Cilka's Journey: A Novel

It's unthinkable that a survivor of the horrors of Auschwitz should suffer the further injustice of a sentence in a Russian gulag, but that was Cilka's reality. This book centers on Cilka's time in that gulag, though there are flashbacks to her time in Auschwitz. At the beginning I wondered just how depressing this novel would get, but two things kept the darkness from becoming overwhelming: Cilka's enduring hopeful spirit and the author's sensitive handling of the women's abuse. Cilka's compassion for and understanding of others (even when they judged her harshly) made her a highly sympathetic character, and it was interesting to read about the various medical jobs she did. Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed, and since the love story wasn't developed at all until almost the very end, I couldn't get invested in it. Also, I was left wondering about Cilka's life after the end of the novel. I wish the author's note had at least mentioned whether she continued using her medical skills. I hadn't read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, but this worked fine as a standalone. My review is based on an ARC of this book.

Okay, wow. I was not expecting this. I, unlike the majority of people probably reading this book, have not yet read The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I have heard of it and added it to my TBR thanks to the my sister's glowing review, but I still have yet to sit down and read it. Therefore, I had little idea of what this book would be about, only that the two were somehow connected. I think I liked it better this way. When I met Cilka, I didn't have any preconceptions about her, or about what happened to her from before the period of time where this novel begins. Knowing this is based on actual history was almost too much to handle at some points. You'll find yourself shaking your head, tearing at the eyes. You'll want to put the book down to give yourself a moment to breath, but will also feel like you're choking for air until you figure out what comes next. Its so very sad, but I am so grateful I was able to read it. Though a fictional account, I didn't know these sorts of things occurred in actual history. I'm sure this story will stick with me for a long time, and I look forward to finally reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

"Such a small space of time has passed, but the words have been so large." Cilka's Journey is Heather Morris's follow up to her acclaimed Tattooist of Auschwitz, and follows the story of Cilka Klein. Cilka is a Jew that is first imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau and forced to endure and witness true horror. Her experiences there unfortunately sentence her to 15 years of hard labor in a Soviet Gulag. This however is not a story of injustice and suffering, though clearly that does occur. It is instead the story of healing, finding love in unlikely places and an unbeatable fortitude in the face of adversity. Cilka's Journey captivated me from the opening chapter. It is masterfully written and full of turns that keep you reading hours after you've decided to go to bed. It is not a pleasant read, as no book about Camps and Gulags can be, but the book will certainly leave you changed.