A beautifully written, heartbreaking story of some of the people at Auschwitz.and their resilience and strength. Also a story of friendship, family,and love. A young woman who finds love and becomes pregnant while being held there.  I was so drawn into the power of love. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

The title alone of Lily Graham's new book suggests it will be a difficult yet important read. Her last few books have seen a vast shift in direction, especially when you think back to her first two or three books, but it is a very welcome one as I think Lily Graham is really settling into the historical fiction genre and the stories she is telling are brilliantly written and deeply engrossing. The Child of Auschwitz has a very powerful opening line that will have you immediately sitting up and taking attention. 'I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.' Straight away you are questioning who is speaking and why is their existence forbidden? All will become clear over time as you delve deeper into a fascinating story. One of untold horrors, cruelty, deprivation, starvation and torture.

I was glad that the author did not shy away from the harsh realities of what went on in one of the most horrific places ever to have existed in this world. If you are going to write a book with such a devastating subject at its centre that happened not all that long ago, you are better to not spare the details or sugar coat things but be true to yourself and your readers by explaining and detailing everything the way it was. Thankfully, Lily Graham did this and in turn she has written an informative, tense, absorbing and haunting read.

In present day Prague, an old woman sits down to write her story. She is determined that what happened many years ago will not be forgotten once she is gone so whatever it takes she will get everything written down on paper for as she says herself, 'Life doesn't wait until we are ready. More often than not, it throws us into the deep end and asks us to swim. Ready or not.' This story highlights this statement and its how the main character Eva deals with what life has thrown at her that is truly remarkable.

There is no long lead up to the main events of this story, instead in the first chapter we are taken to where the majority of the novel is set. Auschwitz, Birkenau December 1942 and Eva Adami along with her friend Sofie, and several other women she has come to know in her hut, are living in one of the worst places on earth. Not by choice of course, rather due to the actions of an evil, insane man who thinks the Jewish population should be eradicated. All traces of humanity have been stripped from once proud people. They have been reduced to shreds of their former selves in more ways than one. Every minute of every hour of every day is a struggle to survive what is being inflicted upon them. Only the strongest will survive and out of the hundreds of thousands sent to this concentration camp where such cruelty unfolded only several thousand made it to the end to emerge to freedom. Although their state of mind and their physical state would never ever be the same again, how could it be given all they had witnessed and endured?

Eva is an incredible character whom you will quickly come to admire for the strength she garners in the toughest of times. She not only forces herself to keep going but those around her she gives care, support and comfort to when they feel they can no longer keep struggling on. Existing on the most meagre of rations and being made to stand outside for roll call for hours upon on end not to mention the forced labour they had to partake in were just some of the many things the Germans enforced innocent people who did not deserve this treatment. What sets Eva apart from the rest is that she volunteered to take the train to the camp. Her family had been forced to live crammed into a ghetto – Terezin - and when the Germans were once again rounding up people Eva stepped forward to go. Without question, such madness to go but there is something driving Eva on and it is this force that forms her strength and backbone. It is the love for her husband Michal.

Michal had been sent away months ago and she hopes to reunite with him. What follows is a desperate search throughout the camp where danger and suspicion lurk around every corner. Putting one step out of place could result in instant death but Eva's passion and devotion for Michal remain unwavering and she will do anything to find out news of the man she loves so much and wants once again back by her side. We come to understand through a series of recollections between chapters as to how Eva and Michal met and how important they became to one another. An insight was also given into her family's life pre-war and how a close relative taught Eva many things which she is now putting into practice in the camps.

I loved the chapters told from Eva's point of view before her and so many others worlds were turned upside down. It offered some light relief and highlighted happier times which were in stark contrast to the dark and soul destroying days in the camp. Camp life existed on a currency of favours where the smallest thing could make the biggest difference and Eva was well able to play this game. She used her ingenuity, her bravery and knowledge to seek out information. But would she able to discover anything and if she did would she be pleased with what she heard? Would she be strong enough to survive the camp considering starvation and illness were the greatest enemies not to mention the destruction and barbarous actions carried out by the guards? One thing is for sure you will be rooting for Eva all the way with a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes.

As for Sofie, she too had a mission in volunteering for transportation to the camp. Instead of a husband it was the love of her missing son Tomas that drove her on. He was taken from her and supposedly kept safe yet she knows nothing as to his whereabouts or whether he is still alive. She wants answers and as she seeks someone she has on her mind who may well give them to her, she too will not rest until she is reunited with her son. Sofie as opposed to Eva was slightly more tougher in her approach to getting what she wanted. The fact that she had no qualms about establishing a friendship/connection with one of the guards demonstrated how she was prepared to go to any lengths for her child. At times I found some of Sofie's actions uncomfortable. Yes the entire nature of the book and the details of what I was reading was uncomfortable and horrendous but Sofie's took things to a new level and I wondered would things turn out worse rather than better for her.

I found The Child of Auschwitz to be a quick read. The chapters weren't unnecessarily long and before I knew it I was nearing the end of the book. The themes of hope and survival came across very well throughout and there was so much raw emotion and tension apparent at every turn of the page. It was evident such detailed research had been undertaken into the conditions at the camp, the daily routines and also the punishments and torture that existed that I did gain a really deep understanding of what so many experienced. But resilience, determination and self belief were all key traits that Eva possessed and I wondered whether they would be enough to see her through to the end or perhaps there would a lot in store for her before the final page was reached.

The last quarter or so of the story really picked up the pace and there were many surprising twists, turns and revelations and it made for an absorbing read. Despite the harsh nature of the subject matter this is a book that fans of the genre will love, even if that does seem like the wrong sort of word to be using. Yes it a heartbreaking story of darkness but yet there is light and hope amidst those times.

This book quite honestly blew me away.
This was my first time reading a book by this author but also my very first time reading a fiction book on Auschwitz and the concentration cramps.
Having visited Auschwitz-Birkenau on a trip to Poland some time ago and the profound effect it had on me whilst learning about the horrors inflicted on Jewish people during World War two, I couldn't ever bring myself to read anything fiction relating to such a barbaric time in history.
Lily Graham's book has changed that for me....
Her story is a beautiful, heartbreaking story about a woman Eva Adami who puts herself forward to go to Auschwitz in the hope of finding her love and husband Michal who has been taken there previously, little realising the awful atrocities going on in the camp.
She meets a friend in Sofie who is also in the camp hoping to find out from her cousin about her son Tomas and where she left him before she was captured....
A beautiful friendship between the two woman ensues and it is this friendship that will get them through their darkest days in the camp....
Eva by some miracle, gets the chance to meet her husband Michal again for some time through the help of another campmate before he is taken away to another camp.
Upon learning of her pregnancy, Eva knows she must conceal it from the Nazi soldiers if she and her baby are to survive the concentration camp.
One wonders how this would have even been possible as prisioners were watched all the time in the camp.
We do get a glimpse of a special time in Eva's life before the concentration camps where she meets her husband for the first time and we watch how their love grows....
For me, this is such an amazing and poignant read..
While it shows us the horrors inflicted on a daily basis and the inhumane treatment of the Jewish people, it also portrays friendship, strength and resilience in a time where you would least expect it....
This story is based on the life of Vera Bein who gave birth to a daughter in December 1944 in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Well done Lily, a story very well portrayed.

A fascinating look at the human spirit in the face of pure evil, this book had me running the gamut of emotions. Eva was an inspiration with her ability to find hopefulness even in the darkest and direst of situations, and there were significant sacrifices that were made by friends and family alike. There were gut-wrenching scenes and references that illustrated the sheer brutality of the Nazis. These may be difficult for some people to get through, but they are true to what we now know occurred. It was very well-written, and I recommend it. For a detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

I don't know, you guys, it seems like everyone is really enamored with this one, but I'm not as excited about it. I feel I’ve been in a book slump for something like a year and a half now, to my great frustration. There have been gems, precious and rare, but never something to snap me out of it. If anything, they only sent me deeper into that slump, and with the added edge of, “Well great, now there’s nothing that can measure up to THAT.” So I’m trying a new approach. 

This is the fourth book in my new Slay the Slump (possibly Sleigh the Slump as the holiday season cometh hence) project of sorts, the fourth one I’ve forced myself to finish. But really, I don’t want that to be what people take away from this review, that this is the sort of book you would have to force yourself to finish. It’s not that at all. I’ve been returning to the familiar. Tentatively diving into books of mythology and fantasy because those are things I enjoyed when I still loved to read. I’m a bit of a history enthusiast, I’ve read many Holocaust narratives, lots of nonfiction on the Second World War, and of course, plenty of WWII fiction. Naturally, I’m going to hone in on those sorts of books in my quest to Slay the Slump. So I ended up here, enticed by the many optimistic reviews, and really I feel...underwhelmed. Though honestly, I want to say it’s probably more The Slump than the author or her book. This one just didn’t speak to me like others in the genre have in the past.

Comparison truly is the thief of joy.

This was, for me, neither a bad nor a great book. It’s well written enough, captivating enough, but ultimately it’s just another title in the Holocaust fiction market. I feel like other stories have explored similar themes in ways that resonated more strongly for me. It’s not a bad book, it’s just not leaving me reeling. Still, I’ve never read a work on the Holocaust that didn’t simultaneously captivate me and break my heart, and in that regard, The Child of Auschwitz is no exception.

It is well-documented that there were babies born in the Nazi camps, Auschwitz and otherwise. It isn’t the first time this has been examined through fiction—<i>The Shawl</i>, <i>The Boy in the Striped Pajamas</i>, <i>Anna and the Swallow Man</i>, etc.—but then, this story wasn’t really about the children, so much as it was about the mothers, Eva and Sofia. Graham has written some likable, interesting characters in these two, and that’s what probably kept me reading more than my own stubborn will to avoid adding to my DNF shelf right now. This story focused on the fierce friendship between the two main women, Eva and Sofie, their love for each other, and for their children. I found myself quite charmed by them, by their determination and their hope. They were enduring and endearing, and at times so terrifyingly reckless.

Graham also excels at driving home the idea of humanity in Auschwitz, and in the struggle to maintain your humanity under conditions designed to make you more abstract, more animal or beast or thing than human. It's a theme I don't really tire of in these sorts of books. I greatly admire resilience, and I found myself warming towards these characters of great strength. 

<blockquote><i>She didn’t know sometimes if it was better to let their old lives go or not, but it helped to remember them anyway, to be more than the animals they tried to reduce them to.</i></blockquote>

In a place like Auschwitz that is inherently inhumane, dehumanizing, a place where you're given a number making you more of a piece than you are a person and the very act of being human, of surviving and maintaining your humanity, the sheer bravery, the defiance of daring to be human there. I loved that Eva collected photographs to preserve that.

<blockquote><i>She wouldn’t forget that they were human. That they were people once, who had lived lives full of joy and heartbreak. They had had jobs, and mortgages and homes filled with families and food and love. he wouldn’t forget, either, that she had been a person once, too, with a life, a future, a family, and a home, like them.</i></blockquote>

That said, I can't really whether or not I can attribute that to Graham or to the circumstances. Graham isn't a bad writer, but as far as the parts of her characters that I loved, I know I can find that in most works of Holocaust fiction. Resilience is not hard to find in Holocaust fiction when you're seeking it, as I often am. She does write some delightful minor characters though. Her Uncle Bedrich and Michal immediately come to mind.

<blockquote><i>Tell me again, about the river, about the sun. About the day you met Michal.</i></blockquote>

Yes, <i>please</i> tell me more of these things. I adored the brightness of the moments she would tell their story, loved the sweetness of them. Such a small thing, this romantic subplot, but I am such a sucker for a cute, wholesome romantic subplot. They were just really sweet kids thrown into such horrible circumstances, but I could feel how intensely the women listening to their story needed it. Michal and Eva were both so endearing in their love for one another. Similarly, the small, familial moments with Sofie. I adored Sofie throughout.

The ending was kind of predictable. I had an idea pretty early on who would make it to the end and who wouldn't, and that's fine. This build was appropriate and the ending nothing really shocking, but the book didn't need the shock factor to sum things up nicely. 

Solid 3/5 stars. A nice read all around but I doubt I'll pick it up again. I'm not sure I'd recommend it over others in the genre, pick it out amongst the myriad of excellent titles, but if someone asked me about it specifically I wouldn't discourage them from picking it up.
 
Thank you muchly to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free ARC of <i>The Child of Auschwitz</i> in exchange for an honest review!

This was a beautifully written piece of historical fiction that focused on the heartbreak of life in Auschwitz and of the life of the child born to Eva there.  I was so emotionally involved in this book that I read it in one sitting and have already recommended it to several people!

How do you write a review for a book where you know pretty much what it is all about from the title? How do you write a review for a book about one of the most horrendous periods of history? 

I approach this with such trepidation. 

Eva boarded a train to Auschwitz she is looking for her husband of only six months. She wants to find him and she is going to hell on earth to do so. But is he there?

Sofie befriends Eva as they share a bed, what food they can get and the knowledge that they are goign through the same, shaved heads, back breaking labour and ultimately fear of death. 

As Eva dreams of her husband, Sofie dreams of being reunited with her son. 

As the days go on, Sofie sees an opportunity to bring happiness to Eva, but at what cost?

When Eva's dreams come true the worse is still yet to come. Pregnant, Eva and Sofie now need to protect more than just themselves. 

Will anyone survive the heartbreak of separation from the ones that they love? 

This is an incredibly moving, researched, story that had me gasping in shock and with tears streaming down my face. The strength that these women went to, to survive makes our moans and groans of today's world pale into comparison. 

It is a fascinating read and brought such horror to life and I think a lot of people need to know what human beings are capable of, both good and evil. 

This has to be Lily Graham's best novel to date, the others were excellent but this seems to go above and beyond that. 

A book worthy of your time to read.

It feels wrong to say that this was a book I enjoyed – the setting and subject matter do rather demand that it shouldn’t be something you “enjoy”. Some may even feel that Auschwitz isn’t an appropriate backdrop for a work of fiction – and I might just veer towards agreeing with that. But I did think the author handled her difficult subject matter exceptionally well, with a well-judged balance between the horrifying environment and the many acts of unimaginable cruelty, the friendship between Sofie and Eva with its moments of selflessness, and the moving love story that extends both before and after the confines of the camp. Inspired by a number of real people and events, the environment and the primary characters had the feel of authenticity, the detail showing that the author had clearly researched her subject in some depth.

But this is a novel, not a memoir – and the author certainly demonstrates that she is an excellent story-teller. I really liked the relationship between the two girls, the use of dual-time narrative to flesh out the back story (that also provided some respite from the horror), and the way the more emotional or harrowing moments were written in a low key way that made them all the more powerful. My only minor criticism might be the slightly too tidy ending – but this is a work of fiction after all, and with that thought in mind I think it really worked, a welcome hint of hope and light after all the darkness.

A compelling read, a story of endurance and survival, both heart-breaking and uplifting, and beautifully written. I’ll be looking out for more books from Lily Graham.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

WWII. Hitler declares it a crime to be Jewish. Eva is separated from her family and her most beloved husband, Michal. Alone and terrified but filled with hope of finding him, Eva endures the horrific transport to Auschwitz. 

When Eva arrives, she believes she has truly stepped into hell. Cruel German soldiers, barbed wire, mud and filth, and thousands of women. Prisoners: emaciated, starving, freezing, fending off death. Thrown together in barren cage-like barracks, Eva finds a best friend in Sofie, and a sisterhood in the other women she shares her bunk with.

Eva and Sofie fiercely defend and protect each other. Eva, refusing to give up her hope in reuniting with her Michal, and Sofie, desperate to find the woman who betrayed her so she can find out where her young son Tomas is. The two friends promise to take care of one another, and their families, whatever the uncertain future holds.

Sofie unwillingly catches the eye of a young German guard, while Eva becomes the target of a bullying German soldier. Sent to work in the gruelling labour camp, Eva on the brink of starvation and desperation, discovers she is pregnant. Determined to survive, Eva vows to protect her precious baby with her life. Sofie knows Eva needs her more than ever and goes to any length to help her friend. Both women face ultimate sacrifices.

As difficult as it is to read about Auschwitz, the inhumanity and atrocities of the concentration camp are vividly and heart-wrenchingly brought to life by Lily Graham’s most perceptive, sensitive, gifted hand. 

This emotionally gripping, heart-breaking story is one of pure, instinctual survival. 

It is a story of fierce friendships, unbreakable spirits, and the most powerful love possible. 

In the terror of a world fallen into darkness, these courageous women found the smallest cracks where the light found its way in and stepped bravely into it with their lives. 

I was spellbound by this captivating, emotionally riveting read. My breath caught and tears flowed for these fictional heroes. I could not put it down until I read every last exquisite word. 

Highly recommend The Child of Auschwitz as a must-read. 


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the read of Lily Graham’s, The Child of Auschwitz.

Opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

I have read, reviewed and loved a few of Lily's books now.  When I read the synopsis for 'The Child Of Auschwitz', I knew that I would be in for a sometimes difficult and emotive read.  I will explain what I mean about difficult in a bit.  I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed a copy of the book and settled down to read the book.  My first thought on finishing the book was simply 'wow'.  I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Child Of Auschwitz' but more about that in a bit.
I took to Eva Adami from the first moment I met her.  She is a feisty and determined young lady who has ended up in Auschwitz.  She asked to be sent there because her husband was sent there and she thought that if she was sent there she might be able to find her husband, who was sent there previously.  Even though the Nazis put her through hell- firstly in the ghetto and secondly in Auschwitz- Eva still maintained a degree of hope and optimism, although this is tested when she realises just how bad the camp was and that she would likely not find her husband or son.  Eva learnt to do what she could to survive even if that meant doing something she wasn't entirely comfortable with.  Eva gets on well with the other women in the block, which is just as well since there are so many individuals within the one block.  She makes friends with one of her bunk mates, Sofie.  Sofie has a son, who has been placed in an orphanage in Austria and Sofie is desperate to be reunited with him.  Both women agree that if the worst happens and one of them dies, the surviving lady will do what they can to protect the other woman's children.  Eva discovers that she is pregnant, which scares her because she fears for the welfare of her unborn child and she fears that she will be killed sooner rather than later.  What follows is a heart rending and emotional story of one woman's fight to survive.
'The Child Of Auschwitz' appealed to me from the moment I read the title and saw the cover, never mind from when I read the synopsis or began to read the book itself.  As well as being a book geek, I am a huge history nerd with a particular focus on the twentieth century and the two world wars.  Whilst I was at 6th Form College and studying for my 'A-Level Modern History', our class went to Germany and Poland on a field trip.  As part of the trip we went to visit Auschwitz which proved to be very eye opening, sobering and emotional.  I was okay until I saw the display of children's clothes that was left when the camp was liberated and that was it,  I was in floods of tears.  We visited Auschwitz and Birkenau and learnt about the evil that the Nazis perpetrated.  Anyway enough of my burbling about my own experiences and back to the review I do go.
It didn't take me long to get into the story.  In fact by the end of the first page, I knew that I would find it extremely difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time.  I wasn't able to binge read the book over the course of a day because I found that I was becoming very emotional so I read the book in chunks before taking a break.  Reading 'The Child Of Auschwitz' took me a few days.  I finished reading the book far quicker than I had anticipated or expected.  I lost all track of time, whilst reading this book and I managed to shut out all other distractions whilst I had this book in my hand.
'The Child Of Auschwitz' is beautifully and sensitively written.  Lily has clearly done her research and this shines through in her writing.  She draws you into the story from the first word on the first page and she takes you on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride.  She writes so convincingly and realistically that had I shut my eyes, I could easily imagine that I had travelled back in time and I was at Auschwitz too.  I found that I had taken to the characters so well that I found myself feeling or going through every emotion that they felt.  There were several occasions where I found myself welling up or becoming increasingly angry about something in the story.
In short, Lily Graham has done it again and she has written one hell of an emotive story that is guaranteed to tug on even the toughest of heartstrings.  I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.  I will definitely be reading more of Lily's work in the future.  The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

What a heartbreakingly beautiful story! A story of love and hope and the ultimate sacrifice. 

I have read a lot of WW2 stories and they are all so special in there own way. We complain so quickly about little things in lives but then you look at what these people had to endure just to stay alive and you are thankful for what you have.

"I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.......Still, I came. Small , and half-starved, yet determined to be alive, on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history"

This book was inspired by true events and tells us the story of Eva Adami and her best friend Sofie and their survival in Birkenau, or Auschwitz II-Birkenau as it was officially known, the biggest of the camp facilities, which could hold more than 80,000 prisoners. It also tells the love story of Eva and her husband Michal and her determination to find him.

The story is beautifully written with so much compassion I could not put it down and finished it in 1 sitting. I found it a very emotional read and it had me tearing up in many places. 

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s a fact one cannot even fathom: babies were born in Auschwitz! How many actually survived the brutal, inhumane conditions of a death camp – a place where lives were intended to end, not begin – if they weren’t murdered immediately after birth, is literally a handful! The Child of Auschwitz is a historical novel; a fictionalised account of the life of Vera Bein who gave birth to a baby girl in 1944 while she was interned in the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp; a baby that survived, purely because she was unable to cry due to her underdeveloped lungs, a fact which actually saved her life.

Eva and Sofie leave the relative safety of the Terezin ghetto and find themselves on a cattle truck that is on its way to Auschwitz. Eva has discovered that her husband Michel, who she was only married to for 6 months before he was taken from her, was probably transported there, and she intends to find him. The shock at what they encounter upon their arrival at the death camp threatens to overtake them, but thankfully the strong friendship that Eva and Sofie share in this bleak place keeps them focussed on the reason they are there – to find the people they are looking for. Sofie is also there on a mission. She is looking for her cousin Lotte who took her young son Tomas from her. Sofie is desperate to find out where Lotte sent Tomas.

Eva and Sofie find themselves on the work shift in Kanada (considered to be one of the ‘better’ work assignments – they get to work inside, out of the freezing cold) – the building where all the possessions of new inmates are stored. Their task is to go through every single item to find any valuables that have been hidden in pockets or sewn into the linings of clothing. The Nazi’s obviously intended to collect jewellery, precious stones and items that they deemed ‘valuable’ and indeed, often these were found, but there were other items that meant nothing to the Nazi’s, but were of great value to their previous owners: photographs of loved ones, cherished momentoes of happier times – through sleight of hand, taught by her beloved uncle, Eva managed to stow many of these away and kept them, in the hope that she might reunite them with their owners. It was unimaginable that none of them would return to claim their lost treasures. And readers cannot help but be overcome, thinking of these piles of items, callously cast aside, while their owners all, almost certainly met their deaths upon arrival at Auschwitz. It’s a sobering thought.

But they still need to endure endless hours of ‘lineup’ every day, in every type of weather condition: freezing cold, pelting rain, while they are counted over and over again, seemingly for no reason other than to entertain their Nazi tormentors. The resilience of these two young women through the darkest time in mankind’s history is a beacon of hope and strength that they offer not only to each other, but also to the other women who share their dismal living conditions. Sofie is a born storyteller, and regales her fellow prisoners with stories of her childhood, how she and Michal met, their courtship and marriage. Sharing her own unique sense of spirit and optimism is often difficult but she knows if she stops then she will no longer be able to carry on surviving the hell that she has found herself in.

Ms Graham writes intensely but with sensitivity. Her research is extensive and incredibly well represented, with characters who are well-rounded and will undoubtedly illicit heartfelt responses from all readers. With so many books being written about the Holocaust, this one takes its own unique approach. Although it is poignant and heartbreaking, the author has chosen to focus on strength, faith and hope, rather than on darkness and despair. And ultimately it is also about the power of female friendship, a force that should never be discounted in its ability to help us face the worst evil that life throws at us.

This is a 5-star, highly recommended read.

I don’t need to tell anyone the horrific events that took place in Auschwitz and this story is no different.
Inspired by real events this read is heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one breath.
Told from two different very strong woman characters point of view, both are on a search for someone they loved and lost; one woman her husband who was taken to Auschwitz by the Germans and the other searching for her cousin who took her son when she was arrested at the border trying to flee.
The two quickly become best friends and vow to help each other as they both volunteer to head to Auschwitz on their search.
These two have an unbelievable bond and will to survive at any cost! And couldn’t have done it without each other’s help.
I really loved this story and the strength these woman had. I’m always amazed at people’s strong will to live and keep going in such dark times!

Could a baby be born in Auschwitz and survive? I know that babies were routinely killed at Auschwitz but I would never have imagined that one could be both born and survive. The Child of Auschwitz is the story of that miracle and is based on the life of Vera Bein who gave birth to a daughter in December of 1944 while in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

<i>I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.</i>

<i>The simple fact of me, had any of the authorities known, would have been enough to end my life before it had even begun. Still, I came. Small, and half-starved, yet determined to be alive, on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history.</i>

Lily Graham seamlessly interweaves the story of Eva Adami while in the camps and several years before being captured. While there are sections that explore the past, Eva also tells stories, including how she met her husband and their courtship, to a small group of other female prisoners to detract them from their hellish existence. We become acquainted with Eva’s family and learn how Eva met Michal, who becomes her husband. Eva voluntarily goes to Auschwitz from the Terezin Jewish ghetto in order to find her beloved Michal. Accompanying her is Sofie, her new friend who’s in search of her cousin who looked after her young son Tomas until  she was captured. She needs to find out from the cousin where she hid her son so she can find him after the war. We witness the exceedingly close and remarkable friendship between Eva and Sofie, both of whom are completely devoted to one another and will do whatever it takes to both protect and save each other. It is a beautiful friendship that seemingly knows no bounds.

Eva shows incredible strength and resilience and we really get to know her and Sofie. It is a moving and emotional story that will hold the reader until the final pages.It was truly miraculous that a baby could born to a mother who is starving and stick thin. It was also a godsend that the baby was unable to cry, due to the tiny size of her lungs, and so could live undetected by the Nazis. 

<i>I barely made a sound, my underdeveloped lungs unable to allow me to cry. It would make my life hard, a price I would pay for all my years, but it is why I survived.</i>

While the atrocities inflicted on fellow human beings are unimaginable and incomprehensible, this is also a story about hope, courage, a determination to survive, friendship and a Mother’s love for her child.  The Child of Auschwitz is beautifully written and the character development is very well done. The ending felt rushed to me but this did not deter from my overall positive reading experience.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I have read a few books about the horrors Jews experienced during the Nazi regime and this book was one of the best. I loved the fight the prisoners had and how they never gave up even when it seemed hopeless.

From the author of "The Paris Secret", comes an absolutely heartwrenching tale of unconditional love and the fight to live.

The story unfolds with this deeply moving and unsettling statement; 
"I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence".
And so we find ourselves in Auschwitz at the height of Concentration Camp productivity...following the horrific day to day survival of the women imprisoned there.

The archway into the Auschwitz Death Camp states; "Arbeit Mach Frei"- How can this be, wonders Eva Adami, we are worked and with little food, to near death... is death how work sets you free?

With Eva's humanity stripped away as she fights to just stay a step ahead of death, we are immersed first hand in this hell hole of hopelessness, where the little things mean that maybe you can make it through one more day; like a cup to hold your dinner broth instead of cupped hands.

One more fact about Eva Adami; she went to Auschwitz to be with her husband...

Inspired by true events. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Thank you to NetGalley, The publishers Bookouture and the author, Ms. Lily Graham for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy.

Eva and Sofie are two women who meet in Auschwitz, both desperately hoping to be reunited with loved ones.  They grow close and put their lives on the line for each other.  I enjoyed their loyal friendship and also loved reading the flashbacks of each of their lives before the war and leading up to their time in the Concentration Camp.  

This book told a story of the endurance of the human spirit under the most horrifying of conditions.  I’ve read many historical fiction novels set during WWII, and I find that while many authors do thorough research and tell a good story, not all of them are able to also write characters that ring true and allow me to connect with them emotionally.  Lily Graham was absolutely able to do that, and she handled the difficult subject matter with sensitivity, while not glossing over the horrors that we must not forget.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eva Adami had only been married for twelve months when they took her husband Michal away; sent him to the concentration camp at Terezin just north of Prague. When she and her parents followed a few months later, Eva was delighted to find Michal and although separated, she was able to see him frequently. But all too soon he was sent to Auschwitz – and Eva volunteered to be sent there; foolish or not, she needed to find Michal.

Not having had any idea what she was in for, Eva was shocked and horrified at what the Nazis were doing to her countrymen and women. Her friend Sofie, along with other women in the cold, dank barracks where they shivered and starved, kept Eva strong. They kept each other’s spirits up, but it was a difficult task. So many people died; were murdered or fell where they stood. Eva and Sofie were determined to survive this war; Sofie needed to find her son Tomas, Eva to find Michal. But when Michal was found, it wasn’t long before he was sent to another camp…

Would a pregnant Eva and a desperate Sofie survive the horrors of Auschwitz?

The Child of Auschwitz is my first by author Lily Graham, and I found it to be another beautifully written, well researched fictional account of the Holocaust and the dreadful atrocities which occurred during that horrific time in history. The story starts and ends in present day Prague; the bulk of the story centres around Eva and Sofie, characters I felt I knew. An excellent historical fiction novel which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.5 Stars

Eva Adami is in Prague. But then the story goes back to 1942. She survived a very long and grueling train ride, with the worst possible treatment imaginable, Eva is about to begin yet another tragic chapter in her life.

Eva is one of thousands of Jewish people being lined up for extermination. Dragged out of her home, her life, and the happiness she knew, her life will forever be changed. This story, and that last couple that I have read, have focused on what women suffered during that time. The Child of Auschwitz is one such story.

For readers of this genre, or about this time in history, there is no need to repeat the many horrors these women experienced. Another woman highlighted in this book is Sofie. The story goes back to her past life occasionally. We read of her falling in love, mothering a child, Tomas, then losing her husband and all contact with Tomas. Eva and Sofia become very close and offer a tremendous amount of support to one another during their horrific trials.

We meet other women who are forced to live together on the block. They did manage to become part of Kanada, a special camp, and thus were spared gassing. They had a lot of advantages, but were not spared much of the suffering and humiliation.

Before Eva was dragged off to the camps she met and married. Blessedly she finds her love again, and they even manage to create a life between them. Eva struggles to keep her child alive, all while Sofie hopes to see her son again. Both Eva and Sofie are forced to face even more brutal and tragic trials.

Despite the sadness... Despite the tragedy...This is a story of survival, of hope, of friendship, and of love. I cried more than once but I was left with a very full feeling in my heart at Eva's perseverance through it all. This was an amazing read, and as always, Lily Graham has done a stellar job.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Any book that is set against the background of the atrocities of Auschwitz is bound to be heartbreaking. This one is no exception and I found myself in tears at what they endured but also heartened slightly by the camaraderie. This is a book that will haunt you long after you finish it as the reader follows Eva's story. The only thing I found rather contrived was the ending where, as a reader, it felt improbable as the denouement was quite unexpected. In my head, I had imagined a different scenario so I was a little shocked. However, the story is beautifully told with horrors that we need to be reminded of. Very moving.