Irena’s Gift: An epic World War II memoir of sisters, secrets and survival
£2.90£9.50 (-69%)
If we seal off the past, how will we ever know the truth?
In 1942, in Nazi-occupied Poland, a Jewish child was smuggled out of the Warsaw ghetto in a backpack. That child was Karen Kirsten’s mother, but she knew nothing about this extraordinary event until one day a letter arrived from a stranger.
Irena’s Gift weaves together a mystery, history and memoir to tell the story of a family torn apart by war. From the glittering concert halls of interbellum Warsaw to the vermin-infested prison where a Jewish woman negotiates with an SS officer to save her sister’s child, Irena’s Gift is about the lies we tell to survive and what happens when those lies unravel. It is about the remarkable resilience of three generations of women, and the sacrifices made for love.
‘One of the best second-generation Holocaust books ever published’ ARIANA NEUMANN
‘An extraordinary story of how secrets and lies can tear a family apart’ MAYA LEE
‘A story of love, healing, hope and humanity that will tug at your heartstrings’ SUE SMETHURST
‘A true story of extraordinary women, survival and sacrifice. A must read’ TARA MOSS
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Additional information
| Publisher | Mardle Books (31 Aug. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 240 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1837700443 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1837700448 |
| Dimensions | 2 x 14 x 22 cm |
by Fiona Wannenmacher
My book arrived yesterday, and I couldn’t put it down. I was so moved that at times I had tears running down my face. The author weaves the past and present, and the different perspectives beautifully. I found the story both incredible and painful at the same time. It’s a book that fully demonstrates the monstrosity of war, and one that everyone should read.
by A L
This is a very personal story, but also a story of family, of love, of survival and of incredible courage and bravery.
Kirsten’s Holocaust story tells of her search in Poland to find answers for her mother. She ends up finding so much more and learning about sacrifices made. At times, some of the atrocities described are harrowing and her descriptions so vivid.
A moving, important story. These stories need to be told the world over and never forgotten.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.
by Reading Stuff ‘n’ Things blog
I don’t really know how to review this book because on the one hand, it was incredible and clearly well researched but on the other, the way it was written made me really struggle to connect with it or the characters as it felt like it was disjointed and it didn’t really flow very well for me.
Karen is researching the history of her family which takes her on a difficult but enlightening journey of discovery from pre-war Poland, to the horrendous years of World War II and persecution, the end of the war and up to the present day; it is an illuminating and heart-breaking story of survival and of the impact the war years had on that generation and on the generations to come.
Now whilst I found the style of writing didn’t work for me, the story itself was incredible and therefore I would recommend to people who enjoy this genre as it could work for you as it has for others who have read and reviewed this book.
Many thanks to the author, Ad Lib Publishers, Mardle Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Irena’s Gift.