3 stars
Context-wise, I think it’s helpful to read the Epilogue before the actual book. When I first started reading, I was a bit confused on the format and it helped to understand what the book was and how it came about. This book is a compilation of Renee and Herta’s recountings originally told for the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. These recountings were fit together and edited as needed to create a cohesive story.
The book offers a simple overview of Renee and Herta’s experiences growing up. It covers some of the main events and daily conditions without going into a lot of detail. It is a very quick read with large text, wide margins, and fairly short chapters.
I do think this is an important story to tell. It is simplistic and vague enough that it would work well as a introduction for young readers looking for some basic information. However, there were some aspects that made it a bit of an awkward read.
Because of the vocal narrative, there are parts in the story that are repetitive and sometimes the timeline doesn’t flow quite right. The narration itself lacks emotion, which may have been better conveyed through speech. There is a distance to the story (which is honestly understandable given the horrific events they recount and the years that have passed), but it does keep a barrier between the reader and the subject matter. It prevents them from fully engaging with a text. It is certainly a story that should be told, but the text format doesn’t quite capture the power of the original “oral history” format may have conveys.
While pieces of Herta’s transcriptions are used, the story focuses mostly on Renee. I was a little confused why Herta wasn’t noted as a contributor of some sort. Her words were transcribed from her interviews and used to fill in Renee’s sections. While the story is emphasized as “Two sisters: one deaf, one hearing.”, it is very much about Renee and her taking care of her younger sister.
Overall, a good read with a powerful message. Good fit for young readers learning about the Holocaust and the aftermath of the war.