“Making plans is a game. Life chooses for you.”
Four women are waiting to make a new life for themselves after surviving the horrors of being Jewish in Europe during World War II. They have left their home continent to live in the new state of Israel. Without identity papers, they are stuck in a camp for illegal immigrants called Atlit, run by British soldiers. Life is better than it was before, but living in another camp has them yearning for more.
Day After Nightwas the Online Book Club book choice for August. I have read Anita Diamant’s book The Red Tentand The Boston Girl. I really enjoyed The Red Tent, but thought The Boston Girlwas not very exciting. Day After Nightlooked very interesting and I love historical fiction. I was not disappointed.
Day After Nighttells the four women’s stories in Atlit waiting to be released to live their lives in Israel. Flashbacks are intertwined to let the readers know what each suffered through and how each woman survived. In Atlit, they form friendship and have time to face the past in their own ways. Shayndel was a fighter and saw war up close. Leonie was forced to serve Germans in a brothel. Zorah was taken to Auschwitz. Tedi hid with a family who abused her. They all lost people they loved and are trying not to lose parts of their souls – but they need to leave Atlit. A plan begins to form to leave …
Any lover of historical fiction will love this book. It isn’t easy to read the girls’ accounts of the suffering they faced, but it is a part of history that must not be forgotten. The book is for adult readers as there is rape, violence and death. The most fascinating part of the book is learning about Atlit and how survivors of death camps were then put in another camp before they could move on with their lives.
What is your favorite historical fiction book? Share on the blog!