Auschwitz, 1942. Obersturmfuhrer Schwarzhuber supervised the selection. While others hoped to appear "invisible", Cilka Klein, head held high, looked directly at him.

Auschwitz-Birkenau, 1943. Cilka Klein, as Block Leader, bundled up in a warm coat, supervised the women of Block 25. "She exists within this world in order to stay alive...Her feelings have been taken away. It started when Schwarzhuber...began regular visits."

February, 1945. The camp was liberated but Cilka's fate was yet to be determined. Questioned by counterintelligence agents, she was asked how she had been able to survive for three years in Auschwitz. "You look like you haven't starved...you can expect a long sentence of hard labor...15 years...for working with the enemy..." She was herded onto a train bound for Vorkuta Gulag, Siberia.

What was life like at the Vorkuta Gulag? "We have been branded enemies of the state and we are here to be corrected through labor." "Whatever it is, don't argue, don't fight with them; try to be invisible and do as you are told." "Eyes down, don't stand out." The rules changed daily. There was always the threat of violence and the "hole" in addition to constant rape. "...[Cilka] has gone from one cruel, inhuman place to another."

Having a capacity for languages, "...By accident, again, Cilka is in a position of more, unwanted power...now she will have access to better food, warmth, materials." She is selfless, putting others before herself, saving lives whenever possible.

"Cilka's Journey (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, #2)" by Heather Morris is a work of historical fiction based on the life of Cilka Klein. She was only sixteen when a round-up of Slovakian Jews landed her in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Having saved the life of Lale Sokolov, "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", author Morris presents a sequel, the story of Cilka Klein, who, with hope and resilience, survived and sacrificed for others. This was a difficult, emotional, at times, tearful read. It needs to be read!

Thank you Bonnier Zaffre and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Cilka's Journey".

"Did I tell you about Cilka?...She was the bravest person I ever met. Not the bravest girl; the bravest person...She saved my life. She was beautiful, a tiny little thing, and she saved my life " -Lale Eisenberg, the tattooist of Auschwitz.

Cilka's Journey has been written as a result of the author, Heather Morris, striking up a lovely friendship with Lale and listening to his life story which was brought to life in the beautifully written Tattooist of Auschwitz. Cilka is mentioned in that story, she is a friend  of Gita, who would become his wife. The author said she received lots of requests to find out what happened to Cilka, thus embarking on a journey that results in this book.

Firstly, the author does make it clear that, unlike with the Tattooist of Auschwitz, she has not met Cilka. This telling of her story is pieced together from speaking to Lale, neighbours, interviews, research and travelling many places in search of the history. Some of the characters are fictional in order to protect the identity of her ancestors.

I learnt so much from this book. It is heart breaking and incredibly eye opening. I had no understanding of Vorkuta. I did not know that when Auschwitz prisoners were "freed", that some were held back and punished for behaviour that was their sole way of surviving.

Cilka spent 3 years in Auschwitz and another 10 years in "the white hell", a camp in Siberia with startling similarities to concentration camps. Her strength and determination to stay alive astounded me.

She was selfless and gave up opportunities for freedom to ensure the welfare of her friends. She trained to be a nurse and saved countless lives, demonstrating bravery, resilience and human compassion when it would have been so easy to keep away from attention or speaking out.

She was so brave, witnessing so much death and despair and still putting others ahead of herself. She should never be forgotten. This part of history should never be forgotten. Thank you Heather Morris for ensuring that people will learn about this for generations to come.

#libraryatsevern #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #cilkasjourney #netgalley #bookreviewer #bookshelf #goodreads

Now Breathe..................I was lucky enough to read this book before it came out. So I found a corner in my farmhouse and done a marathon read of Heather's first book "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" and then read "Cilka's Journey" by Heather Morris............OMG I am lost for words.

This book Cilka's Journey is a Five 🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟and a must read. Heather has written this book with her heart and so much passion., so you will need tissues again for this one.
Once you open your kindle and start to read about the main character Cilka, you just want to learn more about her and what happened to her after surviving being a prisoner during World War 2 in the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp.

Cilka was just sixteen years old when she was taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. She had to do what she can to stay alive and she survived till the end of the second world war in 1945. She made friends with many prisoners within the camp and with Lale Sokolov. a Slovakian Jew and Gita who Lale later married. They were the main characters in the first book called The Tattooist of Auschwitz. (A must read also)

She had two choices when she was in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration camp -

Face death or do as she was told. - Not much of a choice!!!!!

In 1945, Cilka was then charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy. Cilka was the mistress of a Nazi Officer and was repeated raped by him etc. She was trailed and sentenced to fifteen years, hard labor at a Gulag camp in Siberia. Blimey!!! Cilka my heart has gone out to you again. She survived the Auschwitz and now to be sent as a prisoner to another horrible camp! All she did was fight to survive in Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. and she was so young and innocent.
Cilka's life was heart breaking in this camp and all she wanted to do was help others. She became friends with many people within the camp especially a Doctor called Yelena and volunteered to help people within the camp. Cilka had a big heart and volunteered to be there to help those that need it in the harsh surroundings, she put her life at risk many times to save others. Her life was not worth saving if she could save their.

OMG Cilka! You were one bloody amazing lady. Cilka started to train as a nurse and Yelena asks her to assist in her surgeries. Cilka helped many prisoners within the camp..........She made an impact to others around her and cared about them. She was a determined young lady and wanted to put things right within the hospital she volunteered to work in. . She was a fighter and never gave up!

Does Cilka ever find happiness within Gulag camp in Siberia?

Does she leave here alive and live her life outside in the real world?

Well, you will just need to buy the book to find out!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE TWO BOOKS!!! Plus a box of tissues!

I was over the moon and lucky enough to get a copy of Cilka's Journey. So a Massive Thank - you to Netgalley, Jordan Hanley, and St. Martin's Press and especially to Heather Morris the author for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really moved by The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I am amongst a large group of people who don't normally read no fiction so this, for me, is the perfect solution to finding out the lives of holocaust survivors. I get that there may be inaccuracies but I didn't read this as a non-fiction book, I read it as a book based on a true story of an a harrowing even that the world must not forget. It is with the same attitude that I have read Cilka Journey

Another review post this about the book and I literally couldn't have put it better if I spent days trying:
" It is difficult and uncomfortable and necessary for us to see and imagine how horrible it was. I’m not going to detail any of that here, but will just say that this is an important work of fiction which reflects the horrors of these times and places, but also the real emotions, the real humanity, the real love and the real resilience of people that historical fiction can convey."

Thank you to Net Galley for my copy of this in return for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Cilka’s Journey’ by Heather Morris in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
In 1942 Cilka Klein is sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp when just sixteen years old. She survives by letting two officers prostitute her body but despite this she’s charged with being a collaborator and sent to Vorkuta Galag in Siberia where she and the other prisoners struggle in unbelievably inhumane conditions, battling with atrocious weather conditions and little food or clothing, but making firm friends with the other residents of her Hut. Cilka is intelligent and a quick learner and is taught to nurse the sick and dying by Dr Yalena Georgiyevna who she becomes friends with. It’s in the hospital that she falls in love with a patient, Alexandr Petrik.
‘Cilka’s Journey’ is a work of fiction but based on the true details given by Lale Sokolov who knew Cilka when they were in Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp together. The story details her years in Auschwitz, with flashbacks to her life in her hometown in Czechoslovakia, and then the years she’s imprisoned in Vorkuta before she’s finally released.
Cilka is a true heroine who risked her life many times to save others and who, on one occasion, gave up the chance of freedom to help her friend Josie keep her baby. It was heart-breaking at times, traumatic and upsetting, yet one of those books everyone should read. I was moved to tears at how much a woman can go through yet still be determined to survive. I’m so pleased that Cilka spent many happy years with the man she loved.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz was one of my favourite books of last year and Cilka, a side character in Lale’s story, is someone who I instantly wanted to know more about. She is sent to Auschwitz at age 16 and is set apart by one of the commandants because of her beauty. She is abused by this monster during her time at the concentration camp and anyone who classifies what she went through as anything other than rape is frankly wrong. However after the Soviets have liberated the camp, Cilka is arrested and charged as a Nazi collaborator. She is then sent to a prison camp in Siberia. Even though I knew this is what happened to her, I was still in shock. It is such a horrendous miscarriage of justice that a teenager – who did nothing other than survive in one of the most horrific places in human history – could possibly be called anything other than a very brave woman. It makes me genuinely angry and from the first page I was willing Cilka to survive.

The author tells us at the start of the book that it is a work of fiction based upon what she has uncovered about the real Cilka. Whilst we obviously cannot know the exact way Cilka’s day to day life unfolded, I think her strength and resilience is undeniable from what we do know. What Morris has done here is give Cilka’s story a humanity in a manner that makes it impossible not to root for her to escape her disgracefully unjust circumstances.Throughout the book I just kept marvelling at her ability to maintain her dignity and generosity in any situation, no matter how terrible. She manages to help so many others and yet doesn’t seem to recognise her own innate goodness. I think books like this often make the reader consider how they would react if they were in that situation and I can’t even begin to comprehend how I would survive.

Cilka’s Journey is not a cheerful book. It couldn’t possibly be, given the subject matter. However, it is never depressing or without some form of hope. It is a book that truly demonstrates the strength of human connection and the importance of small kindnesses in brutal conditions. If you loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz then you will love Cilka’s Journey too, and I’m sure new readers will be just as affected by this remarkable story.

While CILKA'S JOURNEY is a sequel to "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", it is also a completely separate story in its own right and can be read as a standalone. It is poignant and it is heartbreaking when you think of what women like Cilka went through. Although we can empathise, we can never truly comprehend or understand having never lived through those harrowing times ourselves.

CILKA'S JOURNEY came about when Heather Morris was talking to Lale Sokolov about his time in Auschwitz.

"Did I tell you about Cilka?"
"No, Lale, you didn't. Who was Cilka?"
"She was the bravest person I ever met. Not the bravest girl; the bravest person."
"And?"
"She saved my life. She was beautiful, tiny little thing, and she saved my life."

And so the premise, the story, of CILKA'S JOURNEY was born.

Cilka was sent to Auschwitz in Birkenau from her home in Czechoslovakia on 23rd April 1942. At just 16 years old she is soon forced to become a sex slave to one of the camp's Commandants and put in charge of Block 25, the barracks housing the sick, weak and emaciated women on their way to the gas chambers. It was a task she hated but in Auschwitz, you did what you could to survive. It was here she met Lale Sokolov, the camp's tattooist, who fell in love with her best friend Gita, as their numbers are tattooed again and again to ensure they never fade.

In January 1945, the Soviet army liberated the camp and set the remaining survivors free. Having nowhere to go, Cilka remained with some of the others until they were strong enough to leave. In the following weeks, those who remain are questioned by the Soviet officers. When Cilka is questioned, she is faced with the truth twisted into something more. She is accused of prostituting herself to the Nazi's and as she speaks several languages, she is also charged as a spy reporting on and sleeping with the enemy. Her punishment is sentenced to a Siberian prison camp for 15 years hard labour.

The journey to Siberia is long and fraught with a resignation of what's to come. Some do not make it to the camp, their bodies removed at various stops along the way, discarded like trash. Upon arrival at the camp, Cilka knows the horrors of what's to come. The hosing, the shaving, the shame. She whispers advice to her new friend Josie - Be invisible, don't stand out...but whatever they dish out to you, just take it. Cilka knows what will happen if you don't. Once again, the women are lined up and paraded for the officers to choose as their own. Cilka has exchanged one prison for another. And she is just 19 years old.

The story alternates between Cilka's time in Siberia to the flashbacks of her time in Auschwitz. From one prison to another, we witness the horrors she endures in both places. But her resistance is strong as she does what she can to stay alive. Through it all, Cilka suffers immense guilt having survived where others have not and yet she continues to persevere. What resilience! I'm not sure I could have remained as strong as she did but I guess needs must and you really DO what you can to survive.

It is because of her acumen and intelligence that she becomes a nurse, tending to the ill in the camp - caring for them under brutal conditions in Siberia's harsh and bitter cold. But through it all she finds a way to assuage her guilt to compensate for the terrible things she was forced to do in Auschwitz.

An obviously extraordinary young woman, CILKA'S JOURNEY is a fictionalised account of Cilka, a real woman who touched the life of Lale Sokolov, befriending him in "The Tattooist of Auschwitz". She was a resilient and brave young woman who left her mark on those whose lives she touched.

CILKA'S JOURNEY is harrowing in parts but also a beautiful story of hope. The reader is drawn in and feels Cilka's pain and suffering for all she endured. Some scenes are graphic in nature due to the horrifying time of the Holocaust.

I do have a few complaints though. I felt the chapters were far too long and drawn out, making it difficult to put down at a moment's notice and then picking up again where you left off. I read on my Kindle app and 55 minutes to a chapter is far too long. Some of the story I felt were drawn out as well and as much as I love to immerse myself in time in a story, I don't particularly want to feel as if I am reading an historical essay where factual account reads more like a textbook that an historical novel.

However, CILKA'S JOURNEY is a compelling, albeit harrowing, read. I am glad that Cilka survived the atrocities she was faced with and went on to live a long and happy life for some 50 years with the man she loved.

I would like to thank #HeatherMorris, #NetGalley and #Zaffre for an ARC of #CilkasJourney in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly moving story. After reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz, I was really intrigued to find out what had become of Cilka. This book was profound and showed an incredibly resilient woman going through the hardest of times. An absolute must read if you enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz!

BOOK REVIEW: Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

5 stars

After finishing The Tattoist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris and learning that this book was being written, I was both scared of what I would learn about this piece of dreadful history but also eager to read another masterpiece of writing and storytelling.

Cilka's Journey is as you can imagine, heartbreaking, traumatic and upsetting. However the way it is written gives a hopeful feeling and almost motivation to make the most of your life, no matter how hard.
Cilka was obviously a brave young woman and the way her character was explored during this book was a wonder to read. To read about such kindness, courage and trust (when she had every right not to be any of those things) was beautiful and it sounds like, a true testament to her character.
Heather Morris obviously had less information about this part of Cilka's life but nevertheless, the story was full of depth and you really care about all the characters as she writes so beautifully about them.
I found it interesting to read about how different characters chose to live and respond to the same pressures. Put people in the same situation and they will all react in a different way. The storyline really had me gripped from the first word to the last.

Heather Morris has produced 2 pieces of great literature that I think will become classics of our generation and a testament to the horrors that past generations faced and the bravery with which they faced them.

Thank you to Netgalley for gifting me with this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting. It was a heartbreaking read - a brave woman who overcame so much. I almost cannot believe a woman could endure so much and still give to others.

A book that should be recommended widely. A remarkable read.

A story of one woman’s determination to see life through as she intended and not by the dictation of others. This is based on a true story given to the author by the Tattooist of Auschwitz Lalo Sokolov. Cilka was “chosen” in Auschwitz as a prostitute, something she had no say in whatsoever. She did what he had to do in order not only to survive but to live. When the camp was liberated by the Russians she stood out as she wasn’t as thin as the others and hence must have been in league with the enemy. She is taken to Vorkuta in Siberia, sentenced to fifteen years. Yet again each and every day is a battle for survival not just against those holding her captive but against the other inmates. As with Auschwitz it is the survival of the fittest and dog eat dog mentality. Any weakness can lead to death one way or another. A moving, thought provoking story of a woman against all odds. A woman who Lale said was the bravest person he had ever known. I can;t recommend this highly enough. One to stay with me forever.
(amazon done- misfits farm)

A superb novel. I wasn’t sure whether this would be a different side to life in the concentration camp. I was delighted to find that it wasn’t. The story was beautifully written. I couldn’t wait to read more and more and more. Highly recommended

After reading and being such a big fan of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, I just had to read this book. Cilka was such a prominent person for me in the last book and the prison she was sent to was always something I wondered about. Especially as a reader who could not believe she was charged with being a collaborator after years of what is obvious rape.

Even though Heather had no way of speaking to Cilka personally (Cilka now being deceased) and this is much more a piece of fiction than the first book, I think she's done a great job of compiling evidence about her life together and giving a good idea of what she may have gone through as a prisoner.

I always look forward to Heather's notes at the end of the book that show the facts. You can tell she's put in a lot of research to get the story written as close to real life as possible.

A beautiful and moving read, it’s hard to say you enjoy this read, but it’s a must read to me, as it should be for everyone, this is fiction but thoroughly researched and based on truth, although fiction this did happen and these stories must be told so we never forget.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is one of the most interesting books I’ve read in recent years, so when I heard a sequel was being released, I was intrigued.

“Cilka's Journey” is based on the heartbreaking true story of Cilka Klein.

Cilka was only 16 years old when she was taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau. During her time at the camp, she quickly learned to do what she was told in order to survive. After the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, she is accused of colluding with the enemy and sent to the Siberian prison camp “Vorkuta Gulag.” The story focuses on Cilka’s time at the Gulag, while flashbacks give glimpses into her childhood and her time at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

I think it’s important to approach this book knowing that it is a work of fiction. Although Cilka was a real person, not much is known about her life. In Cilka’s Journey, the author is very open about this, and there is a chapter at the end which describes in detail how the novel was pieced together based on extensive research.

Books like this are so important for encouraging a new generation of people to learn about the terrible events that occurred during and after the Holocaust. Before reading Cilka’s Journey I’m ashamed to admit I knew nothing about the Soviet Gulags. This book opened my eyes to some of the horrors experienced by the women in these labour camps.

Although this is considered a sequel, I think it can easily be read as a standalone novel.
If you loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz then this is a must-read.

3.5 rounded up
The sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz that we’ve all been waiting for - I don’t want to say too much on the plot other than this is Cilka’s journey post liberation from Auschwitz and condemnation to a Siberian Prison camp for sleeping with the enemy. It’s a story of hope amongst despair - it’s about loss, survival, friendship, and of course love. I connected with Cilka and the other girls portrayed in this book. Morris did a great job at character development – I loved the parallel timelines from days in Auschwitz. It really enabled the reader to get to know Cilka much better without having to lose too much of the present day story. I teared up in many parts, it was obviously an emotional read.

When I recevied the ARC for Cilka's Journey, it went straight to the top of my TBR list. Yes, I'm aware it is a fictional account of her history, but it is clear the research of this appalling period in history is thorough. How any human being could find the strength to overcome being dragged away from her family and incarcerated in a concentration camp, used for sex from the age of sixteen, confront inhumane death on a daily basis, including that of her mother, then sent to an icy gulag, is anyone's guess. Her story and that of those she lived amongst is beyond heart-breaking. If only we had learned from it.

Heather Morris has done it again. I started reading this morning and couldn’t put it down. Truth woven with fiction it is another beautiful story of the strength humanity can find in the most adverse of times. I’m so grateful to Heather and Lale for sharing the stories that could’ve so easily been lost or buried @stmartinspress @netgalley

If you loved The Tatooist of Auschwitz then you will also love this book.
This books tells Cilka’s story. We met her as one of Gita’s friends in The Tattoist, and knew that she was being used for sex by the Commandants.
Cilka survived, and this book tells of the next horrifying ordeal that she had to go through once she was released.
This is a real eye opener and the end of the book we are told how it’s based on both fact and fiction, however a lot of research has gone in to this book.
It’s unimaginable that this happened in the twentieth century and makes you feel lucky to have the lives we have today.
This is a real thought provoking book that I simply could not put down.
Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a very worthy successor to The Tattooist of Auschwitch. It is a well constructed blend of fact and fiction set not in a Nazi camp but this time in a Soviet Russia facility for those considered to be potential enemies of the state. Cilka was considered to have collaborated with the Nazis officers in
Auschwitz despite having little option. Those who did not were murdered. This is no easy read given the description of the desperate abuse and cruelty dealt out to the inmates. However,it is a story that needs to be written. Like the tattooist,Cilka survives to tell her tale and to find live. This book is set to become an important literary and historical work.