The Girl in the Striped Dress
- Downloads：8710
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-08-17 10:15:59
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Ellie Midwood
- ISBN：B096FGQZW7
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Germany， 1947。
A strange case scheduled for the Denazification Court lands on the desk of an American psychiatrist currently serving in Germany， Dr。 Hoffman。
A former Auschwitz guard， Franz Dahler， is set to appear in court， and he has requested to bring the most unexpected witness to testify in his defense - one of his former inmates and current wife， Helena。
As soon as one of the newly emerging Nazi hunters and former Auschwitz inmate， Andrej Novák， recognizes the officer’s name， he demands a full investigation of Dahler’s crimes， claiming that the former SS man was not only abusing Helena in the camp but is also using her as a ploy to escape prosecution。
Silent， subdued， and seemingly dependent on her husband’s every word， Helena appears to be a classic victim of abuse， and possibly more of an aid to the prosecution instead of the defense。
As she begins giving her testimony， Dr。 Hoffman finds himself more and more confused at the picture that gradually emerges before his eyes; a perpetrator is claimed to be the savior and the accuser， the criminal。
The better Dr。 Hoffman gets to know each participant， the more he begins to question himself; whether he’s facing a most unimaginable love story， or a new and still-nameless psychological disorder affecting the very manner in which Helena sees the events of the past。
Partially based on a true story， this deeply psychological， haunting novel will take you back in time to the heart of Auschwitz and post-war Germany， and will keep you guessing the true motive of each side。
A strange case scheduled for the Denazification Court lands on the desk of an American psychiatrist currently serving in Germany， Dr。 Hoffman。
A former Auschwitz guard， Franz Dahler， is set to appear in court， and he has requested to bring the most unexpected witness to testify in his defense - one of his former inmates and current wife， Helena。
As soon as one of the newly emerging Nazi hunters and former Auschwitz inmate， Andrej Novák， recognizes the officer’s name， he demands a full investigation of Dahler’s crimes， claiming that the former SS man was not only abusing Helena in the camp but is also using her as a ploy to escape prosecution。
Silent， subdued， and seemingly dependent on her husband’s every word， Helena appears to be a classic victim of abuse， and possibly more of an aid to the prosecution instead of the defense。
As she begins giving her testimony， Dr。 Hoffman finds himself more and more confused at the picture that gradually emerges before his eyes; a perpetrator is claimed to be the savior and the accuser， the criminal。
The better Dr。 Hoffman gets to know each participant， the more he begins to question himself; whether he’s facing a most unimaginable love story， or a new and still-nameless psychological disorder affecting the very manner in which Helena sees the events of the past。
Partially based on a true story， this deeply psychological， haunting novel will take you back in time to the heart of Auschwitz and post-war Germany， and will keep you guessing the true motive of each side。
Reviews
Lauren
，
Amazing Wow…。 What wonderful， haunting piece of writing， I cried so much in this book I’m truely going to be recommending to friends and family
Linda Houghton
，
Excellent！The story made me smile often and cry even more。 It captured me from page q to the very end！
Debra Randall
，
I finished this book over a week or so because when things are too disturbing， I need a break at times。 The trial and different time periods helped， with those chapters breaking up Helena's time at Auschwitz and the horrors that went on there。 I have read many books on the Holocaust since my teens （and I'm 60） and knew about the many atrocities and Sonderkommandos but never knew Jews and others sorted the belongings or got special treatment （if you can call it that） When an American soldier told I finished this book over a week or so because when things are too disturbing， I need a break at times。 The trial and different time periods helped， with those chapters breaking up Helena's time at Auschwitz and the horrors that went on there。 I have read many books on the Holocaust since my teens （and I'm 60） and knew about the many atrocities and Sonderkommandos but never knew Jews and others sorted the belongings or got special treatment （if you can call it that） When an American soldier told me of seeing the stacks of clothes and belongings， I never imagined the horror that someone who wore the clothes helped sort them。 I am grateful though for every survivor who got to tell their tale or just live their lives after it ended。I felt I was with Helena many times and felt the emotions of all involved in the great research and writing the author did。 I understood amidst all the horror， how you would cling to the only trace of goodness you could find and "love" or a feeling like it could develop to help keep you sane。 I don't think it was needed to add the marriage which probably was a stretch， but it did give an interesting twist to her story although fiction。I found this to add to the history of Franz and Helena and I wonder if Franz ever wrote anything。 https://boundlessoceanofpolitics。co。i。。。And I'd love to see this documentary to compliment book https://variety。com/2020/film/reviews。。。 。。。more
Sally Coles
，
A powerful novel that will stay with you long after you have finished it， a love story in the most unlikely setting between the most unlikely people。 An amazing true story that pulls no punches when describing the life at Auschwitz， harrowing but compelling reading that you can't put down。 A powerful novel that will stay with you long after you have finished it， a love story in the most unlikely setting between the most unlikely people。 An amazing true story that pulls no punches when describing the life at Auschwitz， harrowing but compelling reading that you can't put down。 。。。more
Kristin
，
This is another emotional World War II book by the author。 As with her previous books， she has a profound way of presenting a story that is so thought provoking， it will stay with the reader days after finishing。All too often we here stories of victims being held captive by a horrific person， only to develop a connection so strong， they believe they are in love。 Are they truly in love？ Or， has the yearning to be saved grown so strong， they are only being fooled？The subject matter in The Girl in This is another emotional World War II book by the author。 As with her previous books， she has a profound way of presenting a story that is so thought provoking， it will stay with the reader days after finishing。All too often we here stories of victims being held captive by a horrific person， only to develop a connection so strong， they believe they are in love。 Are they truly in love？ Or， has the yearning to be saved grown so strong， they are only being fooled？The subject matter in The Girl in the Striped Dress revolves around the Stockholm Syndrome， as described above。 Helena is a victim， taken prisoner to a camp during World War II。 Being sentenced to the gas chambers upon her arrival， one of the SS officers pardons her due to her singing voice。 Franz soon becomes quite enthralled with her， and even falls in love。 Helena （his now wife） also claims love。What happens when someone is put in a situation where death is inevitable and one person reaches out a helping hand？ Not ever being in that situation， I have no idea how I would handle it。 Is it the desperate situation that tricks the mind into ‘loving’ a person of pure evil？ Is it the will to live， the act of trying to survive？ Given that Helena was in such a situation， leads me to believe that when faced with death， the human reaction is to grasp at the only possible way of survival， even if it calls for depending on the enemy。The author， who based this work of fiction on several true accounts， presents the story in a way that had me going back and forth on the idea of whether it truly was love that brought Franz and Helena together。 I’m not going to share my conclusion。 Instead， I will leave it up to you， my friend， to read the book and discover for yourself。 。。。more
Marialyce （absltmom， yaya）
，
4。5 starsI am a big fan of well-done historical fiction stories where the historical greatly outweighs the fiction。 I have found that in the book The Girl In The Striped Dress written by Ellie Midward。The Denazification Court has convened and a different case is being presented， that of a young SS officer stationed at Auschwitz who fell in love with a Jewish girl， Helena。 We all are aware that to care about Jews is a crime according to the Nazi way of thinking， so when Dr Hoffman and American ps 4。5 starsI am a big fan of well-done historical fiction stories where the historical greatly outweighs the fiction。 I have found that in the book The Girl In The Striped Dress written by Ellie Midward。The Denazification Court has convened and a different case is being presented， that of a young SS officer stationed at Auschwitz who fell in love with a Jewish girl， Helena。 We all are aware that to care about Jews is a crime according to the Nazi way of thinking， so when Dr Hoffman and American psychiatrist， is called in to render his opinion about the case， he is entranced by the very thought of it。Franz Dahler， the SS officer is brought to trial bearing with him a most unusual witness his wife， Helena。 As the trial proceeds we learn of how Franz first met Helen as she was pulled from the gas chambers。 Listening to her signing at his birthday celebration， he feels drawn to her， and then embarks on a way to keep her safe。 That way is to place her in the Kanada area where women and men separate clothes and baggage collected from the many victims who are brought to Auschwitz。 It's a prized position where people are permitted to wear regular clothes， women's hair was not shorn， but life was still hard and hazardous with evil and vile men and women in control。All of this adds up to much danger for any burgeoning romance， although both Franz and Helena are drawn to one another。 Their love seems to be their fate。 By the time of the trial with a Nazi Hunter looking for revenge， it seems like Franz might find a prison cell awaiting him。 This book， based on real people， was intense with many graphic scenes of what hatred does。 If people are indoctrinated to hate and believe others are terrorists， deplorables， and vermin they will eventually believe。 If newspapers， radio， and speeches are inflammatory placing all of life's ills on a particular group of people， what else can we expect when instead of understanding and respect for others， we are taught animosity and hatred？Interestingly， there might be a term for what Helena experienced called the Stockholm Syndrome when a captive falls in love with a captor。 However in Helena's case， it just might have been that Franz became the rock on which she built her life upon。 Franz， through Helena， learned a most important lesson for love will always win against hate。Thank you to Ellie Midwood， Bookuture， and NetGalley for this most powerful story。 It has already published。 。。。more
Ann
，
A very interesting and gripping tale。 Totally different from many books I've read about the holocaust and partly based on a true story。The way the story was told through the court case was well thought out and allowed for others views to be put into the story without loosing the power of the tale。Really enjoyed the book if you can say that about reading such harrowing stuff and will certainly look out for more of Ellie's work and maybe do a little research into the real character of the story an A very interesting and gripping tale。 Totally different from many books I've read about the holocaust and partly based on a true story。The way the story was told through the court case was well thought out and allowed for others views to be put into the story without loosing the power of the tale。Really enjoyed the book if you can say that about reading such harrowing stuff and will certainly look out for more of Ellie's work and maybe do a little research into the real character of the story and what really happened to her after the war。 。。。more
Kirsty Bookworm86
，
BLOG TOUR REVIEW Review for 'The Girl In The Striped Dress' by Ellie Midwood。 Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ellie Midwood， Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous Publication date 9th August 2021。This is the third book I have read by this author。 I have previously read 'The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz' and 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz' which I also recommend。 This book was previously titled 'Auschwitz Syndrome'。 I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover， BLOG TOUR REVIEW Review for 'The Girl In The Striped Dress' by Ellie Midwood。 Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ellie Midwood， Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous Publication date 9th August 2021。This is the third book I have read by this author。 I have previously read 'The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz' and 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz' which I also recommend。 This book was previously titled 'Auschwitz Syndrome'。 I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover， its intriguing synopsis and title and its extremely talented author。 The synopsis stated that 'Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz， The Choice， and The Orphan Train will be utterly gripped by this unputdownable page-turner。' I am a huge fan of 'The Tattooist Of Aushcwitz' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement。 I am also a huge fan of Nicole Trope and if this is half as good as' The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz' and 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz ' it is sure to be a page turning read。 I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture。 I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed。 Hopefully this won't be the first。。。 Watch this space！ （Written before I started reading the book）。This novel consists of an Introduction and 32 chapters。 The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed。。。OK， I know yeah right， but still just in case！This book is set in Auschwitz， Kraków， Poland 🇵🇱。 This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonists is Helena Citrónová and Franz Dahler。 The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them。 If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on。'The Girl In The Striped Dress' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others。 I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not。 In this book Ellie discusses/includes the Holocaust。 It is set over multiple time lines。 When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader （if it is well done） understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions。 It also shows the bigger picture。Well， what can I say but wow！！！ This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon。 Firstly I must congratulate Ellie Midwood for yet another extraordinary novel that seriously needs to be made into a movie which I assure would be best selling！！！ This book is very powerful and extremely well written。 It is devastatingly heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time。 The storyline of this book is based on a true story which is another thing that drew me to read it。 It is absolutely rammed with emotions that will make you smile， cry and laugh on the roller-coaster ride to hell that is Aushcwitz。 Nothing is left out and the author has done an immense amount of research and brings Helena and Franz's story to life。 Helena and even Franz in his own right are such powerful， strong and kind hearted heroes and I am looking forward to reading more about them。 I had never heard of either before reading this but have read 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz'， 'Celia' s Journey'， 'The tattooist of Aushcwitz'， 'The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz' and 'The librarian of Aushcwitz'， all of which I enjoyed so when I seen this I was intrigued to discover the ongoing of Aushcwitz through another person's eyes。 I have now also added many books to my wish list thanks to Ellie， her own and ones that she recommends at the end of this story。 This story is particularly unique as it is not one I have ever come across before when a Nazi working in Auschwitz and a victim of Auschwitz fall in love， it is absolutely intriguing。 This book did not disappoint。 Some people believe that these stories should not be written but I am a strong believer that these victims earned the right for their stories to be told and to not be forgotten and this book does just that。 I loved discovering not just Edek and Mala's stories but those who surrounded them also。 I also loved reading more about characters I met in 'The Violinist Of Auschwitz' and 'The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz' 。 This amazing group of people who supported and lifted each other up during these dark times and helping them see the light are absolutely。。。 Words can't really describe but I will go with angelic。 This book was very hard to read as a whole but there were certain parts that will stay with me for a very long time and that we're soul destroying。 What the Nazi's did to these innocent people makes me absolutely sick to my soul。 The poor children and parents watching each other suffering especially。 Again congratulations Ellie Midwood on all your research and for writing this amazing story of both Mala and Edek who deserved to have their stories told in a way that did them justice and you have done that。 I would say this book is on par with the likes of 'The' diary of Anne Frank' which left me with the same feelings your novel has of not even more emotional。 Overall a heart wrenching， absolutely beautifully devastating story of two lesser known heroes of Aushcwitz。 Genres covered in this novel include War Story， Romance Novel and Jewish History amongst others。 I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Ellie Midwood， The Tattooist of Aushcwitz， The Librarian of Aushcwitz， 'Celia's Journey'， 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and anyone interested in Auschwitz and its history。 364 pages。This book is just £1。99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book！！！ Rated 5 /5 （I LOVED it ） on Goodreads， Instagram， Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook。 Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews #TheGirlInTheStripedDress #Bookouture #EllieMidwood #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour@EllieMidwood @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 https://kcmw86。wixsite。com/bookworm86 https://m。facebook。com/Bookworm1986/？。。。 https://m。facebook。com/Bookwork86/？__。。。 。。。more
Natalie
，
I absolutely loved this story。 Ellie Midwood knows how to write historical with romance and all the emotions。The love story between the main female character and Franz is written beautifully with so much emotion that it jumps out of the page at you and hits you in all the right places。The story flows nicely and will keep you gripped from page 1 to the end。 Highly recommend
Synne
，
This book is told by the characters during court after ww2。 I really enjoyed this type of storytelling and it made me want to read more， since I wanted to know if Novak was right or just presuming things。 Later in the book Novak started really annoying me， whilst Helena and Franz made the story readable。 I was unsure in the beginning in how their love story would go。 But in the end I was surprised by how the author made it work
Susan Peterson
，
This is， quite frankly， a hard book for me to review。 I found the story gripping and emotional， a very stark look into the horrors of Auschwitz/Birchenau。 It was a fast-moving story， and I didn't want to put it down。 My problem was with the central plot of the story--the love story of Helena， an inmate， and Franz， one of the SS who helped run the concentration camp。 I understand that it was based on a true story， but it was very hard for me to stomach the feelings between the couple。 She was des This is， quite frankly， a hard book for me to review。 I found the story gripping and emotional， a very stark look into the horrors of Auschwitz/Birchenau。 It was a fast-moving story， and I didn't want to put it down。 My problem was with the central plot of the story--the love story of Helena， an inmate， and Franz， one of the SS who helped run the concentration camp。 I understand that it was based on a true story， but it was very hard for me to stomach the feelings between the couple。 She was desperate and grateful for any humanity shown her， which explained her dependence and even affection toward Franz， although it is hard for me to believe that it was anything deeper than what we know call Stockholm Syndrome。 It was harder for me to fathom someone who had been brought up under the Third Reich， completely indoctrinated by Hitler and all that he stood for， someone who upon seeing a Jewish prisoner---someone he had been taught to revile--fell in love with her in a matter of days。 As I said， I know that this is based on a true story， but I ended up finding their "love" disturbing。 This is a well-written， heavily-researched novel， and I can't fault the author for her storytelling ability， her characterizations， and so therefore I will give it 5 stars。 But I had to conclude that this was just not a good fit for me， and my own feelings。 。。。more
Lisa
，
I have read many Auschwitz related books including The Violinist of Auschwitz， also by Ellie Midwood。 You start to think you've read everything about what "inmates" did， to survive this most horrendous time in history， then another book comes along like this one， and throws more tales of sadness， heroism and love into the mix。 This is an outstanding read of the horrors of Auschwitz and Birkenau。 Some of the events in this book caused a lot of conversation between myself and my Husband。 We discus I have read many Auschwitz related books including The Violinist of Auschwitz， also by Ellie Midwood。 You start to think you've read everything about what "inmates" did， to survive this most horrendous time in history， then another book comes along like this one， and throws more tales of sadness， heroism and love into the mix。 This is an outstanding read of the horrors of Auschwitz and Birkenau。 Some of the events in this book caused a lot of conversation between myself and my Husband。 We discussed both the horrors and some of the good things （if the word "good" is the corret one to use）。 We talked about how not all the Nazi's were sadistic and how some had been recruited into the role。 This book is well researched and certainly generated many thoughts and conversations。 Although I found it quite slow to start with， thinking it was just going to go over things covered in other books of the same genre， it moved on and came into it's own。 The "characters" are well described and delicately portrayed。 It is a very thought provoking read。 。。。more
Sara K
，
I am not sure where to even begin with this book。 It was so incredibly written， researched and shared that my review can’t even begin to do it justice。 Based on a true story， the details and emotions in this book will have you constantly reaching for it。 In 1947， Dr Hoffman， an American psychiatrist serving in Germany’s denazification court found himself involved in a strange case。 Franz Dahler， a former Auschwitz guard， is scheduled to be in court。 And he wants to bring his wife， Helena， a form I am not sure where to even begin with this book。 It was so incredibly written， researched and shared that my review can’t even begin to do it justice。 Based on a true story， the details and emotions in this book will have you constantly reaching for it。 In 1947， Dr Hoffman， an American psychiatrist serving in Germany’s denazification court found himself involved in a strange case。 Franz Dahler， a former Auschwitz guard， is scheduled to be in court。 And he wants to bring his wife， Helena， a former inmate， to testify。 Andrej Novak， a Nazi Hunter， and former Auschwitz inmate， wants a full investigation of Dahler， a he believes the man is taking advantage of Helena。 As time goes on， Dr。 Hoffman finds himself questioning whether Helena is suffering from a psychological disorder or if she truly loves Dahler。This story will leave you emotionally exhausted。 From the questionable relationship between the characters， to the horrors encountered in Auschwitz， Midwood does an unbelievable job of making you feel as if you are a part of the story。 Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced reader copy。 。。。more
Akriti Purbey
，
The Girl in the Striped Dress begins with the Denazification Tribunals in 1947 where a very unusual case is presented in the court about a former SS guard at Austwiz named Franz Dahler who is accompanied by his wife Helena Kleinová， a Jew inmate under his charge。 The court also consists of Dr。Hoffman， a psychiatrist; Lieutenant Carter， a lawyer and Andrej Novak， a nazi hunter who wants Dahler in prison at any cost。The story is primarily told from Dr。 Hoffman's and Helena's perspective。Helena is The Girl in the Striped Dress begins with the Denazification Tribunals in 1947 where a very unusual case is presented in the court about a former SS guard at Austwiz named Franz Dahler who is accompanied by his wife Helena Kleinová， a Jew inmate under his charge。 The court also consists of Dr。Hoffman， a psychiatrist; Lieutenant Carter， a lawyer and Andrej Novak， a nazi hunter who wants Dahler in prison at any cost。The story is primarily told from Dr。 Hoffman's and Helena's perspective。Helena is a Slovakian Jew who arrives at Austwiz in March 1942 to be gassed the next day。 However， the same night she is chosen to sing a song for a SS officer named Franz。 Franz gets enamored by her and had her and the other women shift to Kanada by cancelling their gassing。 Helena hates Franz with all her might and when she gets a letter from him telling "I fell in love with you"， she is unable to bear it and shreds the letter to pieces。But gradually， she learns of his kindness and when he saved her thrice from the gas chamber and typhus， she couldn't control the feelings developing for Franz。In a place where people were either dead or went mad， Helena was saved by a young man's love。And， just like that love blossomed in a place where only death was meant to be。The psychiatrist assumed that Helena didn't actually love Franz but couldn't name the actual condition since Stockholm Syndrome wasn't discovered at that time but as the story progresses and the psychiatrist learn of the whole story， he is not sure。The book is a rollercoaster of emotions。 I have never read about WWII or the holocaust， so this book was confusing at first。 But the author did a very remarkable job in research and explanation。 Elle Midwood gave me enough reasons to read about WWII。 This book isn't all beautiful， it had many tearjearking incidents。 The mere thought of the sufferings gave me shivers。 The book talks about everything in details。 The author made sure to let the reader feel all sorts of emotions whether it's hate， pain or love。This book provided me many details of WWII。 The chapter named 'A Note On The History' tells us that it is a true story where most of the characters and incidents were real。 The chapter was quite informative。I will recommend this book to everyone。 This heartbreaking and beautiful tale of suffering， pain， love and survival is a must read。 。。。more
Julie Lacey
，
Another brilliant book from Ellie Midwood。 Based on a true story we learn what happened to Helena at Auschwitz and how she narrowly missed death several times。 Helena is due to be killed the day after her arrival but is asked to sing for SS officer Dahler the night before。 He is immediately drawn to her and asks that Helena and her group work in the Kanada sorting out belongings of the prisoners instead of being killed。 Dahler wants to get to know Helena but at first she is very wary of him。 We Another brilliant book from Ellie Midwood。 Based on a true story we learn what happened to Helena at Auschwitz and how she narrowly missed death several times。 Helena is due to be killed the day after her arrival but is asked to sing for SS officer Dahler the night before。 He is immediately drawn to her and asks that Helena and her group work in the Kanada sorting out belongings of the prisoners instead of being killed。 Dahler wants to get to know Helena but at first she is very wary of him。 We know from chapters about the Denazification trial that Helena marries Franz Dahler in 1945 and the book has chapters from their time at Auschwitz and also from the trial in 1947。 As with all books about the Holocaust， this is hard hitting and whilst their relationship is very unusual， they are two human beings brought together by a horrific time in history。 I liked the Author’s note at the end of the book as it shows the truth behind the story。 A brilliant book。 Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book。 。。。more
Suzyq （Battle_0f_the_b0oks）
，
Wow！ Another brilliant and thought-provoking read from Ellie！This WWII historical fiction was quite unique in the sense of the perspective that the second timeline followed。I really enjoyed that the second timeline followed the trial and that Helena's mental state was such a prevalent plot point。 It added a new dimension to the story and highlighted just one of the many conflicts faced during this time。 Ellie's writing is captivating and she is quickly becoming my favourite WWII historical ficti Wow！ Another brilliant and thought-provoking read from Ellie！This WWII historical fiction was quite unique in the sense of the perspective that the second timeline followed。I really enjoyed that the second timeline followed the trial and that Helena's mental state was such a prevalent plot point。 It added a new dimension to the story and highlighted just one of the many conflicts faced during this time。 Ellie's writing is captivating and she is quickly becoming my favourite WWII historical fiction author。 The care and thought that she puts into her stories shows。 。。。more
Stina
，
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ellie Midwood's heart-rendering tale THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS。Where do I even begin to outline my thoughts the horrors that Ellie Midwood has recounted in this spectacular and beautiful story？ How does one review such a telling and heartbreaking tale？ THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS is a fictional tale based on the true story of an SS officer at Auschwitz and the young Jewish woman he fell in love with。 "He was an SS man and she I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ellie Midwood's heart-rendering tale THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS。Where do I even begin to outline my thoughts the horrors that Ellie Midwood has recounted in this spectacular and beautiful story？ How does one review such a telling and heartbreaking tale？ THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS is a fictional tale based on the true story of an SS officer at Auschwitz and the young Jewish woman he fell in love with。 "He was an SS man and she was an inmate and a Jew。" Germany 1947: American psychiatrist Dr Hoffman is in charge of the Denazification process of former officers facing imprisonment for their crimes when a former inmate of the death camp Auschwitz has brought to his attention a guard who was brutal in his punishment of a particular inmate and even now continues his hold over her。Now two years after the war ended， Dr Hoffman is present to witness former SS officer Frank Dahler brought to trial for crimes against humanity with his wife as his only defence。 Is he innocent of the crimes for which he's been charged？ Or is he a monster who has hidden his savagery well with a cruel hold over the woman who was once a prisoner and is now his wife？ As he clasps her hand and gives it a squeeze， is it an element of control or a gesture of love？ Those present at the trial have no idea of the torrent that is about to unfold as Dahler's wife begins to testify in his defence。 The tangled web of love， dependence and heartache within the confines of Auschwitz of something so forbidden that could have seen them both shot。Appearing pliant and incredibly timid， Helena Dahler leans heavily against her husband relying on him for support。 Her eyes are downcast and she barely looks up throughout the court process。 Dr Hoffman is puzzled by her demeanour and yet he finds her behaviour to be fascinating。 Is she a victim of abuse being controlled by her husband？ Is he a monster or was he a shelter from the storms that ravaged the death camp， keeping her safe from harm？ Had she learned to seek him as her only source of strength and comfort？ Did she marry him out of fear or repayment for his kindness？ Did she truly love her husband or was she with him out of fear？Helena is a Slovakian Jew who arrives at Auschwitz in March 1942 to be gassed the following day along with the many others with whom she has travelled。 However， the night before she and a few other women are chosen to sing for an SS guard for his birthday。 The officer， Franz Dahler， was enamoured by the young woman from the first moment he set eyes on her。 Although she was scheduled to die in the gas chamber the following day， Franz had her seconded to his work detail in Kanada。 Here life was not as harsh as in the rest of the camp。 The inmates got to keep their hair， they ate marginally better and their lodgings were slightly improved。 But they were still subjected to punishments from the whip if they so much as stepped out of line。At first Helena rebuffed Dahler's kindness， believing him to be just another Nazi。 He wrote her notes which she destroyed in anger， he hovered over her workstation which she found unsettling， he spoke to her with kindness which she saw as a trap。 His behaviour toward her was disconcerting and she refused to be taken in by him。 But then over time， she discovered that Franz Dahler was not like other SS guards。 His kindness was not laced with malice。 Nor did he have an ulterior motive。 And not once did he force himself on her when other guards took their pleasures where they chose。 Over the course of her imprisonment， Franz saved her not once but three times from the gas chamber and through their shared experiences they formed an unbreakable bond。 And in a place where there is so little hope， love blossoms。 This is one of the reasons that Franz finds himself on trial。 An SS guard， a sworn officer of the Reich， who was taught to be a natural Jew-hater。。。finds himself helping inmates and in love with a Jewess。 This only exacerbated his case。 Brought to the attention of the court via Dr Hoffman by a former Auschwitz inmate， Andrej Novak who was also Slovakian， he fought against Dahler and Helena's supposed relationship and marriage believing Helena to be under duress and that Franz would forever be a danger to her。 He presented evidence of many occasions in which Dahler had whipped or abused Helena in front of other guards and inmates， humiliating her。 He also firmly believes that the couple were not in love and that Dahler forced himself on Helena with her timid behaviour currently evidence of his control over her。 But as Hoffman listens and observes the actions of both Franz and Helena， he is not so sure。Previously published as "Auschwitz Syndrome"， THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS is a powerful tale of true love surviving against all odds。 In a place where there is no love， no hope， no kindness。。。Franz and Helena defied those odds。 And while it is a heartwrenching love story， it will not be the only memory you will take away with you upon turning that final page。 I have read many books set in death camps like Auschwitz but this one is not like any of those。 Yes， we see the brutality of the guards and overseers， the hunger， the sickness， the stench of incinerated bodies， the propaganda of lies and deception， the inhumanity of it all。。。but in the midst of it， is a love story like no other。 A forbidden love that would have seen them both put to death。 I cannot begin to describe the huge range of emotions that flooded through me as I read this book。 Having not read Ellie Midwood before， the experience is such a powerful one that will have me seeking out further tales from the Holocaust that I know she has told。 THE GIRL IN THE STRIPED DRESS begins with the Denazification Tribunals in which Dr Hoffman plays a part afterwhich follows Helena's testimony of her time in Auschwitz told in her first person narrative。 Throughout the story， intermittent chapters from Franz's trial is inserted as Hoffman seeks the opinion of another psychiatrist。 There are a couple of chapters told by Franz with which Helena was not privy before the verdict is handed down in the final chapter。 The plotline was cleverly presented through the various perspectives that unfolded skillfully through Midwood's capable hand。This heartwrenching tale of true love that is based on the true story of Franz Wunsch and Helena Citronova， with their surnames changed for the book， is one that will remain with me for some time。 Amidst the horrors， the heartbreak and the unimaginable inhumanity， a glimmer of hope shines with the miracle of love found between two unlikely people。This is an amazing read that I highly recommend。 Pick it up。 Read it。 You won't be sorry。*Previously titled: Auschwitz SyndromeI would like to thank #EllieMidwood， #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlinTheStripedDress in exchange for an honest review。This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic。blogspot。com/。 。。。more
Mary Pettit
，
If you have ever read historical fiction from the perspective of a Nazi camp prisoner， you most likely have experienced the gut-wrenching emotions that accompany their story。 Many authors who write books on this time period have done extensive research in order to stay true to the events， horrid conditions， dispicable treatment， and the suffering of Jews during the Holocaust。 Ellie Midwood clearly has a passion and a personal connection to this story。Readers will be entranced， gutted， infuriated If you have ever read historical fiction from the perspective of a Nazi camp prisoner， you most likely have experienced the gut-wrenching emotions that accompany their story。 Many authors who write books on this time period have done extensive research in order to stay true to the events， horrid conditions， dispicable treatment， and the suffering of Jews during the Holocaust。 Ellie Midwood clearly has a passion and a personal connection to this story。Readers will be entranced， gutted， infuriated， and confused throughout this story。 For me， after reading the opening chapters and learning about the hearing taking place that would decide Franz’s fate…guilty or innocent of crimes against humanity， I already deemed him guilty。 What else is there to know？ He wore the SS uniform。 He took orders to beat and torture people solely because they were Jewish。 He witnessed horrendous crimes of torture being committed to other human beings and turned his cheek。 I never in a million years thought that reading the story from alternating POV’s （Helena and Franz） would allow my mind to think anything differently。 After Franz declared his love for Helena…everything changed。“How dare he？ In this cemetery where we dug our own graves daily， to give it to a Jew he’d watch go up in smoke one day？ He was in charge of the work detail that sorted dead people’s belongings daily。 How dare he even utter the word love in this place？ How dare he imply that he could feel anything？”Chapter 3。 HelenaDr。 Hoffman was the psychiatrist responsible for hearing all sides， including the POV of another prisoner who adamantly fought to present Franz as a cold blooded murderer。 As each character’s story unfolded， Dr。 Hoffman became increasingly confused， as did I。 Is Franz a manipulative Nazi or a rehabilitated person？“All I’m asking is for you to start listening to that heart of yours and not that garbage that your superiors are putting into your head。 When you feel inwardly that something is wrong， it’s wrong。 That’s your moral compass guiding you。 Do what feels right。”Chapter 21。 HelenaIs Helena suffering from survivor’s guilt？ Has she been brainwashed into believing Franz’s proclamation of love for her？ How can they possibly be happily married？ Ellie Midwood invites readers to think， question， and ponder what truth lies within their stories。Dahler’s motive was only too clear。 What would look better on his new resume than marriage to a former concentration camp inmate？Chapter 22。 Dr。 HoffmanWhat drives a person to put on an SS uniform yet claim to “only be following orders”？ Does this excuse the silence？“It was the hardest for us， who grew up in a world that only had one master race; which drummed it into our heads since school how our lives belonged to the Führer and the Fatherland;…”Chapter 30。 FranzWhat， if anything， can Franz do going forward that would tell the world he has learned to be more than an SS soldier？“None of us should ever be silent in the face of injustice。 The victims need people to talk for them， otherwise， it’s much too easy to pretend that they never existed。”Chapter 32。In Germany， 1947， the war might have been declared over， the crematoriums destroyed， and prisoners set free but the world will never be the same。“The hatred， the racism， the xenophobia didn’t miraculously disappear with Hitler”。Chapter 32。Do you think it is possible for a Jewish prisoner to fall in love with a Nazi SS soldier？ I encourage you to read Helena’s story and decide for yourself。**Also a side note （and this doesn’t change my rating of the book）， I really like the previous title “Auschwitz Syndrome”。**This story is an absolute must read！ 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 。。。more
Stacey Bradley
，
Ellie Midwood is a new to me author， but I found the writing much like Heather Morris。 I would even go so far as to compare this book to Morris' latest book Three Sisters。 Both books are set in Auschwitz and have main characters who are women who work on the Kanada work detail sorting possessions stolen from the Jewish people sent to their deaths。 Set in Germany after the end of the war and the Nuremburg War Criminal Trials， this time of de-nazification was an opportunity to get justice for holo Ellie Midwood is a new to me author， but I found the writing much like Heather Morris。 I would even go so far as to compare this book to Morris' latest book Three Sisters。 Both books are set in Auschwitz and have main characters who are women who work on the Kanada work detail sorting possessions stolen from the Jewish people sent to their deaths。 Set in Germany after the end of the war and the Nuremburg War Criminal Trials， this time of de-nazification was an opportunity to get justice for holocaust victims。 The story is told through a trial with testimony taking us back to past events from multiple perspectives。 It is through these different perspectives that we must piece together the story and try to understand the motivation of all of the different characters。 The trial is for Franz a Nazi soldier who served on the front and also in Auschwitz， he is now a auto mechanic， married to Helena。 He has been brought to trial by Andrej a Jewish man and Nazi hunter who was a part of the sonderkommando in Aushchwitz， and feels that he should be brought to justice。 The twist of the story is that Franz brings two witnesses to testify on his behalf who were also Jewish prisoners in Auschwitz， one who he married and the other who is her sister。 As we listen to the testimonies， the stories of their time in the camp come out and we get descriptions of what it was like for both prisoners and the Nazi's who were in charge of keeping them there。 Also part of the trial were two psychiatrists （Dr。 Hoffman and Dr。 Hudson） who observed all of the testimony and with their outside perspective provided very interesting commentary。 Holocaust literature always hooks me， but this was different kind of story for me。 The opportunity to listen to characters look back and reflect on the past， while trying to move on with their lives after tremendous trauma was different from other literature on this topic。 I also found the psychological affects to be very interesting， especially when viewed through the eyes of Psychiatrists who were looking for ways to help others。 Resilience is a fascinating topic for me and when looking at the trauma that holocaust survivors went through， it is amazing how so many people went on to do amazing things with their lives。 How did they do it？ What effects did they have to deal with and overcome throughout their lives？ What is it that makes one person overcome and another to give up？Thanks to Netgalley for this proof。 。。。more
Gabrielle
，
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review。 This book was utterly incredible and I know it will leave me thinking for days。 The author clearly poured every ounce of research into this book and， as a reader， I truly appreciated it。 It made the book so much more realistic and the strength in the little details helped me to absorb into the story。 The way that the story is told is utterly unique。 The time jump really allowed me to get a Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review。 This book was utterly incredible and I know it will leave me thinking for days。 The author clearly poured every ounce of research into this book and， as a reader， I truly appreciated it。 It made the book so much more realistic and the strength in the little details helped me to absorb into the story。 The way that the story is told is utterly unique。 The time jump really allowed me to get a deeper insight into the denazification programme that took place after the war。 Helena and Franz’s story was one that left me wanting to keep reading。 The sheer emotion that the author put into the characters allowed for you to understand from all perspective。 That， for me， was essential in keeping guessing the eventual outcome of the court case。 Only in the last few chapters did I put together the outcome。 For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz， Cilka’s Journey， and the Librarian of Auschwitz。 This book will be a prized edition on any historical fiction lover’s bookshelf。 I can safely say， I will be reading more books from the author。 。。。more
Bev Walkling
，
I have been fortunate enough to read several books by Ellie Midwood and have found those that I have read to be extremely well researched and written。 When I saw that this book was available to request as an Advanced Reader Copy， I quickly hopped on it and requested to read it。 Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me the privilege。 All opinions are completely my own。Midwood has an incredible knack for finding fascinating true stories from World War 2 and making them come to lif I have been fortunate enough to read several books by Ellie Midwood and have found those that I have read to be extremely well researched and written。 When I saw that this book was available to request as an Advanced Reader Copy， I quickly hopped on it and requested to read it。 Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me the privilege。 All opinions are completely my own。Midwood has an incredible knack for finding fascinating true stories from World War 2 and making them come to life for the reader。 Several of her novels have been set in Auschwitz as is this one。 It is factually inspired and most of the names of the characters in the novel are the names of real people。 She did ， however， change the last names of the two main characters - Helena and Franz。 I appreciated that even before I started reading their story Midwood had written a note to the reader to explain some of the background。The story is set in the year or so after the end of the war when DeNazification Trials were underway to try and deal with the worst offenders from the Holocaust realizing that there simply were not enough jails or infrastructure to imprison everyone who had in some way followed the Nazi ideology。 The Americans were trying to get as many trials done as they could before they were simply placed back in German hands where they felt even more people would get away with very little in the way of consequences。 This story comes to life through the course of the trial and it grabbed me almost immediately and drew me in to the point where I hated to put it down。 I found it gut-wrenching as the various witnesses told their story through the use of flashback testimony。When Helena first arrived in Auschwitz she was told that she would be exterminated as soon as possible。 First though she was chosen by a German officer to sing at the birthday celebration of Franz Dahler， another member of the SS。 He liked her singing （and even more liked her） so he refused to allow her to be sent to her death and demanded she be assigned to work in "Kanada" under his command。 Horrible though the job was （sorting the belongings of those who had just been exterminated）， it was still one of the best jobs one could have in Auschwitz as the food was better， they were allowed to keep their hair （on their head） and they had better sleeping quarters。 They lived however， surrounded by the stench of bodies being cremated pretty much 24/7。Helena had no idea why she had been singled out to survive。 The work was still extremely hard and whippings could occur for very minor reasons。 When Dahler handed her a note telling her that he was in love with her， she was disgusted and couldn't believe it， but over time their relationship developed and ultimately， after the war they were married。 Another inmate of Auschwitz， Novak became a co-plaintiff in the case against Dahler。 He had personally been whipped by Dahler and had also watched as Helena developed a relationship with him。 I honestly wondered if Novak was in love with Helena himself。 He believed that Dahler was an abusive liar and rapist who manipulated Helena for his own benefit。 Hearing his point of view throughout the trial was heart-wrenching。Each trial also included a team which included at least one psychologist with experience in assessing whether an individual was telling the truth or not。 They never expected that Dahler would come to trial holding his wife's hand， nor that she would seem so incapable of being parted from him。Can love exist in such circumstances， or is it just some type of psychological disorder？ Can someone who has been raised with Nazi ideology being hammered into his head truly change？ Can a prisoner filled with hate learn to temper it？ Is anyone innocent in such circumstances？ This book provided so much food for thought and moved me immensely。 I felt as if I had been in Kanada as the events were taking place。 It will no doubt stick with me for a long time。 I think it would be an excellent read for a book club as there is so much that could be discussed and learned from this story。 。。。more
Lori
，
I am always drawn to WWII fiction and appreciate when I have the opportunity to hear a different view point or learn something new from this time period， and The Girl in the Striped Dress provided both。 This was a gripping story based on true events that captured my attention from the very first page。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this ARC。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。
Angie
，
Everyone needs to read this book！ I love historical fiction and this is an excellent example。 The story is unique and I love how it also touches on possible Stockholm syndrome。The story follows Helena as she arrives at Auschwich in 1942。 Helena is due to die the next day but is saved by Franz， an SS officer who she is forced to sing for。 He takes her to work in the Kanada， a sought after position as it did not involve hard Labour and had privileges attached。 Helena hates Franz， but slowly over t Everyone needs to read this book！ I love historical fiction and this is an excellent example。 The story is unique and I love how it also touches on possible Stockholm syndrome。The story follows Helena as she arrives at Auschwich in 1942。 Helena is due to die the next day but is saved by Franz， an SS officer who she is forced to sing for。 He takes her to work in the Kanada， a sought after position as it did not involve hard Labour and had privileges attached。 Helena hates Franz， but slowly over time she comes to love him。 The story questions whether Helena is forced into staying with Franz when the camp closes and they marry。 Can love overcome the atrocities she has faced， and which the man she claims to love has been part of inflicting on her？ The book tells the harrowing and traumatic atrocities that happened in the camp， and does not skimp on the gore。 The book is exceedingly hard to read at times， but is important for people to read。 It shows the horrors that were involved and makes you think about who is responsible and how much they should be punished。 Learning Franz was 19 at the start of the story was an eye opener。 You need a strong stomach but this is a must read！ 。。。more
Emma Crowley
，
Ellie Midwood is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of historical fiction and as soon as a new book by this author appears on my radar I just know I have to read it。 The Girl in the Striped Dress is the third book I have read by this author and to say I devoured it in more or less one sitting would be an understatement。 It’s impossible to leave her books out of your hand once you begin reading。 Yes， the subject matter is very difficult to read about but you certainly gain an even deeper a Ellie Midwood is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of historical fiction and as soon as a new book by this author appears on my radar I just know I have to read it。 The Girl in the Striped Dress is the third book I have read by this author and to say I devoured it in more or less one sitting would be an understatement。 It’s impossible to leave her books out of your hand once you begin reading。 Yes， the subject matter is very difficult to read about but you certainly gain an even deeper appreciation for what the prisoners of Auschwitz went through。 You think you have read it all but then along comes another story that just completely blows your mind。 This story definitely provides a lot of food for thought and even now having long finished the book I am still contemplating the implications of what I have read。 I am torn as to my actual stance relating to the two main characters Helena and Franz。 The human empathetic side of me felt the love between them。 But then looking at the overall concept of - can a Nazi really fall in love with a prisoner and want to do their best to protect them at all costs？ Was the love Franz and Helena felt genuine or was it a love of circumstance and survival？ After all， no doubt it was forbidden， and it should have been impossible， but somehow a seed was planted that grew in the darkest of times。 Did it flourish successfully， or did it struggle on to some form of control and obsessiveness due to the situation Helena found herself in？ I still find it impossible to decide and I think this up for each individual reader to think about and decide upon when they have finished this remarkable book。 It’s 1947 and the memories of the war are still very much evident in the hearts， minds and physical appearance of all those who lived through it and survived。 Dr。Hoffman， an American psychiatrist， is looking through the denazification tribunal folder of Franz Dahler who had been an SS guard at Auschwitz。 Dr。 Hoffman is an expert observer of the human character and he knows when people are lying。 Franz is using his wife Helena to testify for him but what makes this unusual is that Helena was a prisoner in Auschwitz and that she is where she met Franz。 Helena in court appears as if in a trance。 Yes she can speak and answer questions and she relates her story of her time in the camp when asked but she is very dependant on Franz。 The question instantly arises how can a prisoner fall in love with their captor who is from a group of people who inflicted so much barbarity， sadistic cruelty and human suffering on so many people simply because of their race or religion？ The court must decide if the charges against Franz stand and what punishment he should meet if so。 But fellow prisoner and now Nazi hunter Andrej is determined that Franz will pay for what he did to Helena and so many others。 He is intent on serving the hell back that he and so many others endured back on these who inflicted it。 Andrej burns with fury and hatred and can’t comprehend how Helena has married a man who deserves to pay for his crimes。 What spell did Franz cast on her？ The story moves back and forth between the courtroom scenes and Helena’s time at the camp。 The two strands interweave seamlessly and when it switches back to the courtroom it’s almost like a breath of fresh air so to speak as you need time to process what you have read especially as there are innumerable disturbing scenes。 The insights from Dr。 Hoffman regarding the human psyche and why Helena may be the way she is are incredible and add so much to the story。 They allow you to see each characters side to the story and you try and form your own judgements as to the situation unfolding before your eyes post war。 There are brief allusions to a certain syndrome although nothing is specifically mentioned until the end notes and once again it is very much an eye opener。 But still I felt as if you were left on not a cliff hanger a such but there was nothing concrete declaring one thing to be certain over another。 The reader has to make up their own mind and to do so as soon as I finished this book I found myself looking up these characters and reading more about their fascinating and intriguing experiences。Helena arrives at the camp in March of 1942， herself and her fellow Slovakians are destined for the gas chamber but singing a song saves her from that fate but that’s not to say her life is safe and secure。 Thanks to Franz taking a liking to her and her singing she has been spared the worst fate and given a job working in the Kanada。 A detailed explanation of this area allowed me to understand the work Helena did sorting clothes for disinfection and locating jewellery and money from the belongings of the Jews brought to the camp。 It was a position of privilege within the camp and although it sounds ridiculous to say those that worked there seemed to fair better than some of the other prisoners。 The only escape from Auschwitz was by death or madness but Helena had a saviour in the form of Franz who declares his love for her。 You instantly think has she gone completely mad？ Does she feel she owes him such a debt of gratitude for saving her from death？ Did she persuade herself that she loved him because of his actions？ At what point does her resistance falter and Franz ceases to be the enemy？ To be honest I couldn’t believe the way the story unfolded， that she placed such trust and love in this man。 Yes， the author writes the character of Franz in such a way that you do feel the love between the pair but all the time you are thinking sure at any point he could just snap and that would be it for Helena。 It was like she was cast under a spell from which she couldn’t awaken and you just wanted to warn her to watch out for she was playing a very deadly came and with one wrong turn it could all come crashing down。 I thought she had gone into survival mode and was using Franz as a protection mechanism to make it through the darkest days of her life at all costs but then to see they had married post war makes you reassess your opinion and this happened many times over。The Girl in the Striped Dress out of the three books I have read by Ellie Midwood is perhaps the most divisive。 I still am not sure how I feel about either Franz or Helena and this is what makes this such a remarkable novel apart from the sheer brilliance of the writing and descriptions from this astounding author。 Usually when you finish a book your mind is made up about what happened and whose side you are on so to speak but here I found this not to be the case。 That’s what would make this such a good book club selection as you really need to discuss and explore this deeper with other readers。 Books of this nature featuring Auschwitz and all its horrors are not meant to be enjoyable that is the wrong word to use but instead I will say this was engrossing， opinion dividing， and another stunning read from a very talented author。 I’ve said before no detail is ever spared when she writes and that only adds to the intensity of what you are reading。 There was a particular scene towards the end of the book where Franz is recollecting an event towards the end of the camps existence and to be honest it was just stomach churning and I had to read those pages very slowly in fear of what was coming next。 But all this has to be present in novels of this sort and I am glad Ellie Midwood does this。 It teaches us never to forget。 I would definitely recommend The Girl in the Striped Dress， it’s certainly an eye opener。 Thankfully given how much I am loving this authors writing it’s only a month to go until her next book is published and I will be eager to get my hands on it。 。。。more
Lola Hodgson
，
This was a highly emotional delve into a heartbreaking story， and one that has you constantly questioning the line between right and wrong and and the possibility of one being redeemed。Although based on a true story， Midwood's descriptions are truly haunting， creating real visceral reactions that force you back into the horrifying reality of these people， even amongst the kindness shared between the Kanada inmates， and the relationship between Helena and Franz。 I really enjoyed the writing style This was a highly emotional delve into a heartbreaking story， and one that has you constantly questioning the line between right and wrong and and the possibility of one being redeemed。Although based on a true story， Midwood's descriptions are truly haunting， creating real visceral reactions that force you back into the horrifying reality of these people， even amongst the kindness shared between the Kanada inmates， and the relationship between Helena and Franz。 I really enjoyed the writing style used， and I think the switching between the camp and the trial ultimately worked very well， and provided an interesting mix of outside perspectives。Overall， I found this a very enjoyable read， one mixed with the perfect amounts of love and horror， that will leave you with questioning morality， and is something that will stick with you for a long time after。（Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this eARC！） 。。。more
Stacy
，
Excellent。 A profound way to ensure we Never Forget。 This story shifts back and forth from the court room post liberation to Auschwitz。 The story of a prisoner that falls in love with an SS guard。 Just fascinating。 It kept me reading until all hours of the night。 The poetic message at the end between Novak and Franz is truly important and brings the story together in the end。 I wont give anything away but it ensured this title should be on a must read list for anyone trying to understand the atr Excellent。 A profound way to ensure we Never Forget。 This story shifts back and forth from the court room post liberation to Auschwitz。 The story of a prisoner that falls in love with an SS guard。 Just fascinating。 It kept me reading until all hours of the night。 The poetic message at the end between Novak and Franz is truly important and brings the story together in the end。 I wont give anything away but it ensured this title should be on a must read list for anyone trying to understand the atrocities and lessons that came out of the war-- in a way that is rarely seen in fictional stories。 I appreciated the intensive research the author provided in her introduction and authors note at the end。 This is a must read for everyone - never forget。 Thank you to NetGalley， the publisher and Ellie Midwood for the advanced copy。 。。。more
Madeline Kay
，
I've read a lot of books set in WWII and I've never heard a story quite like this one。 The holocaust was a huge crisis， and everyone was effected in different ways。 From both physically and mentally， Ellie Midwood does a great job at capturing this in the book。 She doesn't paint the main characters as wholly good or bad， but writes them in a way that makes you stop and think for yourself。 I appreciate the time and dedication the author put into researching this story。 After finishing this book， I've read a lot of books set in WWII and I've never heard a story quite like this one。 The holocaust was a huge crisis， and everyone was effected in different ways。 From both physically and mentally， Ellie Midwood does a great job at capturing this in the book。 She doesn't paint the main characters as wholly good or bad， but writes them in a way that makes you stop and think for yourself。 I appreciate the time and dedication the author put into researching this story。 After finishing this book， I'm inclined to learn more about the real life events。I enjoyed the writing style and how it jumped between the holocaust， and the trials that followed。 Midwood chooses to follow a phycologist during the trial scenes， and I think this added to my interest， while reading。 I recommend this book to everyone， from someone who wants to learn more about this time period， to someone who doesn't know a lot about this awful time。 This book will get a solid 5 stars and I'll definitely be checking out more of Ellie Midwood's books。 。。。more
Sydney Long
，
When Franz Dahler sits before the Denazification Court， much to the surprise of the officiants， he brings his wife Helena， a former Jewish inmate at Auschwitz to testify on his behalf。 This raises a lot of questions， especially with former inmate Andrej as one of co-plaintiffs who is convinced that Dahler is a liar， a rapist， a murderer and abusing his wife and forcing her to tell a story in order to be cleared of the charges against him。 As they tell their story， it becomes quite clear that som When Franz Dahler sits before the Denazification Court， much to the surprise of the officiants， he brings his wife Helena， a former Jewish inmate at Auschwitz to testify on his behalf。 This raises a lot of questions， especially with former inmate Andrej as one of co-plaintiffs who is convinced that Dahler is a liar， a rapist， a murderer and abusing his wife and forcing her to tell a story in order to be cleared of the charges against him。 As they tell their story， it becomes quite clear that something extraordinary happened between Dahler and Helena during history’s darkest hour。This is the third book I’ve read fromElie Midwood that takes place In Auschwitz。 She subtly threads each story together by including certain characters that also found their place within the barbed wire fences。 And these characters， including Franz and Helena were very real people。 Midwood manages to bring hope and light into a place where despair and darkness are overflowing。 The way in which the author writes has a way of getting under your skin and you experience such a wide range of emotions as you turn each page and for me…。those are stories that stay with me for ages。 It’s vital to read the authors notes， not only at the end of this novel but of all Midwoods novels。 The research is meticulous。 The homage to the characters is honorable and honest。 It’s just amazing work and I highly recommend！Thank you to NetGalley， Bookouture and Elie Midwood for access to this gem！ Can’t wait to read what you come up with next！ 。。。more
thebookaholicsreads
，
- 3。5 stars If you loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz you will love this book。 It's clear that the author had done their research and portrayed the events of World War 2 accurately。 The characters were compelling and believable。 The events were heartbreaking and traumatizing （please look up trigger warnings before reading the book）。 I have to admit， for about 50%， this book was a solid 4/4。5。 However， the last half felt like it dragged out。 I was kind of getting bored with it。 - 3。5 stars If you loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz you will love this book。 It's clear that the author had done their research and portrayed the events of World War 2 accurately。 The characters were compelling and believable。 The events were heartbreaking and traumatizing （please look up trigger warnings before reading the book）。 I have to admit， for about 50%， this book was a solid 4/4。5。 However， the last half felt like it dragged out。 I was kind of getting bored with it。 。。。more
Beth
，