This is based on the real life of a Polish Catholic woman who was sent to Auschwitz when it was discovered her and her family are where members of the resistance. In this fictional account the main characters are Ana and Ester. The unique viewpoint of midwives during the holocaust plus the religious differences between Ana and Ester make this a captivating tale that has not been really captured before.it is well written and will have you hooked the from start.

Auschwitz, 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms, my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh. And I prayed that one day this set of numbers, identical to her mother’s, would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…”

Heart-wrenching, harrowing, haunting and hopeful, The Midwife of Auschwitz is a story of love, strength and courage. Based on an incredible true story, we follow two women as they fight to survive one of the darkest times in our history. Opening the day Germany invades Poland we follow Ester, a young Jewish girl, and Ana, a Catholic midwife, as their worlds are turned upside down and even Ester’s wedding day isn’t safe from the wrath of the Gestapo. They are uprooted from their homes and later, in a cruel twist of fate, find themselves on the same transport to Auschwitz where they serve as midwives in a place where even the newest lives are far from sacred.

"The invaders had taken their city and now they were going to divide its people. Some fool man had decided that the baby Ana had brought into the world eighteen years ago, naked and innocent, was in some way less valuable than any other and was out to eliminate her and her kin from the earth. This was surely not just war, but the end of civilisation. "

Anna Stuart is a skilled storyteller. She takes us inside the hearts and minds of Ana and Ester, their sorrow, pain, terror and rage so palpable I was moved to tears. Her evocative imagery makes the barbaric inhumanity of Auschwitz and the Ghetto feel so vivid that I could almost feel the lice crawling on my skin. The Holocaust is a brutal, raw and heartbreaking subject, but Ms. Stuart also writes with compassion, allowing us to also see the characters’ resilience, their acts of kindness, and how they held onto humanity whenever they could. Ana and Ester are true heroines who are written so evocatively that I could feel everything they did. Their sorrow, pain, terror and rage leaps from the pages and they teach us about bravery again and again as they stand up against evil, risking their lives in the process. It is impossible not to be moved by the way some were so determined to bring hope to others even when everything around them seemed helpless.

"This is war and it isn't all fought on battlefields."

Powerful, poignant and moving, this remarkable story is one I’ll never forget. While it isn’t an easy read, it is an incredibly important one that I highly recommend.

The Midwife of Auschwitz is based on the true life of a Polish Catholic woman who is sent to Auschwitz when it is discovered that she and her family are members of the Resistance. In this fictional account we follow Ana, a Catholic, and Ester, a Jew, from the invasion of their city by the Nazis, the occupation of the city, the creation of the ghettos and finally to Auschwitz.
The unique viewpoint of midwives during the Holocaust and the religious differences of the main characters makes this a fascinating read. This book is a fictional journey into a little discussed, but well researched part of World War II. It is at times a look into the past, a love story and a story of friendship.

Thank you NetGallery for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This book follows the journey of Ana and Ester, through life in Poland following the start of WWII. There were tears, laughter, hope and relief. An amazing book. Well to to Anna Stuart for telling such a difficult story.

I want to take the time to thank the author and Bookouture for this review copy. I was absolutely floored by the writing of this story. It was very well put together, researched and the overall story was beautiful.

Readers Note: If reading about abuse of babies/adults is hard for you, please skip this. This story is based on truth BUT, the details were hard to take in. However, without these details, the story would not have been what it was.

This is the story of Ana and Ester, a Polish Midwife and a Jewish Nurse, who are friends and become deeper than that through the hardness of Auschwitz. It is also the beautiful story of Ester and Filip, soulmates who meet as the war has begun. Soulmates who meet on the steps of the church. A beautiful and tragic story but, one that shows that the test of time and heartache can never change how the heart feels.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The history was hard and gruesome and the details hard to ever forget, although we should never forget. Never forget the hate these beautiful Jewish and others fought through. We should always remember the way these people were treated, simply because of their blood and beliefs.

I can’t say enough good about this story. It flowed very easily and kept me interested. The details were perfectly written and I was invested in this novel. Highly recommend this read! Five stars all the way!

Anna did an amazing job capturing the emotions and feelings of the many people who lived through this horrible time in our nation's history. The Midwife of Auschwitz holds your interest from the start to finish. You read a little bit and want to keep reading just hoping that Ana and Esters life will get better. My heart goes out to all the people of that time. I thank you for telling this story so that more generations will not forget history.

When you think of Auschwitz you always think of the Jews that were killed, the brutality of the Nazi's, but we never actually stop and think of those who were put to work there.

Beautifully written, powerful and hard hitting, The Midwife of Auschwitz is based on true events, which all these years later still resonates with us.

It's a remarkable story of hope, courage and strength. The descriptions of the camp and their treatment of the Jewish people both opens your eyes and breaks your heart.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart opens in April of 1946 as a woman hopes to reunite with a child, if at all possible. She has walked a long and dark road to reach this place and as she enters the room filled with cots, she hopes the road has been worth it. Just a page or two throws up numerous questions. Who is the woman? Is it her child she is searching for and if so what led to their separation? What dark journey has she been on and will her hunt prove successful or a failure? The answers will only come with the turn of the final page and until then the reader is taken on an incredible journey of strength and courage.

We are then taken back in time to part one of the book which is set in 1939 and the following years. Given the title I expected the majority of the book to be set in Auschwitz but this wasn’t the case. It’s not until quite some time into the book that the characters are in the camp and from that point on the book takes on even darker tone than was already present and some of the things you read are truly horrifying and stomach churning. I read lots of historical fiction set in and around World War and at times you think oh I’ve read it all when it comes to descriptions of the atrocities committed in the many camps established during the time but here Anna Stuart truly shocked me with some of the events detailed that the women endured but at the same time I was filled with admiration for our two main characters Ana and Ester and even more so when you read the end notes and discover the book had been inspired by an incredible true story.

September 1939 and Ester Adams is an apprentice nurse in the Polish city of Lodz. She sits on the steps of the cathedral during her lunch break and day by day grows more confident in talking to Filip - an apprentice tailor. Their world is torn apart when Germany invades Poland and they fear there are many dark years to come. Filip quickly proposes to Ester, she accepts, and they are soon married. But their life is not what they would want it to be given fear and danger lurk around every corner. Even more so the fact that they are Jewish and Hitler is hell bent on eradicating all Jews from the face of the earth. How must it have felt to be free to walk the streets and live a normal life one day and then overnight to become the enemy? Hitler created a despicable ideology that tore so many families apart. Forced to wear the yellow star of David and viewed as a plague on earth, the love Ester has for Filip is strong and will hopefully see her through all the hardship, torture, fear, starvation and the harsh realities that are in front of them.

Soon a ghetto is created in Lodz and Ester, Filip and their parents and her younger sister Leah find themselves crammed into a tiny area and forced to share accommodation with many others. Their basic civil rights are taken away and they are left to live no better than the dogs on the streets. Anna Stuart spared nothing in her descriptions of the ghetto and in fact of Auschwitz itself and I am glad she did not. There is no point sugar coating things with a book of this nature. All the details really need to be laid bare for the reader to feel the full force and impact of what the characters are going through. It helps you to really feel for them and to be on their side journeying with them as you hope for a positive and happy eventual outcome for them. Ester does her best to help those who are ill in the ghetto but disease, illness, dirt, starvation and appalling conditions are commonplace and life is one long grind to merely survive. No one wants to be the person picked up off the street lifeless and thrown onto the death cart. Several years pass and by 1943, the worst occurs when Ester’s mother is to be taken away destined for a camp. Rumours of which swirl around the ghetto. Ester stands by her mother and she finds herself transported leaving Filip and her father behind. What could be possibly worse than what they are already going through?

The second character to feature is Ana Kaimski. She is a midwife and not Jewish and awful as this is to say she and her family fare better than what Ester is going through. Ana is renowned and respected for her talents as a midwife. I found it different to have two female main characters in a book who both took equal precedence. At times, I found myself becoming confused between the two and I needed to stop reading and think for a minute or two and get the two stories straight. But once I got things clear in my mind, for the second half of the book, I was able to follow along much easier. I didn’t prefer one woman over the other as I thought they both had strong voices in order to tell their stories and I loved how Ana became the mother to Ester when she needed a mother most.

Ana fulfilled a promise right until the bitter end and the bond and relationship they formed was remarkable and would bring a tear to your eye as they battled through a storm that at times it seemed they would never emerge through the other side. Ana and her husband and three sons become involved in resistance work to help those in the ghetto. Simple but necessary things are passed into the ghetto and the family put themselves in danger to help those in need. They needn’t have done anything at all but it highlighted all the good qualities they possess. The worst occurs when Ana’s family are discovered, arrested and tortured. This is when Ana meets Ester on the train to Auschwitz and they will need each other more than ever as everything that awaits them in the camp is designed to make them fail and die.

I found part one of the book to be too long as I kept waiting as mentioned above given the title for the plot to develop and to reach Auschwitz and for me that’s when the story proper began. I understand there needed to be a part one in order to introduce both Ana and Ester and to establish their backgrounds and differing stories but I would have preferred a slightly shorter, what I am calling introductory section so we could get to the main parts of the story earlier. Part Two follows the two women in Auschwitz and part three ties the strands of the story together.

Part two was the best I felt because it had me completely gripped. The terror experienced by Ana and Ester is all too real and they promise to protect each other and never let go. What follows is endless displays of bravery in the most fearful of places. Barrack 17 at the camp became like the maternity ward and Ester and Ana band together to help so many desperate mothers deliver babies. But what occurs is just truly horrific and Klara the Kapo for the block is just a crazed criminal with death and destruction on her mind. The scenes that are described are very hard to read and will hit you right through the heart. The brutality and lack of compassion is immense but the two women are in a fight against humanity and determined to succeed to the bitter end.

To say much more as to what occurs at the camp would give too much away as to how the remainder of the story unfolds. Suffice to say there are many twists and turns. One of which brought the story in a surprising direction and I found myself glued as to what the outcome would be. There are lots of harrowing scenes throughout the book but it’s near the end when specific details of January 1945 unfold that I found myself really welling up at what the inmates were left to deal with. The Midwife of Auschwitz is a very good, detailed read which reinforced the power of human endurance and spirit. It’s an inspirational yet heart-breaking story of a woman trying to bring hope and new life to a world enshrouded by darkness and evil. It’s a story definitely worthy of a read.

The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart

I enjoy historical fiction and will always be amazed at the strength of the people that had to endure life in the concentration camps. I don’t know that I would be as strong.

I have read different books about the concentration camps and stories of women being pregnant and the hospitals quarters but not a story quite like this one.

The emotion in this book is such a rollercoaster and you can feel the sadness. The lengths women went to in hopes of holding their precious little ones to having them snatched away from them. After they are free there comes another set of emotions trying to build your life back and hope to find those precious babies that were taken.

The Midwife of Auschwitz is based on true events.

If you love historical fiction/WWII then def add this book to your TBR. I’ll def be checking out Anna’s other books.

Firstly I must mention the cover of this book, I don’t know about other readers but it really packs a punch, I felt shivers run down my spine just looking at it, it’s bleak and captivating all at once and I had a feeling that I was in for a highly emotional read and I was!

This really pulls at every emotional heartstring’s, it’s hard-hitting, brutally raw and a powerful account of true courage and friendship in the face of unprecedented horror. Anna Stuart has written a powerful story which will keep you gripped throughout, you will shed a fair few tears as well as feel numb and the hairs will stand up a few times at the evil which is played out across the pages, but also a sense of hope.

The Midwife of Auschwitz is a fictional story based on true events, it’s the incredibly moving story of bravery between best friends; Ester and Ana who find themselves pushed into a compact and claustrophobic train heading into hell itself; Auschwitz. Once there they are the lucky ones to be given jobs, and they are sent to the maternity ward. Once there they deliver thousands of babies and set a chain of events going which could cost them their lives if they are caught. They secretly start tattooing the mother’s numbers onto the infant’s legs in the hope that one day they will be reunited. I was left astounded at the ultimate act of bravery that these women did, they put their life on the line every time they picked up the tattoo pen.

Every time I read a story set in or around the atrocities of Auschwitz I feel an unwavering sense of courage for those who did everything they could to survive and utmost admiration for the survivors who so bravely told their stories, no matter how hard to read or hear their stories need to be heard and we need to listen, the horrors of that time – horrors which should never have occurred should never be forgotten, by knowing of the raw inhumane brutality can we learn from it.

I have read a lot of books set in or around Auschwitz and every time I come away with my emotions in tatters and this is no different, in fact, this one really got under my skin and not just pulled at my heart-string but yanked them until I was crying.

If you only read one book this year, then make it this one, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed and you will never quite feel the same again.

I’ve often felt that the holocaust and the atrocities of the Nazi regime might not be the most suitable subject for a work of fiction – and I’ve read a number of books that have only reinforced that thought. But the author, in her historical notes, stresses the huge responsibility she felt to ensure that the detail was as close to reality as possible and faithfully represented the suffering endured – and that’s one of the things that elevates this book above the many others. She takes her inspiration for her key character, Ana Kaminski, from the experience of a real person – Stanisława Leszczyńska, a Polish midwife who delivered over 3000 children while incarcerated at Auschwitz – and, with a combination of fictional additions and characters familiar from our awareness of the history, tells her story in a way that entirely captures the atrocities without trivialisation, and most certainly honours their experiences.

The book begins as a rather beautiful love story – as the spectre of war begins to loom, Ester is a young nurse, eating her lunch on the steps of St Stanislaus’ cathedral in Łódź, when she spots Filip, an equally shy young man, and they begin their courtship. They marry, but the invasion soon follows – along with the establishment of the Jewish ghetto, and the privation and cruelty that ensues. Ana isn’t Jewish – but her life is changed too, with a forced move from her home in the future ghetto and an increasing anger about the fate of her friends and neighbours that sees her and her family becoming involved with the resistance.

I have no intention of telling the whole story – the author does it so much better – but both Ana and Ester ultimately find themselves incarcerated at Auschwitz, enduring the most appalling conditions and everyday acts of cruelty while working together to care for the women and the children they give birth to. There was a lot in the detail that I hadn’t come across before – the author’s research was extensive (do read the historical notes at the book’s end as they’re almost as compelling as the book itself) and the way she uses it is simply stunning – including the extension of the Lebensborn programme (I hadn’t realised before that Jewish children were included…), the mix of ethnicities among the inmates, the more peripheral role played by Mengele.

But this book isn’t a detailed history of Auschwitz – it’s essentially a human story, the lives of the individuals subjected to the most appalling treatment, and their dogged determination to survive. The characterisation is wonderful – while Ana and Ester will have their place in your heart long before their imprisonment, there’s a multiplicity of other well-drawn individuals, every one of them involving you in their personal stories. The core story – the tattooing of the babies in the hope it will help them to be reunited with their mothers when the war is over – is emotional and compelling, and I did particularly like the fact that it wasn’t used to tie a neat bow at the story’s end (it really wouldn’t have worked – and kudos to the author for appreciating that).

I hardly need to mention that reading this book was an exceptionally emotional experience – the writing is wonderful, the way she captures the women’s experiences entirely real, and you feel you share their lives. It would be easy at times for some of their experiences to slip into sentimentality, but I think a reader knows when their emotions are being manipulated, and that’s something I never felt as the next of the many horrifying scenes moved me to tears. I just desperately wanted both women to thrive and survive against the most insurmountable odds, for that faint glimmer of hope to continue to shine – I read this book over three days (the experience was too intense to read in longer sittings), and every night struggled to get the story and the real people who inspired it out of my head. It really is a remarkable piece of work – and one the author should be justifiably proud of.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

A midwife in Auschwitz? I never heard of such a thing. This title, The Midwife of Auschwitz, sure caught my eye in a hurry when I was scrolling through a list of books, and I wanted to read it. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down! What a story Anna Stuart has woven based on the life of a real woman who worked as a midwife in the infamous concentration camp. So many books have been written about World War II and the horrors of the Holocaust—and yet, this author has found a fresh new way to bring Auschwitz to life.
As a young woman, Ester studied to become a nurse. When she married her sweetheart, one of the invited guests was Ana, the midwife who had delivered Ester. The same day, the Germans started openly trying to destroy the Jewish community. A few years later, Ana and Ester found themselves on the same transport to Auschwitz. Ana boldly declared that she was a midwife—and Ester her assistant! What horrible conditions they had to bring babies into, only to see most of the babies killed immediately. Ana kept telling Ester that they must stay alive; that was their only weapon against evil. Was it even possible, though?
Around the time they realized that Ester would also be bringing a baby into the world in this awful place, the Germans started taking healthy blond babies for German families to raise. Was there any way the babies could be reunited with their real families after the war? Ester thought of a possible solution—she tattooed each baby with its mother’s number. Could she stay alive until the war was over, though? Would she ever find Filip? And what about their baby, who was taken by the Germans?
Anna Stuart almost made me feel like I was in Auschwitz along with Ana and Ester and so many other women. The conditions were unbelievable horrible. The sheer horror these ladies experienced when they arrived and had to see newborn babies being murdered, and others torn from their mother’s arms to be given to other families, was hard to read. It is terrible to read about people treating other people so terribly—but at the same time, it is wonderful to see how some are so kind and gentle in the midst of such a place. When you pick up The Midwife of Auschwitz, be prepared for an emotional journey through the heights and depths of the human experience.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: The physical side of marriage comes up three or four times. A couple of times, the seduction of young girls by German officers is alluded to. Prostitution is mentioned several times. There are descriptions of the murder of newborns and of people being killed and put in the crematoriums. As with any book about the Holocaust, there are many scenes that are difficult to read. The worst is an execution scene after a woman tried to escape. I would allow teenage girls to read this book, although probably not boys, as there are birth scenes. As far as language, I noticed “d*mn” a few times and “bl**dy” once, although I likely overlooked some of that because I read too fast.

*Inspired by a true story.

I think books inspired by true stories are the very best kind. Knowing that there were those who lived similar lives, that they overcame great odds, that they rose above and that they dared to do still hope when all hope was gone. Try reading this book and not feeling for the characters and their quiet strength.

Auschwitz, 1943

Two friends, Anna Kaminski and Ester Pasternak enter the gates of Auschwitz. Anna proclaims that she is a midwife and Ester is her assistant. They are tattooed and sent to the maternity ward. Bringing new life into the world is a powerful thing but having to do so in such an evil place is terrifying. When healthy infants are taken from their mothers and given to German families, it is gut wrenching. Anna vows to do whatever she can, then she notices her friend, Ester's bump...

Extensively researched and told, this book packs an emotional punch. I can't help but think of Ma when I read this book as she survived Auschwitz, but it never left her. When I was offered the book, I readily said yes.

Besides loving books based on true events and people. I love when ordinary people do the extraordinary. When they dig down deep inside of themselves to find strength that they never knew they had. I often wonder, could I have done that?

This was not an easy read. Books set in Auschwitz never are. Readers know there will be suffering, that horrible things will happen to the characters, but there is also love within these pages. There is hope, there is friendship and there is grace.

Well written, heartbreaking, and hard to put down.

4.5 stars


#TheMidwifeofAuschwitz #NetGalley.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart is a gripping and suspenseful WWII-era historical fiction that will keep one interested from beginning to end.

This book alternates between two different women, Ana and Ester, and through two women initially different and who’s paths cross during times of war, we can see the, and sometimes almost feel the atrocities, hurt, loss, fear, and sadness that occurred to so many innocent people at the hands of the Germans. Through it all however, we can also see bravery, friendship, sacrifice, love, and hope…and know that at the end, those will triumph.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/31/22.

From the Publisher:

Auschwitz, 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms, my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh. And I prayed that one day this set of numbers, identical to her mother’s, would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war…

Inspired by an incredible true story, this poignant novel tells of one woman’s fight for love, life and hope during a time of unimaginable darkness.

Ana Kaminski is pushed through the iron gates of Auschwitz beside her frightened young friend Ester Pasternak. As they reach the front of the line, Ana steps forward and quietly declares herself a midwife – and Ester her assistant. Their arms are tattooed and they’re ordered to the maternity hut. Holding an innocent new-born baby, Ana knows the fate of so many are in her hands, and vows to do everything she can to save them.

When two guards in their chilling SS uniforms march in and snatch a blond-haired baby from its mother it’s almost too much for Ana to bear. Consoling the distraught woman, Ana realises amidst the terrible heartache there is a glimmer of hope. The guards are taking the healthiest babies and placing them with German families, so they will survive. And there are whispers the war is nearly over… Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo little ones with their mother’s numbers, praying one day they might be reunited.

Then, early one morning, Ana notices the small bump under Ester’s thin striped clothing…

An absolutely heartbreaking and page-turning WW2 novel of one woman’s bravery and determination to bring life and hope into a broken world. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be gripped.

“If we stay alive then we can find each other and life- real life, full of love and joy and care- can surely start up again”

This book is told from the perspective of two women Ana and Esther and is inspired by a true story. Ana is a midwife and Ester is a nurse but Ester has to adapt quickly and become a midwife. These women find themselves in Auschwitz together, helping all the pregnant women there. It is determination, strength, the love for one another and the hope they have of becoming free one day that sees them through the tough times there.

This book was one of my favourite books set in WWII. Like all other books of this era, it was truly heartbreaking but it was also full of love, hope and determination. I liked how it was told from each woman’s point of view as this always gives the reader a real insight into more than just one character and how each felt at different times.

This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. It kept me gripped throughout and it was such a heartbreaking and emotional story. I had never read anything from this author before but I am looking forward to reading more of her books.

How can such a beautiful book come from such evil! The sadness reading about all those poor defenceless babies, and worse that the mothers were unable to do anything about it when it was in there very being to protect them.
Yet we still have love that Ana felt for Ester. Even the Germans couldn’t destroy the love between Ester and Filip . There is always hope.

Recommended reading.

Auschwitz 1943: Ana Kaminski and Ester Pasternak are working for the resistance trying to help as many people as possible while World War II rages on. They are very close friends, and have come to rely on each other. They are captured by the SS and immediately taken to Auschwitz. Upon their arrival, Ana notifies them that she is a midwife and Ester is her assistant. Their arms are immediately tattooed and they are ordered to the maternity hut. Ana is a Catholic midwife and her friend Ester is Jewish. Ana and Ester quickly discover what is really going on and what the SS is doing. As soon as a baby is born they snatch the baby from the mother. The guards are taking the healthy babies and placing them with German families. So, Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo the mother’s numbers on the baby's thighs in the hopes that one day the baby would be reunited with their mother. Ana and Ester are the only hope the babies and their mothers have. The endurance, strength and hope that people had during one of the darkest times in history is amazing to me. This was based on a true story and was conveyed with such emotion. The story is very much heart heavy and yet filled with so much hope and inspiration. The author does a phenomenal job of describing the people and the horrible conditions that they had to endure, without taking you over the edge. I was very moved, and inspired by this heartbreaking story. This is one that will remain in my heart for a while. I loved this book and I highly recommend it.

Thank you Anna Stuart for such a wonderful and inspiring story. I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this book.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Midwife Of Aushcwitz' by Anna Stuart.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Anna Stuart, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 31st May 2022.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching unique cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be gripped.' I am a huge fan of 'The Tattooist Of Aushcwitz' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 36 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Auschwitz, Poland 🇵🇱.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Ester Pasternak and Ana Kaminski. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. The fact there are multiple protagonists is even better as it increases the readers knowledge of what more characters are doing and feeling.

'The Midwife Of Aushcwitz' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Anna discusses/includes violence, persecution of the Jews, murder of children and adults and death.


Well, what can I say but wow!!! This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon. Firstly I must congratulate Anna Stuart for an absolutely extraordinary novel that seriously needs to be made into a movie which I assure would be best selling!!!

This book is extremely powerful and extremely well written. It is devastatingly heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. The storyline of this book is based on the true story Stanislawa Leszczynska, although fictional Anna has done an excellent amount of research and based the character Ana on Stanislawa and her "assistant" character Ester is based on Stanislawa's daughter Sylwia. It is absolutely rammed with emotions that will make you smile, cry and laugh on the roller-coaster ride to hell that is Auschwitz. Nothing is left out and the author has done an immense amount of research and brings Stanislawa and Sylwia's story to life via Ana and Ester.

This book did not disappoint. Some people believe that these stories should not be written but I am a strong believer that these victims earned the right for their stories to be told and to not be forgotten and this book does just that. I loved discovering not just "Ana" and "Esther's" stories but also rediscovering characters who I have "met" in other books previously. These include the extremely brave Mala Zimetbaum and Edek Galinski whose full story I read in 'The Girl who escaped from Auschwitz' by Ellie Midwood and Alma Rosé whose full story I read in 'The Violinist of Auschwitz' also by Ellie Midwood. I had also previously heard of Mengele and Irma Grese from other books by Ellie Midwood. This amazing group of people (not including Mengele and Irma) who supported and lifted each other up during these dark times and helping them see the light are absolutely... Words can't really describe but I will go with angelic. This book was very hard to read as a whole but there were certain parts that will stay with me for a very long time and that we're soul destroying. What the Nazi's did to these innocent people makes me absolutely sick to my soul. The poor children, babies and parents watching each other suffering especially. As a mother myself I believe what the monster Klara did to the babies will haunt me for a very long time.My heart screamed out to the mothers for what she went through along with Ana and Ester. I loved how this book ended and although it wasn't what I would wish for I much prefer it strangely enough because it was more realistic. Ana and Ester are such amazingly strong women who I absolutely loved and I am looking forward to doing more of my own research on Stanislawa. I was completely invested in all their stories and lives. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Anna for doing her beautiful story justice and for bringing her to life again. I had never heard of this amazing lady before so I am so glad you have helped me discover her.

I would also like to thank Anna for her fantastic historical notes located at the end of this book. These give extra information and details on Stanisława Leszczyńsk, Irma Grese and Dr Josef Mengele and Mala Zimetbau. She also gives extra details about life at Auschwitz-Birkenau including the food, conditions, hospitals, Christmas (which was another extremely disturbing event), Selection, the trains, the death marches, News of the camps and Sunday detail. The other important information Anna includes are about the Łódź Ghetto and The Lebensborn Programme. I had never heard of either of these until I read this book so another huge thank you Anna for making myself and others aware. I will definitely be doing more research on both.

Clear your schedules and grab your tissues as you will not be able to put this book down or stop the tears from streaming!!!

Again congratulations Anna on an absolutely stunning emotional rollercoaster ride of a book!! I would say this book is on par with the likes of 'The' diary of Anne Frank' which left me with the same feelings your novel has if not even more emotional. I cannot wait to read the rest of your books and I would like to welcome you to my favourite 3 historical author list!!!

Overall a heart wrenching, devastating yet beautiful story of a true hero of Aushcwitz

Genres covered in this book include Historical Fiction, Women's Saga, Women's Historical Fiction, Literary Saga, Women's Literary Fiction, Historical Literary Fiction, Romance Literary Fiction and War Story amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz', 'Orphan Train',Ellie Midwood, The Tattooist of Aushcwitz, 'The Alice Network', 'The Nightingale', The Librarian of Aushcwitz and anyone interested in the Holocaust and its history.


375 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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A truly remarkable novel!
Five stars is simply not enough.
Yes it is a difficult subject matter and emotionally challenging to read, but so worth it. It is also one of those novels that resonate well after the last page is read. Well written, gritty and what feels like authentic to the period it is set in.

Firstly I would like to Thank Netgalley and Bookoutune and the author for a copy of this book to read.This book has been reviewed on goodreads and Amazon.

This book starts with hope a wedding,which didnt go to plan.The war had started Ana a midwife with her strong friendship with Ester really shows in this book.From losing there homes going into a Ghetto and the horrifying things that follow in the camps.This book was very emotional and anger at the treatment how did anyone survive.I really enjoy this type of reads as it should never be forgotten and should never happen again. This is my honest review looking forward to more books from this authors books.