The Last Checkmate

by Gabriella Saab

Readers of Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz and watchers of The Queen’s Gambit won’t want to miss this amazing debut set during World War II. A young Polish resistance worker, imprisoned in Auschwitz as a political prisoner, plays chess in exchange for her life, and in doing so fights to bring the man who destroyed her family to justice.


Maria Florkowska is many things: daughter, avid chess player, and, as a member of the Polish underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, a young woman brave beyond her years. Captured by the Gestapo, she is imprisoned in Auschwitz, but while her family is sent to their deaths, she is spared. Realizing her ability to play chess, the sadistic camp deputy, Karl Fritzsch, decides to use her as a chess opponent to entertain the camp guards. However, once he tires of exploiting her skills, he has every intention of killing her.


Befriended by a Catholic priest, Maria attempts to overcome her grief, vows to avenge the murder of her family, and plays for her life. For four grueling years, her strategy is simple: Live. Fight. Survive. By cleverly provoking Fritzsch’s volatile nature in front of his superiors, Maria intends to orchestrate his downfall. Only then will she have a chance to evade the fate awaiting her and see him punished for his wickedness.


As she carries out her plan and the war nears its end, she challenges her former nemesis to one final game, certain to end in life or death, in failure or justice. If Maria can bear to face Fritzsch—and her past—one last time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, War, Holocaust, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

Gabriella Saab is the author of The Last Checkmate. She graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor of business administration in marketing and lives in her hometown of Mobile, Alabama, where she works as a barre instructor. She is of Lebanese heritage and is one of the co-hosts of @hfchitchat on Twitter, a recurring monthly chat and community celebrating the love of reading and writing historical fiction.

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic debut!

About the book: “Readers of Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz and watchers of The Queen’s Gambit won’t want to miss this amazing debut set during World War II. A young Polish resistance worker, imprisoned in Auschwitz as a political prisoner, plays chess in exchange for her life, and in doing so fights to bring the man who destroyed her family to justice.”

Maria is a skilled chess player and also a member of the Polish underground resistance against the Nazis who are in control of Warsaw. She is captured and sent to Auschwitz, where her family perishes. The deputy of the camp, Karl Fritzsch, uses her skills at chess to entertain the guards. Maria assumes this role for four long years. She uses her analytical strategy to manipulate Fritzsch into getting in trouble, not unlike how she masters moves on the chessboard lying in wait for her opponent.

I don’t know how anyone could read this book and not be inspired by and in awe of Maria. An unlikely friendship keeps up her will to survive even at her lowest. The Last Checkmate is a beautifully written book with a shining main character and a story filled with power and emotion. The author’s note is a must-read, as is this entire book.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Gabriella Saab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds such a special place in my heart, and diving deep into this time period has impacted me in ways I can't describe. My hope is that this story, though fictional, will encourage you to learn more about this important and necessary history for yourself. Despite its moments of suffering and loss, this story is meant to be one of resistance, courage, and hope, and to serve as a reminder that goodness and good people will always remain in the world, even when the world is suffering from the darkest evil.

And so, dear readers, I've made my opening play. The next move is yours 😉♟

A special, massive thank you to my incredible audiobook narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, whose exceptional performance adds such layers of depth and emotion to every single word, character, moment, and detail in this story. To have her lend such breathtaking skill to my work is an absolute honor.

[Lura Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't prepared for the crushing blows The Last Checkmate delivered. It was inspiring, heartbreaking, & infuriating, on a high speed rollercoaster. The Last Checkmate is beautifully written, & I'd highly recommend it to absolutely anyone who enjoys a good read.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

True freedom comes from bravery, strength, and goodness. The only one who can take those from you is you.

Maria not only learned how to play chess from her Tata, she also learned important lessons about life including the quote above -- the words he used to comfort her in their last moments together. Before being captured by the Nazis, Maria (at the age of 14) was already assisting in the work Irena Sendler was doing to save Jewish children. The family is captured and sent to Auschwitz. At the last minute Maria is separated and finds herself alone and at the mercy of camp deputy Karl Fritzsch. Because of her skills at playing chess, she is kept alive for entertainment value. We are with Maria during her entire stay at Auschwitz and have an inside look at what she and others do to survive and help each other to move on with their lives afterward. As you will see from the notes at the end of the book, there are many historical figures and events included in the narrative. The game of chess is a continuing theme. I am not a chess player, but imagine that this book will have even greater meaning to those who know and love playing. Will Maria be able to claim "checkmate" in her game against the suffering and PTSD inflicted upon her by the Nazi regime? She might be surprised to discover how she can reach her life goal.

Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Taury · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab. I enjoyed this WW2 book but it really lacked originality. It had little about chess. It was kind of a written in after thought. This book read like most WW2 books. Family captured, family murdered, one person survives. Details about hell in Auschwitz. Escape, survival, ect.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally don't even know how to write a review for The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab, and I don't think I would ever know the words to properly articulate just how important, heartbreaking, and inspiring this book is. I have read my fair share of historical fiction based on WWII and specifically Auschwitz, but none of them were quite like this. There was a little bit of overlap since not every story about this awful time can be fully unique, but for the most part, there were a lot of things here that were new to me. Most of all, I loved that Saab took chess and made it such a large part of Maria's world both prior to her going to Auschwitz and while she was there. I actually went into the book having not read the synopsis and I highly encourage this route if you are okay with not knowing exactly what it is about. I think it hit me that much harder that way and yet it still involved so more than what the synopsis mentions as is wont to happen.

I decided to listen to The Last Checkmate on audio, and I don't even know what would have happened if I would have actually read it. For one, the narrator Saskia Maarleveld was absolutely phenomenal, and two her emotion in time with the story was everything I could have wanted and more. There were many times when I wanted to pause the book, and I probably would have set it down if I had been reading it because some parts were just so hard to get through. Despite the horrible Nazis that fill these pages, there were still some wonderful characters as well, and our MC Maria was one of them. The fact that The Last Checkmate is a debut just completely blows me away and it is very clear to me that this was very well-researched. I loved and appreciated Saab's author note at the end, which is also read in the audiobook, and was happy to find out the physical book includes historical figures from the novel which made for some very interesting reading. I can't even begin to imagine what Saab's sophomore novel will be like, but I will tell you I am 100% here for it no matter what it is.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Suzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

14 years old, sent to Auschwitz. The game of chess and her circle of friends help sustain her life beyond the war.

[Carla Suto · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE LAST CHECKMATE by Gabriella Saab is a beautifully-written and heart-wrenching story of a young girl working for the Polish underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Warsaw. Fourteen-year-old Maria Florkowska is captured by the Gestapo while delivering documents for the resistance. After a brutal interrogation, Maria and her whole family are sent to Auschwitz, but only Maria survives the first day. She is saved by the sadistic camp deputy, Fritzsch, but only when he learns she can play chess and he can use her to entertain the camp guards. She knows he will kill her when he becomes bored with their matches. Guilt-ridden over the deaths of her family members, Maria only finds the will to live when she is befriended by a kind Catholic priest and the only other woman prisoner in the men’s camp. Facing unthinkable atrocities over her four years in prison, her only wish is to survive long enough to bring down her family’s killer. It all comes down to one final chess match. Can she bring the murderer to justice? Although the descriptions of the torturous conditions and the suffering and loss in the camps was very difficult to read, this is ultimately a story of courage, perseverance, friendship and love. I really appreciated the extensive Author’s Notes, details of the real historical figures and the miscellaneous facts the author shared at the end. It made it very clear where she took fictional liberties. Be sure to read these sections, but not before reading the book. I enjoyed this compelling and moving story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria was caught during one of her resistance jobs, and her entire family was punished and sent to Auschwitz.

Her family was murdered when they arrived, but Maria was sent to the camp simply because she had slowed up to look at something. She wishes she would have been murdered too.

The camp officer, Fritzsch, was the most evil person she had ever known. He enjoyed hurting people both physically and mentally. This officer also found out Maria played chess, and he made her play chess against other prisoners and himself.

Playing chess helped her stay alive even though she wishes she were dead.

THE LAST CHECKMATE describes the horrors the prisoners went through and how Maria kept on fighting as her friend Father Kolbe told her to do.

Maria tries to get Fritzsch in trouble so they will transfer him. She goes through more horrors when this happens.

She knows he is the one who had her family killed and vows to make sure he is punished after the war when she finds out he survived.

She met him and challenged him to a game of chess in the same place where he had treated her like an animal.

How will the game turn out? Will Fritzsch win as he always did even without his wartime power or will Maria triumph?

THE LAST CHECKMATE is very well written, very well researched, has a very clever use of a chess game within the story line, but very difficult to read as any WWII book.

An amazing, heart wrenching debut. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Olesya Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE LAST CHECKMATE is a deeply emotional historical novel about survival, about war and justice, about friendship and love, and, of course, about chess.

I loved Queen's Gambit and couldn't wait for this story, about a young woman playing chess for her life amid the horrors of one of the worst moments in our collective history: World War II. Maria Florkowska is like any fourteen year old, a little reckless, a little selfish, a little immature, but despite this, kind, brave, and altruistic. Along with her family, she joins the resistance effort in Warsaw, Poland at the beginning of the war, only to be caught by the Gestapo and sent to the notorious prison camp, Auschwitz, where her family dies tragic deaths. Maria is spared on the whim of the real life camp deputy, Karl Fritzsch, who forces her to play chess for his -- and the camp's -- entertainment. Maria must survive, she must find the will to live, and she must do so without losing herself.

There are a lot of stories about Auschwitz, all of them heavy, all of them offering little hope. Because of this, I don't usually read them. I made an exception with this book, and I am SO glad that I did. This book is not just another Auschwitz story. It focuses on resistance prisoners at the camp, but in such a way as to also give its due to the many Jewish prisoners who suffered and died there. I loved the element of chess; it made the story and the character of Maria unique in a way I haven't seen before. I also realized how important these stories are, how they need to be read regardless of being sad and difficult. I will definitely be picking up more thanks to Ms. Saab's superb storytelling.

Another unique aspect of the THE LAST CHECKMATE is that it focuses not on the main character's romance (though there is one), but on Maria's friendships with other women, namely, Irina and Hania. All three characters are finely drawn, with their own particular character traits, their very real and very human flaws, and their growth, their ability to move past their flaws, to learn from their mistakes, to forgive and to become strong as a result of the challenging circumstances they find themselves in. The three women become not only friends, but each other's family.

While Maria sometimes frustrated me, I loved her. Her flaws made her, in my eyes, a living, breathing human being. She is sympathetic in that she cares about people, she feels guilt over her family's deaths, and she is ready to get hurt -- even die -- to save her friends. She is also a smart, talented, and resilient woman, which I always love reading about in historical novels. Maria is strong but believable for her time, an incredibly hard balance to achieve and something that Ms. Saab does effortlessly and with a fierce confidence that absolutely blew me away, especially since it is her first novel.

The story itself is fast-paced, the structure and ending executed to perfection, the writing emotional, making the reader feel as if we are in Maria's head, experiencing the hunger and cold, looking across the chessboard at her tormentor, embracing her friends, as guards walk by and the wintry, relentless air fills with smoke, our hearts with despair -- and somehow, despite it all -- with hope, with new life and new beginnings. The ending will leave you tearful in the best, most bittersweet way.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, but also to anyone who just likes a good story. I cannot wait to read more books by this author and to see where her career goes. Judging by this first and most excellent offering, I know it will be very far.

Thanks to the author for the ARC. This book, Maria, Irina, and Hania, will stay with me for many, many years to come.

⭐️UPDATE⭐️

I also recently listened to THE LAST CHECKMATE in audio format, narrated by the incomparable Saskia Maarleveld, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The narrator’s skill with the right placement of emotion and accents and maturity into her voice, allows the reader to feel and experience Maria’s growth from the beginning of the novel to the end. Saab’s already beautiful words absolutely transcend with this narrator’s voice, which lends an urgency and breathtaking realness to the story that I couldn’t help but be utterly swept up in.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

“…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

The Nazis altered these words for their own purposes. Prisoners entering the gates of Europe’s concentration camps saw the words, “Arbeit macht frei,” – “Work sets you free.” In Gabriella Saab’s exquisitely moving, extensively researched debut novel, The Last Checkmate, readers get a unique perspective of a young girl’s experience at the most infamous death camp of all – Auschwitz.

At fourteen, Maria’s biggest joy in life is playing chess, a game she was taught by her Tata, her beloved father. When she has an opportunity to contribute to the Polish resistance, however, she begs for a chance to prove her worthiness. She’s put to work under the guidance of her cousin Irena, who considers her to be a nuisance. Eventually, her inexperience gets her arrested, and her entire family pays the price as well. One does not need to be Jewish to be transferred to be punished; a Gentile giving aid and comfort will pay a penalty, regardless of age or gender. In her naïveté, since a guard told her that they were “all going to the same place,” Maria assumes that her family will stay together. To her distress, they are soon separated in the crush of humanity. A short while later, she sees naked bodies heaped upon a truck. A prisoner tells her about the execution wall; those deemed too old, too young, ailing, and unfit are shot. It hits her like a thunderbolt. Her parents, little brother, sister are gone. They are dead because of her. Grief and guilt assault her.

She meets the man responsible. Karl Fritzsch, the camp deputy, is intrigued with young 16671, in a brutal, callous fashion. When he learns that she plays chess, he challenges her to a game. Upon learning that she is quite skilled for her age, he uses her for his amusement and for a morale-builder for the guards. It doesn’t take young Maria too long to realize that when Fritsch becomes bored and has no more use for her, her life will be over. She almost wishes it were so.

Then she meets Father Maksymilian Kolbe, a Franciscan priest, who befriends her. She fashions a chess set of sticks and stones, and they play for fun. He comforts her when she expresses doubts and fears, as he does for every man in their Block. Yes, they are all men. At the time that Maria first arrived at Auschwitz, there were no female prisoners. Eventually, Maria trusts Fr. Kolbe enough to tell him her story, although not her plans for revenge.

The reader knows, however. We are privy to future scenes where Maria encounters Fritzsch for a rematch as she plans to carry out her final checkmate. Will it end there?

Initially, I was not enamored with Maria. She struck me as an impulsive brat, one who did not want to listen to advice. I would never have predicted that she could survive four years in Auschwitz. However, it may be her annoyingly clever chess brain that helps her concoct schemes, which, by all rights should fail but somehow manage to succeed. She has help from dedicated friends. Her cousin Irena proves to be a loyal accomplice. A dear Jewish friend, Hania, is a bold barterer who will bargain with prisoners and guards alike. And after a negative first impression, Mateusz becomes a trusted ally. Is every event and scheme in the story believable? Meh. But it seems true to the character of Maria. She has chutzpah. Since Hania is a Jewish woman and a translator, Maria understands the meaning of that word. Hania teaches Maria Yiddish and also comes in extremely useful in other ways. The two women become good friends. One learns the value of friendship in this place, even if it means losing someone in the end. As in many areas of life, in the midst of unspeakable suffering and cruelty, love and kindness do exist.

The author has done a thorough job of research, which she describes following the Acknowledgments. Besides the dastardly Karl Fritzsch, other Nazis mentioned are commander of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, who was hanged in 1947, and the infamous guard known as “the Beast”, Maria Mandl, was one of only a few female guards to be executed after the war. Father Kolbe was a real prisoner. (He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 1982.) There are historical figures from the Polish resistance also. Matylda Getter – Mother Matylda – was the Mother Provincial of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary in Warsaw. She assisted in smuggling children from the Jewish ghetto, arranged for false documents, aided civilians, and ran orphanages for the resistance. Witold Pilecki was a Polish resistance leader who infiltrated the camp as a prisoner with a false identity in order to gain intelligence and organize resistance within the camp. (He later escaped, only to be captured by the Soviets in 1947.)

Ms. Saab also explains her rationale for including certain fictional scenes and for disruption historical timelines, a technique that is not uncommon in historical fiction. I was initially surprised by one major event that received quite a buildup, but as I continued to read on, it made sense.

The characters on both sides felt real. Evil, as always, is incomprehensible, and that comes through quite clearly. The effect of the incarceration, extreme deprivation of physical and emotional comfort and basic needs, including freedom is evident. My heart goes out to all who survive, who still carry the scars of those days and years in their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. We all must speak up when we see injustice.

Congratulations, Ms.Saab. Checkmate!
4.5 stars rounded up

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last checkmate is a heartwrenching novel about a young girl who was sent to Auschwitz along with her entire family. She is a talented chess player, and ends up playing chess for her life with the evil deputy of the camp.

This is a sad but well researched read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

[Erika Robuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely superb, mature handling of a devastating time and place (Auschwitz), with characters of depth, heart, and courage. Highly recommended.

[Janie Prim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a Giveaway (Thank you, William Morrow!) and I had a great deal of trouble reading it. It was so unrealistic from what I know about Auschwitz and the prison camps that I felt like I was reading about a girl's unhappy life in Germany as opposed to living in a war zone. The characters were not well-developed, in my opinion, and it certainly seemed a "first" book. I applaud her efforts to learn as much as she could about the subject, but, for me, at least, the author took too many liberties for the story to ring true.

[Elizabeth Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous book about a horrible time in history. Well written story about perseverance and the courage and will to live through horrible truly evil circumstances.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Timelines alternate between Polish Maria in in 1939-1945 working for the resistance and getting caught & sent to Auschwitz’s where her parents and siblings all die & 1945 Maria playing chess after Auschwitz is evacuated but before it is liberated. She survives by (avoiding manual labor) playing chess with Sadistic SS guard Fritzsch who killed her family. Maris obsessed with getting him to confirm and then get revenge, but he kills himself.

I am always fascinated by concentration camp stories (humanity’s ability for evil and good) and although this story is based on a number of true facts, I just couldn’t get past teen girl in barracks with men at Auschwitz, and the absurdity of trying to make a story out of a girl playing chess in Auschwitz. She gets Fritzsch transferred by having him “break protocol” usually by beating her. But that’s not enough. Her family has perished and she is insistent to know how they died. I don’t mean to sound judgmental but does it really matter? She has the closure that they are dead. Maria survives in part because of Jewish BFF Hania whose 2 boys were given to Maria’s mom for placement (they are reunited at end) and her cousin Irena who sneaks into the camp as an SS guard who falls in love with German who on surface appear to be Nazi sympathizers but are actually fighting for the resistance. And her buddy Matusz turns out to be the doctor who treats her after she and Irena escape. Just too many contrived coincidences for me

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab is a fascinating WWII-era historical fiction novel that kept me on edge and enthralled from beginning to end.

This book took me through the full gambit of emotions: stress, sadness, despair, hope, and I have to say not many novels can do all that.

Reading Maria’s story, it was horrific yet her responses were intriguing, suspenseful, and fascinating. The narrative and pace were written perfectly. It had me on edge, rapidly turning the pages to find out the end.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Mandi MacLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that definitely deserves more than 5 stars! It is an incredibly powerful and emotional story that is very well written. Everyone needs to read this book

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining WWII historical fiction novel. Its heart-wrenching subject matter, including the deprivation, heartbreak and loss that the characters experience, is balanced by hope, friendship, resilience, and love, with several heart-warming twists. Ms. Saab's notes at the end of the novel are much appreciated, and an integral part of this novel. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator, Ms. Saskia Maarleveld, has a lovely voice, and does an outstanding job depicting the characters and their personalities.

[Ginette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. I was fortunate to get an advanced reader copy and hope that fans of WW2 historical fiction will pick up a copy of this and read it. There is always so much heartbreak in a story like this, but the author did a wonderful job with this story. Also, based on the real life characters that were woven into the story, I’m going to look up the recommended resources that were in the authors notes. I highly recommend this book

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early edition book club read.

Very well told story about WWII from the perspective of a 14 yr old Warsaw girl who was captured while trying to run a resistance errand. The Nazi's gathered her and her family and sent them to Auschwitz. The story covers her four torterous years in Auschwitz, how she was finally able to escape and then years later how she returned and was finally able to let go of her past.

Well written, engaging story, however, did feel a bit long.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this debut novel. I really enjoyed the writing style, and would read more from this author in the future. Maria has a complexity I appreciated, especially since she is a young character. This novel really captured my attention and I felt invested in all of the characters involved in Maria's story. I received this book before publication from a Goodreads giveaway. I would highly recommend it for readers once it is published.

[Judy Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this heart wrenching book.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab

Since a few months into Covid I have not been able to read any book that was depressing, especially those dealing with the Holocaust. Then I started The Last Checkmate and I was hooked from the beginning.
Ms. Saab made all the characters come alive. I found myself fighting to survive with Maria, Hania, and Irena. They became my friends. They became my family. Normally when an author bounces back and forth in time with different chapters I am bothered but not so with this book. Ms. Saab’s transitions were so smooth that at times it took me a few minutes to realize time had changed.
This is the debut novel for Gabriella Saab. I look forward to finding out what she is working on for her next book. I will definitely read it!
09.18.21

[Samantha Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Auschwitz, the story of 14-year-old Maria is one of unimaginable suffering and despair and yet amidst all this horror there is hope. And, ultimately, the power of love. Saab's writing is polished, understated, and engaging, all the more impressive given that this is a debut novel. And a remarkable one at that.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars - WWII/Holocaust Historical Fiction

Wow. This is such a powerful, gut wrenching, inspiring, heartbreaking, and impactful read. I don't have the words to do this book justice. It's one of those books that's impossible to review because there's so much I want to say and talk about. Most importantly, I just want everyone to read it. I'm honestly shocked and disappointed that this book only has 3,432 ratings here on Goodreads. How have so few people read and reviewed this incredible book?

The book description does a fair job explaining the main plot. The Last Checkmate tells the story of Maria's, a fourteen-year-old Polish resistance worker sent to Auschwitz, fight for survival and justice. Even though Maria ranges from age 14-18 in the story, this book is adult fiction, not YA, and I appreciate that the author didn't hold back from detailing the horrors and brutality that occurred during the Holocaust.

The Last Checkmate is a brilliant piece of historical fiction based on actual events, and some of the characters are real historical figures or based on real people. The author provides details, research, and additional information in the "About the Book" section at the end, and I was glad to be able to learn more about the events and people that inspired the book.

As many survivor accounts that I've listened to, documentaries and movies I've watched, books I've read, and museums I've visited about the Holocaust, I never cease being shocked and appalled by the incomprehensible atrocities and evil that human beings committed on their fellow human beings. I don't know if we'll ever be able to fully understand the Holocaust, but we must always keep facing it, learn all we can from it, never forget it, and most importantly, never allow anything like it to happen again.

Thank you, Gabriella Saab, for writing this incredible story, and I hope more people read it. Maria, Hania, Irena, and Father Kolbe will stay with me, forever.

My body was starving, yet my soul was starving even more. Starving for kindness, compassion, love, everything I once took for granted. Raw hunger never ceased to gnaw at me, but the hunger for human affection was a sharp ache that pierced me to the depths of my being. One simple gesture was all it took to alleviate the agony. And in this moment, this one moment, the hunger within my soul was satiated.

"Every day, I choose to live and fight, and every day, people around me choose to do the same. They give me the strength to go on. And together, we will live and fight through this."

Maybe we aren't meant to leave the past behind. Maybe we're meant to bring it with us so we can join others weighed down by the same burdens, and we can carry them together. Maybe that's how we find peace.

From terrible suffering and crippling loss rises a special kind of resilience, one unique to those who endure. Every tap of a chess piece against the board, every whisper and peal of laughter fills the room and sends a flicker of warmth into my chest. These are voices that evil attempted to silence, voices of bravery, kindness, strength, intelligence. Voices of resilience. Those ravished by hatred will be healed by love, and their courageous spirits and compassionate souls will lead them through the darkness to a life beyond.

I highly recommend this to everyone, especially fans of historical fiction, WWII fiction/non-fiction, Holocaust fiction/non-fiction, author Kate Quinn, and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster of emotions you get when reading this book, sadness, horror, suffering, but also courage, resilience, valor, friendship and love.

Gabriella Saab did a magnificent work in describing the horrors of Auschwitz, the resourceful ways the prisoners developed to survive and the subsequent trauma that accompany them throughout all their lives.

Even if this is a fictional account nothing prevents it from mirroring reality, prisoner in the concentration camps were forced to use their special skills, and in some cases took advantage of them, in order to survive. In the case of this book Maria, a teenager working for the Polish resistance who is an exceptional chess player and is used by the camp commandant for his amusement and "love of the game".

Maria is caught during one of her runs working for the resistance in Warsaw and as a consequence her whole family is detained and sent to Auschwitz, only she survives.

The book is extremely well researched incorporating actual personages and events from the period, making it feel when reading it that you are inside the story, which leaves you at times raw and trembling, especially in the torture scenes.

You are so ruling at the end of the book for Maria to find peace and justice, will she be able to get it with the last match?

Be sure to read the Author's Notes at the end of the book, with explanations of the actual events and people used in the book, and where she took literary liberties. You will learn a lot with this information provided, these notes are as interesting and valuable as the book per se.

I truly recommend this book.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maria is a member of the Polish Resistance, and is captured by the Gestapo in Warsaw. They have been helping save Jewish children by bringing them to the local Catholic nuns. She and her family are first sent to prison, where Maria is tortured and then her entire family is sent to Auschwitz. Upon arrival, she is separated from her family, ending up in the men's section. One lone Jewish women tries to help her survive, especially when Maria finds she is alone because of the actions of a sadistic Nazi enforcer named Fritzsch. Fritzsch has spared her so she can provide amusement with her chess talents. Maria (prisoner 16671) initially rebuffs her help, and instead connects with a Catholic priest, who was standing next to her in line, convincing her to live while he sacrifices himself to save others. At the end of the day, the retribution storyline undermines the stronger ones, although many were hard to believe. Well researched by Saab, who found many factual threads to weave into her story.

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me as an "Advance Reader's Edition." Many thanks to Goodreads, Harper Collins and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this well researched story.

This is a debut novel by the author who tells the tale of a 14 year old Polish, Catholic resistance worker who survived the perils and horrors of Auschwitz, in part by playing chess with one of her captors, a game they both use to mentally "checkmate" each other. As a political prisoner who endures unbelievable conditions, her resolve to bring her primary nemesis to justice strengthens daily.

Several of the characters were actually involved in the travesties--and hopes--that pervaded Auschwitz and Birkenau. The author's note, brief descriptions of these historical figures, and her "miscellaneous facts and info" enrich one's understanding of the characters, happenings of the novel, and historical setting and background. I found the writing and story highly compelling.

[Helen Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give 10 stars I would. Heartbreaking book about a Polish girl Maria's struggles in Auschwitz where she was imprisoned for 4 years for being part of the resistance. . Maria is tortured and forced to play chess in order to keep living.

She said early on in the novel that she wanted to become a chess champion. Her favorite chess piece is the pawn and indeed she becomes one at the prison camp.

Characters came alive for me and descriptions were very vivid. I have to say I cried more than once but it was so gripping that I found it hard to put down. Her friendships that she forged were lifesaving and life affirming.

An enthralling and emotional read and I truly enjoyed Ms. Saab's debut novel. I hope that she has more to come!

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Club Girls for provide the ARC of this book that is due out in October.