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A review by spaceonthebookcase
Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
5.0
The bravest person {not girl]…bravest person I have ever met.”-Lale Sokolov
I’ve never felt compelled to turn my computer on to write a book review before. Normally I just open the Notes app on my phone and start typing away, but I’m far more proficient on a keyboard and so here I am, sitting at my desk and trying to form the right words to tell you why Cilka’s Journey should be on everyone’s #TBR list.
As an avid reader of all things Holocaust it was only natural to finish The Tattooist of Auschwitz’s and move onto the second book, Cilka’s Journey. I wouldn’t call Cilka’s Journey a sequel per say, but it is the next book in a series of historical/bibliographical fiction that Heather Morris has published. Following Cilka’s Journey is a book entitled Three Sisters.
When we first meet Cecilia (Cilka) Klein in The Tattooist of Auschwitz she is working in the administration building and is a friend of Gita, Lale Sokolov’s love interest in the book. Cilka is allowed to keep her hair long, an abnormality in any Nazi camp but specially Auschwitz, and she does not live in the same bunk as Gita and her female friends. It doesn’t take long for the reader to learn why Cilka has a different standard of living and it is because she’s attracted the attention of SS-Obersturmfuhrer Johann Schwarzhuber. Without giving away too many spoilers for The Tattooist of Auschwitz’s, there comes a time where Cilka is able to use her connection to help Lale and ultimately save his life. When author, Heather Morris, spent her time with Lale Sokolov listening to and documenting his story as the tattooist, he urged Morris to also tell Cilka’s story too.
Cilka was only sixteen years old when she arrived in Auschwitz and was held captive for three years before being liberated by Russian soldiers. She was then interrogated and found guilty of collaborating with the Nazi’s and sent to Vorkuta Gulag, a Siberian labor camp founded under Stalin, for fifteen years. Cilka chose to live and fight to survive during her time in Auschwitz and those decisions ultimately cost her even more years of her life.
I’m not sure I have ever given a book 5 stars when it made me as angry as Cilka’s Journey. Though I do know a lot about the Holocaust and the events leading up to the liberation of Holocaust survivors, I was ashamed to realize that I never really read much beyond that point. I didn't know much about the labor camps within the USSR and about the survivors who endured unimaginable hardships while trapped inside them. Specifically I didn’t know Holocaust survivors were also being sent to these labor camps. While reading I felt nearly every emotion available from sheer horror and anger to joy and hope. Unlike other page turning books, this one really would not let me put it down. I needed to get to a point where I felt like Cilka would be okay and finally experience the freedom she so deserved.
Unlike Heather Morris’ experience talking with and listening to Lale Sokolov, Cilka Klein passed away in 2014 before Heather Morris even knew she existed. The author instead used Lale’s accounts along with research and interviews with other survivors to piece together what would eventually be named Cilka’s Journey.
Once again, it is 5 stars from me.
I’ve never felt compelled to turn my computer on to write a book review before. Normally I just open the Notes app on my phone and start typing away, but I’m far more proficient on a keyboard and so here I am, sitting at my desk and trying to form the right words to tell you why Cilka’s Journey should be on everyone’s #TBR list.
As an avid reader of all things Holocaust it was only natural to finish The Tattooist of Auschwitz’s and move onto the second book, Cilka’s Journey. I wouldn’t call Cilka’s Journey a sequel per say, but it is the next book in a series of historical/bibliographical fiction that Heather Morris has published. Following Cilka’s Journey is a book entitled Three Sisters.
When we first meet Cecilia (Cilka) Klein in The Tattooist of Auschwitz she is working in the administration building and is a friend of Gita, Lale Sokolov’s love interest in the book. Cilka is allowed to keep her hair long, an abnormality in any Nazi camp but specially Auschwitz, and she does not live in the same bunk as Gita and her female friends. It doesn’t take long for the reader to learn why Cilka has a different standard of living and it is because she’s attracted the attention of SS-Obersturmfuhrer Johann Schwarzhuber. Without giving away too many spoilers for The Tattooist of Auschwitz’s, there comes a time where Cilka is able to use her connection to help Lale and ultimately save his life. When author, Heather Morris, spent her time with Lale Sokolov listening to and documenting his story as the tattooist, he urged Morris to also tell Cilka’s story too.
Cilka was only sixteen years old when she arrived in Auschwitz and was held captive for three years before being liberated by Russian soldiers. She was then interrogated and found guilty of collaborating with the Nazi’s and sent to Vorkuta Gulag, a Siberian labor camp founded under Stalin, for fifteen years. Cilka chose to live and fight to survive during her time in Auschwitz and those decisions ultimately cost her even more years of her life.
I’m not sure I have ever given a book 5 stars when it made me as angry as Cilka’s Journey. Though I do know a lot about the Holocaust and the events leading up to the liberation of Holocaust survivors, I was ashamed to realize that I never really read much beyond that point. I didn't know much about the labor camps within the USSR and about the survivors who endured unimaginable hardships while trapped inside them. Specifically I didn’t know Holocaust survivors were also being sent to these labor camps. While reading I felt nearly every emotion available from sheer horror and anger to joy and hope. Unlike other page turning books, this one really would not let me put it down. I needed to get to a point where I felt like Cilka would be okay and finally experience the freedom she so deserved.
Unlike Heather Morris’ experience talking with and listening to Lale Sokolov, Cilka Klein passed away in 2014 before Heather Morris even knew she existed. The author instead used Lale’s accounts along with research and interviews with other survivors to piece together what would eventually be named Cilka’s Journey.
Once again, it is 5 stars from me.