Emilia
Emilia by Ellie Midwood is the heart-wrenching account of a young Jewish woman trying to survive in Nazi Germany. This work addresses an often closeted topic in a way that truly made me feel for what countless women had to endure during the Nazi occupation. It wasn't enough that innocent people were forced out of their homes and into concentration camps simply because of their religion; sadly, so many women were also raped and brutalized during their incarceration, either by capos or by the SS guards. In this work, Emilia is one such woman.
The subject matter is obviously quite sensitive, but I really appreciated the fact that the author chose to write about it. Emilia's experience, although fiction, reads like a true account. At the beginning of the novel she's just an innocent, naïve young woman, afraid of the war but hopeful that she'll survive it along with her family. That all changes after her family is forced to move into the Ghetto, and Emilia quickly realizes that desperate times call for desperate measures. I felt so badly for Emilia as she was forced to sacrifice her innocence for survival, and how worst of all, her family hated her for it. In spite of her best efforts, Emilia's father and brothers are murdered, and she and her mother are sent off to a concentration camp. Emilia's experience in the Ghetto was nothing compared to what happens at the camp with the brutal SS guards, and her transformation is just so sad. Emilia knows nothing but brutal treatment from men, and she has to endure it just to get enough food to avoid starving to death. The treatment she faces is humiliating and degrading to the point where she contemplates suicide, but Emilia forces herself to hold on in hopes of one day being able to get out and move somewhere far away from people - especially men.
"I don't want to survive like this," Emilia whispered to herself, swallowing tears. "Ach, you still don't get it, do you?" Magda chuckled softly. "Here you don't really have a choice."
Emilia's wish is eventually granted after the Soviets liberate the camp, and she tries to live a quiet life with her mother in occupied Poland. Emphasis on tries, because another woman from camp has also moved to the town and makes sure to let everyone know what Emilia did. Apparently the woman forgot the part where Emilia had no choice, but rumors always seem to leave out the pertinent facts. Things change for Emilia when two German soldiers, liberated from the Gulag and on their way home, stop by her house in hopes of getting some water. Long story short, one of the men has no family left and ends up staying. Klaus is patient, optimistic, and kind, and Emilia can't help but let her guard down and befriend this man. I'm a sucker for a happy ending, so I loved what the author did with these two characters. Klaus was so likable and genuine, always there for Emilia and never using her like she was so accustomed to. I was so happy when they decided to get married, and that eventually Emilia was finally able to feel true happiness by doing the very thing that scared her most - letting someone else in and loving them.
"I just want you to know that I do love you, and I love you even more now, after learning what you had to go through, yet you still allowed me into your life. And I also promise that no one will ever say a word to you, neither here, nor anywhere else, while I am around. It's them who should be ashamed, Emmi, not you."
"She didn't believe him when just a couple of months ago her promised her that one day she would laugh about her days in the camp just like he did, and today she was laughing...feeling how the past nightmares were starting to lose their colors...and all thanks to this grinning man."
I'd previously read Midwood's Girl From Berlin series and really enjoyed it (see below review), and I enjoyed this work just as much. I believe these works are independently published, and my only gripe is that the editing isn't the best. There were definitely spelling and grammar errors, but I tried to overlook them in light of how interesting the stories were. I'd definitely recommend checking out this work along with the author's other, equally compelling series.
The subject matter is obviously quite sensitive, but I really appreciated the fact that the author chose to write about it. Emilia's experience, although fiction, reads like a true account. At the beginning of the novel she's just an innocent, naïve young woman, afraid of the war but hopeful that she'll survive it along with her family. That all changes after her family is forced to move into the Ghetto, and Emilia quickly realizes that desperate times call for desperate measures. I felt so badly for Emilia as she was forced to sacrifice her innocence for survival, and how worst of all, her family hated her for it. In spite of her best efforts, Emilia's father and brothers are murdered, and she and her mother are sent off to a concentration camp. Emilia's experience in the Ghetto was nothing compared to what happens at the camp with the brutal SS guards, and her transformation is just so sad. Emilia knows nothing but brutal treatment from men, and she has to endure it just to get enough food to avoid starving to death. The treatment she faces is humiliating and degrading to the point where she contemplates suicide, but Emilia forces herself to hold on in hopes of one day being able to get out and move somewhere far away from people - especially men.
"I don't want to survive like this," Emilia whispered to herself, swallowing tears. "Ach, you still don't get it, do you?" Magda chuckled softly. "Here you don't really have a choice."
Emilia's wish is eventually granted after the Soviets liberate the camp, and she tries to live a quiet life with her mother in occupied Poland. Emphasis on tries, because another woman from camp has also moved to the town and makes sure to let everyone know what Emilia did. Apparently the woman forgot the part where Emilia had no choice, but rumors always seem to leave out the pertinent facts. Things change for Emilia when two German soldiers, liberated from the Gulag and on their way home, stop by her house in hopes of getting some water. Long story short, one of the men has no family left and ends up staying. Klaus is patient, optimistic, and kind, and Emilia can't help but let her guard down and befriend this man. I'm a sucker for a happy ending, so I loved what the author did with these two characters. Klaus was so likable and genuine, always there for Emilia and never using her like she was so accustomed to. I was so happy when they decided to get married, and that eventually Emilia was finally able to feel true happiness by doing the very thing that scared her most - letting someone else in and loving them.
"I just want you to know that I do love you, and I love you even more now, after learning what you had to go through, yet you still allowed me into your life. And I also promise that no one will ever say a word to you, neither here, nor anywhere else, while I am around. It's them who should be ashamed, Emmi, not you."
"She didn't believe him when just a couple of months ago her promised her that one day she would laugh about her days in the camp just like he did, and today she was laughing...feeling how the past nightmares were starting to lose their colors...and all thanks to this grinning man."
I'd previously read Midwood's Girl From Berlin series and really enjoyed it (see below review), and I enjoyed this work just as much. I believe these works are independently published, and my only gripe is that the editing isn't the best. There were definitely spelling and grammar errors, but I tried to overlook them in light of how interesting the stories were. I'd definitely recommend checking out this work along with the author's other, equally compelling series.
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