From the Bookshelf of EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club…

The Tattooist of Auschwitz (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, #1)

Heather Morris

Start date: March 1, 2021

Finish date: March 31, 2021

Discussion: MODERN / POPULAR READS

Why we're reading this: March 2021 - Modern Classics/Popular Group Read
[close] March 2021 - Modern Classics/Popular Group Read

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MODERN / POPULAR READS

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What Members Thought

Jun 24, 2022 Marla rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: with-reservations, library-audiobook, romance, historical-fiction, overrated, audiobook, war, celebrate-engagement, zz-2022

. I am just not a huge Nazi historical fiction gal. I had a phase where I read too many depressing Nazi historical fiction novels and I haven't been interested since. That being said, I had heard rave reviews about this book. I thought it was interesting, but honestly, I thought it was hyped up. It just didn't merit all the acclaim, IMO.

Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, becomes the Tätowierer, the tattooist of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. Lale falls in love with Gita.

It's based on a tru ...more

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Jan 07, 2023 spoko rated it did not like it

Shelves: history, book-club, fiction

I wasn’t enjoying the tone of the book anyway—it’s a sopping-wet love story with paper-thin characters and some thoroughly fantastical plot points, set in a concentration camp. But then I read what the response has been from the Auschwitz Memorial and other Jewish historical associations, and those were nails in the coffin. The fact that the author claims it’s historically accurate only makes it worse. It’s an awful book, and I strongly don’t recommend it.

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Aug 16, 2019 Amanda rated it it was ok

It seems harsh to give only two stars to such an important story. The tale of the man who was forced to serve as the Tatooist of Auschwitz definitely should be told so the rating is not for the content so much as the flat writing style that kept me disconnected from all of the characters profiled. At some point in the book I started to dislike Lale ( the tatooist) there seemed to be something almost despicable about the way he conducted himself and I wondered if the reason for his lack of depth ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Julia rated it it was ok

Shelves: history, introducing-great-new-characters, audio-books, read-women-2019

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 12, 2021 Tiffany rated it it was ok

Interesting story but I wasn't a fan of the writing style or voice of it. It also felt under researched and more fic tionalized than historically based. Obviously it's a real person's life and there are limits to that person's point of view and access to further information but I think a more practiced historical fiction writer might have done a better job rounding out the story. ...more

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Mar 11, 2021 Kris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I rate books with five stars when I intend to read them again. I don't know that I could do this one again, though it certainly deserves it.

Anyone who wants to throw the word "Nazi" around should read this first so they at least have a chance to know what they're talking about.

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