A beautiful written incredible book which should be compulsory reading within secondary schools. It gives insight but also hope.

Thank you Netgalley

Firstly, tremendous thanks to Edith Eger, Ebury Publishing, and Penguin Random House for the ARC I received. Secondly, another thank you to Edith for telling and retelling her tale. As harrowing as it is, it spares much of the gory details whilst still conveying the nightmare endured by too many people, too many Jewish people, at the hands of fellow humans.

The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a fairly gentle recollection of past happiness pre-war, first love, captivity and enslavement, and the life of a survivor. I say this in the loosest sense because although the descriptions of the horrors endured are not overly graphic compared to historical non-fiction, and fictionalized accounts of time spent in German designed death camps. On the one hand, one could argue that the book doesn’t quite convey the depth of the trauma suffered because it doesn’t dwell on lengthy descriptions. On the other hand, the book satisfies its attempts to take a slice of history and retrospectively examine events as if they were unfolding for the first time.

Edith Eger had everything to live for. Blessed with a talented family, she had a well-sought-after tailor for a father, a violinist for a sister, and a beautiful middle sister who flirted her way through life. Eger, herself, was a wonderful ballerina tipped to represent her country for the Olympics, until the inevitable struck and her family were called up for the camps. Leaving behind her first love with home she had dreams of settling, and raising a family, with in Palestine, she finds herself on a journey that covers the eighteen months pre-liberation. Sharing her thoughts and memories of the time, we are able to glimpse, but never truly understand, what it was like for Jewish people living during Hitler’s regime.

It must take a lot of strength and courage to live through a nightmare, not just once, but through several retellings of events that should never have befallen another person. The Ballerina of Auschwitz sees Eger speak directly to the reader. Reading, I felt we were having a one-sided conversation where she opened up to me about the hardest time of her life. I felt trusted with her story that was not enough to burden me with grief because although she was unable to protect her mother, she sought to protect me, and any other reader in this version of her experience.

The story was raw, honest, and heartbreaking in so many ways, and yet, it was inspirational to feel the love and forgiveness that Eger is able to project despite the life she has led. Although the book is written decades on from her experience, there is an Anne Frankness about Eger’s writing. Whilst it is not a journal, it is clear that even if some memories are repressed, for the most part, Eger is able to summon certain points in time to mind as clearly as if it was yesterday. It is these memories that haunt and inspire me to be better, be stronger, be more transparent, more forgiving, and less judgmental.

Without giving too much away, you should read this book if you enjoy memoirs, Second World War History, and sentiment over sensationalism. Obviously, there are trigger warnings for people of Jewish descent, particularly if you have lost ancestors, or are survivors of this time, if you are German, especially if you come from certain lineages, and generally anyone who is hugely empathetic and affected by stories of human indecency. However, this retelling leaves a lot to read between the lines making it suitable for younger adults who are looking for a realistic account that goes beyond the mechanics of war. I was particularly moved by Eger’s capacity to fall in love, and the marked difference to how people dealt with moving on. Throughout the novella, I felt entirely engaged by a teenage Edith and satisfied in knowing that she was, indeed, a survivor, not a victim. I can’t speak for the earlier work this is based on, but in its own right, The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a 5/5 book and a reminder of times we should be seeking to not repeat when we see the damage that echoes of the holocaust still present.

I have started this review about 6 times now. It’s hard to encapsulate the essence of this beautifully told story of how in the very darkest of times.

The sheer strength of will to endure in Auschwitz as such a young girl. Written for a YA audience, books like this are so important. Thank you to Edith Eger for sharing a small but important part of her very long life and to NetGalley for the ARC

Imagine your worst nightmare, several times over, and then even worse again, and Edith Eger has lived it.

A survivor of three Nazi “labour” camps; Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Gunskirchen, as Jews, Edith and her sisters survived the war by a combination of strength, determination and luck. They were shot at, singled out and humiliated.

Yet somehow they each survived their ordeal, making them much stronger individuals.

When the war was over, each of them found it difficult to come to terms with what had taken place. The brutality and horror of the conditions that they’d been subject to, and the loss of other family members that they were separated from.

Somehow they moved on and got on with their lives. Edith ending up in America with a new husband, and building a new life and family away from her home country that bought so many memories.

However Edith didn’t escape the past fully, and didn’t realise that she was suffering from post traumatic stress until much later on life, when her behaviour in certain situations was questionable to say the least.

So Edith decided that she needed help, and in doing so, found that she wanted to help others. For many years Edith has been a celebrated psychologist helping others with PTSD. She is a remarkable woman, as are her sisters.

This is a book that will make you re-evaluate your life and the decisions that you make on a daily basis. It will also make you truly grateful to be alive.

It is an astoundingly emotional memoir. I found this to be beautifully written and I feel everyone should give this a read at one point or another,

Beautifully written. Heartbreaking, joyful & hopefully.
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Beautifully written. Heartbreaking, joyful & hopefully.

I read almost the entire book in one sitting as I was totally drawn into the life of imprisonment which Edith describes.
The writing style is quick, short, precise words which enable the reader to 'hear' the author recounting her experiences. Reading the book felt like listening to a radio interview.
The devastating effects of the Second World War are brought to life in this deeply moving, and often disturbing, account of the maltreatment of Jews and other minorities by the Nazis.
I was amazed by the strength and resilience of Edith and her sister to be able to survive six months in a prisoner of war camp. The most profound moment was when the American army came to liberate the inmates and were searching for survivors among the emaciated bodies. Edith and Magda almost missed their rescue as they were so weak, but managed to attract a soldier's attention at the last moment before the troops were going to leave.
Edith's courage, determination and forgiveness are beyond belief, and I found myself constantly questioning how I might have lived through the same harrowing circumstances.
I would suggest everyone read this book to understand completely the horrors of the Holocaust.

Firstly, Edith, I commend your bravery for writing this harrowing story that is your life and congratulations on coming out the other side the way you have.

Having visited Auschwitz myself and seeing for myself the cold, grey, desolate, lifeless place for myself I can only imagine the horror you and millions a went through and this incredibly well written book brings it to the forefront.

Thank you for sharing and giving hope to millions.

How do you review a book like this. It is an amazing book and having been to Auschwitz I could picture all that was written about the place. I do not know what to write to give this book the justice it deserves. All I can say is I loved it even though it is tragic. It is written beautifully and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It needs to be read by the world

Oh my goodness what thought provoking read. Edith thank you for being so brave and sharing your history and truly awful experience. I have read many books about the Holocaust and this one brings every moment to life in all its dreadful colours. A heart wrenching true life story of an amazing inspirational lady.

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.