'The tattooist of Auschwitz' by Heather Morris
- Polly
- Jul 13, 2021
- 2 min read
FTC disclaimer: I was not sent this product. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own.
Overall Rating: 3/10
Overview written by me:
‘The tattooist of Auschwitz’ is a work of fiction based on the experiences of Lale Sokolov; a Jewish survivor of the most notorious death camp of the holocaust. We watch as he learns how to stay alive, how to bribe, to rise through the ranks, and eventually, how to find love. This all unfolds in a prison built for ‘undesirables’: scapegoats in the Nazi Germany’s propaganda machine.
As a story? Awe-inspiring. As a book? Not so much…
Told in simple prose, I can easily see how ‘The tattooist of Auschwitz’ was originally intended as a screenplay, and was Morris’ debut novel. In fact, I can’t help but think it would have worked out better as a film.
Lale’s story is so obviously important, and Morris’ toils to unveil it are admirable. The horrors that litter this book should have made brilliant kindling for beautiful, heart wrenching, horrific writing. But they didn’t.
‘The tattooist of Auschwitz’ lacked that spark that prevents a book from being just a book, and transforms it into Art. The novel relied too heavily on being based in truth, which meant Morris didn’t take the lyrical risks that so easily could have vaulted the novel into stardom (think ‘Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ -but this time with a TRUE story). ‘The tattooist of Auschwitz’ had SUCH potential, and I still believe the actual story is outstanding. But, the mode of transport for it was just a little lifeless for me. Perhaps a first person narrative could have made the novel feel more intimate, and less like a list, though I can understand if Morris felt that this would be an infringement on Lale's story.
Quotations:
“’We have fists, they have rifles - who do you think is going to win that fight?’”
“‘Lose your bravado, or you will lose your life.’”
“‘You know something, Tätowierer? I bet you’re the only Jew who ever walked into an oven and ten walked back out if it.’ He laughs loudly, slaps Lale on the back and strides off ahead.”
Review written on 13/07/2021
Book discovery: Recommended to me by a friend (Kiri.M.) and then bought in Waterstones.
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