ARC Review
This book is a dual memoir written by a mother, Raisa Kliot, and her daughter, Helen Mitsios.
Raisa Kliot was an Eastern European Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust by hiding often times in plain sight, thus the title "Waltzing with the Enemy".
Raisa's story is unlike the published memoirs that I have read thus far about Jewish survivors. She was seventeen when the Nazis invaded her family home and sent her family to the Vilnius ghetto. Raisa's bold survival was definitely due to the feeling of invulnerability and survival drive of the young. An older person probably would not have survived Raisa's journey.
Raisa tells her story in a clear compelling voice without any sentimentality. Her story is a page turner and for that I give Raisa's story 5 stars.
The trouble with the book enters in the second half; Helen Mitsios' sharing her own story of growing up not knowing anything of her mother Raisa's history.
Helen Mitsios' story had the potential to be as compelling as Raisa's, but the writing lacked the clear sighted through line to keep the reader moving.
Helen's story is scattered with what appear to be random details that cause distraction instead of adding depth to her recollections.
When someone is so close to the story, it might have been prudent to have added a biographer into the writing team.
I was quite sorry to see this because Waltzing with the Enemy is a valuable contribution to the voices of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Especially of those like Raisa who had to create a new identity and felt compelled to continue that false identity even after decades of life in safety.
So the book in total; is rated 3 out of 5 stars simply for the fact that the second half of the book diverges so far from the quality of Raisa's story.
This book is a dual memoir written by a mother, Raisa Kliot, and her daughter, Helen Mitsios.
Raisa Kliot was an Eastern European Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust by hiding often times in plain sight, thus the title "Waltzing with the Enemy".
Raisa's story is unlike the published memoirs that I have read thus far about Jewish survivors. She was seventeen when the Nazis invaded her family home and sent her family to the Vilnius ghetto. Raisa's bold survival was definitely due to the feeling of invulnerability and survival drive of the young. An older person probably would not have survived Raisa's journey.
Raisa tells her story in a clear compelling voice without any sentimentality. Her story is a page turner and for that I give Raisa's story 5 stars.
The trouble with the book enters in the second half; Helen Mitsios' sharing her own story of growing up not knowing anything of her mother Raisa's history.
Helen Mitsios' story had the potential to be as compelling as Raisa's, but the writing lacked the clear sighted through line to keep the reader moving.
Helen's story is scattered with what appear to be random details that cause distraction instead of adding depth to her recollections.
When someone is so close to the story, it might have been prudent to have added a biographer into the writing team.
I was quite sorry to see this because Waltzing with the Enemy is a valuable contribution to the voices of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Especially of those like Raisa who had to create a new identity and felt compelled to continue that false identity even after decades of life in safety.
So the book in total; is rated 3 out of 5 stars simply for the fact that the second half of the book diverges so far from the quality of Raisa's story.
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