This book is based on the extraordinary and gut-wrenching story of Lali Sokolov, (formerly Eisenberg), and his survival through three years of being at Auschwitz, and his torturous journey home to Slovakia in order to find his family and reunite with the love of his life, (Gita), whom he met in the camp.
The book has been disparaged by some who claim it is not an authentic or factually accurate enough story of the Holocaust, despite being based on the true story of Lali. Despite the author working with historians, other experts of the Holocaust claim there is too much dramatic license used.
Despite this, the story is powerful and moving - anyone with a layman's understanding of the Holocaust will be able to recognise symbols and landmarks used, from the slave labour to the gas chambers. Lali (spelled Lale in the book) is a clever man with a survival for instinct. He never makes friends with any of the guards - that would be impossible - but he knows what to do in order to collect favours and keep himself and his friends alive.
The love story between Lali and Gita is desperate, slow-moving, and high stakes. There is no way of telling in the novel whether they end up together or not, which adds to the already compelling nature of the story.
As a whole, I found the writing a bit rushed at times - this may be due to the nature of it having been written as a screenplay first - but the characters and relationships between them were absorbing enough to gloss over that at times.
This story isn't - and was never intended to be - a truly deep insight into the Holocaust itself. No single book could ever do that. But it is a powerful story of love, survival, and humanity against all odds.
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