I didn’t realise when I started this that it was actually the second in a series. No matter, everything and everyone still made sense without the back story! However I would have liked to have read the first book, which I assume would have been about Rachael and Hannes (and perhaps Ludwig?) before their arrival in Auschwitz. It would be weird to read the first book now though because clearly I know the outcome of Rachael’s resistance work!

I thought the first Ludwig chapter came rather out of the blue, because we’d had Rachael for so long that I grew used to her story and was surprised when suddenly, without warning, we were talking about someone else! Eventually the two became intertwined but it was a little jarring at first.

This book is fictional but obviously based in truth, and it mentions several real life figures in the camp, and several real events such as the uprising of the SK and the destruction of one of the crematoria. I suspect there may be a third in the series too? But if not, I appreciate the way this one ended.

Speaking of real people, the addition of Mengele seemed strange because he had nothing to do with either Rachael or Ludwig. When we had a sudden chapter from Mengele’s POV I thought, oh no, Rachael for some reason is going to be selected for experimentation! But no, that was all we got of Mengele aside from a few brief mentions later on. It felt a bit redundant, like the author just wanted to firm up the setting or something. Or maybe there was a storyline that was edited out?

The pacing at the start also felt a bit rushed, from Rachael’s arrival to her sudden promotion to near the top of the Kanada food chain. I would have enjoyed more time spent on that journey!

Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down, even walking up extra early this morning to finish it.

The Heroine of Auschwitz by Mark DeMeza is written in third-person POV. It takes place in the time period of November 1943 to January 1945.

This is a continuation from Mark's previous book The Thirteenth Child. While some things may be fictional in their events for the flow of the story, this is an amalgamation of true events that occurred and need to be remembered to ensure that we never again carry out the genocide and harm of WWII Nazism.

It is a bit off-putting to end a book about the Holocaust with "I hope you enjoyed it!"

The Heroine of Auschwitz is Book 2 of the Rachael Kisch trilogy. Of the hundreds of WWII Historical Fiction novels I have read, this has to be one of the most moving and heart crushing I have ever experienced. No horrendous detail is omitted from the intensity of the cattle cars which transported innocent unsuspecting people to the hell of Auschwitz to the in-depth descriptions of processing prisoners to torture to starvation to murder to disposing of bodies, dead and alive. Everything at this camp was designed for maximum emotional, mental and physical pain. Degradation, humiliation and cruelty clung to the prisoners every moment of every day and night. What they suffered is incomprehensible to me. But author Mark DeMeza writes so powerfully and profoundly I had to take frequent breathers as my emotions took over. I became incredibly invested and cared deeply about the prisoners. I am in tears and revulsion as I type this, reflecting on their bravery and perseverance and the capacity of fellow humans to practice pure evil. Historical information includes Poland's annexation, the conversion of the base to Auschwitz, finding buried scrolls, murder statistics, photographing evidence, and the real-life tormentors such as Irma Grese, Josef Mengele, Rudolf Höss and Otto Moll who gave their all to ensure immense suffering.

Dutch Jews Rachael and her brother Hannes were forced to travel in a cattle car to Auschwitz. After being searched, shaved and tattooed, they were separated and Rachael was chosen to work in Kanada processing and recording gold from jewelry and teeth, flesh still attached. She was promoted to the head of administration of Kanada and used her position to help other prisoners at great personal risk. She met Ludwig Albin from north of the camp who was forced to be part of the Sonderkommando group or SK. His job was the most unbearable imaginable and decompressing was next to impossible. Conditions were grim and dire, walking skeletons untangling human hair and packing it into bales, juxtaposed with the orchestra playing and guards enjoying food. One driving force to keep themselves alive was to locate family, including Rachael's brother. Layer upon layer of sorrow rained upon the prisoners.

I appreciate the author adding the hierarchy of prisoners and the roles of captors in a glossary for further information. If only I could articulate how deeply this impacted me. This is a powerful, powerful book and ought to be required reading for everyone.

I love historical fiction, especially fiction that is set during and around the holocaust or its aftermath, and, I think this is possibly up there with one of the best I have read. It was thought provoking, evocative and left me feeling utterly bereft at times.
There were things in this book that I wasn't aware of, and, that isn't spoken about much in other fiction books around this topic and so I really loved the author for that.
If you love books that are full of rich imagery and striking descriptions then this author and this book is for you. I would highly recommend

Beautifully written book, Heartbreaking story that makes you think. Definitely recommend. This is the second book in a trilogy and I cannot wait to read the third one

This appears to be the second book in a series, but can be read alone. It gives a graphic, disturbing description of prisoners at Birkenau by following a young woman from her transport with her young brother from the Netherlands to the day the camp was closed in advance of the Russian troops. She is separated from her brother and put to work sorting discarded Jewish possessions in a slightly better situation than hard labor. She becomes involved with an ill-fated revolt at the camp. This is not a book to be read at night, or if you are in a bad mood or by anyone younger than high school, but will make you say ‘never again’.There is an incamp love interest that adds a snall bit of hope.

I had to read book 1, before this, so at least the story made sense. It was a good story line, and told from a somehwhat different point of view. I will say it was not my most favorite book, but was still a good read and I enjoyed it.

I received an advanced reader’s digital copy of the novel “The Heroine of Auschwitz” written by Mark DeMeza from NetGalley. Thank you to Mr. DeMeza and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book prior to its publication. It’s the second book in The Rachael Kisch Trilogy, but it is the only volume I have read. It isn’t necessary to have read the first to read this one. It stands on its own. My opinions of this book are completely voluntary.

This story details a chilling exploration of the horrific actions and events that occurred in the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp primarily from the end of 1943 to the beginning of 1945, during which time approximately 600,000 to 750,000 prisoners ruthlessly and brutally were murdered. The worst of this occurred between May 14 and July 9, 1944 when 350,000 Hungarian Jews officially were gassed and incinerated in one of four Birkenau crematoria or five newly dug open pyres. This equates to 6,500 people killed every day, seven days a week.

The story is told through the compassionate eyes of two main characters who unexpectedly find each other and, though separated always by an electrified, barbed wire fence, fall in love, and manage to prop each other up and keep each other going during the most hellacious of circumstances. Mr. DeMeza’s writing is terrific and compelling, and the story held me captive from its first page to its last. I’m very much interested in reading the other books in this trilogy, even though I don’t think it detracts from the stories for not having yet done so.

This was an amazing book telling you what happened to the prisoners in 1943 going to Auschwitz.
A train carrying many Dutch was going to Auschwitz carrying among other Rachel and her brother
They did not know where they were going or what was going to,happen to,them there conditions on the train was terrible and they thought it would get better when they reached their destination.
Buf that was not to be. Conditions were hell.
Rachel and her brother were separated, Rachel was determined to survive and find her brother again.
While in the camp Rachel met Ludwig a polish farmer,and they struck up a friendship
.its difficult to explain this book but for the people in these camps it was the most horrific experience, and how some survived to tell the story of what happened to them must be what nightmares are made of.

Thank you NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the ARC. This book left me shocked and disgusted at how far human depravity is willing to go in order to cause pain. I also learned a couple of new things I had not known that would happen in this extermination camps. Mark DeMeza way of describing the conditions of the camps and torture makes your heart feel heavy with sadness. You could imagine the despair and fear of this people. It makes you wonder how any0ne could even possibly live a normal life after surviving such a ordeal. The POVs are nicely done, transitioning smoothly back and forth. I also love how Ludwig and Rachel kept each other alive by simply being there. unfortunately I didn't read the first book of the series . That being said I didn't feel lost in the book considering it is the 2nd book. So if you are into reading historical stories about war this is a good book to read. Recommend it!

I love this genre of book but in this instance I don’t feel as though I learned anything new, the narrative was similar to many other stories. The story of Rachel and Ludwig was heartwarming and I do feel as if there will be a follow on book as the story isn’t finished yet.

A heartbreaking WWII story. The author writes like I was actually there. Very well written. I recommend it.

It is sometimes hard to understand what these people went through. Have you ever asked yourself, after finishing a similar book, if you would have been able to keep your sanity and survive amid all the horrors proven at those camps? All through the story you hope they will survive until the Russians arrive, the strength in their character, the horrible decisions they had to make.
This is not an easy read, but a must read to remind us of what can happen when we see discrimination of race, sexual orientation, nationality, and religion.

I hadn't read the other book in this series but it didn't matter, although saying that I am going to go back and read it.
this book was very moving and well written and kept me engaged throughout.

blimey, these books never get easier. and i suppose they never should. but this book brought it to life with such vividness that tears often came and sat within my eye beds for a long while. and my emotions through its cause my stomach to tighten and my throat to feel tighter. because although yes this is a fiction story, you just know that what people went through were just like this and so so so much worse than we could ever begin to read amongst pages.
this story is often heart hurting and tragic. and you sometimes think can i read all this pain and evil. but you do, because you have to, we must never ignore it. and also because the author brings it to life in such a exquisite way that it makes us feel this way and so you carry on reading such a brilliantly told tale.
this book is the second to feature Rachel. in the first we are introduced to her and her family is it all begins to get dark for the Jews( well not at the beginning because sadly that was happening for a horrid while) . but in that book the whisper of what was coming and where it was taken them was become clear. this book they are there, they are in it, they are in the camp.
this book is like we are bearing witness to what they were all going through. how Rachel and her brother somehow survived but now will suffer something more. and its a fight they wish to fight together, because that would be at least some hope, right? because what comes next for them both is torture and having to see the most terrible side to human life and terrible side to human suffering.
this book is also a enormous reminder of the bravery and courage of the people trapped there. not just for those who did so in the very day to survive. but also the ones that went a step further to help others survive and thwart the enemy in any way they could.
its our duty to keep reading these books. to keep remembering is something we should feel lucky to do because those that suffered it need us to never forget. never look away. and always learn.

My thanks to Net Galley and the personal invitation I received from Book Whisperer to review this EXCELLENT read. This is absolutely a 5 star read.

Story is well written and constructed. Heavy read. Protagonists are Rachael Kisch and her brother Hannes who are separated at a concentration camp and try to find their way back to each other, and Ludwig Albin, a Pole getting a resistance together.

My only issue. I felt left hanging with Rachael and her brother.

Loved this book, kept going back to it highly recommended as a must read.
I read this one day as loved it so much I didnt want to put it down

Courage in the Shadows of Auschwitz

Powerful and deeply moving account of courage in the face of unimaginable horror. This book tells the true story of a woman who risked everything to save others during the Holocaust. Written with clarity and compassion, it offers a poignant reminder of the strength of the human spirit. A must-read for anyone interested in history, resilience, and heroism. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was so sad to read the story or Rachael Kisch and what she and others endured in this tragic fictional story of those confined to a prisoner camp at Auschwitz. To read about her losses and those of others who suffered such horrible conditions to live and die in just brings tears to the reader's eyes.
The author brings the people to life with great detail and I'm looking forward to reading the first book and last book of this series. It was a great read as a stand-alone as well. Thank you Mark deMeza for a very touching story.

This is book 2 of 3 in The Rachael Kisch Trilogy. Written by Mark deMeza but can easily be read as a standalone.
It's an intense and heartbreaking book but one which I couldn't put down.
We must never forget.!