Auschwitz Lullaby

GIVEAWAY

ESCOBAR, MARIO
AUSCHWITZ  LULLABY

Available for the first time in English, Auschwitz Lullaby brings to live the story of Helene Hannemann - a woman who sacrificed everything for family and fought furiously for the children she hoped to save.

On an otherwise ordinary morning in 1943, Helene Hannemann is preparing her five children for the day when the German police arrive at her home. Helene's worst fears come true when the police, under strickt orders from the SS, demand that her children and her husband, all of Romani heritage, be taken into custody. Though Helene is German and safe from the forces invading her home, she refuses to leave her family -- sealing her fate in a way she never could have imagined.

After a terrifying trek across the continent, they arrive at Auschwitz and are thrown into the chaos of the camp. Her husband, Johann, is separated from them, but Helene remains fiercely protective of her children and those around her. When they discover that Helene is not only a German but also a trained nurse, she is forced into service at the camp hospital, which is overseen by the notorious Dr. Mengele himself.

Helene is under no illusions in terms of Dr. Mengele's intentions, but she agrees to cooperate when he asks her to organize a school for the Romani children at the camp. Though physically and emotionally brutalized by the conditions at Auschwitz, Helene musters the strength to protect the children in her care at any cost. Through sheer force of will, Helene provides a haven for the children of Auschwitz -- an act of kindness and selflessness so great that it illuminates the darkest night of human history.

Based on a true story, Mario Escobar's Auschwitz Lullaby demonstrates the power of sacrifice and the strength of human dignity -- even when all hope seems lost.

My Review:

"...as long as children can sing, the world still has a chance." (p 171)

The kind of read that pummels you from the inside out! Such an aching mix of emotions. Despair and hope and horror and awe and...just a jumble of everything in between. Made all the more potent because this is a true story.

Helene was a real heroine -- the epitome of motherly love who demonstrated incredible courage in the face of some of the greatest evil this world has ever known! Of Aryan birth, she isn't compelled to accompany her family to Auschwitz but she refuses to be separated from them, Even her most dire imaginings can't compare to the cruel realities of life in a concentration camp but Helene manages to bring a bit of light into the darkness that surrounds them all.

This is a story of contrasts. Good and evil. Love and hate. Life and death. Humanity stripped of everything humane. I'm appalled and uneasy and mesmerized by a tale that should be part of some grim fantasy novel rather than the the fictional memoirs of a woman who lived and loved during one of the most atrocious periods in history.

 Heartbreak and exhilaration all wrapped up into one riveting read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Aucshwitz Lullaby, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 30 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!