When Sophie‘s family is impacted by the violence of the Holocaust, she realizes something amazing about herself. She can make herself invisible. She uses this power to help those around her and in particular try to ensure the safety of her friend. This story spans through most of the war and takes us to all of the dark places in which the Jewish people were isolated, tortured and killed.
I think there’s a lot of burnout out there when it comes to Holocaust stories. They are important and no amount of books will ameliorate the pain of that time. But I do think it is important to read stories that provide different accounts or new angles. The story is unique and that it focuses a bit on magical realism and mysticism. That’s not to say that it doesn’t have the stark brutality and violence of your average Holocaust story.
Because it is told through a child’s eyes, we get the gut punch of an emotional story with the eternal optimism of a child. Seeing how Sophie dealt with losing her parents, her friends, her community, her identity and yet forged forward to protect her friend was heartening. I also liked how easily the magical realism fit into the story a bit like Whitehead’s Underground Railroad. Magic quite often has an unexpected affect but it is painted into the story in the right way. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The author did reach out to ask me to read and review. I accessed the story via KindleUnlimited and you can too. All opinions above are my own.
What’s the last book that made you see history in a different light?
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