Historical

The Midwife of Auschwitz

The Midwife of Auschwitz

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  • Create Date：2022-06-13 02:19:40
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Anna Stuart
  • ISBN：B09VF3BGWD
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Summary

Auschwitz， 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms， my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh。 And I prayed that one day this set of numbers， identical to her mother’s， would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…

Inspired by an incredible true story， this poignant novel tells of one woman’s fight for love， life and hope during a time of unimaginable darkness。

Ana Kaminski is pushed through the iron gates of Auschwitz beside her frightened young friend Ester Pasternak。 As they reach the front of the line， Ana steps forward and quietly declares herself a midwife – and Ester her assistant。 Their arms are tattooed and they’re ordered to the maternity hut。 Holding an innocent new-born baby， Ana knows the fate of so many are in her hands， and vows to do everything she can to save them。

When two guards in their chilling SS uniforms march in and snatch a blond-haired baby from its mother it’s almost too much for Ana to bear。 Consoling the distraught woman， Ana realises amidst the terrible heartache there is a glimmer of hope。 The guards are taking the healthiest babies and placing them with German families， so they will survive。 And there are whispers the war is nearly over… Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo little ones with their mother’s numbers， praying one day they might be reunited。

Then， early one morning， Ana notices the small bump under Ester’s thin striped clothing…

An absolutely heartbreaking and page-turning WW2 novel of one woman’s bravery and determination to bring life and hope into a broken world。 Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz，The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be gripped。

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Reviews

Stacey ，

I just read the Midwife of Auschwitz and here is my reviewAs Ana arrives at Auschwitz with her friend Ester， she informs the guards that she is a midwife and Ester assists her。 They are sent to the maternity hut… Ana knows that many of these women and babies won’t make it and sets to right the wrongs she is seeing。 Watching babies being snatched from the arms of their mothers， Ana knows they are going to German families so at least there's a glimmer of hope there but one day Ana notices that Es I just read the Midwife of Auschwitz and here is my reviewAs Ana arrives at Auschwitz with her friend Ester， she informs the guards that she is a midwife and Ester assists her。 They are sent to the maternity hut… Ana knows that many of these women and babies won’t make it and sets to right the wrongs she is seeing。 Watching babies being snatched from the arms of their mothers， Ana knows they are going to German families so at least there's a glimmer of hope there but one day Ana notices that Ester is beginning to show… This book tore me apart。 I went through a whole box of kleenex reading this one。 I could literally feel the despair and heartbreak coming off the book in waves。 I couldn’t imagine the fear and hatred thrown at these women simply for being Jewish。 The author did an excellent job with compiling the thorough research they did and telling the darker side of our history in such a way you feel like you were there。 Ana really is the best kind of heroine。 She had so little and gave so much， you really see the humanity that comes from her and how she conducts herself is inspiring。 I know WW2 is done a lot in literature but this one is full of originality and so beautifully written that you will smile through your salty tears。If you love the kind of historical fiction that will leave you emotionally wrecked… This is the one for you。 4。5 stars！ Let this wonderful story based on true events， take you out of this world。Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review 。。。more

Karen ，

Many people know that I love reading about WWI because I learn so much and The Midwife of Auschwitz is no exception。 The novel is inspired by a true story and takes us on an emotional ride from beginning to end。 Ana is a midwife who ends up in Auschwitz with her young friend Ester， a nurse。 They are saved from extermination because of their medical backgrounds; they helped many women and babies during their incarceration。 I was engrossed from the beginning。 Tissues were needed

Brandi ，

There is not an easy way to write a powerful story such as The Midwife of Auschwitz。 I had a pretty good idea of what I would be getting into by selecting this book。 I did not know how well Anna Stuart would tell this story。 Wow。 Knowing this is based on a true story made it all the more gripping and poignant。 The sheer emotional power contained in these pages does not even come close to representing the actual occurrences， but it increases awareness and makes sure the stories are never forgotte There is not an easy way to write a powerful story such as The Midwife of Auschwitz。 I had a pretty good idea of what I would be getting into by selecting this book。 I did not know how well Anna Stuart would tell this story。 Wow。 Knowing this is based on a true story made it all the more gripping and poignant。 The sheer emotional power contained in these pages does not even come close to representing the actual occurrences， but it increases awareness and makes sure the stories are never forgotten。 I needed tissues…lots of tissues for all my tears。 This is not a light read， but it is powerful， moving， and provides hope in the darkest circumstances。 It reminds us that there are good people who believe in fighting for what is right， right where they are planted。 I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own， freely given。 。。。more

Laurel ，

It does not seem to matter how many novels （or ones inspired by a true story） that I read set in Auschwitz， But I am always horrified by the atrocities and suffering endured by so many。 Whilst there were many such moments in this book， there were also glimmers of hope， faith and the strength of love which shone through。 Superbly narrated with good characters， this was a book worth reading。 4。5 stars

Julie ，

Love historical fiction。 I feel that I learn from every book。 Horrible events but they need to be learned from。 I had no idea that so many babies were born in concentration camps。Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

Carolyn ，

The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart is a novel of heartbreak and hope， based on a true story of courage in the face of evil。 Ana Kaminski is taken to Auschwitz where she declares that she is a midwife， and her friend Ester Pasternak is her assistant。 They are sent to work in the maternity area， where pregnant prisoners are sent to deliver。 Some of these babies are sent to Dr。 Josef Mengele for experiments， some a killed and some who meet the "Aryan" criteria are sent to be adopted by good Ge The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart is a novel of heartbreak and hope， based on a true story of courage in the face of evil。 Ana Kaminski is taken to Auschwitz where she declares that she is a midwife， and her friend Ester Pasternak is her assistant。 They are sent to work in the maternity area， where pregnant prisoners are sent to deliver。 Some of these babies are sent to Dr。 Josef Mengele for experiments， some a killed and some who meet the "Aryan" criteria are sent to be adopted by good German citizens。 When Ana realizes the war is coming close to an end， she has the idea to mark the babies with tattoos of their mother's numbers so after the war they can be matched to them。 Many babies are tattooed， giving hope that someday， someway， they might be reunited with their mothers。A heartbreaking， yet hopeful book， I highly recommend it！ Thank you to the author，Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more

Gail Herrmann ，

Wow！ Heartbreaking， inspirational， horrifying。 Crying and sometimes cheering for the Jewish and resistance people held in camps like Auschwitz。 Characters were so well developed and I hate to say it， but the atrocities so w ell written and researched。 This one is sticking in my thoughts long after I finished the last page。

Gail Herrmann ，

Wow！ Heartbreaking， inspirational， horrifying。 Crying and sometimes cheering for the Jewish and resistance people held in camps like Auschwitz。 Characters were so well developed and I hate to say it， but the atrocities so w ell written and researched。 This one is sticking in my thoughts long after I finished the last page。

Emma Shaw ，

Auschwitz， 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms， my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh。 And I prayed that one day this set of numbers， identical to her mother’s， would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…Heart-wrenching， harrowing， haunting and hopeful， The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story of love， strength and courage。 Based on an incredible true story， we follow two women as they fight to survive one of the darkest times in our history。 Opening t Auschwitz， 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms， my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh。 And I prayed that one day this set of numbers， identical to her mother’s， would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…Heart-wrenching， harrowing， haunting and hopeful， The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story of love， strength and courage。 Based on an incredible true story， we follow two women as they fight to survive one of the darkest times in our history。 Opening the day Germany invades Poland we follow Ester， a young Jewish girl， and Ana， a Catholic midwife， as their worlds are turned upside down and even Ester’s wedding day isn’t safe from the wrath of the Gestapo。 They are uprooted from their homes and later， in a cruel twist of fate， find themselves on the same transport to Auschwitz where they serve as midwives in a place where even the newest lives are far from sacred。 Anna Stuart is a skilled storyteller。 She takes us inside the hearts and minds of Ana and Ester， their sorrow， pain， terror and rage so palpable I was moved to tears。 Her evocative imagery makes the barbaric inhumanity of Auschwitz and the Ghetto feel so vivid that I could almost feel the lice crawling on my skin。 The Holocaust is a brutal， raw and heartbreaking subject， but Ms。 Stuart also writes with compassion， allowing us to also see the characters’ resilience， their acts of kindness， and how they held onto humanity whenever they could。 Ana and Ester are true heroines who are written so evocatively that I could feel everything they did。 Their sorrow， pain， terror and rage leaps from the pages and they teach us about bravery again and again as they stand up against evil， risking their lives in the process。 It is impossible not to be moved by the way some were so determined to bring hope to others even when everything around them seemed helpless。Powerful， poignant and moving， this remarkable story is one I’ll never forget。 While it isn’t an easy read， it is an incredibly important one that I highly recommend。 。。。more

Meagan ，

Synopsis: “Being a midwife was the one thing she truly knew and the one thing she would do until they were all， finally， liberated。” World War 2 finds midwife Ana Kaminski behind the gates of the Auschwitz-Birkenau and with her， her young assistant Ester Pasternak who she promised to look after as her own daughter， a noble and near impossible task。 But not nearly as difficult as saving babies born in this living hell。 Attempting to cling to any sliver of hope， Ana and Ester lean on each other an Synopsis: “Being a midwife was the one thing she truly knew and the one thing she would do until they were all， finally， liberated。” World War 2 finds midwife Ana Kaminski behind the gates of the Auschwitz-Birkenau and with her， her young assistant Ester Pasternak who she promised to look after as her own daughter， a noble and near impossible task。 But not nearly as difficult as saving babies born in this living hell。 Attempting to cling to any sliver of hope， Ana and Ester lean on each other and others in the camp in a desperate attempt to save lives and survive。 Analysis: It’s been a really long time since I stayed up late devouring a book， but it was well worth the sleep deprivation。 Written with heart-stirring emotion and excellent historical research， these characters and this story keep the pages quickly turning。 My heart broke for Ana and Ester over and over again through the tragic events of their story。 But the humanity， hope， and heroism displayed in these pages is so important for all of us to remember。 Inspired by real people and true events， this is a historical fiction you don’t want to miss！ PS - this was my first Anna Stuart book， but it definitely won’t be my last！⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 。。。more

Kathryn， The_naptime_reader ，

I have such conflicting feelings about this book， but overall it was just ok for me。 On the one hand I can appreciate how historical fiction can help us access events， and people， and time periods of the past， to help us wonder and understand。 In the case of the Holocaust， it was Lois Lowry’s book Number the Stars that helped me first access these events as a 4th grade。 However， now I find that more and more I think centering the voices of the survivors is more important than these fictionalized I have such conflicting feelings about this book， but overall it was just ok for me。 On the one hand I can appreciate how historical fiction can help us access events， and people， and time periods of the past， to help us wonder and understand。 In the case of the Holocaust， it was Lois Lowry’s book Number the Stars that helped me first access these events as a 4th grade。 However， now I find that more and more I think centering the voices of the survivors is more important than these fictionalized accounts。 Reading Wiesel’s Night， Irene Nèmirovsky’s Suite Francaise， Corrie TenBoom’s The Hiding Place， or Samuel Harris’s book Sammy， belong in the limelight。 While I can appreciate Stuart’s attempts to bring one person’s story to life （and every single story from this tragic event has value in being shared） ultimately it fell short of what I hoped for。 Reading these pages there was an emotional shallowness and detachment that was evident in the voice used by the narrator。 There was lots of telling us sad things， but the emotional depth was lacking。 I think Stuart has empathy for these events， but as someone who didn’t live through it， she was unable to really take me as a reader into the experience。 I think reading nonfiction accounts of the midwife would have a greater impact on readers than this fictionalized account。The moments that have made the greatest impact and understanding on me we’re going to the United States Holocaust Museum in 8th grade， going to what remains of the Dachau Concentration Camp when I was 21， and hearing Samuel Harris， a Holocaust survivor speak to a group of educators at 23。I do appreciate the opportunity that NetGalley and Bookoture gave me to read this book for my honest review。 。。。more

Benita ，

The midwife of Auschwitz is based on a true story。 It is about Ana Kaminski and Ester Pasternak， at the beginning being pushed into ‘ghettos’ and treated disrespectfully， and inhuman ways。 They eventually get taken to the Birkenau-Auschwitz camp and see the brutal ways people are treated there， and what they have to do to survive to hopefully see their family again。 Being a midwife， helping mothers in labor， then see the horror afterwards。 Another brutal but important book about WW2。 It was hard The midwife of Auschwitz is based on a true story。 It is about Ana Kaminski and Ester Pasternak， at the beginning being pushed into ‘ghettos’ and treated disrespectfully， and inhuman ways。 They eventually get taken to the Birkenau-Auschwitz camp and see the brutal ways people are treated there， and what they have to do to survive to hopefully see their family again。 Being a midwife， helping mothers in labor， then see the horror afterwards。 Another brutal but important book about WW2。 It was hard reading this book， and there were times it was a little too much so I had to pause it。 This book has a perspective I haven’t read about before， because what happened to the women who were pregnant？ I read about the horrible stuff happening with medical experiments， I just hadn’t read about the babies。 Because babies were born。 In a death camp。The book was an okay read， and I got more information about WW2 than I had before reading this。 It showed that the author had done their research。 The brutality felt so real with all the descriptive scenes written in this book。 So if you like to read history novels， a novel based on a true story， or about WW2， then this is the book for you。 Happy reading！♥️I got this hook for free from netgalley。com in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Gayle ，

What a compelling book！I admit that it took me a minute to get into this story， but once I did， it was only the obligations to tend to adulting matters that kept me from reading straight through。Ana Kaminski， a Catholic woman living in Łódź in central Poland， west of Warsaw。 Ana is a midwife and does her job with pride and perfection。Ester Pasternak， a Jewish woman， is a medical student， studying to be a midwife。 Ester meets Filip， and they fall in love and get married。 Ester carries a secret wi What a compelling book！I admit that it took me a minute to get into this story， but once I did， it was only the obligations to tend to adulting matters that kept me from reading straight through。Ana Kaminski， a Catholic woman living in Łódź in central Poland， west of Warsaw。 Ana is a midwife and does her job with pride and perfection。Ester Pasternak， a Jewish woman， is a medical student， studying to be a midwife。 Ester meets Filip， and they fall in love and get married。 Ester carries a secret with her to Auschwitz， one of which she isn't yet aware。Not long after this， the Nazis invade Łódź and enclose our main characters in a ghetto there。 Soon， Ester and Ana are shipped to the concentration camp at Auschwitz。 Filip is shipped to the work camp at Chelmno， in northern Poland。The story follows Ana and Ester and the women they meet， both horrible women and good women， at Auschwitz。 There is so much more to this story， but my inability to put it all into words keeps me from fairly describing this book in terms it deserves。 This would be a remarkable fictional story about Ana on it's own and from the imagination of the author， but it is based on the true story of Stanislawa Leszczyńska， a midwife whose dedication and bravery in the face of unspeakable horror and brutality has been cause to try and have Leszczyńska declared a saint by the Catholic Church because of her selflessness in the face of such odds。 I find it difficult to let go of this story。 It will stay with me as few other stories have。 。。。more

Jenni Reichen ，

This book was both heartbreaking and riveting。 Each time I read a WWII book， I am put in a different experience by the author and I learn new things about the war and the horrific atrocities the Nazis put people through。 This story was told from the view of two women， Ana - a Catholic， and Ester - a Jew。 Both women enter Auschwitz-Birkenau together and are thrown into a world of filth， disease， death and despair。 As self-declared midwives， they do everything in their power to help pregnant women This book was both heartbreaking and riveting。 Each time I read a WWII book， I am put in a different experience by the author and I learn new things about the war and the horrific atrocities the Nazis put people through。 This story was told from the view of two women， Ana - a Catholic， and Ester - a Jew。 Both women enter Auschwitz-Birkenau together and are thrown into a world of filth， disease， death and despair。 As self-declared midwives， they do everything in their power to help pregnant women survive， even as their babies are stolen days after birth to be given to German families。 Through everything they faced， Ana and Ester refused to give up， proving that no amount of evil can kill hope。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback。 。。。more

Books ，

The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story based on a true story。 Ana， a catholic midwife， continues to help the women of Poland though it is against the law。 Ana is sent to Auschwitz and continues help in the most horrendous of situations。 Anna Stuart has done a wonderful job with telling the story and her research is very evident。 I would definitely recommend this book。Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for allowing me to read the eARC of this book。 All opinions expressed above are my own。

Bethany ，

The Midwife of Auschwitz was an enthralling book that kept my rapt attention for the 24 hours that it took me to read it。 It broke my heart to realize all over again that the events in this book happened to real people， and that people could be so heartless。 But， some of the characters in the story also gave me hope for the kindness and resilience of human hearts。 Ana Kaminski， a midwife， meets a young Jewish woman named Ester Pasternak。 At that time， she has no idea how their paths will intertw The Midwife of Auschwitz was an enthralling book that kept my rapt attention for the 24 hours that it took me to read it。 It broke my heart to realize all over again that the events in this book happened to real people， and that people could be so heartless。 But， some of the characters in the story also gave me hope for the kindness and resilience of human hearts。 Ana Kaminski， a midwife， meets a young Jewish woman named Ester Pasternak。 At that time， she has no idea how their paths will intertwine for the rest of their lives。 Both struggle to survive and save their families in a world that is crashing around them because of Nazi Germany。 Eventually， they both end up in the hell called Auschwitz。 Ana reveals that she is a midwife， and claims Ester as her assistant。 The two of them begin working to try to preserve life in a place where death knocks daily。 They keep overcoming the odds， but then Ester realizes that she is pregnant。 What future awaits these courageous women？ Will they ever see their loved ones again？ I loved to see the camaraderie between the women imprisoned at Auschwitz， and how they held each other up through impossible conditions。 I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book， but make sure you schedule time to read it， because you will not want to put it down！ 。。。more

Megan ，

This is a book for the lovers of Tattooist of Auschwitz， and other Holocaust WWII novels。 The Midwife of Auschwitz is a novel based on an incredible true story。 Ana Kaminski and her family are polish living in Łódź， Poland。 Ester Pasternak is a young woman newly married to Filip living with her parents and sister。 As the German's infiltrate the town， the Jewish are rounded up and moved into the 'Ghetto' where multiple families are crammed into homes。 Ester realises the lack of Midwives in the Gh This is a book for the lovers of Tattooist of Auschwitz， and other Holocaust WWII novels。 The Midwife of Auschwitz is a novel based on an incredible true story。 Ana Kaminski and her family are polish living in Łódź， Poland。 Ester Pasternak is a young woman newly married to Filip living with her parents and sister。 As the German's infiltrate the town， the Jewish are rounded up and moved into the 'Ghetto' where multiple families are crammed into homes。 Ester realises the lack of Midwives in the Ghetto and approaches Ana on the outside to provide her with supplies and knowledge。 There is hope as people start to resist and plans are made of escape。 In 1943， the inevitable happens， and Ana and Ester arrive in Auschwitz。 Throughout their time at Auschwitz， they bravely birth thousands of babies into the darkest part of the world。 With great courage， they tattoo the babies with the number of their mother's in the hope to be reunited in future。 Will there be a future？ This would never be an easy read given the truly horrific and dark times in Auschwitz， but they are important。 It is important to understand the events of history along with the heartbreak， courage， hope and the power of love。 The strength it would have taken to survive such times in unimaginable， let alone using the time to help others。 Thank you to Anna Stuart and Netgallery for providing me with a copy for a review。 A full 5 stars from me！ 。。。more

Jenni Reichen ，

This book was both heartbreaking and riveting。 Each time I read a WWII book， I am put in a different experience by the author and I learn new things about the war and the horrific atrocities the Nazis put people through。 This story was told from the view of two women， Ana - a Catholic， and Ester - a Jew。 Both women enter Auschwitz-Birkenau together and are thrown into a world of filth， disease， death and despair。 As self-declared midwives， they do everything in their power to help pregnant women This book was both heartbreaking and riveting。 Each time I read a WWII book， I am put in a different experience by the author and I learn new things about the war and the horrific atrocities the Nazis put people through。 This story was told from the view of two women， Ana - a Catholic， and Ester - a Jew。 Both women enter Auschwitz-Birkenau together and are thrown into a world of filth， disease， death and despair。 As self-declared midwives， they do everything in their power to help pregnant women survive， even as their babies are stolen days after birth to be given to German families。 Through everything they faced， Ana and Ester refused to give up， proving that no amount of evil can kill hope。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback。 。。。more

Leanne ，

This is the most beautiful historical fiction story I have ever read。 Amazing I loved it from the start to the finish。 Although I went through a few tissues。

Adrianna Lamm ，

This is based on the real life of a Polish Catholic woman who was sent to Auschwitz when it was discovered her and her family are where members of the resistance。 In this fictional account the main characters are Ana and Ester。 The unique viewpoint of midwives during the holocaust plus the religious differences between Ana and Ester make this a captivating tale that has not been really captured before。it is well written and will have you hooked the from start。

Emma Shaw ，

Auschwitz， 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms， my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh。 And I prayed that one day this set of numbers， identical to her mother’s， would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…”Heart-wrenching， harrowing， haunting and hopeful， The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story of love， strength and courage。 Based on an incredible true story， we follow two women as they fight to survive one of the darkest times in our history。 Opening Auschwitz， 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms， my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh。 And I prayed that one day this set of numbers， identical to her mother’s， would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…”Heart-wrenching， harrowing， haunting and hopeful， The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story of love， strength and courage。 Based on an incredible true story， we follow two women as they fight to survive one of the darkest times in our history。 Opening the day Germany invades Poland we follow Ester， a young Jewish girl， and Ana， a Catholic midwife， as their worlds are turned upside down and even Ester’s wedding day isn’t safe from the wrath of the Gestapo。 They are uprooted from their homes and later， in a cruel twist of fate， find themselves on the same transport to Auschwitz where they serve as midwives in a place where even the newest lives are far from sacred。 "The invaders had taken their city and now they were going to divide its people。 Some fool man had decided that the baby Ana had brought into the world eighteen years ago， naked and innocent， was in some way less valuable than any other and was out to eliminate her and her kin from the earth。 This was surely not just war， but the end of civilisation。 "Anna Stuart is a skilled storyteller。 She takes us inside the hearts and minds of Ana and Ester， their sorrow， pain， terror and rage so palpable I was moved to tears。 Her evocative imagery makes the barbaric inhumanity of Auschwitz and the Ghetto feel so vivid that I could almost feel the lice crawling on my skin。 The Holocaust is a brutal， raw and heartbreaking subject， but Ms。 Stuart also writes with compassion， allowing us to also see the characters’ resilience， their acts of kindness， and how they held onto humanity whenever they could。 Ana and Ester are true heroines who are written so evocatively that I could feel everything they did。 Their sorrow， pain， terror and rage leaps from the pages and they teach us about bravery again and again as they stand up against evil， risking their lives in the process。 It is impossible not to be moved by the way some were so determined to bring hope to others even when everything around them seemed helpless。"This is war and it isn't all fought on battlefields。" Powerful， poignant and moving， this remarkable story is one I’ll never forget。 While it isn’t an easy read， it is an incredibly important one that I highly recommend。 。。。more

Samantha “Sam” A ，

I want to take the time to thank the author and Bookouture for this review copy。 I was absolutely floored by the writing of this story。 It was very well put together， researched and the overall story was beautiful。Readers Note: If reading about abuse of babies/adults is hard for you， please skip this。 This story is based on truth BUT， the details were hard to take in。 However， without these details， the story would not have been what it was。This is the story of Ana and Ester， a Polish Midwife an I want to take the time to thank the author and Bookouture for this review copy。 I was absolutely floored by the writing of this story。 It was very well put together， researched and the overall story was beautiful。Readers Note: If reading about abuse of babies/adults is hard for you， please skip this。 This story is based on truth BUT， the details were hard to take in。 However， without these details， the story would not have been what it was。This is the story of Ana and Ester， a Polish Midwife and a Jewish Nurse， who are friends and become deeper than that through the hardness of Auschwitz。 It is also the beautiful story of Ester and Filip， soulmates who meet as the war has begun。 Soulmates who meet on the steps of the church。 A beautiful and tragic story but， one that shows that the test of time and heartache can never change how the heart feels。I thoroughly enjoyed this read。 The history was hard and gruesome and the details hard to ever forget， although we should never forget。 Never forget the hate these beautiful Jewish and others fought through。 We should always remember the way these people were treated， simply because of their blood and beliefs。I can’t say enough good about this story。 It flowed very easily and kept me interested。 The details were perfectly written and I was invested in this novel。 Highly recommend this read！ Five stars all the way！ 。。。more

Samantha “Sam” A ，

I want to take the time to thank the author and Bookouture for this review copy。 I was absolutely floored by the writing of this story。 It was very well put together， researched and the overall story was beautiful。Readers Note: If reading about abuse of babies/adults is hard for you， please skip this。 This story is based on truth BUT， the details were hard to take in。 However， without these details， the story would not have been what it was。This is the story of Ana and Ester， a Polish Midwife an I want to take the time to thank the author and Bookouture for this review copy。 I was absolutely floored by the writing of this story。 It was very well put together， researched and the overall story was beautiful。Readers Note: If reading about abuse of babies/adults is hard for you， please skip this。 This story is based on truth BUT， the details were hard to take in。 However， without these details， the story would not have been what it was。This is the story of Ana and Ester， a Polish Midwife and a Jewish Nurse， who are friends and become deeper than that through the hardness of Auschwitz。 It is also the beautiful story of Ester and Filip， soulmates who meet as the war has begun。 Soulmates who meet on the steps of the church。 A beautiful and tragic story but， one that shows that the test of time and heartache can never change how the heart feels。I thoroughly enjoyed this read。 The history was hard and gruesome and the details hard to ever forget， although we should never forget。 Never forget the hate these beautiful Jewish and others fought through。 We should always remember the way these people were treated， simply because of their blood and beliefs。I can’t say enough good about this story。 It flowed very easily and kept me interested。 The details were perfectly written and I was invested in this novel。 Highly recommend this read！ Five stars all the way！ 。。。more

juliet stocks ，

Heartbreaking but inspirational What a heart breaking read， full of despair， hurt and evil， but amongst it， true strength of two women fighting for others in the horrors of the war， whilst dealing with there own hurt and heartbreak。

Candace Marie ，

Anna did an amazing job capturing the emotions and feelings of the many people who lived through this horrible time in our nation's history。 The Midwife of Auschwitz holds your interest from the start to finish。 You read a little bit and want to keep reading just hoping that Ana and Esters life will get better。 My heart goes out to all the people of that time。 I thank you for telling this story so that more generations will not forget history。 Anna did an amazing job capturing the emotions and feelings of the many people who lived through this horrible time in our nation's history。 The Midwife of Auschwitz holds your interest from the start to finish。 You read a little bit and want to keep reading just hoping that Ana and Esters life will get better。 My heart goes out to all the people of that time。 I thank you for telling this story so that more generations will not forget history。 。。。more

Staceywh_17 ，

When you think of Auschwitz you always think of the Jews that were killed， the brutality of the Nazi's， but we never actually stop and think of those who were put to work there。Beautifully written， powerful and hard hitting， The Midwife of Auschwitz is based on true events， which all these years later still resonates with us。It's a remarkable story of hope， courage and strength。 The descriptions of the camp and their treatment of the Jewish people both opens your eyes and breaks your heart。Many When you think of Auschwitz you always think of the Jews that were killed， the brutality of the Nazi's， but we never actually stop and think of those who were put to work there。Beautifully written， powerful and hard hitting， The Midwife of Auschwitz is based on true events， which all these years later still resonates with us。It's a remarkable story of hope， courage and strength。 The descriptions of the camp and their treatment of the Jewish people both opens your eyes and breaks your heart。Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot。Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 。。。more

Frankie （Chicks， Rogues and Scandals） ，

Firstly I must mention the cover of this book， I don’t know about other readers but it really packs a punch， I felt shivers run down my spine just looking at it， it’s bleak and captivating all at once and I had a feeling that I was in for a highly emotional read and I was！This really pulls at every emotional heartstring’s， it’s hard-hitting， brutally raw and a powerful account of true courage and friendship in the face of unprecedented horror。 Anna Stuart has written a powerful story which will Firstly I must mention the cover of this book， I don’t know about other readers but it really packs a punch， I felt shivers run down my spine just looking at it， it’s bleak and captivating all at once and I had a feeling that I was in for a highly emotional read and I was！This really pulls at every emotional heartstring’s， it’s hard-hitting， brutally raw and a powerful account of true courage and friendship in the face of unprecedented horror。 Anna Stuart has written a powerful story which will keep you gripped throughout， you will shed a fair few tears as well as feel numb and the hairs will stand up a few times at the evil which is played out across the pages， but also a sense of hope。The Midwife of Auschwitz is a fictional story based on true events， it’s the incredibly moving story of bravery between best friends; Ester and Ana who find themselves pushed into a compact and claustrophobic train heading into hell itself; Auschwitz。 Once there they are the lucky ones to be given jobs， and they are sent to the maternity ward。 Once there they deliver thousands of babies and set a chain of events going which could cost them their lives if they are caught。 They secretly start tattooing the mother’s numbers onto the infant’s legs in the hope that one day they will be reunited。 I was left astounded at the ultimate act of bravery that these women did， they put their life on the line every time they picked up the tattoo pen。Every time I read a story set in or around the atrocities of Auschwitz I feel an unwavering sense of courage for those who did everything they could to survive and utmost admiration for the survivors who so bravely told their stories， no matter how hard to read or hear their stories need to be heard and we need to listen， the horrors of that time – horrors which should never have occurred should never be forgotten， by knowing of the raw inhumane brutality can we learn from it。I have read a lot of books set in or around Auschwitz and every time I come away with my emotions in tatters and this is no different， in fact， this one really got under my skin and not just pulled at my heart-string but yanked them until I was crying。If you only read one book this year， then make it this one， I can guarantee you will not be disappointed and you will never quite feel the same again。 。。。more

Anne ，

I’ve often felt that the holocaust and the atrocities of the Nazi regime might not be the most suitable subject for a work of fiction – and I’ve read a number of books that have only reinforced that thought。 But the author， in her historical notes， stresses the huge responsibility she felt to ensure that the detail was as close to reality as possible and faithfully represented the suffering endured – and that’s one of the things that elevates this book above the many others。 She takes her inspir I’ve often felt that the holocaust and the atrocities of the Nazi regime might not be the most suitable subject for a work of fiction – and I’ve read a number of books that have only reinforced that thought。 But the author， in her historical notes， stresses the huge responsibility she felt to ensure that the detail was as close to reality as possible and faithfully represented the suffering endured – and that’s one of the things that elevates this book above the many others。 She takes her inspiration for her key character， Ana Kaminski， from the experience of a real person – Stanisława Leszczyńska， a Polish midwife who delivered over 3000 children while incarcerated at Auschwitz – and， with a combination of fictional additions and characters familiar from our awareness of the history， tells her story in a way that entirely captures the atrocities without trivialisation， and most certainly honours their experiences。The book begins as a rather beautiful love story – as the spectre of war begins to loom， Ester is a young nurse， eating her lunch on the steps of St Stanislaus’ cathedral in Łódź， when she spots Filip， an equally shy young man， and they begin their courtship。 They marry， but the invasion soon follows – along with the establishment of the Jewish ghetto， and the privation and cruelty that ensues。 Ana isn’t Jewish – but her life is changed too， with a forced move from her home in the future ghetto and an increasing anger about the fate of her friends and neighbours that sees her and her family becoming involved with the resistance。I have no intention of telling the whole story – the author does it so much better – but both Ana and Ester ultimately find themselves incarcerated at Auschwitz， enduring the most appalling conditions and everyday acts of cruelty while working together to care for the women and the children they give birth to。 There was a lot in the detail that I hadn’t come across before – the author’s research was extensive （do read the historical notes at the book’s end as they’re almost as compelling as the book itself） and the way she uses it is simply stunning – including the extension of the Lebensborn programme （I hadn’t realised before that Jewish children were included…）， the mix of ethnicities among the inmates， the more peripheral role played by Mengele。But this book isn’t a detailed history of Auschwitz – it’s essentially a human story， the lives of the individuals subjected to the most appalling treatment， and their dogged determination to survive。 The characterisation is wonderful – while Ana and Ester will have their place in your heart long before their imprisonment， there’s a multiplicity of other well-drawn individuals， every one of them involving you in their personal stories。 The core story – the tattooing of the babies in the hope it will help them to be reunited with their mothers when the war is over – is emotional and compelling， and I did particularly like the fact that it wasn’t used to tie a neat bow at the story’s end （it really wouldn’t have worked – and kudos to the author for appreciating that）。I hardly need to mention that reading this book was an exceptionally emotional experience – the writing is wonderful， the way she captures the women’s experiences entirely real， and you feel you share their lives。 It would be easy at times for some of their experiences to slip into sentimentality， but I think a reader knows when their emotions are being manipulated， and that’s something I never felt as the next of the many horrifying scenes moved me to tears。 I just desperately wanted both women to thrive and survive against the most insurmountable odds， for that faint glimmer of hope to continue to shine – I read this book over three days （the experience was too intense to read in longer sittings）， and every night struggled to get the story and the real people who inspired it out of my head。 It really is a remarkable piece of work – and one the author should be justifiably proud of。 。。。more

Debra ，

*Inspired by a true story。 I think books inspired by true stories are the very best kind。 Knowing that there were those who lived similar lives， that they overcame great odds， that they rose above and that they dared to do still hope when all hope was gone。 Try reading this book and not feeling for the characters and their quiet strength。Auschwitz， 1943 Two friends， Anna Kaminski and Ester Pasternak enter the gates of Auschwitz。 Anna proclaims that she is a midwife and Ester is her assistant。 Th *Inspired by a true story。 I think books inspired by true stories are the very best kind。 Knowing that there were those who lived similar lives， that they overcame great odds， that they rose above and that they dared to do still hope when all hope was gone。 Try reading this book and not feeling for the characters and their quiet strength。Auschwitz， 1943 Two friends， Anna Kaminski and Ester Pasternak enter the gates of Auschwitz。 Anna proclaims that she is a midwife and Ester is her assistant。 They are tattooed and sent to the maternity ward。 Bringing new life into the world is a powerful thing but having to do so in such an evil place is terrifying。 When healthy infants are taken from their mothers and given to German families， it is gut wrenching。 Anna vows to do whatever she can， then she notices her friend， Ester's bump。。。Extensively researched and told， this book packs an emotional punch。 I can't help but think of Ma when I read this book as she survived Auschwitz， but it never left her。 When I was offered the book， I readily said yes。 Besides loving books based on true events and people。 I love when ordinary people do the extraordinary。 When they dig down deep inside of themselves to find strength that they never knew they had。 I often wonder， could I have done that？ This was not an easy read。 Books set in Auschwitz never are。 Readers know there will be suffering， that horrible things will happen to the characters， but there is also love within these pages。 There is hope， there is friendship and there is grace。Well written， heartbreaking， and hard to put down。 4。5 stars#TheMidwifeofAuschwitz #NetGalley。Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 All the thoughts and opinions are my own。Read more of my reviews at www。openbookposts。com 。。。more

Robynne Williams ，

No words。A must-read。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Midwife of Auschwitz

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Midwife of Auschwitz&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Midwife of Auschwitz&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0