Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Surviving the Angel of Death



About the Book:
Eva Mozes Kor was just 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Subjected to sadistic medical experiments, she was forced to fight daily for her and her twin's survival. In this incredible true story written for young adults, readers will learn of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.
The book also includes an epilogue on Eva's recovery from this experience and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis.Through her museum and her lectures, she has dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and working for causes of human rights and peace.
My Thoughts:
This book is written in the first person which makes it so much more real since one feels as if the author is talking directly to them. Kor is able to communicate the atrocities without being overly descriptive for young adult readers but at the same time convey the  horrors of Auschwitz. I think parents and teachers need to be aware that some students (especially young middle schoolers) may not be ready for a first hand account of Dr. Mengele's experiments on live human subjects even with the gentle approach of the author. Even as an adult reader, I was very much moved by the plight of Kor and her sister.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.

2 comments:

RAnn said...

Isn't your new toy great?

Renee said...

I never thought I'd say this but I"m lovin it.... yesterday when we stopped for lunch on the way to the airport I was able to check emails/FB. While Scott was pumping gas, I did a bit of reading. This afternoon I"m going to figure out how to use our library's ebook system.