Cilka's Journey (2019) - Book Review

MY REVIEW

Series: Tattooist of Auschwitz (Book 2)

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 1, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1250265703

ISBN-13: 978-1250265708

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“Her beauty saved her ― and condemned her.

Cilka is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp in 1942, where the commandant immediately notices how beautiful she is. Forcibly separated from the other women prisoners, Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly taken, equals survival.

When the war is over and the camp is liberated, freedom is not granted to Cilka: She is charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to a Siberian prison camp. But did she really have a choice? And where do the lines of morality lie for Cilka, who was send to Auschwitz when she was still a child?

In Siberia, Cilka faces challenges both new and horribly familiar, including the unwanted attention of the guards. But when she meets a kind female doctor, Cilka is taken under her wing and begins to tend to the ill in the camp, struggling to care for them under brutal conditions.

Confronting death and terror daily, Cilka discovers a strength she never knew she had. And when she begins to tentatively form bonds and relationships in this harsh, new reality, Cilka finds that despite everything that has happened to her, there is room in her heart for love.

From child to woman, from woman to healer, Cilka's journey illuminates the resilience of the human spirit―and the will we have to survive.”

As a member of Bookish First, I was able to redeem points for this ARC after reading the description of it and finding the premise interesting. A positive review was not required, and all thoughts are my own.

[Cilka's Journey - child, woman, healer - but is this an accurate account?]

This is the “somewhat” sequel to the “Tattooist of Auschwitz”. This is Cecilia “Cilka” Klein’s story and journey. Cilka was introduced in “Tattooist of Auschwitz” as she was mentioned by Kale Sokolov who described her as “the bravest person I ever met”. Morris uses this book as a way to honor Cilka’s memory.

This is Cilka’s story and journey after Auschwitz-Birkeneau was liberated. As a warning, the triggers in this book include rape and abuse. There are some profane words used in this novel (“f” word; s#$t) – though they are sparsely used.

Cilka, at 16, was taken to Auschwitz-Birkeneau Concentration Camp (1942). The commandant noticed how beautiful she was and she was forcibly separated from the other women where she quickly learned that power equaled survival.

Her liberation from the camp is short lived.

Despite being raped and an unwilling participant, she is charged as a collaborator by the Soviets for sleeping with the enemy. Her sentence is yet another prison camp – this one is in Siberia. Instead of wanting her dead because she is Jewish, they want her for what free labor she can provide.

Cilka, like at Auschwitz-Birkeneau, finds herself in a higher position without trying or understanding as to why. She excels in her position at the hospital and uses it to . But, as she does, she finds a hidden strength. She also forms bonds and builds relationships with those around her. There, she and other women are also subjected to rape and torture.

Cilka, because of how well she learns, is assigned to the medical unit. There she works in surgery, pediatrics, and even goes on ambulance calls. Throughout all this, with the extras she is able to access, helps those in the other hut she’d been assigned to.

As with any Holocaust or World War II story – there is no happy ending. Only a “better outcome” type of story. Books like this serve to remind people what some will do merely to survive. They might not enjoy what they’re called upon

to do, but they have to do it or die.  

This book has some “flashbacks” to Cilka’s time at Auschwitz-Birkeneau, some of which connects with “Tattooist of Auschwitz”.

In the author’s notes she points out the research she did on Cilka.

Yet, even prior to the book’s release, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the first book and this book as well. One such issue is Cilka’s “relationship” with a senior SS officer. The Auschwitz Memorial denies anything of the sort, while Morris tends to trust the people who were there and remembered it. But, memories aren’t always reliable though.

“Morris even goes as far to say the Memorial doesn't "like it being portrayed that the Germans in any way raped or sexually assaulted Jewish girls".

"And that's incorrect and we have so much evidence, so many testimonies," she said.” (Rowland, 2019 – “Tattooist of Auschwitz author feuds with museum over accuracy on eve of sequel”).

Just because something wasn’t documented doesn’t mean it didn’t happen either.

Another historical inaccuracy over this novel is Cilka’s own account of the rape at Auschwitz as told by a Slovakian writer, Peter Jusack, who was about the only one who interviewed her. (Harari, 2019 – “Bestselling author accused of betraying Holocaust survivor”). He claims Cilka wanted to put the concentration camp and gulag parts of her life past and wanted to take her secrets to the grave. Morris is even accused of breaching Cilka’s privacy in writing about the 10 years Cilka was in the gulag.

While well written and presented, it is hard to recommend this sequel to a book that even the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum claims is error-ridden. I will say this – the man at the end of the novel isn’t who Cilka really married.

I did find this book to be a faster read than the first one, finishing in the ARC in less than one (1) day. I wanted to give this one a much deserved 4-star rating, but I can’t. This isn’t an “enjoyable” read only because of the subject material, as well as knowing about the errors. The controversy surrounding it makes me feel as though I’m rewarding the author by giving it high marks.

Had it been a completely fictional account – it would’ve been four (4) stars. Having done my own research – it’s hard to give it two (2).

I am glad I received the ARC of this one and borrowed the first novel from the library.

Here are some articles of reference that I used to help me with part of this review:

“Sequel to controversial ‘Tattooist of Auschwitz’ book to be published next month” (Jewish News Reporter, 9/25/2019) https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/sequel-to-controversial-tattooist-of-auschwitz-book-to-be-published-next-month/

“Tattooist of Auschwitz author feuds with museum over accuracy on eve of sequel” (Michael Rowland, 9/22/2019) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-23/tattooist-of-auschwitz-author-defends-book-on-eve-of-sequel/11527252?pfmredir=sm

“Bestselling author accused of betraying Holocaust survivor” (Fiona Harari, 9/28/2019) https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bestselling-author-accused-of-betraying-holocaust-survivor/news-story/54bedcbab412d92465be99a663fcd9d0

This article even has a picture of Cilka and her husband:

[Cilka Klein in 2003 with her husband Ivan Kovac. Photo source: Peter Jusack]

2 ⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Morris is a native of New Zealand, now resident in Australia. In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly gentleman who “might just have a story worth telling”. The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Their friendship grew, and Lale embarked on a journey of self-scrutiny, entrusting the innermost details of his life during the Holocaust to Heather. She originally wrote Lale's story as a screenplay - which ranked high in international competitions - before reshaping it into her debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.