This was a heart breaking read. So so beautifully written, so personal and very very sad to think of how complex and painful Edith’s story is and to know that such stories are replicated in their millions for each victim of the holocaust.
I would absolutely recommend that everyone reads this, if only to remind themselves of what must never be repeated.

There is no way that I can do this book justice with the words of my review. Easiest thing for me to say is that it deserves at least 6 Stars.

Here is my attempt to at least offer some words to support my previous paragraph.

To have been sent to Auschwitz in your mid teens, to have your mother sent immediately to the "you are dead line", to actually do what is needed psychologically to stay alive, to survive until American troops appear at the camp, to be barely alive under a heap of dead and dying women, to almost not be found because you are too weak even to raise an arm, to be saved from that heap by the reflection of light from a tin of sardines is something that would not be believed if this were fiction but this is TRUTH.

To then recover enough to have a life, family, grand-family, teach, share some of what you experienced and then, 80 years after leaving Auschwitz, return to hell to make life's circle complete.

As I said, I can give Edith Eger no words that will sing her amazing achievements loudly enough.

Please read The Ballerina of Auschwitz.

There are so many Holocaust memoirs one sometimes wonders if the market is just too crowded. It isn't. This book proves it. Read it and weep and even draw hope from such a strong character.

An amazing read, such a heartbreaking read. All the more poignant knowing the author is a holocaust survivor herself.everyone should read this book to see for themselves the horrors that we can inflict on each other in the name of war, on the command of others.

A beautifully written story of Edith's life before, during and after her life in Auschwitz where she was sent at the age of 16 with her sister and mother, unfortunately her mother was sent straight to the gas chamber on arrival.
A very emotional and moving story, how she managed to survive being so small and thin to start with I don't know, and all the atrocities she saw and experienced she was determined to survive no matter what.
A must read for anyone.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

This book is both heartbreaking and uplifting both at the same time. An account of a time that will hopefully never happen again! I've been to Auswitch and it's extremely distressing.
It's important these stories keep being told.

Heartbreaking. Inspirational. Absolutely touching. This was very well written. I couldn't put it down in spite of the heavy topic. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I really appreciate the opportunity to read this story. The strength, the courage it required to overcome the horrors is humbling. This will always be a story that stays with me, that I'll think about and come back to from time and time again. Just remember, no one can take away from you what you've put in your mind

Wow!!!! What a truly heartbreaking read. And although it was heartbreaking it was inspirational. The strength Edith and so many millions of survivors showed,,not just during but the years after the war, is amazing.

I will never stop reading books about the holocaust and I hope that it will always be taught to future generations. We can not let this happen again. There is too much hate in the world.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book. It is a very well written account of Edith's own experiences during the 2nd World War. A very powerful and sobering experience suffered, particularly in Auschwitz. It is important that these memories are shared with young and old. They should not be forgotten and are particularly relevant in our current times of religious wars.
Recommended read for everyone.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz by Edith Eger, famous for her books The Choice and the Gift, is a more personal account that focusses on her teenage and early adult years. It is a difficult but very important book written in a way that will resonate with many generations, a book about survival against the odds and the courage and strength it took to carry on and thrive in a world that was forever changed. Inspiring, impactful and important, this is a must read.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

To read a survivors story is a difficult thing. To learn of the pain and loss Edith went through at the age of 16. Her bravery and determination helped her fight to live. Hope is truly something that we all need to hope on to. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this powerful book

An important read that teaches more lessons than one.
The way Edith describes her life journey submerged you into the trauma and harrowing times she lived through . However, there still manages to be positivity throughout without giving up.
I highly recommend this to all

“If I survive today, tomorrow I’ll be free.”

I finished reading this book a few days before Edie celebrated her 97th birthday. Revisiting her story at this time, it struck me again how close she came to not surviving to adulthood. If not for a loaf of bread…

After everything she experienced at Auschwitz, Edie could have chosen to retreat from the world, consumed by bitterness and resentment. Instead, she has used her pain to create a life where she offers hope, wisdom and a heart that clearly still dances to others. Her family. Her clients. Her students. A lifetime of connections across the world.

I was first introduced to Edie’s story in 2020. I’ve read The Choice and The Gift, and participated the first time her masterclass, Unlocking Your Potential, was offered. I feel like I know Edie’s story quite well at this point.

This book, adapted from The Choice but with about 30 percent new content, tells Edie’s story without interruption. It explores her life before, during and a short time after Auschwitz from the perspective of the teenager she was at the time.

You’ll be introduced to her first love, witness some of the horrors beyond the gate that bears the words Arbeit macht frei and learn how Edie began to pick up the pieces of her life after she survived against all odds.

“I was longing to share with you the tools that helped me survive the unthinkable, longing for you to know that a story of humans' capacity for evil is also a story of our inexorable capacity for hope.”

Edie’s story is one I will never forget. No matter how many times I read or hear it, it never loses the impact of the first telling. Her courage, time and time again, when one wrong decision would have resulted in her death, baffles me.

“Just remember, no one can take away from you what you've put in your mind."

Her resilience in the aftermath of experiences that render trauma too small a word inspires me. The choices she has made to turn unimaginable evil into a life that is a beacon of light gives me hope. If Edie can do it, we can too.

“We can't ever change what's happened to us. We can't alter the past or control what's coming around the next corner. But we can choose how we live now. We can choose whom and how to love.”

Content warnings include death by suicide, domestic violence, grief, mental health, murder, racism, sexual assault, suicidal ideation and torture.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Rider, an imprint of Ebury Press, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

An amazingly powerful read which will affect every reader differently and really no words can do it justice but will stay with the reader for a long time. I had read Edith's previous book about her time in Auschwitz 'The Choice' but this actually discloses more atrocities Edith endured and witnessed. A very deeply intense book about Edith's teenage years in the camp and also just after her release and recovery when she still came across discrimination. Although the book covers the same time as 'The Choice', it is somehow more personal and there is certainly new material of unimaginable terrors and cruelty.

Read it and be inspired at what the human spirit can endure to survive and subsequently flourish.

"I am dancing in hell."

I was at first slightly put off by the sheer number of books that are called "The x of insert concentration camp name", especially because so many of them are works of fiction which I'm just not interested in. But, when I discovered this was a true story from a survivor, my interest quickly grew.

Aimed at the YA audience, this is a slightly simpler, shorter version of Edith's 'The Choice' published in 2017. However, as I had not read The Choice this was my first hearing of Edith's phenomenal story of survival.

As expected the story is heavy with loss and trauma but also with hope and bravery. Edith's writing is so vivid and she is so truthful in her thoughts and feelings that you cannot help but be totally absorbed by her story. I think it is so important for stories like this to be told and I highly recommend this book.

A big thankyou to @netgalley, Ebury Publishing, Penguin Random House and @dr.editheger for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Unfortunately found it quite difficult to read and therefore did not finish. Whilst I had high hopes for the historic story, it didn't deliver.

Edith Eger tells her incredible story of surviving as a teenager in Auschwitz. She was torn from her life as a ballerina at the age of sixteen and subjected to unimaginable horrors during the Holocaust. This book retells her journey from her younger years, demonstrating the strength and hope that got her through.

Eger's writing is clear and heartfelt, transporting readers to her experiences in vivid detail. Despite the harsh realities she faced, her resilience is evident.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a moving, inspiring memoir that inspires empathy and hope while ensuring that the Holocaust's lessons are never forgotten.

Edith Eger's The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a harrowing and unforgettable account of her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. Eger's raw honesty and vivid descriptions paint a picture of unimaginable suffering and resilience. Her story is a stark reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the enduring power of the human spirit.

The book delves into Eger's life before, during, and after her time in Auschwitz. Her perspective as a young ballerina is particularly poignant, offering a unique lens through which to view the atrocities she endured. Eger's ability to find solace and strength in her love of dance is a testament to the power of the human spirit to persevere even in the darkest of times.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a timely reminder of the importance of remembering the Holocaust and the ongoing need to combat antisemitism. Eger's story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of never forgetting the past.

It’s a long time since I’ve cried over a book, the emotional roller coaster of this story was hard. This story is based on true life events during the holocaust and is a must read for everyone. We must never forget the horrific experiences suffered by so many people.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a harrowing but incredibly well written account of life as a Jewish girl in Nazi occupied Hungary/Czechoslovakia and later Auschwitz, and then "home" as a survivor. Thais Eger’s retelling of The Choice.
Obviously this is a novel full of descriptive and haunting heartache and appalling situations.
A novel worth reading, not necessarily enjoyed.