ability to survive and improve her situation as well as those around her was impressive. Most of the other supporting characters didn't have much depth.

This book is one I hope to come back and read sometime but right now I am very deep into fantasy and romance and this is a book that is just not captivating me at the time.

5 stars*.
I'm outrageously late with this review. I had lost a number of the books in my netgalley queue when I got heavy handed requesting books and didn't realize I had a number of books languishing on a second page! This was one that I was so excited to read but thought I had lost the chance to review because it came out almost 2 years ago. I was so excited to see that it had not archived.

Heather Morris is a stunning writer. She has a way of writing emotional historical moments without the heavy-handedness that renders some books overly wraught or maudlin. The Tattooist of Auschwitz was a book that I could not stop thinking about. When I saw that she had written another book, this one the story of Lale's wife Gita, best friend Cilka's story....I was intrigued and knew I had to read it.

Cilka is so incredibly human-flawed, yet inspirational. One of the best books I've read in 2021.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the Digital Arc in exchange. for this honest review.

After reading Heather Morris’ book The Tattooist of Auschwitz I could wait to read more about the elusive Cilka. A beautifully heartbreaking novel about a little known part of WWII.

Thank your to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is my second book by this author. Her writing is just so easily readable even though the content itself is hard. This is another book about an amazing female during World War II. Clka’s fortitude and bravery is commendable, Books like this really make me think about what it would be like to be in that position and if I could do what they did to survive. I am grateful to be able to have read the story to tell others about it.

Absolutely heartbreaking. A stunning piece of work. Can't stop thinking about this book -absolutely loved each minute.

I really enjoyed this book. It did feel a little long at times.....but there were so many years to cover, and I'm not sure any of story could have been cut out and make it still feel complete. Cilka had QUITE the incredible journey.....I completely appreciate the time and research Heather Morris put into this book. I love reading about the years surrounding WWII and especially the role women played in the war and in the years after. Absolutely incredible. I'm looking forward to reading more from Heather Morris!

I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a great follow-up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz. My interest was kept throughout the entire novel and I am thankful for the opportunity to read and review Cilka's Journey. I look forward to reading more books by Heather Morris as the first two have been absolutely fantastic!

Cilka is just 16 when she is taken to Auschwitz and is noticed by the commandant for her beauty. She quickly learns that she can use this to her advantage for survival. At 18, when the war is over, instead of being freed, Cilka is charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to a Siberian prison camp. In Siberia, Cilka finds both similar and new challenges, but when she meets a kind female doctor who takes Cilka under her wing, it is there that she really begins to shine and care for the sick as well as those around her.

Yowza. This was a heartbreaking, gripping, wonderful story, and believe it or not, it was full of hope. Cilka had every reason to be down on herself, to give up and to just say, “I give up” but she was resilient as all get out. Anytime we think we have it bad, that our lives were disrupted for a little bit during a year of a pandemic, I highly encourage you to read stories like these for perspective. Yes, it is historical fiction, but humans have been through much worse and come out the better for it, and even maintained a positive attitude. This was very well done and the audio was absolutely amazing.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @Stmartinspress for the digital copy to review.

I thought there was no way Heather Morris could outdo herself after “The Tattooist if Auschwitz” but I loved this one just as much. I loved learning more about Cilka and her time at a labor camp. Her strength and resilience was amazing.

Cilka’s Journey is brutal, beautiful, full of despair and hope for better. We met Cilka in The Tattooist of Auschwitz and know some of the terrifying experiences she endured there. She was finally liberated at the end of the war only to be accused of collaborating with the enemy and of being a spy. Her time in Siberia where she was sentenced holds little better for her and the women she befriends. Yet somehow the desire to not just survive, but to thrive persists. Although it’s based on real people and events, this is a work of fiction—but my heart weeps that it has even a grain of truth. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a review.

This is an amazing, thought provoking book. The subject matter is horrible of course, but there is hope. It is slow moving in places, but a good take about an Auschwitz survivor. I found it compelling and loved the protagonist. She is strong and resiliant.