Its been a while since I have picked up a book that deals with the horrors faced by those held prisoner at Auschwitz and no matter if it is a work of fiction based on events or like The Ballerina of Auschwitz written by a survivor it never ceases to amaze me the levels of evil some will sink to or the levels of hope and resilience that the prisoners manage to display. This is the young adult version of her book The Choice making her story accessible to so many more readers.

Edith Eger takes the reader on a journey from her life in Hungary where she is training to be part of the Olympic gymnastic team and her first taste of love, her time in Auschwitz with her sister Magda and her ultimate survival and rebuilding of her life after the war. Throughout it all you always get the feeling that she has hope that there is something better coming and even the smallest acts of kindness in some of the most unexpected places help her to carry on when others understandably give up.

Although Edith was close to her sisters, she did not always feel the same with her parents, she was not as talented as her elder sisters and considered the plain one so took up ballet and gymnastics. Her budding romance with Eric cut short by her transportation to Auschwitz was one of the things that kept her going as she was determined to find him after the war in the hope of making a life with him. At one point it was her dancing that kept her alive when she came under the scrutiny of Josef Mengele. It was not her first meeting with him; the first time came at the cost of her mother’s life, and she was determined not to end up with the same fate. She was already haunted by that first interaction blaming herself for her innocent honesty and the ultimate what if question.

For the people that showed her kindness after the war, from the American soldiers that rescued her to the stranger that accompanied her to the TB clinic and became one of the most important people in her life she is truly grateful and went a long way to restoring her faith in human nature. Whilst she lost so many of her family to the war, surviving with her sister Magda and being reunited with her other sister brought its own strength which she used to help others and by putting her story in writing it can help many to see how this must never be repeated.

Learning about the horrors of the Second World War will always be soul-stirring, no matter how many times these stories are told. Just when we think we have heard everything there is to hear, comes a new horrible reminder of how low humans can go when they are fuelled by hatred and ugly ideology. This retelling is intended for young people, focusing on the feelings of a teenager and showing how one can build up and live a full life as a survivor of Auschwitz.

This was such a poignant, heart-wrenching, and touching read. Edith has witnessed the horror of Auschwitz but one guilt was living inside her head that she could have saved her mother but her one choice changed everything and the grief remained with her. I felt good for her when she forgave and accepted herself. Somethings are beyond our control. This is a story about human resilience, loss, hope, acknowledging past choices and accepting oneself.

Thanks to the Publisher

A beautiful tale. I felt the story was so interesting, and I was invested in the character. The book was so well written, with easy to read prose

Hope from darkness

Edith Eger’s story of living through and surviving the holocaust witnesses the horror of Auschwitz and the shining hope and the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

She wanted to show that people can survive against all the odds and she fully achieves this. At the end of her book I came away with a feeling of hope and the joy and gratitude of being alive. I never expected this from a book on such a dark time in our history and I grateful to Edith for sharing her story with us all.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

It seems strange praising a book of this subject nature, and to say I enjoyed it doesn’t quite seem right either. But Edith Eger writes beautifully of a horrific topic and her story is inspiring, and her will to survive shines through the book. I particularly appreciate that her story continues after liberation and the harsh comparison going from Auschwitz to returning home to a ‘normal’ life. I am glad that her story at least has a happy ending and that her life has been a full one.

Wow. I read this book on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and I must admit, with everything going on at the world at the moment, it kept me awake at night.
Well written, graphic, heartfelt, heartbreaking. This book should be required reading around the world.
Edith Eger describes her life before and during the war. Her loves, losses and family. How dancing saved her life.

Beautifully written, this is a deeply moving and harrowing historical novel that intertwines the horrors of Auschwitz with the resilience of the human spirit. Evokes all the human emotions. Highly recommend.

This book is amazing and harrowing at the same time. Really sets the scene and can be understood by many ages.

I can't even begin to imagine how someone, who has experienced what Edith went through ,can come out the other side even close to being able to function and then have the bravery and strength to re-live it by talking and writing about it .

In my view, that takes a special type of person. This is a very special memoir.

Would recommend to all my friends and family.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book before its release.

Another wonderful, unbearably sad and unforgettable book by the incredible Edith Eger. It had been a couple of years since I had read The Choice and then The Gift, and I had forgotten how very raw, heartfelt and gut wrenchingly honest her writing is.
This is a truly incredible book. I'm going to buy it for my 16 year old daughter as Edith is a 16 year old too in most of this book so I think she will relate.
Left me with a lump in my throat.
We must never forget the horrors of Auschwitz.

A wonderful story about Edith Eger and how she survived life in Auschwitz with her sister after sadly losing both her parents and her boyfriend.

A poignant story of loss, resilience, courage, hope and forgiveness.

Sometimes things happen in the world that should never be allowed to happen again, sadly they do, in other forms of hate and destruction. When will wee learn.

Highly recommended, thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Incredibly moving and powerful novel.

Any novel set during the WW, especially centered around the holocaust is never easy. Especially if the author went through the same/similar horrors as the main character.

Edith, a 16 year old Jewish ballerina, had her whole life ahead of her when her world was turned upside down in what was called hell on earth. We learn about her struggles, not only during the war but also afterwards. Her struggles with survivor’s guilt and living was heartbreaking to read, though at the same time remarkable.

I felt this was good but not as good as previous I’ve read. Different take on a much written about topic however I was no obsessed with it as I thought I would be.

This powerful and moving book tells the story of a 16-year-old ballerina who survived Auschwitz, enduring unimaginable horrors. Her talent for dance and deep love for her family gave her the strength to persevere..

Beautifully written, it captures both the atrocities of the Holocaust and the resilience of the human spirit. While heartbreaking, it’s an inspiring testament to survival and hope, and a must-read for understanding this dark chapter in history.

This was an amazing book about a girl who ended up in Auschwitz at age 16. The horrific trauma inflicted on so many is described beautifully and the book pulls on all the reader's emotions. Definitely one to read.

I read the author's previous book The Choice a few years ago and to say it changed the way I look at life would be and understatement. I love the way Edith writes and the message of hope that she transmits in The Ballerina of Auschwitz. It's not an easy book to read but one that will warm your heart and make you realise you're always able to chose how you want to live your life. A must-read.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a true story about the experiences of Edith Eger, a young Jewish woman during the Second World War.

The account is written by Edith herself many years later and this is a new version of the book, originally called the Choice, which focuses on her experiences leading up to and during her stay in the notorious Nazi concentration camp.

It is powerful and beautifully written, but also heartbreaking and horrifying. An important reminder of how vile humans can be towards each other and the impact of this hate, which is particularly important given the current climate of conflict world-wide.

Never an easy read when picking up books about the Holocaust but each one teaches me something new and opens my eyes further to the horrors that took place. I would recommend this book.

A powerful and beautifully written novel that explores important themes while delivering a gripping narrative. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you finish it

I'm not sure it's correct to say I "loved" this...because how can you love a book so full of pain and atrocities. However, Edith writes incredibly eloquently and beautifully of her experiences and you cannot help but be moved by her life story.