Review of:
Summary
They Went Left details the life of a Jewish girl named Zofia Lederman during World War II. Her hometown of Sosnowiec, Poland is raided by the Nazis, who separate Zofia and her family. "They Went Left" is a reference to this, and it specifically means that all of her family members were sent left, to the Auschwitz death camp. Zofia is certain that most of her family members are lost, though she and her brother, Abek, made a plan to reunite after the war was over.
The main plot begins after Zofia has been liberated from Grosse-Rosen, the concentration camp where she was sent. Zofia is staying in a hospital that has been turned into a makeshift shelter for displaced people like her. She seeks aid from an organization at the hospital that could help her find her brother, who add his name to their lists. She then returns to her hometown, expecting with a decent level of confidence that she may find her brother in their old house, waiting for her. When she arrives, he is not there.
She leaves Sosnowiec soon after, aboard a train to the west, where she may find Abek. She arrives at a camp for people in situations like hers, and the people running the camp are part of the organizations helping locate missing people. She tells them that she's looking for Abek Lederman, and they begin trying to find his name in reports and lists from liberated concentration camps. After a short while, they find a lead.
Unfortunately, no more of the plot can be revealed for fear of spoiling the book. If you are interested in what happens next, read the book to find out.
Review
I've read books by Monica Hesse before, and enjoyed them tremendously. This book was no exception. The details of the world where this story takes place are vivid, powerful, and historically accurate. Each character has a unique, intriguing, and sometimes saddening story, all of which expose the horrors of the Second World War. The plot is quite similar to Foxcraft: The Taken, another book which we have reviewed. Both involve a character whose family is attacked and separated by evil and dominant forces, and two siblings' journey to reunite. I slightly prefer this book, however, because the plot is less repetitive, more suspenseful, and more emotionally stimulating. I also appreciate how this book is based on reality, which makes its content that much more powerful. With all of this in mind, I rate this book a very solid 4.5/5 stars.
- Rico
This book sounds sounds kind of depressing. I usually strive away from historical stories, and go towards more outlandish and violent ones, but I think this book would be a good icebreaker for historical fiction. Nice review Rico!
ReplyDeleteGreat review. The story of this book sounds very interesting and I may have to read this one myself. Because I am thinking of reading this myself, I enjoy that you didn't give any spoilers.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds really tragic, I think you'd like "Salt to the Sea" and other books by Ruta Sepetys.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy historical stories, and this really seems like a eventful and powerful story. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to look for your family in an all out war. Seems like an interesting plot.
ReplyDeleteFor my banned book project in subbie year, I read the diary of Anne Frank, a collection of notes and journals from a 13 year old Jewish girl who got killed during the Holocaust. Heartbreaking stories like this are always interesting, though They went left seems to have a more hopeful ending than the diary of Anne Frank. I really liked your description of how the story starts out, and based on how much you liked this book, I would highly recommend the diary of Anne Frank to you.
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