THE MIDWIFE OF AUSCHWITZ by ANNA STUART is a story of love triumphing over hate, as Ana Kaminski and Ester Pasternak do all they can to stay alive in the horrific and inhumane death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and to treat the inmates under their nursing care with dignity in a place where “Kindness had become an underground movement.” With their ingenious idea of tattooing the mother’s number under the babies’ armpits, they hope to reunite at least some of those who are taken into German families with their mothers after the war. That is, of course if the mothers manage to stay alive!
There are some amazing characters in this novel who show up the wickedness of the Nazis with their cruelty and hatred, in this war which seemed to usher in the “end of civilization.”
Newly married Ester Pasternak and Ana Kaminski, an experienced midwife who is married with three grown up sons, are sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former because she is Jewish and the latter because she resisted the Nazis. The two are almost family and become more so when they are in the camp, and I like to see how their different religions merge into one - having faith in the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
This is a heart rending story which gives a detailed account of the horrors inflicted against the Jews, women and children in particular, in Poland in general and especially in the notorious death camp. I highly recommend The Midwife of Auschwitz as a well written and inspirational read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I read a lot of World War II / Holocaust fiction, but this one was particularly intense without much character development or internal hook. The plot is truly focused on two women trying to help other prisoners birth their babies in Auschwitz, and it doesn't hold back from depicting how horrific this was. It's very readable and engrossing, but some words were occasionally used in dialogue that felt a little too modern and took me out of the story.

New author to me - I enjoyed this book and found it a sad but interesting read - definitely needed the tissues at times - quite descriptive and really made you feel very emotional

This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A very well written heartbreaking book. I’ve read several WWII books but this is the first that focused on the birth of Jewish babies and how they and their mothers were treated. What a horrible time for these people to have lived and died and the amazing atrocities the German natzis committed against these innocent people. A very informative and interesting book well worth reading. My thanks to NetGalley for a prerelease copy.

Have read the zoo keeper by the same author and my god this book was just as good, absolutely heartbreaking what these people went through, loved the characters and the storyline was brilliant, sobbed my heart out near the end of the book, so descriptive and you could feel the pain and suffering each one suffered
Highly recommend this book 11/10 if I could
AMAZING!!

Overall: ☆☆☆☆☆ (4.8)
Writing style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Entertainment :☆☆☆☆
Characters:☆☆☆☆☆
Plot:☆☆☆☆☆
Ending:☆☆☆☆☆

Thank you Anna Stuart, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the opportunity to receive an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

The entire WW2 history, as Hitler's regime attempted to exterminate Jewish people at all costs, is always heart wrenching,  dispiriting, and distressing to read. And few authors can paint a picture of this time, with such vivid, disturbing details, but also while creating a beautiful story of love, strength, and resilience.  However, Anna Stuart succeeds at that in her novel The Midwife of Auchwitz.

Many authors choose other narratives to portray in their novels, regarding concentration camps, that do not tackle the tough subject of children in concentration camps.  Possibly, because it is a delicate subject that is hard to cover with the finesse required to uncover the horrors that took place, as well as the small glimpses of life and happiness that birthing mothers in concentration camps had, if even for a moment.

Ana, a Christian suspected of helping Jewish people, and Ester, a Jewish girl, both help the mothers of Birkenau during their pregnancies and labor. That is,  as long as the mothers escape the selections upon arrival and can hid their pregnancies long enough to make it to labor.
And as they assist these mothers, their wills meet testament as they watch the horrors that take place to prisoner families.

So they devise a plan  to one day bring hope to these families. In the meantime, they help each other and provide strength to make it through.

This story was almost impossible to put down. And as stated, while many authors try to capture the horrors of concentration camps, this is the only novel I've had the opportunity to read, in which the author tries, and succeeds, at capturing the horrors of babies born in concentration camps.

Truly a one of a kind novel and a pleasure to read. A haunting story, that stays with the reader, long after the last page is turned.

Ester, a young nurse, finds love and happiness in 1939 not knowing what the future holds. Ana Kaminski, a midwife, finds joy in bringing new life into the world. From the streets of Lodz, Poland to Auschwitz-Birkenau, Ester and Ana form a bond and do whatever it takes to bring light into the darkness. They form a plan to tattoo babies born within the walls of Auschwitz-Birkenau in the hopes that if liberation ever comes, they will be able to reunite babies with their mothers.

An excellent work of historical fiction inspired by the life of Stanislawa Leszczyńska. The author’s use of personification and her way with words helped to breathe life into this story and formulate images of what life must have been like during this time in history. The need for midwives/nurses being necessary in Auschwitz-Birkenau had never occurred to me prior to reading this book.

I would recommend this work of historical fiction to anyone who liked others of this genre, including ‘The Alice Network’ or ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this novel. #NetGalley #TheMidwifeOfAuschwitz

This is my first time reading about a midwife in concentration camp and it never crossed my mind (unless mentioned in the book) that babies were actually born in these horrible places. It was a very gripping and thrilling book to read, you kept hoping for the best for Ana Ester.

Wow! This was a hard book to read. Taking place in the Holocaust, books on this topic are hard to read. On a rating scale, I would rate this book as more gut-wrenching that Corrie ten Boom's *Hiding Place*. Ester and Ana. Two Polish women. One Jewish. Both sent to Auschwitz -- the most notorious concentration camp -- in the maternity ward. Witness the brutality that these women and their patients face. Witness the hope that Ester and Ana give to help themselves and others. Regardless, this book is poignant; it is hard to put it down.

WARNING: Not for young children or those who are easily disturbed.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a free ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will love this one, I sure did! The novel moves along at a good pace and is well written. The author creates a real feeling of tension and unease and it is one of the best books I've read for a while.

The Midwife of Auschwitz tells the story of Ana Kaminski, a midwife in Poland, and her young friend Ester Pasternak. Ana and Ester find themselves at Auschwitz and faced with years of unimaginable suffering and heartbreak in the "maternity ward." Small acts of defiance and little victories give the prisoners a glimmer of hope. Will they be able to survive until liberation?

I was delighted to find that this story was based on a real person and her experiences in Auschwitz as a midwife. I have read a lot of fiction and non-fiction about WW2 and the concentration camps, and the more I read, the more horrible things that I learn, I didn't know until reading this book, the real number of babies that were born in the concentration camp. Most pregnant women and babies or small children were sent right to the gas during selection. I found Ana's defiance and standing up to the SS guards and Dr. Mengele refreshing and I was a little bit proud. I could only hope that I would be that brave and firm in my beliefs. My heart broke for Ester and her circumstances being young and going through the situations that she was faced with. I also found some of the other facts of the book quite enlightening and I want to read more about the Lebensborn program and the brothels in Auschwitz. The writing style was very easy to follow and the book was a quick, well paced read. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction or WW2 fiction,

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a digital copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.

“The Midwife of Auschwitz” is a historical fiction WWII book by Anna Stuart. I’ve read many books taking place in concentration camps and so strongly believe that those stories need to be told. However, this book took a new angle for me - what about the children born in camp? This book tells, in alternating chapters, the story of two women - midwife Ana and nurse Ester. Ana and Ester are assigned to a maternity hut/building to assist women giving birth. Ms. Stuart goes into enough detail to describe the horrors in the concentration camp but not enough to give one nightmares (thank goodness). This story was told with feeling, historical detail, and is tied together with a single word “hope.” This book also ended well, but not with the happy ending I’m sure would’ve been the easier route for Ms. Stuart to have her characters take. In other words, I was pleased with this ending. A great yet difficult read and I highly recommend it.

If you are a fan of The Nightingale, do yourself a favour and get this book!

The Midwife of Auschwitz follows two women; Anna and Esther, and their survival and imprisonment during WW2 in Auschwitz as midwives.

It’s a heartbreaking and gripping story of friendship, love, motherhood and survival.

The story gets pretty dark and hard to read at some points but to be honest I never thought of babies born during camp before. I love stories that bring out awareness. Fictional or not. The author did a wonderful job with his topic.

I could not put this book down and devoured it in one sitting. It was gripping and chilling right from the prologue. This is a story you will need tissues for. I cried many tears with the ending and will be left thinking about this book for sometime! The storytelling was perfection and I will certainly be looking for more books from the Author.

4/5 stars

A big thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of two women who are brought together by circumstances beyond their control. They have incredible bravery to endure the conditions in a concentration camp. Have your tissues ready, this is a heartbreaker. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

The author states that this book was not easy to write, and I would agree with her, it was also difficult to read. Not because of a lack of imagination or great writing, but because the topic of the Nazi concentration camps is so dark and evil. The author wrote a lot of historically accurate details into this novel and knowing that some of this actually happened to real people makes it a hard book to read. Your heart will break open because in moments when life is born and most people celebrate and feel joy, the women of Birkenau suffered loss and grief.

You will want “happy endings” for them all but the reality is this world war took many lives. Hope and Christ’s love is a theme throughout the book. It is inspiring and dramatic. You will find yourself entrenched in the story needing a conclusion for each character.

Due to the graphic nature of some of the evil in this book, I would caution a teenage reader. I was given a free copy of the book in exchange of my review.

A beautifully written but harrowing story of Ester, a young, recently married Jewish nurse and her Friend Ana, a Christian midwife, during the Nazi occupation of Poland in 1940.

The author doesnt bombard us with facts and figues, which can often make historical fiction of this era a challenge to read. Instead we are immersed in the lives of the characters by her simple description, interspersed with the occasional Polish/Jewish words (I enjoyed looking these up in my Kindle dictionary!). It is incredibly hard to imagine what it must have felt like to have your whole world turned upside down and threatened in this way. Particularly poignant and uncomfortable with the current situation in Ukraine.

I think it is inappropriate to say that i enjoyed this book. However, it is definitely a must read for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I stayed up  far too late reading this one as I needed to know what happened to the characters and their families!

This is a story of hope and loss, a story of defiance against the Reich, of perseverance and love. I was haunted by this book...full of the pain of these mothers with their lost children. Ana and Ester work so diligently with their plan to try and rematch the children after the war, but I want to know...how many families were they able to bring back together?

The Midwife of Auschwitz is absolutely gut wrenching. It follows Jewish Ester and non-Jewish Ana and their horrific time in Auschwitz working as midwives. Tying together motherhood, endurance, suffering and surviving the most evil of evils, this book is a really emotional read. I appreciate the end section detailing the real people the author based her characters off of and the real life facts of what life was like for mothers in the camps. The characters are extremely well developed. I was completely engrossed in this read.

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc.

Survival, friendship, motherhood and a wedding. This book introduces us to Ana and Ester. Completely different women whose paths cross and come together during the war. Declaring themselves midwife’s, they are out to work in Auschwitz but witness the removal of new borns from their mothers.

This book is written in a sensitive way, it needed to be for the subject matter it covers. But it also allows you to feel the horrors that these women saw. Hurt, fear, sadness, loss….it all came from the Germans but when you have bravery to support you , you can but hope of triumph.

A book of this nature has the potential to be a hard read. I didn’t find it that way. It is historical. These things did happen from 39-45.

Thank you for a great read, learning of 2 great women and more understanding of life in the war.