The Twins of Auschwitz - Eva Mozes Kor

Reading Challenge Category: I just wanted to read

Official Blurb:

The Nazis spared their lives because they were twins.
In the summer of 1944, Eva Mozes Kor and her family arrived at Auschwitz.
Within thirty minutes, they were separated. Her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, while Eva and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man who became known as the Angel of Death: Dr. Josef Mengele. They were 10 years old.
While twins at Auschwitz were granted the 'privileges' of keeping their own clothes and hair, they were also subjected to Mengele's sadistic medical experiments. They were forced to fight daily for their own survival and many died as a result of the experiments, or from the disease and hunger rife in the concentration camp.
In a narrative told simply, with emotion and astonishing restraint, The Twins of Auschwitz shares the inspirational story of a child's endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.
Also included is an epilogue on Eva's incredible recovery and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Through her museum and her lectures, she dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and worked toward goals of forgiveness, peace, and the elimination of hatred and prejudice in the world.

My Thoughts:

I was in the mood to be humbled and given a reality check. With everything that is currently going on in the world, I think sometimes it is essential to remember the actual atrocities civilisation has lived through before to make the current lockdowns and restrictions pale in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, I know for a lot of people, the present circumstances have had devastating effects, but for the majority of us, it has been a chance to catch up on Netflix, spend time with the cats and recharge.
When you read stories like Eva’s, however, it really puts our restrictions into perspective. We still have our freedom and choices. We still have chocolate!! Most importantly, we still have our lives as the government has done everything to ensure that we do. Many people may think what they have been doing is wrong, but when we look at the Holocaust, that was wrong!
Eva’s story, like all that come out of Auschwitz, is truly harrowing. That she came out as strong as she did is a miracle. As many reviews have said, the book is quite simply written. It doesn’t embellish a lot, and it doesn’t belabour events or feelings and emotions. The book doesn’t drag on; we are swept through the horrific experiences at great speed as if the writer herself couldn’t linger for too long. I longed for a little more dialogue between Eva and her twin Miriam even if it were just to give one another comfort. Does the lack of this in the book mean that it didn’t happen? In other Auschwitz books I have read, friendships of sorts have been made between people in the same dorms. However, this seemed to be missing in the twins’ room. It was such a shame to read that 10-year olds had to isolate themselves in such a mental state to survive and not be able to rely on others to help them get through the ordeal.
I read the book from cover to cover, wanting to know every little detail the author could offer on Eva Mozes Kor as she really was a fascinating woman and sounded like a force of nature. I feel privileged to have been able to read her story!

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