We first meet Lore in Judge Brodbeck's court after WW II. Her husband wants a divorce. After all, Lore had a child with another man. No matter that she was a prisoner in a concentration camp at the time. Judge Brodbeck senses Lore has a story to tell. He is right. THE CHILD WHO LIVED, by Ellie Midwood, tells the story of Lore and the other women who were imprisoned in Mauthausen. In this work of historical fiction, Lore is a fictional character who is a composite of actual prisoners. The historical events depicted in the story are based on facts. The series of events that led to Lore's imprisonment and to her becoming a sex slave are inconceivable, but they did happen. Amidst the horror of the hell she finds herself in comes an unexpected love and a pregnancy. What are the chances any of them can survive?
Expertly crafted, the story is told in dual timelines. Graphicly described are the unimaginable acts of inhumanity the SS inflicted upon the prisoners. But somehow Lore and the rest of the brothel workers form a sisterhood and what they were able to achieve just before perhaps one of the most famous prison escapes ever is nothing short of remarkable.
THE CHILD WHO LIVED is an important story for a number of reasons. One in particular is that it brings forward a topic not often discussed and that is the sexual crimes committed during war. This is a gripping, profound and memorable story about the will to survive and never giving up hope. Highly recommended.
Inspired by true events, this powerful World War Two novel tells the incredible and inspirational tale of two ordinary people who risk everything to achieve the impossible: bringing new life into a death camp.As Lore is pushed through the towering gates of Mauthausen concentration camp, she holds little hope of ever leaving. After being caught using her position as a typist for the SS to try and save her Jewish friends, she is now considered an enemy of the state. Lore knows that for those who commit treason, death is usually the only way out.But soon, when Lore meets political prisoner Wolf, his burning desire for freedom and unshakable faith in justice ignites a flicker of hope deep inside her heart. Together, they commit the ultimate act of resistance against the brutal SS by falling desperately in love. And when Lore falls pregnant, they know they must not only fight to survive, but plan to escape.After secretly giving birth in her barracks, Lore’s heart shatters as she hands her miracle baby over to Wolf, knowing she is too weak to join them. Through tears and whispered promises to meet again, Wolf steps back into the darkness, and Lore is left questioning if any of them will survive, and if they do, will they ever find each another again?
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