What do you think?
Rate this book
Ashes in the Snow
Auschwitz, 1943.
It’s snowing outside and Block 10 looks even bleaker than usual. Gioele Errera, a young Jewish boy imprisoned in the camp, finds the body of an SS officer. Detective Hugo Fischer is sent to investigate the unexplained death of the renowned Nazi. But Hugo is hiding a secret – he is suffering from a degenerative disease. The only way for him to survive is to give his support to the Reich and hide his condition.
In Auschwitz, Hugo comes face to face not only with a complex murder, but with a truth – that of the Final Solution. And he is forced to decide what is most important to him – and who, if anyone, he should try to save… Inspired by the author’s family history, this wonderfully atmospheric page-turner, set during World War II, introduces a memorable hero—the flawed and fascinating Hugo Fischer.
It’s snowing outside and Block 10 looks even bleaker than usual. Gioele Errera, a young Jewish boy imprisoned in the camp, finds the body of an SS officer. Detective Hugo Fischer is sent to investigate the unexplained death of the renowned Nazi. But Hugo is hiding a secret – he is suffering from a degenerative disease. The only way for him to survive is to give his support to the Reich and hide his condition.
In Auschwitz, Hugo comes face to face not only with a complex murder, but with a truth – that of the Final Solution. And he is forced to decide what is most important to him – and who, if anyone, he should try to save… Inspired by the author’s family history, this wonderfully atmospheric page-turner, set during World War II, introduces a memorable hero—the flawed and fascinating Hugo Fischer.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
September 8, 2023
4.5⭐️
In December 1943, criminologist Hugo Fischer called to the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau to investigate the death of Dr. Sigismund Braun, a colleague of Dr. Josef Mengele,“the angel of death”. Dr. Braun’s body was discovered by eight-year-old Gioele, one of a set of Jewish twins whose family was deported to the concentration camp. Though the crime scene has been compromised, Hugo deduces that Dr. Braun was poisoned. A favorite of Dr. Mengele, for reasons that are gradually revealed, Gioele is a perceptive child who has a talent for drawing. Hugo befriends him and in exchange for tracking down his parents' whereabouts in the camp, Gioele agrees to help Hugo. His drawings and recollections of the crime scene prove to be helpful to Hugo’s investigation. The narrative follows Hugo as he tries to find a murderer among the deceased doctor's colleagues, family, and other SS officers, all the while bearing witness to the brutality exacted upon prisoners in the camp. Surrounded by death and violence, Hugo bears witness to atrocities beyond his imagination. Suffering from a medical condition that he keeps hidden, Hugo is compelled to keep his head down and concentrate on the job at hand, all while hiding his true feelings about everything that is happening around him. Hugo soon discovers that the deceased doctor had more than a few enemies amongst those with whom he associated, and some people would rather he not discover the truth and let an innocent man take the blame. Not everything is as it seems, and many are harboring secrets they would do anything to protect. When Hugo finally discovers the truth, he is faced with a difficult choice between doing his duty or listening to his conscience and following what his heart deems to be the right thing to do.
Inspired by the author’s Great Uncle’s experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno is a dark but compelling work of historical fiction. Primarily a murder mystery set in a Nazi concentration camp, this novel also sheds light on the atrocities inflicted upon prisoners in these camps. Deemed ”subhuman” in a “place where everything was allowed, where the guinea pigs were easily disposable human beings”, inhuman medical experimentation was conducted on Jewish prisoners and children specifically chosen for that purpose. The author also gives us a glimpse into the efforts of the German Resistance who worked within these camps, risking their own lives to help in whatever way possible. Hugo is an admirable protagonist. The author does an excellent job of depicting Hugo’s pain, compassion and internal conflict. The mystery is well crafted and suspenseful with several red herrings and surprises along the way, leading up to a satisfying ending. Superb writing, an intricate evenly paced plot, the atmospheric setting and powerful characterizations render this novel a riveting read.
I combined my reading with the audiobook narrated by Saul Reichlin, who did a brilliant job of voicing the characters and breathing life into the story.
Many thanks to HarperVia, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the digital review copy and the ALC of this novel.
Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Detailed descriptions of medical experiments on children, abuse, and one particularly graphic episode of brutality toward the beginning of the novel may be disturbing for many.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
In December 1943, criminologist Hugo Fischer called to the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau to investigate the death of Dr. Sigismund Braun, a colleague of Dr. Josef Mengele,“the angel of death”. Dr. Braun’s body was discovered by eight-year-old Gioele, one of a set of Jewish twins whose family was deported to the concentration camp. Though the crime scene has been compromised, Hugo deduces that Dr. Braun was poisoned. A favorite of Dr. Mengele, for reasons that are gradually revealed, Gioele is a perceptive child who has a talent for drawing. Hugo befriends him and in exchange for tracking down his parents' whereabouts in the camp, Gioele agrees to help Hugo. His drawings and recollections of the crime scene prove to be helpful to Hugo’s investigation. The narrative follows Hugo as he tries to find a murderer among the deceased doctor's colleagues, family, and other SS officers, all the while bearing witness to the brutality exacted upon prisoners in the camp. Surrounded by death and violence, Hugo bears witness to atrocities beyond his imagination. Suffering from a medical condition that he keeps hidden, Hugo is compelled to keep his head down and concentrate on the job at hand, all while hiding his true feelings about everything that is happening around him. Hugo soon discovers that the deceased doctor had more than a few enemies amongst those with whom he associated, and some people would rather he not discover the truth and let an innocent man take the blame. Not everything is as it seems, and many are harboring secrets they would do anything to protect. When Hugo finally discovers the truth, he is faced with a difficult choice between doing his duty or listening to his conscience and following what his heart deems to be the right thing to do.
Inspired by the author’s Great Uncle’s experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno is a dark but compelling work of historical fiction. Primarily a murder mystery set in a Nazi concentration camp, this novel also sheds light on the atrocities inflicted upon prisoners in these camps. Deemed ”subhuman” in a “place where everything was allowed, where the guinea pigs were easily disposable human beings”, inhuman medical experimentation was conducted on Jewish prisoners and children specifically chosen for that purpose. The author also gives us a glimpse into the efforts of the German Resistance who worked within these camps, risking their own lives to help in whatever way possible. Hugo is an admirable protagonist. The author does an excellent job of depicting Hugo’s pain, compassion and internal conflict. The mystery is well crafted and suspenseful with several red herrings and surprises along the way, leading up to a satisfying ending. Superb writing, an intricate evenly paced plot, the atmospheric setting and powerful characterizations render this novel a riveting read.
I combined my reading with the audiobook narrated by Saul Reichlin, who did a brilliant job of voicing the characters and breathing life into the story.
Many thanks to HarperVia, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the digital review copy and the ALC of this novel.
Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Detailed descriptions of medical experiments on children, abuse, and one particularly graphic episode of brutality toward the beginning of the novel may be disturbing for many.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
September 1, 2022
4+
Ashes in the Snow is a very moving WW2 detective mystery set amidst the horror of Auschwitz/Birkenau and is inspired by the authors great uncle. It’s 21st December 1943 and Gioele studies the guard outside in the freezing cold as he stares into Doktor Josef Mengele’s office. He has just discovered the body of Doktor Sigismund Braun and the talented twin starts to draw what he sees. On 23rd December Hugo Fischer of the Kriminalpolizei is dispatched to solve the murder of Braun.
The two characters of Gioele and Fischer are excellent and of course, their lives could not be of greater contrast. Gioele has survived so far because he is bright, inquisitive and highly intelligent which sets him apart from his twin Gabriele. Through sensitive writing the author conveys a great deal about Gioele’s life, his family, the camps and of course Mengele. It’s very easy to love Gioele which makes his situation hard to bear.
Fischer is a fascinating central protagonist. He is hiding a major secret, he’s seen much, feels much and is a man of compassion as well as intuitive. His introduction to Auschwitz is terrifying, you hold your breath in sickening fear and horror, the tension is palpable. Even though you know what happens in this place it never ceases to shock and shatter your heart.
It goes without saying this is an intense read but via the character of Fischer the author conveys what he witnesses with empathy. The focus is different in that it’s a detective novel investigating one murder amongst so many - oh, the irony. It’s riveting reading, it’s very well written with several layers to the storytelling such as the murder mystery itself, the dynamics between staff and others as well as what goes on in this hell on earth place. There’s a ghostly element which is intriguing and the author uses the weather to great effect too. The pristine white snow masks and conceals the horror but it pervades nonetheless. The mystery of what happens to Braun is very good, taking you in several directions with some clever red herrings which keeps you guessing. The ending is really good and feels just and right.
‘Whoever Saves One Life, Saves the World Entire’.
This is by very definition not an easy read but it’s a very worthwhile one and the author does her great uncle proud.
Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Ashes in the Snow is a very moving WW2 detective mystery set amidst the horror of Auschwitz/Birkenau and is inspired by the authors great uncle. It’s 21st December 1943 and Gioele studies the guard outside in the freezing cold as he stares into Doktor Josef Mengele’s office. He has just discovered the body of Doktor Sigismund Braun and the talented twin starts to draw what he sees. On 23rd December Hugo Fischer of the Kriminalpolizei is dispatched to solve the murder of Braun.
The two characters of Gioele and Fischer are excellent and of course, their lives could not be of greater contrast. Gioele has survived so far because he is bright, inquisitive and highly intelligent which sets him apart from his twin Gabriele. Through sensitive writing the author conveys a great deal about Gioele’s life, his family, the camps and of course Mengele. It’s very easy to love Gioele which makes his situation hard to bear.
Fischer is a fascinating central protagonist. He is hiding a major secret, he’s seen much, feels much and is a man of compassion as well as intuitive. His introduction to Auschwitz is terrifying, you hold your breath in sickening fear and horror, the tension is palpable. Even though you know what happens in this place it never ceases to shock and shatter your heart.
It goes without saying this is an intense read but via the character of Fischer the author conveys what he witnesses with empathy. The focus is different in that it’s a detective novel investigating one murder amongst so many - oh, the irony. It’s riveting reading, it’s very well written with several layers to the storytelling such as the murder mystery itself, the dynamics between staff and others as well as what goes on in this hell on earth place. There’s a ghostly element which is intriguing and the author uses the weather to great effect too. The pristine white snow masks and conceals the horror but it pervades nonetheless. The mystery of what happens to Braun is very good, taking you in several directions with some clever red herrings which keeps you guessing. The ending is really good and feels just and right.
‘Whoever Saves One Life, Saves the World Entire’.
This is by very definition not an easy read but it’s a very worthwhile one and the author does her great uncle proud.
Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 13, 2022
Firstly I would like to thank netgalley, and HarperCollins UK,and the author oriana Ramunno for a copy of her book to read.
This is a new author,The cover of this book caught my eye,and like reading this type of books.Its completely different as a detective investigates a nazi was found dead.was it murder?Hugo Fischer he has a secret of his own.A young boy Gioele found his body and draws a picture of him will it help with the investigation, There are gory unimaginable details of the camp and very intense read.if you like this type of read I would recommend this book.
This book will be reviewed on goodreads and amazon uk.
This is a new author,The cover of this book caught my eye,and like reading this type of books.Its completely different as a detective investigates a nazi was found dead.was it murder?Hugo Fischer he has a secret of his own.A young boy Gioele found his body and draws a picture of him will it help with the investigation, There are gory unimaginable details of the camp and very intense read.if you like this type of read I would recommend this book.
This book will be reviewed on goodreads and amazon uk.
September 17, 2022
It is Christmas 1943 in Auschwitz, Gioele Errera is a Jewish boy one of twins who is imprisoned in the camp. He is one of many boys who is being experimented on by Dr Mengele. The boy witnesses the death of one of the SS officers.
Hugo Fischer is a Criminologist and has been brought it to investigate the suspicious death. Unknown to his Nazi superiors he is suffering from a degenerative disease and the only way for him to survive is to support the Reich.
As he investigates the murder, which is complex, he finds out the truth of the horrors that take place in Auschwitz.
Thank you, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for a copy of Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno this is a harrowing WW2 tale. Which is a bit different to others that I have read because it is not only set in Auschwitz but also a murder mystery which I found intriguing. The story also told of the experiments that went on with the children but the way they treated prisoners in the camp. Which was more graphic in this story that I am usually used too. So, it is not for the faint hearted. All in all this is a good read from the author. 4 stars from me.
Hugo Fischer is a Criminologist and has been brought it to investigate the suspicious death. Unknown to his Nazi superiors he is suffering from a degenerative disease and the only way for him to survive is to support the Reich.
As he investigates the murder, which is complex, he finds out the truth of the horrors that take place in Auschwitz.
Thank you, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for a copy of Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno this is a harrowing WW2 tale. Which is a bit different to others that I have read because it is not only set in Auschwitz but also a murder mystery which I found intriguing. The story also told of the experiments that went on with the children but the way they treated prisoners in the camp. Which was more graphic in this story that I am usually used too. So, it is not for the faint hearted. All in all this is a good read from the author. 4 stars from me.
August 11, 2023
It has taken me awhile to write down my thoughts about this book because I was emotionally wrecked after reading it. It was hard to read. I learned things about Auschwitz that I wish I hadn’t. Of course, I know what happened but this author describes the crimes in excruciating detail. Trigger warnings: rape, pedophilia, dismemberment, extreme violence.
I gave it 5 stars, because, even though it’s subject is abhorrent, the author was able to show me how one SS Detective was able to overcome his obedience to the Nazi’s to do the right thing. It starts out as a murder mystery and ends up being a story of hope.
Hugo Fischer is called to investigate the murder of an SS Doctor. In a place where millions are murdered but this doctor’s life is deemed “important.” Hugo’s main witness is a young Jewish boy who found the body. The boy, Gioele, is an 8 year old child that Joseph Mengele experiments on but treats him “special” because he is intelligent. He has a gift of drawing things as he sees them. Hugo’s questioning of the boy along with all the monstrosities he witnesses allows him to learn about The Final Solution and he is horrified.
While investigating he stumbles upon dark secrets that are kept within the camp. Hugo also has a secret of his own. He has a disability, that if found out, would condemn him to death. The race to find the murderer before they find out his secret is captivating. Who did it and why?
The author says her family history inspired the story. It would be interesting to know what part her family played in this story.
I would suggest reading this book only if you can stomach the evil deeds I mentioned above. That some of these things are facts, makes it hard to swallow. Sad but true. Overall, I’m glad I experienced this book but it’s not for everyone.
Many thanks to Harper Audio via NetGalley.
I gave it 5 stars, because, even though it’s subject is abhorrent, the author was able to show me how one SS Detective was able to overcome his obedience to the Nazi’s to do the right thing. It starts out as a murder mystery and ends up being a story of hope.
Hugo Fischer is called to investigate the murder of an SS Doctor. In a place where millions are murdered but this doctor’s life is deemed “important.” Hugo’s main witness is a young Jewish boy who found the body. The boy, Gioele, is an 8 year old child that Joseph Mengele experiments on but treats him “special” because he is intelligent. He has a gift of drawing things as he sees them. Hugo’s questioning of the boy along with all the monstrosities he witnesses allows him to learn about The Final Solution and he is horrified.
While investigating he stumbles upon dark secrets that are kept within the camp. Hugo also has a secret of his own. He has a disability, that if found out, would condemn him to death. The race to find the murderer before they find out his secret is captivating. Who did it and why?
The author says her family history inspired the story. It would be interesting to know what part her family played in this story.
I would suggest reading this book only if you can stomach the evil deeds I mentioned above. That some of these things are facts, makes it hard to swallow. Sad but true. Overall, I’m glad I experienced this book but it’s not for everyone.
Many thanks to Harper Audio via NetGalley.
September 20, 2022
Auschwitz in the Christmas of 1943: It's snowing outside, Block 10 looks even bleaker than usual. Gisele Errera, a young Jewish boy imprisoned in the camp. finds the body of an SS officer. A detective with everything to prove, Hugo Fischer, is sent to investigate the death of the renowned Nazi. But Hugo is hiding a secret - he is suffering from a degenerative disease. The only way for him to survive is to give his support to the Reich and hide his emotion. Hugo comes face to face not only with a complex murder, but with a truth - that of the Final Solution. And he is forced to decide what is most important to him - and who, if anyone, he should try to save....
Set during WWII, this is a completely different war story to any of the other books I've read. The book is based on the authors great-uncles experiences. The story shows the horrific things the doctors did in these camps. At times, this can be difficult to read. The characters have been well fleshed out and believable. It has been cleverly crafted. The author has done their research of the era it is written in. This is a gripping read from beginning to end. It's also written with compassion.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #OrianaRamunno for my ARC of #AshesInTheSnow in exchange for an honest review.
Set during WWII, this is a completely different war story to any of the other books I've read. The book is based on the authors great-uncles experiences. The story shows the horrific things the doctors did in these camps. At times, this can be difficult to read. The characters have been well fleshed out and believable. It has been cleverly crafted. The author has done their research of the era it is written in. This is a gripping read from beginning to end. It's also written with compassion.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #HarperFiction and the author #OrianaRamunno for my ARC of #AshesInTheSnow in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2024
Originally a DNF, I went back and finished it. 2 outlier ⭐️ rating didn’t change.
I shouldn’t be feeling so detached from a story that takes place in Auschwitz. To me, the writing felt coolly observational. The…pace…was…so…slow. (A landlocked glacier moves faster). I could not get emotionally invested in any of the characters. Trying to track who is who was almost as challenging as tracking individual snowflakes in a blizzard.
I’m usually easily hooked by whodunnit mysteries, but I never had that “I gotta know” feeling with this one.
Definitely check out other reviews, because my perspective seems as isolated as Siberia.
I shouldn’t be feeling so detached from a story that takes place in Auschwitz. To me, the writing felt coolly observational. The…pace…was…so…slow. (A landlocked glacier moves faster). I could not get emotionally invested in any of the characters. Trying to track who is who was almost as challenging as tracking individual snowflakes in a blizzard.
I’m usually easily hooked by whodunnit mysteries, but I never had that “I gotta know” feeling with this one.
Definitely check out other reviews, because my perspective seems as isolated as Siberia.
December 23, 2022
This is a disturbing and dark mystery, set in Auschwitz during Christmas 1943. It opens on the 21st December when a young boy, kept alive only as he is 'useful' to Dr Mengele, comes across the dead body of Doctor Sigismund Braun. It appears that Dr Braun has choked on an apple but - although the business of Auschwitz is murder - high-ranking Germans unusual deaths need to be investigated. Enter Hugo Fischer, a man hiding the secret of a degenerative disease, which is viewed with suspicion by the Nazi party.
Although Herr Fischer has seen a lot during his three years with the Kriminal Polizei, rumours of Auschwitz cannot match the true horror and so his growing understanding of what depths his countrymen have sunk to fill him with shame. The author's own great-uncle was in a concentration camp and she used that as inspiration to help tell the stories of those who were imprisoned as well as using Fischer, and others who work in the camp, to show how ignoring the first signs of Nazi oppression have led the country.
This is an interesting read, although I did feel that, as the book came to a conclusion, the author had perhaps shown human nature in a kinder light than historical reality demonstrated. Perhaps reality was too harsh, even for her? Still, it is important we remind ourselves that we ignore history at our peril and that if others have their humanity taken away, we are in danger of losing our own.
Although Herr Fischer has seen a lot during his three years with the Kriminal Polizei, rumours of Auschwitz cannot match the true horror and so his growing understanding of what depths his countrymen have sunk to fill him with shame. The author's own great-uncle was in a concentration camp and she used that as inspiration to help tell the stories of those who were imprisoned as well as using Fischer, and others who work in the camp, to show how ignoring the first signs of Nazi oppression have led the country.
This is an interesting read, although I did feel that, as the book came to a conclusion, the author had perhaps shown human nature in a kinder light than historical reality demonstrated. Perhaps reality was too harsh, even for her? Still, it is important we remind ourselves that we ignore history at our peril and that if others have their humanity taken away, we are in danger of losing our own.
September 6, 2023
Loved this genre mixing novel that blended WW2 historical fiction with a classic whodunit mystery. I've read a ton of books about Auschwitz but actually learned some unknown details particularly about Mengle and other doctors and their unethical and cruel experiments.
The author did a brilliant job of creating a fast paced, jaw dropping, story whose focus was solving the mystery of who killed Dr. Brown. In comes Mr. Fisher, a criminologist with a degenerative disease. Of course he keeps that bit quiet for fear of being euthanized by his fellow Nazi men. Along the way, Mr. Fisher learns about the gruesome and shocking activities that are happening at Auschwitz, to which he hadn't prior knowledge. The whole story takes place over the course of a week over Christmas.
I listened to the audio and loved the narrator. He was the perfect reader and added an element of Agatha Christie like flavor to the story. A gracious thank you to #NetGalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The author did a brilliant job of creating a fast paced, jaw dropping, story whose focus was solving the mystery of who killed Dr. Brown. In comes Mr. Fisher, a criminologist with a degenerative disease. Of course he keeps that bit quiet for fear of being euthanized by his fellow Nazi men. Along the way, Mr. Fisher learns about the gruesome and shocking activities that are happening at Auschwitz, to which he hadn't prior knowledge. The whole story takes place over the course of a week over Christmas.
I listened to the audio and loved the narrator. He was the perfect reader and added an element of Agatha Christie like flavor to the story. A gracious thank you to #NetGalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2022
Finished reading: September 15th 2022
"A dead body is like the snow: sometimes, everything on the surface looks present and correct, perfect and clean. But it's underneath that the murkiest things are concealed."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
May 23, 2023
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
The narration for this book for very well with the story. I always knew who was speaking and it sounded like how I would imagine someone speaking back in those times. The story itself was quite jarring. Being that I’m both German and Jewish and know quite a bit about the Holocaust, it’s still tough to hear of all the horrors that occurred there. It was written very well and I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect and the way everything turned out in the end. If you like historical fiction and don’t have too many triggers about things that occurred during the Holocaust, you should try this book out!
The narration for this book for very well with the story. I always knew who was speaking and it sounded like how I would imagine someone speaking back in those times. The story itself was quite jarring. Being that I’m both German and Jewish and know quite a bit about the Holocaust, it’s still tough to hear of all the horrors that occurred there. It was written very well and I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect and the way everything turned out in the end. If you like historical fiction and don’t have too many triggers about things that occurred during the Holocaust, you should try this book out!
September 6, 2022
There have been a lot of books that cover this period in our history but not many that are written from a German point of view. This book handles the subject sensitively and with compassion. Set in Auschwitz/Birkenau in December 1943, Gioele Errera, a young Jewish boy, finds the body of SS Dr Braun, As a twin he has come to Dr Mengeles’ attention, which could never have been a good thing. Hugo Fischer, a criminologist, is brought in to find the murderer, but he has his own secret to keep, he’s suffering from a degenerative illness, which not only nearly cripples him physically at times but could also bring worse complications given the medical ‘research’ being done in the name of science in the camp.
Really powerful and thought provoking, it’s hard to read at times as it feels that one human couldn’t possibly treat another in this manner. Unfortunately we know otherwise. There were some light moments, needed in a book on this subject. Set in the depths of winter really adds another level to the treatment meted out to the prisoners. The murder enquiry is very well written and Hugo Fischer is a tenacious character, determined to find the truth in the only thing that he can control in the camp - his investigation. He is stunned, and unable to believe what’s happening here or to cope with it. I can’t say I enjoyed it but I would highly recommend this book, a stunning read with an authentic feel of this horrific period in history.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Really powerful and thought provoking, it’s hard to read at times as it feels that one human couldn’t possibly treat another in this manner. Unfortunately we know otherwise. There were some light moments, needed in a book on this subject. Set in the depths of winter really adds another level to the treatment meted out to the prisoners. The murder enquiry is very well written and Hugo Fischer is a tenacious character, determined to find the truth in the only thing that he can control in the camp - his investigation. He is stunned, and unable to believe what’s happening here or to cope with it. I can’t say I enjoyed it but I would highly recommend this book, a stunning read with an authentic feel of this horrific period in history.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 30, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for this book in exchange for an honest review.
As someone who has done rather extensive research on the Holocaust and Auschwitz I found this book unique and honest. The book follows Hugo, a criminologist, as he battles with himself to solve the murder of a horrifying SS Doctor at Auschwitz. He is surrounded by death and inhumanity, hiding his own illness, and yet still must play his part. It is playing his part which disgusts him throughout, and drives this book along.
I was conflicted while reading that the reader is supposed to sympathize with camp nurses who work with children and experiment victims, as well as an SS officer, but I believe that is the point of the book. Being disgusted at the actions around you and actions you feel forced to take while secretly resisting in other ways.
As someone who has done rather extensive research on the Holocaust and Auschwitz I found this book unique and honest. The book follows Hugo, a criminologist, as he battles with himself to solve the murder of a horrifying SS Doctor at Auschwitz. He is surrounded by death and inhumanity, hiding his own illness, and yet still must play his part. It is playing his part which disgusts him throughout, and drives this book along.
I was conflicted while reading that the reader is supposed to sympathize with camp nurses who work with children and experiment victims, as well as an SS officer, but I believe that is the point of the book. Being disgusted at the actions around you and actions you feel forced to take while secretly resisting in other ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2024
if you like heartwrenching and straight to the point and no sugarcoating this is def the book for you
May 14, 2023
As with all books with this subject matter it’s hard to handle. The atrocities described in this story were even more horrific than some of the previous WWII books I’ve read. The fact some of these characters really existed and have been documented as doing the barbaric things described is even more disturbing.
Read
January 14, 2023Surviving the concentration camps.
I started to read this book with such good intentions, and the first few pages proved that it was beautifully written – unfortunately – I have a horror and a far too vivid imagination for all things relating to the holocaust and concentration camps. I visited quite a few when I was younger and being extremely sensitive, could feel the horror of the places. This has left me unable to read books on the subject.
I trust that the author, Oriano Ramunno with have immense success with the publication.
Rony
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
I started to read this book with such good intentions, and the first few pages proved that it was beautifully written – unfortunately – I have a horror and a far too vivid imagination for all things relating to the holocaust and concentration camps. I visited quite a few when I was younger and being extremely sensitive, could feel the horror of the places. This has left me unable to read books on the subject.
I trust that the author, Oriano Ramunno with have immense success with the publication.
Rony
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
April 21, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook, Ashes in the Snow. I thought this book was just ok.. The first half of the book really irritated me because the story is about solving the murder of an SS officer in Birkenau; the concentration camp where millions of jews are being murdered. How ironic, that they are trying so desperately to figure out if an SS officer's cause of death was from choking or murder when they are literally murdering millions in the buildings next door. They ended up solving the mystery and all was as well as could be during the times of WWII, but the whole story just felt wrong.
November 30, 2022
Thank you Harper Collins for sending us a copy to read and review.
A murder in Auschwitz that has to be investigated seems ironic in light of the thousands of deaths per day at the gloomy brutal institution.
A German doctor has been murdered and the culprit must be found.
Hugo Fischer is a criminologist sent to solve the murder.
His brilliant analytical mind let down by body that is slowly degenerating.
A frightening fact considering the desire to purify the Aryan race.
He was visibly shocked as he saw first hand the brutality of the camp.
Meeting a young boy who found the dead man and who was favoured by the monster Josef Mengele.
A wholesome affinity and affection develops between him and the boy.
A tangle of motives and secrets unravel as he investigates leads.
Revealing the cracks and emotions within both sides of the Barb wire.
A compelling and confronting read with a crime suspense element.
One that gave the reader more insight into the lives of the staff that worked in the notorious place.
A glimmer of their psyche and any emotion they may have had.
A revelation that the cleansing act impacted staff too.
I did guess the murder and was once again sickened by acts that were committed.
I really enjoyed the book and was refreshed by a different perspective.
A murder in Auschwitz that has to be investigated seems ironic in light of the thousands of deaths per day at the gloomy brutal institution.
A German doctor has been murdered and the culprit must be found.
Hugo Fischer is a criminologist sent to solve the murder.
His brilliant analytical mind let down by body that is slowly degenerating.
A frightening fact considering the desire to purify the Aryan race.
He was visibly shocked as he saw first hand the brutality of the camp.
Meeting a young boy who found the dead man and who was favoured by the monster Josef Mengele.
A wholesome affinity and affection develops between him and the boy.
A tangle of motives and secrets unravel as he investigates leads.
Revealing the cracks and emotions within both sides of the Barb wire.
A compelling and confronting read with a crime suspense element.
One that gave the reader more insight into the lives of the staff that worked in the notorious place.
A glimmer of their psyche and any emotion they may have had.
A revelation that the cleansing act impacted staff too.
I did guess the murder and was once again sickened by acts that were committed.
I really enjoyed the book and was refreshed by a different perspective.
October 18, 2023
First off I want to thank NetGalley, the author Oriana Ramunno and HarperVia for allowing me to listen to an arc of this book. The narrator, Saul Reichlin did a fantastic job. Thank you Saul Reichlin for bringing this story to life for me.
This book was very hard to listen to with all the gory details about what was going on with the Jews. I understand that this was loosely based on author's uncle. I am so sorry that, that her uncle had to endure and go through such horrific things. I can't imagine what it was like. So thank you for sharing your uncle's story with us.
An 8yr old Jewish boy, Gioele who Joseph Mengele experimented on is who found the dead SS doctor. At first they think he choked on an apple but then they realize it was murder. Hugo (the detective) is sent in to figure out what happened. What transpires after that was some of the most unimaginable horrific violence that at times it was hard to stomach. I thought I knew what went on in the concentration camps but after listening to this book, I was sorely uneducated. WOW, just WOW.
I would only read this book if you can read about extreme violence, rape, pedophilia and dismemberment. The author did not leave anything out. You can definitely tell she did her research. This was my first book by this author and I would definitely read more books by this author.
#AshesintheSnow #NetGalley
This book was very hard to listen to with all the gory details about what was going on with the Jews. I understand that this was loosely based on author's uncle. I am so sorry that, that her uncle had to endure and go through such horrific things. I can't imagine what it was like. So thank you for sharing your uncle's story with us.
An 8yr old Jewish boy, Gioele who Joseph Mengele experimented on is who found the dead SS doctor. At first they think he choked on an apple but then they realize it was murder. Hugo (the detective) is sent in to figure out what happened. What transpires after that was some of the most unimaginable horrific violence that at times it was hard to stomach. I thought I knew what went on in the concentration camps but after listening to this book, I was sorely uneducated. WOW, just WOW.
I would only read this book if you can read about extreme violence, rape, pedophilia and dismemberment. The author did not leave anything out. You can definitely tell she did her research. This was my first book by this author and I would definitely read more books by this author.
#AshesintheSnow #NetGalley
October 4, 2022
Ashes In the Snow is World War Two historical fiction. The book is set in 1943 in the Auschwitz prison camp.
German criminologist Hugo Fischer is brought to the camp to investigate the murder of one of the SS doctors. The body was discovered by a young Jewish boy who accurately drew the scene soon after it happened.
Hugo normally works in Berlin; he’s heard rumours about the prison camps but he is shocked by what he sees all around him. There is an irony that the death of one SS officer is considered of such importance when hundreds of murders and deaths happen daily in the camp.
This is a dark and disturbing tale; the horrors of the camp and the medical experiments are not brushed over. Seeing the events through the eyes of a German was different from many war stories and it worked well. The story twists and turns, as Hugo suspects first one person then another.
I didn’t quite manage to get a clear image of all the important secondary characters which was my only complaint; just a little more detail to help me differentiate between them would have helped.
German criminologist Hugo Fischer is brought to the camp to investigate the murder of one of the SS doctors. The body was discovered by a young Jewish boy who accurately drew the scene soon after it happened.
Hugo normally works in Berlin; he’s heard rumours about the prison camps but he is shocked by what he sees all around him. There is an irony that the death of one SS officer is considered of such importance when hundreds of murders and deaths happen daily in the camp.
This is a dark and disturbing tale; the horrors of the camp and the medical experiments are not brushed over. Seeing the events through the eyes of a German was different from many war stories and it worked well. The story twists and turns, as Hugo suspects first one person then another.
I didn’t quite manage to get a clear image of all the important secondary characters which was my only complaint; just a little more detail to help me differentiate between them would have helped.
September 12, 2023
A murder mystery set in an unlikely place…where so few lives were considered to have any value.
In December, 1943 a young boy discovers a dead body, and w.hat makes this story so unique is found in the details. The dead body is that of Dr. Sigismund Braun, who worked in the building known as Block 10 at Auschwitz. There Dr. Braun was engaged in research for the Reich, alongside several others. Giole is the boy who finds the dead man. He is a gifted and highly intelligent Italian youngster who lives in Block 10, where he is a favorite of a man he calls Uncle Mengele. He is a very attractive child, a talented artist, adept at learning new languages….but he is also Jewish and a twin, which makes him of great interest to Mengele. His twin does not share his inquisitive nature, and is consequently more frequently experimented upon by the doctors, though Giole remains unaware of the distinction. Braun’s death is first thought to be an accident, caused by a chunk of apple found in his throat on which he is presumed to have choked. But rumors are flying around the camp, and help is sought from Berlin. And so Detective Hugo Fischer, a reknowned criminologist who is resented by his supervisor, is sent to investigate and put the rumors to rest. Hugo has heard whispers about things that go on at Auschwitz, and his boss has warned him to keep his nose out of anything not directly related to his investigation. This is Hitler’s Germany, after all, and those who value their career and their life criticize actions taken by the Reich at their own peril. From the moment Hugo arrives at the camp, he is exposed to casual brutality, nauseating smells and sights, and confirmation that truly evil things are happening there. Hugo is no devout Nazi; he has learned not to make waves, to say what is expected of him, and to focus on doing his job rather than on what is going on around him. He also has something to hide; he is suffering from a physical condition that, to the eyes of those pursuing healthy Aryan perfection, would render him defective and damaged. If his secret were discovered, he would lose his job…and possibly his life. He medicates himself with morphine when symptoms flair, as of course they begin to do upon his arrival at Auschwitz. As he interviews people who were in Braun’s orbit, including young Giole, he realizes that Braun’s death was no accident, it was murder. He alsosees the different classes of residents at the camp, for it is far more complicated and nuanced than just Nazis and their prisoners. There are the German officers and medical staff, both doctors and nurses, who are of course the most highly favored. But there are German prisoners who are not Jewish; criminals, Gypsies, Communists and others who have fallen afoul of the regime. There are also Jewish prisoners who, while still reviled, have a better life in the camp because they are perceived to be of some value….some who were doctors, for example, and are still used in that capacity. Hugo discovers that he is not the only person deeply troubled by what is going on at Auschwitz, the medical experimentation that goes against international standards and of course the mass killing of prisoners. Hugo must find a killer, keep his health condition from being noticed, and wrestle with his conscience as he sees atrocity after atrocity committed in front of him and about which he can do nothing.
Hugo is a fascinating character, definitely flawed and both well aware of and ashamed by his cowardice in the face of evil. Yet he is too honorable and too committed to his job to settle for a convenient answer to the death of this Nazi doctor. Most characters seem to have some measure of conflict with which they struggle….an ardent Nazi who is sexually attracted to a Jewish nurse, a German woman of quality who has been imprisoned for her Communist views and accepts a life as a prostitute for the German soldiers rather than live the bleak life of most prisoners, and a gifted young boy who can’t (or won’t) see the evil and danger which surround him. The novel is well-plotted and paced, and the characters are fully developed and intriguing. It was no more obvious to me than it was to Hugo who the killer might be, nor was it clear when or even if Hugo would be able to get to some measure of truth. I was also fascinated to learn that the story was inspired by author Oriana Ramunno’s great-uncle, who didn’t share his story of having been interned in a concentration camp until the author was 18. His memories and the author’s own research over the following year helped to frame the degrees of evil and willful ignorance found in the German characters in the book, as well as the reality that some actually did try in some fashion to help the Jews around them. Not enough, some would rightly argue, but even some small measure of help may have saved a few lives, or rendered those lives marginally less difficult. I found Ashes in the Snow to be not only an intriguing story, but also a though-provoking look at people living under the Nazi regime. This is not a book for those looking for a sanitized read; violence and gore are to be found between the covers, as they were in the camp itself. Readers of books like Robert Harris’ Fatherland, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief and Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series will likely find this novel of interest, as would any who like a well-crafted mystery and have an interest in Germany in the last days of the Nazis. Many thanks to NetGalley and to HarperVia and HarperCollins Publishers for an advanced reader’s copy of Ashes in the Snow, as well as to Oriana Ramunno and Katherine Gregor, who translated the novel from the Italian.
In December, 1943 a young boy discovers a dead body, and w.hat makes this story so unique is found in the details. The dead body is that of Dr. Sigismund Braun, who worked in the building known as Block 10 at Auschwitz. There Dr. Braun was engaged in research for the Reich, alongside several others. Giole is the boy who finds the dead man. He is a gifted and highly intelligent Italian youngster who lives in Block 10, where he is a favorite of a man he calls Uncle Mengele. He is a very attractive child, a talented artist, adept at learning new languages….but he is also Jewish and a twin, which makes him of great interest to Mengele. His twin does not share his inquisitive nature, and is consequently more frequently experimented upon by the doctors, though Giole remains unaware of the distinction. Braun’s death is first thought to be an accident, caused by a chunk of apple found in his throat on which he is presumed to have choked. But rumors are flying around the camp, and help is sought from Berlin. And so Detective Hugo Fischer, a reknowned criminologist who is resented by his supervisor, is sent to investigate and put the rumors to rest. Hugo has heard whispers about things that go on at Auschwitz, and his boss has warned him to keep his nose out of anything not directly related to his investigation. This is Hitler’s Germany, after all, and those who value their career and their life criticize actions taken by the Reich at their own peril. From the moment Hugo arrives at the camp, he is exposed to casual brutality, nauseating smells and sights, and confirmation that truly evil things are happening there. Hugo is no devout Nazi; he has learned not to make waves, to say what is expected of him, and to focus on doing his job rather than on what is going on around him. He also has something to hide; he is suffering from a physical condition that, to the eyes of those pursuing healthy Aryan perfection, would render him defective and damaged. If his secret were discovered, he would lose his job…and possibly his life. He medicates himself with morphine when symptoms flair, as of course they begin to do upon his arrival at Auschwitz. As he interviews people who were in Braun’s orbit, including young Giole, he realizes that Braun’s death was no accident, it was murder. He alsosees the different classes of residents at the camp, for it is far more complicated and nuanced than just Nazis and their prisoners. There are the German officers and medical staff, both doctors and nurses, who are of course the most highly favored. But there are German prisoners who are not Jewish; criminals, Gypsies, Communists and others who have fallen afoul of the regime. There are also Jewish prisoners who, while still reviled, have a better life in the camp because they are perceived to be of some value….some who were doctors, for example, and are still used in that capacity. Hugo discovers that he is not the only person deeply troubled by what is going on at Auschwitz, the medical experimentation that goes against international standards and of course the mass killing of prisoners. Hugo must find a killer, keep his health condition from being noticed, and wrestle with his conscience as he sees atrocity after atrocity committed in front of him and about which he can do nothing.
Hugo is a fascinating character, definitely flawed and both well aware of and ashamed by his cowardice in the face of evil. Yet he is too honorable and too committed to his job to settle for a convenient answer to the death of this Nazi doctor. Most characters seem to have some measure of conflict with which they struggle….an ardent Nazi who is sexually attracted to a Jewish nurse, a German woman of quality who has been imprisoned for her Communist views and accepts a life as a prostitute for the German soldiers rather than live the bleak life of most prisoners, and a gifted young boy who can’t (or won’t) see the evil and danger which surround him. The novel is well-plotted and paced, and the characters are fully developed and intriguing. It was no more obvious to me than it was to Hugo who the killer might be, nor was it clear when or even if Hugo would be able to get to some measure of truth. I was also fascinated to learn that the story was inspired by author Oriana Ramunno’s great-uncle, who didn’t share his story of having been interned in a concentration camp until the author was 18. His memories and the author’s own research over the following year helped to frame the degrees of evil and willful ignorance found in the German characters in the book, as well as the reality that some actually did try in some fashion to help the Jews around them. Not enough, some would rightly argue, but even some small measure of help may have saved a few lives, or rendered those lives marginally less difficult. I found Ashes in the Snow to be not only an intriguing story, but also a though-provoking look at people living under the Nazi regime. This is not a book for those looking for a sanitized read; violence and gore are to be found between the covers, as they were in the camp itself. Readers of books like Robert Harris’ Fatherland, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief and Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series will likely find this novel of interest, as would any who like a well-crafted mystery and have an interest in Germany in the last days of the Nazis. Many thanks to NetGalley and to HarperVia and HarperCollins Publishers for an advanced reader’s copy of Ashes in the Snow, as well as to Oriana Ramunno and Katherine Gregor, who translated the novel from the Italian.
November 7, 2023
Part mystery, part Historical Fiction; this book had me turning pages as quickly as I could. Ramunno holds nothing back in her descriptive tale of a detective investigating a murder of one of the doctors in Auschwitz's 10 block. A block dedicated to experimentation, including the office of Dr Mengele - the Angel of Death - whose obsession with twins and genetics was truly sickening.
Detective Hugo had hoped none of the horrifying rumors circulating in Berlin about Auschwitz was true; but the more time he spends in the camp, the more horrors he encounters.
This book was well written, and excellently paced.
Detective Hugo had hoped none of the horrifying rumors circulating in Berlin about Auschwitz was true; but the more time he spends in the camp, the more horrors he encounters.
This book was well written, and excellently paced.
October 17, 2022
Thanks to #NetGalley and Harper Fiction for an advanced copy of this book to read and review.
With the setting being in the concentration camp of Auschwitz/ Birkenau this is not a light hearted easy read. But in the bleakest times there are rays of hope and some goodness.
Hugo Fischer has been sent to investigate the death of a camp doctor. The irony that his death needs to be investigated, when thousands are being murdered daily without thought is not lost on Fischer.
His investigation is helped by one of the twins that Dr Mengele has taken an interest in. A bright, intelligent child with a great artistic skill provides much insight and detail to camp life. He winds his way into Fischers heart and the thought of what is going to happen to him pulls at his heartstrings.
This book portrays elements of the stark, horrific daily suffering which can not be fully understood without having experienced it. To me though, it gave me pause for thought and gave an angle to read about that I haven’t come across in many WW2 fiction books. It made me think about those that wore the Nazi uniform and consider there were some that were there to work against this evil.
To say I enjoyed this story would be wrong as it is one of the worst things to have happened, yet the writing was good, the portrayal of matters was done in a way to bring it to life and give a glimpse into the atrocities.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes WW2 fiction and also those who like murder mysteries.
With the setting being in the concentration camp of Auschwitz/ Birkenau this is not a light hearted easy read. But in the bleakest times there are rays of hope and some goodness.
Hugo Fischer has been sent to investigate the death of a camp doctor. The irony that his death needs to be investigated, when thousands are being murdered daily without thought is not lost on Fischer.
His investigation is helped by one of the twins that Dr Mengele has taken an interest in. A bright, intelligent child with a great artistic skill provides much insight and detail to camp life. He winds his way into Fischers heart and the thought of what is going to happen to him pulls at his heartstrings.
This book portrays elements of the stark, horrific daily suffering which can not be fully understood without having experienced it. To me though, it gave me pause for thought and gave an angle to read about that I haven’t come across in many WW2 fiction books. It made me think about those that wore the Nazi uniform and consider there were some that were there to work against this evil.
To say I enjoyed this story would be wrong as it is one of the worst things to have happened, yet the writing was good, the portrayal of matters was done in a way to bring it to life and give a glimpse into the atrocities.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes WW2 fiction and also those who like murder mysteries.
June 10, 2024
Thank you Harper Audio for allowing me to read and review Ashes in the Snow on NetGalley.
Published: 09/05/23
Narrator: Saul Reichlin
Stars: 3
My rating reflects my feelings -- I didn't understand throughout the story who the main character really worked for. This changes the approach. Rather than focusing on the mystery and all that followed, I was fixated on solving a logic problem written in words with multiple meanings (to, two, too).
There are scenes beautifully written and scenes that are written so well that while gut wrenching they are not graphic. There are things done in this book I have never read in any other. A couple actions changed me.
The story moves slowly a lot of the time. This is not a speed reading novel. It is a tale best read respectfully.
The narrator was okay. It took me a while to get used to him. In the end, I think his style works.
I recommend this to mature adults.
Published: 09/05/23
Narrator: Saul Reichlin
Stars: 3
My rating reflects my feelings -- I didn't understand throughout the story who the main character really worked for. This changes the approach. Rather than focusing on the mystery and all that followed, I was fixated on solving a logic problem written in words with multiple meanings (to, two, too).
There are scenes beautifully written and scenes that are written so well that while gut wrenching they are not graphic. There are things done in this book I have never read in any other. A couple actions changed me.
The story moves slowly a lot of the time. This is not a speed reading novel. It is a tale best read respectfully.
The narrator was okay. It took me a while to get used to him. In the end, I think his style works.
I recommend this to mature adults.
March 12, 2024
Very intense, graphic and gripping description of concentraction camps and the life in them. Also good story for the murder.
August 21, 2024
This was a hard read, but I couldn’t put it down.
December 31, 2022
I have read many well written books on the Holocaust but nothing prepared me for the horror of the opening chapter in this read which set the tone for the entire book, redeeming the course of events only at the end. My last book for 2022 has indeed made an impact that will stay for a very long time. It is impossible for most people to comprehend the cruelty any human can impose on another. Nazi Germany did just that, the worst criminal mass murder in modern times.
Hugo Fischer, a forensic criminologist, has been brought in to investigate the death of a prominent doctor in the medical experiments section of the Auschwitz camp. However he has arrived at the wrong section of the station where trains are being unloaded of their cargo, human cargo, Jewish people who at this stage are totally unaware that all their possessions will become redundant for them and will fill the German coffers of all things valuable. One mother refuses to give up her valise, urging the young SS Officer that it contains her baby's clothes. When the fuss comes to the attention of a senior Sturmbannführer his reaction is one that only a nightmare can produce, when his gun becomes jammed with the baby now lying on the snow,.....three times! "the heel of his boot tore down furiously on the baby with a sound that gradually became softer and more liquid"......"Now the suitcase is not a problem anymore….the SS Officer said mockingly".
Obersturmführer Tristan Voigt acting for Kommandant Liebehenschnell the instigator of the investigation request meets Hugo Fischer at the Judenrampe and not the freight yard as was organised. Hugo, still in shock at what he had just witnessed, only just manages to gather his thoughts in time for an appropriate answer at the awaiting car. He recalls the warning given by his boss not to make comment on any of the operations at Auschwitz, this is reinforced by Tristan Voigt.
Highly respected Nazi officer Dr Braun, a paediatrician specialising in genetic diseases was found dead in his office, after hours, seemingly by choking but Hugo's job is to prove this, or, that the doctor had been murdered and if so, by whom. Tristan reveals that a nurse Berto Hoffman has been detained and imprisoned as a suspect for Dr Braun's death, given certain discoveries and previous remarks made by Hoffman. However, right from the start Hugo realises that if it was murder and the crime scene interfered with and cleaned up any possible evidence has been destroyed that even with an autopsy his job is going to be difficult. Hugo has his own demons, he is not a well person, his excuse is that he suffers from the effects of polio but this isn't correct and in fact he hides his real medical complaint knowing that he could be considered 'imperfect'. He also has a terrible guilt for his own cowardice in the past and reflects that he was like many Germans that didn't understand the real threat that was now being unleashed by the Nazis. At his meeting with Kommandant Liebehenschnell it is explained to Hugo that he is reluctant to put Berto Hoffman in front of a firing squad for Braun's murder without proof.
Hugo becomes friendly with quite obviously a child prodigy, Gioele, protected by Dr Menegel (who needs no clarification for his experiments on twins). Gioele is a twin but he differs greatly from his twin brother who doesn't have the same gifted mind. He gives Hugo well defined drawings of the crime scene, Gioele being the first one to discover the body. Hugo's investigations become complicated and it comes to light that so much more is going on in the camp, initially hidden from Hugo until finally he is able to piece all the evidence together which in turn puts his life in jeopardy. Finally, with the truth of events being revealed to him his cowardice leaving, he braves up to save one small boy.
Hugo Fischer, a forensic criminologist, has been brought in to investigate the death of a prominent doctor in the medical experiments section of the Auschwitz camp. However he has arrived at the wrong section of the station where trains are being unloaded of their cargo, human cargo, Jewish people who at this stage are totally unaware that all their possessions will become redundant for them and will fill the German coffers of all things valuable. One mother refuses to give up her valise, urging the young SS Officer that it contains her baby's clothes. When the fuss comes to the attention of a senior Sturmbannführer his reaction is one that only a nightmare can produce, when his gun becomes jammed with the baby now lying on the snow,.....three times! "the heel of his boot tore down furiously on the baby with a sound that gradually became softer and more liquid"......"Now the suitcase is not a problem anymore….the SS Officer said mockingly".
Obersturmführer Tristan Voigt acting for Kommandant Liebehenschnell the instigator of the investigation request meets Hugo Fischer at the Judenrampe and not the freight yard as was organised. Hugo, still in shock at what he had just witnessed, only just manages to gather his thoughts in time for an appropriate answer at the awaiting car. He recalls the warning given by his boss not to make comment on any of the operations at Auschwitz, this is reinforced by Tristan Voigt.
Highly respected Nazi officer Dr Braun, a paediatrician specialising in genetic diseases was found dead in his office, after hours, seemingly by choking but Hugo's job is to prove this, or, that the doctor had been murdered and if so, by whom. Tristan reveals that a nurse Berto Hoffman has been detained and imprisoned as a suspect for Dr Braun's death, given certain discoveries and previous remarks made by Hoffman. However, right from the start Hugo realises that if it was murder and the crime scene interfered with and cleaned up any possible evidence has been destroyed that even with an autopsy his job is going to be difficult. Hugo has his own demons, he is not a well person, his excuse is that he suffers from the effects of polio but this isn't correct and in fact he hides his real medical complaint knowing that he could be considered 'imperfect'. He also has a terrible guilt for his own cowardice in the past and reflects that he was like many Germans that didn't understand the real threat that was now being unleashed by the Nazis. At his meeting with Kommandant Liebehenschnell it is explained to Hugo that he is reluctant to put Berto Hoffman in front of a firing squad for Braun's murder without proof.
Hugo becomes friendly with quite obviously a child prodigy, Gioele, protected by Dr Menegel (who needs no clarification for his experiments on twins). Gioele is a twin but he differs greatly from his twin brother who doesn't have the same gifted mind. He gives Hugo well defined drawings of the crime scene, Gioele being the first one to discover the body. Hugo's investigations become complicated and it comes to light that so much more is going on in the camp, initially hidden from Hugo until finally he is able to piece all the evidence together which in turn puts his life in jeopardy. Finally, with the truth of events being revealed to him his cowardice leaving, he braves up to save one small boy.
October 7, 2021
Ci fu un singolo evento capace di creare una vivida immagine infernale nella coscienza di chi gli è sopravvissuto, tanto quanto chi ancora oggi lo ricorda o cerca, nella posizione privilegiata di chi mai ha dovuto subire tali atrocità, di conservarne la memoria: quell’evento è l’Olocausto. Il fallimento della civiltà umana, il compimento di una lunga discesa negli abissi condotta da uomini malvagi, eppure essenzialmente banali, uomini come noi che da un giorno all’altro divennero crudeli assassini. Quando la violenza è interiorizzata, assimilata e infine giustificata nel nome di un qualsiasi bene superiore, reale o presunto, solo allora si diventa capaci di tutto.
Il Bambino Che Disegnava Le Ombre non offre solo un interessante romanzo investigativo nella cornice dell’epoca più buia della storia umana. Non è solo un’opera ben scritta, con uno stile coeso, maturo, incalzante e spietato come le vicende trattate. No, Il Bambino Che Disegnava Le Ombre è prima di tutto l’analisi di quando l’uomo perse sé stesso abbracciando il male e la barbarie. Ciò che in molti non sanno è che a Berlino, di quel piano freddo, metodico e sistematico per perpetrare lo sterminio di un intero popolo, in pochi ne conoscevano le reali dimensioni. Ciò che s’intuiva succedesse agli ebrei catturati era un mistero persino per una parte di coloro che vestirono la svastica sul braccio. Ed è questa la situazione nella quale si ritrova il protagonista, l’investigatore Hugo Fischer. Non aspettatevi il classico eroe detective schierato sempre dalla parte del bene, pronto a prendere il male di petto e a combatterlo. Hugo Fischer è un uomo vittima dei suoi tempi, dipendente dalla morfina, che avrà modo ben presto di conoscere come non esista solo la sua personale ed egoistica sofferenza data dalla dipendenza, e che la realtà filtrata attraverso la propaganda di regime serve a insabbiare un vero e proprio orrore metodico, inflitto da esseri umani ad altri esseri umani.
Non è una lettura semplice. Lo stile è secco, diretto, e pur equilibrando parti più morbide e descrittive con parti più serrate, specie nei dialoghi, non riesce a far scivolare via di dosso una sensazione di pesantezza e mestizia che solo i romanzi scritti bene, e nello specifico i romanzi sull’Olocausto, riescono a trasmettere. Ogni pagina trasuda l’angoscia, il senso di prigionia, la dannazione nella quale tutti navigano e nella quale tutti, equamente, affogano. Un investigatore gravemente malato e dipendente dalla morfina che viene mandato in un campo di concentramento (Auschwitz-Birkenau) a indagare sulla morte di un pediatra fortemente legato all’Angelo Della Morte, ovvero Josef Mengele, e per farlo dovrà rapportarsi ad un bambino, Gioele, di origini ebraiche, il quale ha tratteggiato alla perfezione la scena del delitto grazie alla sua incredibile memoria fotografica e al suo talento nel disegno, con tutto ciò che consegue il vivere anche solo per poche settimane, o alcuni mesi, all’interno di un inferno simile. Riuscite a vedere uno spiraglio di luce in questa trama? Io no, e dalla prima all’ultima pagina mi sono sentita scioccata, rapita dalla vicenda e al tempo stesso spaventata per ciò che stavo leggendo.
Questo è un libro che va letto. Trovate la forza nel farlo e non ne rimarrete delusi. Fatelo per non dimenticare, fatelo per riuscire ad elaborare quell’ombra sulla storia umana chiamata Shoah e che ancora oggi non è stata metabolizzata.
Il Bambino Che Disegnava Le Ombre non offre solo un interessante romanzo investigativo nella cornice dell’epoca più buia della storia umana. Non è solo un’opera ben scritta, con uno stile coeso, maturo, incalzante e spietato come le vicende trattate. No, Il Bambino Che Disegnava Le Ombre è prima di tutto l’analisi di quando l’uomo perse sé stesso abbracciando il male e la barbarie. Ciò che in molti non sanno è che a Berlino, di quel piano freddo, metodico e sistematico per perpetrare lo sterminio di un intero popolo, in pochi ne conoscevano le reali dimensioni. Ciò che s’intuiva succedesse agli ebrei catturati era un mistero persino per una parte di coloro che vestirono la svastica sul braccio. Ed è questa la situazione nella quale si ritrova il protagonista, l’investigatore Hugo Fischer. Non aspettatevi il classico eroe detective schierato sempre dalla parte del bene, pronto a prendere il male di petto e a combatterlo. Hugo Fischer è un uomo vittima dei suoi tempi, dipendente dalla morfina, che avrà modo ben presto di conoscere come non esista solo la sua personale ed egoistica sofferenza data dalla dipendenza, e che la realtà filtrata attraverso la propaganda di regime serve a insabbiare un vero e proprio orrore metodico, inflitto da esseri umani ad altri esseri umani.
Non è una lettura semplice. Lo stile è secco, diretto, e pur equilibrando parti più morbide e descrittive con parti più serrate, specie nei dialoghi, non riesce a far scivolare via di dosso una sensazione di pesantezza e mestizia che solo i romanzi scritti bene, e nello specifico i romanzi sull’Olocausto, riescono a trasmettere. Ogni pagina trasuda l’angoscia, il senso di prigionia, la dannazione nella quale tutti navigano e nella quale tutti, equamente, affogano. Un investigatore gravemente malato e dipendente dalla morfina che viene mandato in un campo di concentramento (Auschwitz-Birkenau) a indagare sulla morte di un pediatra fortemente legato all’Angelo Della Morte, ovvero Josef Mengele, e per farlo dovrà rapportarsi ad un bambino, Gioele, di origini ebraiche, il quale ha tratteggiato alla perfezione la scena del delitto grazie alla sua incredibile memoria fotografica e al suo talento nel disegno, con tutto ciò che consegue il vivere anche solo per poche settimane, o alcuni mesi, all’interno di un inferno simile. Riuscite a vedere uno spiraglio di luce in questa trama? Io no, e dalla prima all’ultima pagina mi sono sentita scioccata, rapita dalla vicenda e al tempo stesso spaventata per ciò che stavo leggendo.
Questo è un libro che va letto. Trovate la forza nel farlo e non ne rimarrete delusi. Fatelo per non dimenticare, fatelo per riuscire ad elaborare quell’ombra sulla storia umana chiamata Shoah e che ancora oggi non è stata metabolizzata.
January 26, 2022
Benvenuti fanciulli in questa nuova recensione dedicata alla giornata della memoria, reduce dalla lettura più idonea per respirare e ricordare cosa abbiamo studiato a scuola e cosa, ancora oggi, porta il marchio di un passato da dimenticare. Non si tratta di un libro impostato come documentario storico, anzi l’obiettivo primario dell’autrice è tutt’altro. Consapevole del “peso” indicato da questa storia, Oriana ha saputo rispettare, mostrare e descrivere quello che noi possiamo solo lontanamente immaginare e percepire ogni singolo battito presente senza l’uso di grosse parole. Il bambino che disegnava le ombre ha saputo toccare le corde più nascoste e sono certa, sarà fonte di riflessione per tutti noi.
Prima di introdurre l’opera, vi annuncio che ogni nozione personale sull’argomento, si ferma al mero studio scolastico e confermo la mancanza di serie documentazioni in merito da parte mia. Questo sottolinea la mia inesperienza e volontà di scoprire nuove prospettive. Motivo per il quale ho accettato senza pensarci troppo, la collaborazione con Oriana, rimarcando queste mie mancanze e avendo il benestare di un’autrice che ha saputo accettare il parere della persona più neutrale. Appunto prettamente dedicato alle persone più empatiche: prendete tanti fazzoletti, perché le lacrime usciranno da sole.
Recensione completa sul blog: http://unteconlapalma.com/?p=32816
Prima di introdurre l’opera, vi annuncio che ogni nozione personale sull’argomento, si ferma al mero studio scolastico e confermo la mancanza di serie documentazioni in merito da parte mia. Questo sottolinea la mia inesperienza e volontà di scoprire nuove prospettive. Motivo per il quale ho accettato senza pensarci troppo, la collaborazione con Oriana, rimarcando queste mie mancanze e avendo il benestare di un’autrice che ha saputo accettare il parere della persona più neutrale. Appunto prettamente dedicato alle persone più empatiche: prendete tanti fazzoletti, perché le lacrime usciranno da sole.
Recensione completa sul blog: http://unteconlapalma.com/?p=32816
February 21, 2023
An interesting story set during WWII in Aushwitz concentration camp. At the heart of the story is the murder of a German doctor, which must be solved. As the investigation continues a more interesting story presents itself, that of a German view inside this camp and it is different that what you would expect.
A story both unsettling and hopeful.
A story both unsettling and hopeful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews