Wow. What a fantastic book. I picked this one up on the recommendation of my friend Jenna. The read is every bit as heavy as the name suggests. As you might have guessed, the book follows the storyline of a Jew who was imprisoned at Auschwitz (then Birkenau, if we’re getting technical.) Named the assistant to the “tattoviaria,” Lalle is tasked with picking up the skill of tattooing prisoners being lodged in the concentration camp. After assuming the main task, the tattoviaria is given slightly better privileges than his peers and exploits his guard to take an assistant under his wing. Lalle finds love while at the concentration camp and at the age of ninety years young, opens up about his past for the first time in this book. I am continuously fascinated by survival stories of the holocaust and WWII, so I found this one captivating. Plus, it has a really great ending if that floats your boat. Highly recommend.
Note: I have recently learned that there is a sequel to this book. Be on the lookout for that Book Club soon!
I’m putting this one on my list!! I am reading one now that is set in that era too!