How do you write a review for a book where you know pretty much what it is all about from the title? How do you write a review for a book about one of the most horrendous periods of history? 

I approach this with such trepidation. 

Eva boarded a train to Auschwitz she is looking for her husband of only six months. She wants to find him and she is going to hell on earth to do so. But is he there?

Sofie befriends Eva as they share a bed, what food they can get and the knowledge that they are goign through the same, shaved heads, back breaking labour and ultimately fear of death. 

As Eva dreams of her husband, Sofie dreams of being reunited with her son. 

As the days go on, Sofie sees an opportunity to bring happiness to Eva, but at what cost?

When Eva's dreams come true the worse is still yet to come. Pregnant, Eva and Sofie now need to protect more than just themselves. 

Will anyone survive the heartbreak of separation from the ones that they love? 

This is an incredibly moving, researched, story that had me gasping in shock and with tears streaming down my face. The strength that these women went to, to survive makes our moans and groans of today's world pale into comparison. 

It is a fascinating read and brought such horror to life and I think a lot of people need to know what human beings are capable of, both good and evil. 

This has to be Lily Graham's best novel to date, the others were excellent but this seems to go above and beyond that. 

A book worthy of your time to read.

It feels wrong to say that this was a book I enjoyed – the setting and subject matter do rather demand that it shouldn’t be something you “enjoy”. Some may even feel that Auschwitz isn’t an appropriate backdrop for a work of fiction – and I might just veer towards agreeing with that. But I did think the author handled her difficult subject matter exceptionally well, with a well-judged balance between the horrifying environment and the many acts of unimaginable cruelty, the friendship between Sofie and Eva with its moments of selflessness, and the moving love story that extends both before and after the confines of the camp. Inspired by a number of real people and events, the environment and the primary characters had the feel of authenticity, the detail showing that the author had clearly researched her subject in some depth.

But this is a novel, not a memoir – and the author certainly demonstrates that she is an excellent story-teller. I really liked the relationship between the two girls, the use of dual-time narrative to flesh out the back story (that also provided some respite from the horror), and the way the more emotional or harrowing moments were written in a low key way that made them all the more powerful. My only minor criticism might be the slightly too tidy ending – but this is a work of fiction after all, and with that thought in mind I think it really worked, a welcome hint of hope and light after all the darkness.

A compelling read, a story of endurance and survival, both heart-breaking and uplifting, and beautifully written. I’ll be looking out for more books from Lily Graham.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

WWII. Hitler declares it a crime to be Jewish. Eva is separated from her family and her most beloved husband, Michal. Alone and terrified but filled with hope of finding him, Eva endures the horrific transport to Auschwitz.

When Eva arrives, she believes she has truly stepped into hell. Cruel German soldiers, barbed wire, mud and filth, and thousands of women. Prisoners: emaciated, starving, freezing, fending off death. Thrown together in barren cage-like barracks, Eva finds a best friend in Sofie, and a sisterhood in the other women she shares her bunk with.

Eva and Sofie fiercely defend and protect each other. Eva, refusing to give up her hope in reuniting with her Michal, and Sofie, desperate to find the woman who betrayed her so she can find out where her young son Tomas is. The two friends promise to take care of one another, and their families, whatever the uncertain future holds.

Sofie unwillingly catches the eye of a young German guard, while Eva becomes the target of a bullying German soldier. Sent to work in the gruelling labour camp, Eva on the brink of starvation and desperation, discovers she is pregnant. Determined to survive, Eva vows to protect her precious baby with her life. Sofie knows Eva needs her more than ever and goes to any length to help her friend. Both women face ultimate sacrifices.

As difficult as it is to read about Auschwitz, the inhumanity and atrocities of the concentration camp are vividly and heart-wrenchingly brought to life by Lily Graham’s most perceptive, sensitive, gifted hand.

This emotionally gripping, heart-breaking story is one of pure, instinctual survival.

It is a story of fierce friendships, unbreakable spirits, and the most powerful love possible.

In the terror of a world fallen into darkness, these courageous women found the smallest cracks where the light found its way in and stepped bravely into it with their lives.

I was spellbound by this captivating, emotionally riveting read. My breath caught and tears flowed for these fictional heroes. I could not put it down until I read every last exquisite word.

Highly recommend The Child of Auschwitz as a must-read.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the read of Lily Graham’s, The Child of Auschwitz.

Opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

I have read, reviewed and loved a few of Lily's books now. When I read the synopsis for 'The Child Of Auschwitz', I knew that I would be in for a sometimes difficult and emotive read. I will explain what I mean about difficult in a bit. I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed a copy of the book and settled down to read the book. My first thought on finishing the book was simply 'wow'. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Child Of Auschwitz' but more about that in a bit.
I took to Eva Adami from the first moment I met her. She is a feisty and determined young lady who has ended up in Auschwitz. She asked to be sent there because her husband was sent there and she thought that if she was sent there she might be able to find her husband, who was sent there previously. Even though the Nazis put her through hell- firstly in the ghetto and secondly in Auschwitz- Eva still maintained a degree of hope and optimism, although this is tested when she realises just how bad the camp was and that she would likely not find her husband or son. Eva learnt to do what she could to survive even if that meant doing something she wasn't entirely comfortable with. Eva gets on well with the other women in the block, which is just as well since there are so many individuals within the one block. She makes friends with one of her bunk mates, Sofie. Sofie has a son, who has been placed in an orphanage in Austria and Sofie is desperate to be reunited with him. Both women agree that if the worst happens and one of them dies, the surviving lady will do what they can to protect the other woman's children. Eva discovers that she is pregnant, which scares her because she fears for the welfare of her unborn child and she fears that she will be killed sooner rather than later. What follows is a heart rending and emotional story of one woman's fight to survive.
'The Child Of Auschwitz' appealed to me from the moment I read the title and saw the cover, never mind from when I read the synopsis or began to read the book itself. As well as being a book geek, I am a huge history nerd with a particular focus on the twentieth century and the two world wars. Whilst I was at 6th Form College and studying for my 'A-Level Modern History', our class went to Germany and Poland on a field trip. As part of the trip we went to visit Auschwitz which proved to be very eye opening, sobering and emotional. I was okay until I saw the display of children's clothes that was left when the camp was liberated and that was it, I was in floods of tears. We visited Auschwitz and Birkenau and learnt about the evil that the Nazis perpetrated. Anyway enough of my burbling about my own experiences and back to the review I do go.
It didn't take me long to get into the story. In fact by the end of the first page, I knew that I would find it extremely difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I wasn't able to binge read the book over the course of a day because I found that I was becoming very emotional so I read the book in chunks before taking a break. Reading 'The Child Of Auschwitz' took me a few days. I finished reading the book far quicker than I had anticipated or expected. I lost all track of time, whilst reading this book and I managed to shut out all other distractions whilst I had this book in my hand.
'The Child Of Auschwitz' is beautifully and sensitively written. Lily has clearly done her research and this shines through in her writing. She draws you into the story from the first word on the first page and she takes you on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride. She writes so convincingly and realistically that had I shut my eyes, I could easily imagine that I had travelled back in time and I was at Auschwitz too. I found that I had taken to the characters so well that I found myself feeling or going through every emotion that they felt. There were several occasions where I found myself welling up or becoming increasingly angry about something in the story.
In short, Lily Graham has done it again and she has written one hell of an emotive story that is guaranteed to tug on even the toughest of heartstrings. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Lily's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

What a heartbreakingly beautiful story! A story of love and hope and the ultimate sacrifice.

I have read a lot of WW2 stories and they are all so special in there own way. We complain so quickly about little things in lives but then you look at what these people had to endure just to stay alive and you are thankful for what you have.

"I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.......Still, I came. Small , and half-starved, yet determined to be alive, on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history"

This book was inspired by true events and tells us the story of Eva Adami and her best friend Sofie and their survival in Birkenau, or Auschwitz II-Birkenau as it was officially known, the biggest of the camp facilities, which could hold more than 80,000 prisoners. It also tells the love story of Eva and her husband Michal and her determination to find him.

The story is beautifully written with so much compassion I could not put it down and finished it in 1 sitting. I found it a very emotional read and it had me tearing up in many places.

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s a fact one cannot even fathom: babies were born in Auschwitz! How many actually survived the brutal, inhumane conditions of a death camp – a place where lives were intended to end, not begin – if they weren’t murdered immediately after birth, is literally a handful! The Child of Auschwitz is a historical novel; a fictionalised account of the life of Vera Bein who gave birth to a baby girl in 1944 while she was interned in the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp; a baby that survived, purely because she was unable to cry due to her underdeveloped lungs, a fact which actually saved her life.

Eva and Sofie leave the relative safety of the Terezin ghetto and find themselves on a cattle truck that is on its way to Auschwitz. Eva has discovered that her husband Michel, who she was only married to for 6 months before he was taken from her, was probably transported there, and she intends to find him. The shock at what they encounter upon their arrival at the death camp threatens to overtake them, but thankfully the strong friendship that Eva and Sofie share in this bleak place keeps them focussed on the reason they are there – to find the people they are looking for. Sofie is also there on a mission. She is looking for her cousin Lotte who took her young son Tomas from her. Sofie is desperate to find out where Lotte sent Tomas.

Eva and Sofie find themselves on the work shift in Kanada (considered to be one of the ‘better’ work assignments – they get to work inside, out of the freezing cold) – the building where all the possessions of new inmates are stored. Their task is to go through every single item to find any valuables that have been hidden in pockets or sewn into the linings of clothing. The Nazi’s obviously intended to collect jewellery, precious stones and items that they deemed ‘valuable’ and indeed, often these were found, but there were other items that meant nothing to the Nazi’s, but were of great value to their previous owners: photographs of loved ones, cherished momentoes of happier times – through sleight of hand, taught by her beloved uncle, Eva managed to stow many of these away and kept them, in the hope that she might reunite them with their owners. It was unimaginable that none of them would return to claim their lost treasures. And readers cannot help but be overcome, thinking of these piles of items, callously cast aside, while their owners all, almost certainly met their deaths upon arrival at Auschwitz. It’s a sobering thought.

But they still need to endure endless hours of ‘lineup’ every day, in every type of weather condition: freezing cold, pelting rain, while they are counted over and over again, seemingly for no reason other than to entertain their Nazi tormentors. The resilience of these two young women through the darkest time in mankind’s history is a beacon of hope and strength that they offer not only to each other, but also to the other women who share their dismal living conditions. Sofie is a born storyteller, and regales her fellow prisoners with stories of her childhood, how she and Michal met, their courtship and marriage. Sharing her own unique sense of spirit and optimism is often difficult but she knows if she stops then she will no longer be able to carry on surviving the hell that she has found herself in.

Ms Graham writes intensely but with sensitivity. Her research is extensive and incredibly well represented, with characters who are well-rounded and will undoubtedly illicit heartfelt responses from all readers. With so many books being written about the Holocaust, this one takes its own unique approach. Although it is poignant and heartbreaking, the author has chosen to focus on strength, faith and hope, rather than on darkness and despair. And ultimately it is also about the power of female friendship, a force that should never be discounted in its ability to help us face the worst evil that life throws at us.

This is a 5-star, highly recommended read.

I don’t need to tell anyone the horrific events that took place in Auschwitz and this story is no different.
Inspired by real events this read is heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one breath.
Told from two different very strong woman characters point of view, both are on a search for someone they loved and lost; one woman her husband who was taken to Auschwitz by the Germans and the other searching for her cousin who took her son when she was arrested at the border trying to flee.
The two quickly become best friends and vow to help each other as they both volunteer to head to Auschwitz on their search.
These two have an unbelievable bond and will to survive at any cost! And couldn’t have done it without each other’s help.
I really loved this story and the strength these woman had. I’m always amazed at people’s strong will to live and keep going in such dark times!

Could a baby be born in Auschwitz and survive? I know that babies were routinely killed at Auschwitz but I would never have imagined that one could be both born and survive. The Child of Auschwitz is the story of that miracle and is based on the life of Vera Bein who gave birth to a daughter in December of 1944 while in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

<i>I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.</i>

<i>The simple fact of me, had any of the authorities known, would have been enough to end my life before it had even begun. Still, I came. Small, and half-starved, yet determined to be alive, on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history.</i>

Lily Graham seamlessly interweaves the story of Eva Adami while in the camps and several years before being captured. While there are sections that explore the past, Eva also tells stories, including how she met her husband and their courtship, to a small group of other female prisoners to detract them from their hellish existence. We become acquainted with Eva’s family and learn how Eva met Michal, who becomes her husband. Eva voluntarily goes to Auschwitz from the Terezin Jewish ghetto in order to find her beloved Michal. Accompanying her is Sofie, her new friend who’s in search of her cousin who looked after her young son Tomas until she was captured. She needs to find out from the cousin where she hid her son so she can find him after the war. We witness the exceedingly close and remarkable friendship between Eva and Sofie, both of whom are completely devoted to one another and will do whatever it takes to both protect and save each other. It is a beautiful friendship that seemingly knows no bounds.

Eva shows incredible strength and resilience and we really get to know her and Sofie. It is a moving and emotional story that will hold the reader until the final pages.It was truly miraculous that a baby could born to a mother who is starving and stick thin. It was also a godsend that the baby was unable to cry, due to the tiny size of her lungs, and so could live undetected by the Nazis.

<i>I barely made a sound, my underdeveloped lungs unable to allow me to cry. It would make my life hard, a price I would pay for all my years, but it is why I survived.</i>

While the atrocities inflicted on fellow human beings are unimaginable and incomprehensible, this is also a story about hope, courage, a determination to survive, friendship and a Mother’s love for her child. The Child of Auschwitz is beautifully written and the character development is very well done. The ending felt rushed to me but this did not deter from my overall positive reading experience.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I have read a few books about the horrors Jews experienced during the Nazi regime and this book was one of the best. I loved the fight the prisoners had and how they never gave up even when it seemed hopeless.

From the author of "The Paris Secret", comes an absolutely heartwrenching tale of unconditional love and the fight to live.

The story unfolds with this deeply moving and unsettling statement;
"I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence".
And so we find ourselves in Auschwitz at the height of Concentration Camp productivity...following the horrific day to day survival of the women imprisoned there.

The archway into the Auschwitz Death Camp states; "Arbeit Mach Frei"- How can this be, wonders Eva Adami, we are worked and with little food, to near death... is death how work sets you free?

With Eva's humanity stripped away as she fights to just stay a step ahead of death, we are immersed first hand in this hell hole of hopelessness, where the little things mean that maybe you can make it through one more day; like a cup to hold your dinner broth instead of cupped hands.

One more fact about Eva Adami; she went to Auschwitz to be with her husband...

Inspired by true events.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Thank you to NetGalley, The publishers Bookouture and the author, Ms. Lily Graham for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy.

Eva and Sofie are two women who meet in Auschwitz, both desperately hoping to be reunited with loved ones. They grow close and put their lives on the line for each other. I enjoyed their loyal friendship and also loved reading the flashbacks of each of their lives before the war and leading up to their time in the Concentration Camp.

This book told a story of the endurance of the human spirit under the most horrifying of conditions. I’ve read many historical fiction novels set during WWII, and I find that while many authors do thorough research and tell a good story, not all of them are able to also write characters that ring true and allow me to connect with them emotionally. Lily Graham was absolutely able to do that, and she handled the difficult subject matter with sensitivity, while not glossing over the horrors that we must not forget.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eva Adami had only been married for twelve months when they took her husband Michal away; sent him to the concentration camp at Terezin just north of Prague. When she and her parents followed a few months later, Eva was delighted to find Michal and although separated, she was able to see him frequently. But all too soon he was sent to Auschwitz – and Eva volunteered to be sent there; foolish or not, she needed to find Michal.

Not having had any idea what she was in for, Eva was shocked and horrified at what the Nazis were doing to her countrymen and women. Her friend Sofie, along with other women in the cold, dank barracks where they shivered and starved, kept Eva strong. They kept each other’s spirits up, but it was a difficult task. So many people died; were murdered or fell where they stood. Eva and Sofie were determined to survive this war; Sofie needed to find her son Tomas, Eva to find Michal. But when Michal was found, it wasn’t long before he was sent to another camp…

Would a pregnant Eva and a desperate Sofie survive the horrors of Auschwitz?

The Child of Auschwitz is my first by author Lily Graham, and I found it to be another beautifully written, well researched fictional account of the Holocaust and the dreadful atrocities which occurred during that horrific time in history. The story starts and ends in present day Prague; the bulk of the story centres around Eva and Sofie, characters I felt I knew. An excellent historical fiction novel which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.5 Stars

Eva Adami is in Prague. But then the story goes back to 1942. She survived a very long and grueling train ride, with the worst possible treatment imaginable, Eva is about to begin yet another tragic chapter in her life.

Eva is one of thousands of Jewish people being lined up for extermination. Dragged out of her home, her life, and the happiness she knew, her life will forever be changed. This story, and that last couple that I have read, have focused on what women suffered during that time. The Child of Auschwitz is one such story.

For readers of this genre, or about this time in history, there is no need to repeat the many horrors these women experienced. Another woman highlighted in this book is Sofie. The story goes back to her past life occasionally. We read of her falling in love, mothering a child, Tomas, then losing her husband and all contact with Tomas. Eva and Sofia become very close and offer a tremendous amount of support to one another during their horrific trials.

We meet other women who are forced to live together on the block. They did manage to become part of Kanada, a special camp, and thus were spared gassing. They had a lot of advantages, but were not spared much of the suffering and humiliation.

Before Eva was dragged off to the camps she met and married. Blessedly she finds her love again, and they even manage to create a life between them. Eva struggles to keep her child alive, all while Sofie hopes to see her son again. Both Eva and Sofie are forced to face even more brutal and tragic trials.

Despite the sadness... Despite the tragedy...This is a story of survival, of hope, of friendship, and of love. I cried more than once but I was left with a very full feeling in my heart at Eva's perseverance through it all. This was an amazing read, and as always, Lily Graham has done a stellar job.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Any book that is set against the background of the atrocities of Auschwitz is bound to be heartbreaking. This one is no exception and I found myself in tears at what they endured but also heartened slightly by the camaraderie. This is a book that will haunt you long after you finish it as the reader follows Eva's story. The only thing I found rather contrived was the ending where, as a reader, it felt improbable as the denouement was quite unexpected. In my head, I had imagined a different scenario so I was a little shocked. However, the story is beautifully told with horrors that we need to be reminded of. Very moving.

I really enjoyed this book and the character development of both Eva and Sofie. One of the best WW2 books I have read in a while.

I am emotionally drained! I just finished The Child of Auschwitz. I read a lot of WWII fiction and Lily Graham’s book really got to me. The story traveled from Prague in 1938 through the war years at Auschwitz and after the war as the main character makes her way back to Prague and a journey to fulfill the promise she made to Sophie. In all the sadness, Graham is still able to show how Hope is found in her characters. I think I will be thinking about Eva, Sophie and the others in this amazing story for a long time. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about life in a concentration camp and The Holocaust. It follows the struggles of Eva and Sophie while they were prisoners in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. We learn of the events that brought them together and we witness the struggle to survive.

The narrative is told in a duel timeline. One is told in the present which is 1942 and the other is told in the past which is 1938. The book is set between a terrible atrocity. This is a beautifully written story. There are some genuine lovely characters ut there is also some nasty spiteful blighters as well. The conditions in the concentration camps are described vividly. A story of death, despair, survival and hope. You will need your tissues beside you as this story will pull at your heartstrings.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Lily Graham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve always been interested in stories about Auschwitz and this one was great because it showed the strength of a group of women, against all the odds.
This is a story of friendship and love in a hideous place.
Eva is separated from her husband so tries to find him at Auschwitz but soon starts to lose hope due to the huge amount of men and women there.
There’s details in the book that will shock you if you’ve not read about Auschwitz before, but this was necessary to show the real battle for survival that Eva and the other women faced.
As with other books about the Holocaust there’s a sense of relief when the war ends but for the survivors this experience will never be forgotten.
A great read which has the strength of a group of women shining through.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I cried. This book was so heartbreaking. You felt like you lived in that time. This book was a good read and highly recommended.

Overall I enjoyed this book but not quite as much as the other books about Auschwitz that I’ve read previously. It was emotive and had a good story line.