“Readers who allow themselves to fall under the spell of Konar’s exceptionally sensitive writing may well find the book unforgettable.”

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

The focus on this work is the horrific brutality that took place under Mengele in the concentration camp of Auschwitz during the holocaust brought about with Hitler’s vision of a superior Aryan race and the means of achieving it.

The majority of victims used by Mengele for his experiments were multiples especially twins which are featured in this story.

The book is narrated between twin girls, Pearl and Stasha, each has her story to tell and it’s heart breaking. As the story evolves the voices of the twins reach out to the reader, desperate in seeking solace and an end to the torture they are made to endure.

I thought it was well written and researched. Although it is a Historical Fiction, it does mirror the true events that took place and is a relevant story.

Until all forms of genocide are abolished in our world, stories like this remind us that this should never happen again and is unacceptable.

 

Reviewed by:

Diana S. Long

Added 10th April 2018

More Reviews By
Diana Long

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

I love World War II fiction, but despite all the novels and memoirs I have read, I don’t think I’ve ever read such a beautiful and unique aspect as the one offered in Mischling. The story is told from the perspective of twins in Mengele’s Zoo, the place where the monster Joseph Mengele experimented on Jews, particularly those with the Arian look, in the hope of unlocking the key to genetics.

The Mischling is beautifully written with passages you want to read over and over, which is quite the feat given the devastating and heart-wrenching subject matter. Told from the perspective of two young girls, the language is simple, even the atrocities are told in a quiet, understated way but The Mischling doesn’t end at liberation and this was my favourite thing about the book.

A novel in two parts, the first half tells of the horrors of Auschwitz and Mengele’s Zoo, the second is a reminder that being liberated didn’t mean you were saved as the residents of both Auschwitz and the Zoo join the biggest refugee chain in living history, wandering the countryside and trying to find themselves, and each other. It’s an often forgotten feature of the end of WWII and it’s easy today to forget the thousands of Jewish refugees walking the countryside looking for a home that no longer exists.

A highly recommended novel, beautifully written, and guaranteed to make you think and likely to stay with you way beyond the final page.

 

Reviewed by:

Kath Cross

Added 8th May 2017

More Reviews By
Kath Cross