The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather MorrisMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I typically enjoy historical fiction, especially fiction set during the World War II era so I was looking forward to reading this book, but it was not nearly as good as I had hoped. I saw so many glowing reviews, but for me this story was obvious and somewhat predictable. The story centers around Lale, a Slovakian Jew, and the girl he falls in love with, Gita. Through some highly improbable circumstances Lale finds himself in the role of the Tätowierer (the German word for "tattooist"), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners. For me there was something missing in the writing. It didn't feel authentic. The idea that a jew would have so much power and freedom in a concentration camp that he could easily operate an underground market for food, medicine and other supplies was simply too fantastical to believe. The author never gives us any insight into what Gita thinks or feels, nor any of the other characters, so we only have the emotion of Lale and even that is stilted and feels forced at times. I was also disappointed at the ending, which too felt forced and lacking in the emotional depth I would expect from a holocaust story. Overall I would probably not recommend this book.
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