Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs
Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs is a fictionalized account of the author’s mother-in-law, Eva Buchbinder and her sister Rachel and their experiences in a slave labor camp in Czechoslovakia during WWII.
The story begins as the two sisters and their father are already living in the ghetto. They curse their living conditions yet later they realize just how lucky they truly were at the time. As Rachel goes out one day, she is forced into the back of a truck and transfered to the labor camp. Eva and her father are clearly upset and strive to find out where she has been taken. Once found, her father determines that it is better for the sisters to remain together so he arranges for Eva to be transfered to the camp as well (which ends up to be her saving grace as later everybody in the ghetto is killed). Once the sisters are reunited, the story takes us through the horrifying events as both are forced to work and live in horrendous conditions with little to no food, extreme temperatures, and little sleep. What’s worse is that Rachel is very sickly and Eva must make sure that both of them can survive until they are liberated. “One more hour . . . try to stay alive for one more hour . . . ” are words that they live y. drn Thread recreates their loving sisterhood in spite of the challenges they face and shows that together they can make it through anything.
I highly recommend Torn Thread for young readers and adults alike. I never cease to be amazed with the stories that come out of the Holocaust. They are heart wrenching, they are difficult, they are terrifying, but yet they are completely mesmerizing. They need to be told. And it’s our responsibility to listen. Listen to this one.
Anne Isaacs website.
Thanks for the recommendation! I am just collecting WW2 novels for my 15 yos to read. I’ll add this to the list.
on May 4th, 2008 at 5:23 pmEverytime I get a book about the Holocaust I stay up all night to read it. Do I dare get another one???
on May 4th, 2008 at 8:15 pmMaybe if I stop reading your blog my TBR list will stop growing!
on May 5th, 2008 at 6:48 amI am not sure how I feel about “fictionalized accounts” of the Holocaust. But if it is based on her mother-in-laws experiences than it is probably better than some of the other fictional holocaust stories I have read. There are just so many heart wrenching or inspiring true stories from the holocaust that I prefer to read those instead of fiction ones.
Small World - I seem to be on a Holocaust kick at the moment and have a couple more reviews coming!
Laura - I know what you mean. Some people hate these books because they are emotionally to hard to read. For some reason, I devour them.
Jeanette - I agree but I also think that “fictionalized account” is the only way to go soemtimes when wanting to share a story like this one. I don’t think it would have been the same as a non-fiction piece. I recently reviewed Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy and it was the same way, based upon the interviews of her aunt. She said she wrote the book three times. First as non-fiction, second in third person POV, and then finally got it right in first person POV. I also just read The True Story of Hansel and Gretel (hope to get my review up soon) and it was the first Holocaust book I’ve read not based upon anybody’s life. Completely fictionalized. And I could tell the difference. There are a lot of amazing stories out there, they certainly don’t need to be made up.
on May 5th, 2008 at 9:31 pmI agree with you about Holocaust stories. The thread is the same but all are such unique and different stories of the human spirit. I’m glad they’re still being told.
on May 6th, 2008 at 8:02 amIt was a very good book to read. I liked how it was written and I think others would enjoy this book. I think that from a holocaust book you can learn many lessons and one of the greatest lessons you can learn from this book is that even if you’re going through a hardship in your life for example the holocaust if you have faith in g-d and never give up along the way you will be very successful in life.
on May 19th, 2008 at 11:11 am