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272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 11, 2018
“Then teach me. I want the girl I marry to like me, to be happy with me.'
Lale's mother sat down, and he took a seat across from her. 'You must first learn to listen to her. Even if you are tired, never be too tired to listen to what she has to say. Learn what she likes, and more importantly, what she doesn't like. When you can, give her little treats - flowers, chocolates - women like these things."
“I know he is not perfect, but I also know he will always put me first”
"I don't know how much longer I can stand this."
"It can't last forever, my darling. Just hang in there, please hang in there. We'll have the rest of our lives together."
"But -"
"No buts. I promised you we'd leave this place and make a life together."
"You must be a cat because you sure have more lives than anyone else here."
"He must always be wary of this man whose soul is colder than his scalpel."
"Mengele is scanning slowly the silent rows making his way slowly towards the tattooist station. His hands trembled as Mengele approached. The bastard who has castrated him is only a few feet away. Mengele's deathly smirk never leaves his face."
"Do you think you could get some chocolates? one of them says her eyes bright."
“To save one is to save the world.”
“He drops to his knees and tries retching. He has nothing to bring up. The only fluid in his body is tears.”
Back in his room, Lale carefully places the precious flower beside his bed before falling into a dreamless sleep, but the next morning when he wakes, the petals from his flower have separated and lie curled up beside the black center. Death alone persists in this place.
"Save the one, save the world."
The story of Lale Sokolov is certainly one that needed to be told, to be remembered....his bravery....the risks...his determination to help others....to survive the horrors of Auschwitz....and, of course, how he found the love of his life.
The cattle train, the starvation, the crematoria and the evil Dr. Mengele; it's all here, but still, I did not feel the terror in the narration as compared to the many other holocaust novels I've read.
That being said, I'm glad I read this one and now know the existence of this amazing man who was THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ.
Memorable debut and work of historical fiction surrounding the lives of Ludwig Eisenberg (Sokolov) and Gisela Fuhrmannova.
Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the ARC (coming January, 2018) in exchange for an honest review.