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The Light in Hidden Places
One knock at the door, and Stefania has a choice to make...
It is 1943, and for four years, sixteen-year-old Stefania has been working for the Diamant family in their grocery store in Przemsyl, Poland, singing her way into their lives and hearts. She has even made a promise to one of their sons, Izio -- a betrothal they must keep secret since she is Catholic and the Diamants are Jewish.
But everything changes when the German army invades Przemsyl. The Diamants are forced into the ghetto, and Stefania is alone in an occupied city, the only one left to care for Helena, her six-year-old sister. And then comes the knock at the door. Izio's brother Max has jumped from the train headed to a death camp. Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide Max, and eventually twelve more Jews. Then they must wait, every day, for the next knock at the door, the one that will mean death. When the knock finally comes, it is two Nazi officers, requisitioning Stefania's house for the German army.
With two Nazis below, thirteen hidden Jews above, and a little sister by her side, Stefania has one more excruciating choice to make.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2020
2070 people are currently reading
60581 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Cameron
23 books2,116 followersSharon Cameron was awarded the 2009 Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for her debut novel, The Dark Unwinding. When not writing Sharon can be found thumbing dusty tomes, shooting her longbow, or indulging in her lifelong search for secret passages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,739 reviews
January 23, 2022
Another great WWII story. ❤️ It’s incredibly frustrating to read about this time in our world history. Such horrible crimes of hate is so hard to understand. 💔 I’m glad that there were some amazing souls who found courage to help others survive, without regret. 😍 We can all learn from these amazing heroes example of human decency. ✌️🌎
October 23, 2023
Stunning story!
In the early 2000s, there was a film I began watching when it was already fairly advanced into the plot and whose title I never caught, but that stayed with me for decades. The story was about a Polish Catholic teenager and her child sister hiding Jews in their house's attic, and because it was already near the end, I never found out how the situation had come to be, what had motivated the girl to risk her life and her sister's to shelter these hunted people, but I did retain two scenes in particular: when the child sister goes to the ghetto's barbed wire fence, is caught with a note in her hand, and desperately swallows it to prevent the German guard from reading it, then is beaten for it but escapes; and the second, when the teenage sister is persistently pursued by an unwanted suitor and has to invent a liaison with a handsome SS soldier to drive the suitor away by placing a photo of the German where he can see it, get all worked up, and leave in a huff. I also recalled there was a happy ending, and not much else.
But I never forgot the name of the girl in the film. She was Stefania Podgórska, and the child was her baby sister Helena.
Stefania & Helena Podgórska circa 1942, when they had started helping Jews in the ghetto.
The two girls in 1944, when they had saved thirteen Jews.
The film, I know at last and thanks to the author of this novel, was entitled Hidden in Silence. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Sharon Cameron had also watched the same film and it was the reason she felt compelled to research further and write about the Podgórska sisters. It's because of her that I now know so much more about these brave girls, so many things the film doesn't show, details that weren't known. Because although the two Podgórskas have been honoured as Righteous Amongst the Nations and their story is all over the world in film, interviews (Stefania even went to Oprah!), documentaries, history books, etc., we do not have the story from Stefania's own hand. Or Helena's, for that matter. So there's a lot of details missing.
Not anymore, because Sharon Cameron managed to get access to Stefania's unpublished memoirs with the gracious assistance of her son, and also talked to Helena, who is still alive. And talked with some of the survivors & family that are still around, too. With such wealth of first-hand information, you can be sure that you'll get an accurate and full account of events.
The novel starts with Stefania as a child, laying the ground for why she moved out of the farm and into the city of Przemysl where she'd first start working for a Jewish family at their grocery shop, and would then become a heroine down the road. She was sixteen when the city was bombed, run over by the Wehrmacht, and the Jews corralled in the ghetto, the family she'd grown so fond of amongst them. She immediately started helping them by smuggling food into the ghetto for them, but the situation got too complicated when liquidations started in 1943, and she had to think of a way to save the remaining members of the Diamant family plus a few others. On top of that, she had to take charge of her abandoned baby sister.
But Fusia, as she was nicknamed, managed it. Oh, how she managed! It's miraculous how she was able to hide thirteen Jews in total, some of which didn't even bother with the basic courtesy of asking her first. And she managed it in spite of the SS living next door, the Gestapo forcing her to board German nurses at her home, having the local police after her, having to dodge German soldiers looking for girls to have "fun" with, starvation, not having enough money, dealing with black market sellers, nosy neighbours, inopportune friends, and even a medical experiment à la Mengele you'll have to read to believe... So many dangers, so many near escapes! It keeps you guessing what's next, even when you already know the story in broad strokes. You'll still learn new things, you'll still suffer.
Cameron's writing style is crisp and simple, with short phrases and straight to the point. You won't find elaborate passages nor exquisite prose to drool over. It's all succinct, and told from the heart, in first person. It's easy to read, and you breeze through the pages without noticing. Some find it difficult, but to me it's easy.
I also appreciated the Author's Note at the end, where Cameron names her sources and talks about the writing process, including pictures as well as the fate of the people post-novel. I can only wish that one day, the heirs of Stefania see fit to publish her memoirs, because her story and Helena's is incredible! As far as I know, only one girl, an Ukrainian, is younger than Helena amongst the Holocaust rescuers honoured by Israel as Righteous Amongst the Nations, which tells you just how remarkable the little girl was. But until the memoirs are published, do read this novel for the full account!
Thanks to Edelweiss and the author for the ARC I received in exchange for a review.
_____________________
October 2023 update: I love this story so much, Fusia Podgórska is my hero and one of my favourite people I've ever read about. I love her so much that I asked my fiancé to buy a copy of this book for my sister as a birthday gift earlier this month. Cub, you'll be immensely happy to hear that, right now, sis got into the wee hours of the night reading this on Sunday and is still reading the book and so engrossed she's ignoring me and the world.
In the early 2000s, there was a film I began watching when it was already fairly advanced into the plot and whose title I never caught, but that stayed with me for decades. The story was about a Polish Catholic teenager and her child sister hiding Jews in their house's attic, and because it was already near the end, I never found out how the situation had come to be, what had motivated the girl to risk her life and her sister's to shelter these hunted people, but I did retain two scenes in particular: when the child sister goes to the ghetto's barbed wire fence, is caught with a note in her hand, and desperately swallows it to prevent the German guard from reading it, then is beaten for it but escapes; and the second, when the teenage sister is persistently pursued by an unwanted suitor and has to invent a liaison with a handsome SS soldier to drive the suitor away by placing a photo of the German where he can see it, get all worked up, and leave in a huff. I also recalled there was a happy ending, and not much else.
But I never forgot the name of the girl in the film. She was Stefania Podgórska, and the child was her baby sister Helena.
Stefania & Helena Podgórska circa 1942, when they had started helping Jews in the ghetto.
The two girls in 1944, when they had saved thirteen Jews.
The film, I know at last and thanks to the author of this novel, was entitled Hidden in Silence. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Sharon Cameron had also watched the same film and it was the reason she felt compelled to research further and write about the Podgórska sisters. It's because of her that I now know so much more about these brave girls, so many things the film doesn't show, details that weren't known. Because although the two Podgórskas have been honoured as Righteous Amongst the Nations and their story is all over the world in film, interviews (Stefania even went to Oprah!), documentaries, history books, etc., we do not have the story from Stefania's own hand. Or Helena's, for that matter. So there's a lot of details missing.
Not anymore, because Sharon Cameron managed to get access to Stefania's unpublished memoirs with the gracious assistance of her son, and also talked to Helena, who is still alive. And talked with some of the survivors & family that are still around, too. With such wealth of first-hand information, you can be sure that you'll get an accurate and full account of events.
The novel starts with Stefania as a child, laying the ground for why she moved out of the farm and into the city of Przemysl where she'd first start working for a Jewish family at their grocery shop, and would then become a heroine down the road. She was sixteen when the city was bombed, run over by the Wehrmacht, and the Jews corralled in the ghetto, the family she'd grown so fond of amongst them. She immediately started helping them by smuggling food into the ghetto for them, but the situation got too complicated when liquidations started in 1943, and she had to think of a way to save the remaining members of the Diamant family plus a few others. On top of that, she had to take charge of her abandoned baby sister.
But Fusia, as she was nicknamed, managed it. Oh, how she managed! It's miraculous how she was able to hide thirteen Jews in total, some of which didn't even bother with the basic courtesy of asking her first. And she managed it in spite of the SS living next door, the Gestapo forcing her to board German nurses at her home, having the local police after her, having to dodge German soldiers looking for girls to have "fun" with, starvation, not having enough money, dealing with black market sellers, nosy neighbours, inopportune friends, and even a medical experiment à la Mengele you'll have to read to believe... So many dangers, so many near escapes! It keeps you guessing what's next, even when you already know the story in broad strokes. You'll still learn new things, you'll still suffer.
Cameron's writing style is crisp and simple, with short phrases and straight to the point. You won't find elaborate passages nor exquisite prose to drool over. It's all succinct, and told from the heart, in first person. It's easy to read, and you breeze through the pages without noticing. Some find it difficult, but to me it's easy.
I also appreciated the Author's Note at the end, where Cameron names her sources and talks about the writing process, including pictures as well as the fate of the people post-novel. I can only wish that one day, the heirs of Stefania see fit to publish her memoirs, because her story and Helena's is incredible! As far as I know, only one girl, an Ukrainian, is younger than Helena amongst the Holocaust rescuers honoured by Israel as Righteous Amongst the Nations, which tells you just how remarkable the little girl was. But until the memoirs are published, do read this novel for the full account!
Thanks to Edelweiss and the author for the ARC I received in exchange for a review.
_____________________
October 2023 update: I love this story so much, Fusia Podgórska is my hero and one of my favourite people I've ever read about. I love her so much that I asked my fiancé to buy a copy of this book for my sister as a birthday gift earlier this month. Cub, you'll be immensely happy to hear that, right now, sis got into the wee hours of the night reading this on Sunday and is still reading the book and so engrossed she's ignoring me and the world.
Want to read
July 6, 2019the problem with loving books is that, no matter how many I clear off my tbr, I always find at least twice as many to replace the ones I've cleared
January 30, 2020
This is one of the rare times I'm going to recommend a book even though I didn't particularly care for the writing. I've read many World War 2 historical fiction books, and for whatever reason I just found this to be an uneven reading experience. All of the other reviews I have read for this book so far have been positive so take my opinions with a grain of salt. It might just be this wasn't the book for me and that's okay. It happens from time to time.
This is a historical fiction book about Polish teenager Stefania Podgorska who hid thirteen Jews in her attic during World War 2. Even though I had a hard time getting into a good flow of reading, I'm still glad I read this book as Stefania's story was fascinating. The Author's Note at the end of the book gave updates for many of the people featured in the book. It was interesting to read how this book came together and for those who might be wondering this is definitely more of a fact based historical fiction book rather than one that is just loosely based on a person or event. It's obvious the author did as much research as possible in order to get Stefania's story out there and I am thankful I had the opportunity to learn about her and her heroic efforts.
I won a free advance copy of this book in a IreadYA giveaway. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinions.
This is a historical fiction book about Polish teenager Stefania Podgorska who hid thirteen Jews in her attic during World War 2. Even though I had a hard time getting into a good flow of reading, I'm still glad I read this book as Stefania's story was fascinating. The Author's Note at the end of the book gave updates for many of the people featured in the book. It was interesting to read how this book came together and for those who might be wondering this is definitely more of a fact based historical fiction book rather than one that is just loosely based on a person or event. It's obvious the author did as much research as possible in order to get Stefania's story out there and I am thankful I had the opportunity to learn about her and her heroic efforts.
I won a free advance copy of this book in a IreadYA giveaway. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinions.
January 31, 2022
This story was amazing. A wonderful YA story. HF but based on true events. The ending was the best part. I imagine this is how true freedom feels!
Book was long and slow but in the end so very worth it.
Book was long and slow but in the end so very worth it.
March 3, 2024
࿔*:･ﾟ ❝We're always living days we can never get back. So we make new ones.❞ ･ﾟ:･*࿔
I'm absolutely blown away by this book; even more so than I was the first time I read it. I'm blown away by stefania podgórska and everything she stood for and everything she did. I'm blown away once again by the sheer horror of how the jews were treated during wwII, something that no humans should have to go through. and I'm blown away by sharon cameron, her talent and tact at crafting such a meticulously researched and beautiful story. sharon cameron, it seems, understood stefania on a personal level. It truly felt like I was reading a diary or a memoir.
࿔*:･ﾟ ❝The world is beautiful, but people make it ugly.❞ ･ﾟ:･*࿔
imagine that you are living in a small apartment with an SS officer next door and two Nazi nurses sharing one of your two bedrooms. every day when you walk to work you see more officers, and occasionally you'll see the blue body of someone who was hanged for hiding jews. you constantly pass signs describing what will be done to jew sympathizers. your Nazi nurses are extremely annoyed by the rats in your attic.
except they aren't rats. You are hiding thirteen jews in your tiny attic, and you could be caught and shot through the head at any second.
such is the horror and fear that stefania podgórska experienced every day, at every second. It's a wonder she didn't buckle and break under the pressure; I certainly would have. and it's even more of a wonder how many close calls she somehow emerged from mostly unscathed. God had His hand on her, guiding her, and protecting her so she could save thirteen of His people.
࿔*:･ﾟ ❝It was wrong to paint all men the same color. Whether they were Jewish or Polish. Or even German.❞ ･ﾟ:･*࿔
someone without a bone of writing talent in their body could write about this and I would be mesmerized; the story is simply so astounding. But sharon cameron is one of the most talented authors I have read, and she tells this story better than I imagine anyone else could. every minute detail was researched and perfected by reading stefania's secret memoir and talking to people who knew stefania personally. stefania podgórska is the definition of a hidden hero in history, but this novel brings her story to light in a beautiful way. The Light in Hidden Places is a book that I think everyone should read, even if historical fiction isn't your preferred genre or even if you hardly ever read, because it's a story everyone should know.
࿔*:･ﾟ ❝The sky is is full and bright above us, shining down in all the hidden places. Because somehow, in some way, we are alive.❞ ･ﾟ:･*࿔
February 23, 2020
In the style of Ruta Septys, Cameron takes on a lesser known angle of history. Stefania Podgorska, a young Polish girl, risked every moment of her daily life to keep alive thirteen Jews during the Nazi occupation. Through Stefi’s eyes we are given hope in hopeless situations, a difficult thing to accomplish in a novel of WWII. Stefi wasn’t fearless, but she used her fear to drive herself and help others, and through those actions, her fear manifested as courage. With concise and affecting writing, Cameron reveals the light and goodness in people, in some of the darkest times of history.
February 14, 2021
I am not sure what is happening to me in the beginning months of 2021, but I am waving my 5 star wand around quite a bit. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, I am fairly certain that I have been holding my breath the entire time that I read this book. If I had a million dollars, every high school ELA classroom in my board would receive this book.
A historical fiction based on the true story of Polish sisters, Stefania and Helena Podgorska is going into that all time favorite read vault.
Goodreads review published 14/02/21
A historical fiction based on the true story of Polish sisters, Stefania and Helena Podgorska is going into that all time favorite read vault.
Goodreads review published 14/02/21
June 1, 2020
I'm speechless.
Despite the fact that the writing style was less than incredible, the story grabbed me by the throat and never let go. So, so heartbreaking to know this was based on a true story. And yet, that's why I'm sitting here speechless even now.
Because the bravery of these men and women in the face of such horror . . . that is something that will stick with me for a long time.
Please, let's never forget Stefania's story.
(Full review to come, perhaps.)
3.5 stars
Despite the fact that the writing style was less than incredible, the story grabbed me by the throat and never let go. So, so heartbreaking to know this was based on a true story. And yet, that's why I'm sitting here speechless even now.
Because the bravery of these men and women in the face of such horror . . . that is something that will stick with me for a long time.
Please, let's never forget Stefania's story.
(Full review to come, perhaps.)
3.5 stars
July 8, 2025
Istinita priča o sestrama koje su tijekom Drugoga svjetskoga rata od nacista skrivale trinaest Židova je toliko bila napeta da bih ju okarakterizirala kao neki napeti krimić. Nevjerojatna priča, nevjerojatna snaga, nepojmljiv i konstantan strah, stres, neljudski uvjeti za život, a ja ostala bez emocije. :-(
„Tuga se može pretvoriti u okrutnost.“
„Uvijek živimo dane koje nikada ne možemo vratiti. Tako stvaramo nove. To je sve.“
„Tuga se može pretvoriti u okrutnost.“
„Uvijek živimo dane koje nikada ne možemo vratiti. Tako stvaramo nove. To je sve.“
June 30, 2020
I cannot describe the emotions I had while reading this book. The bravery, strength, and sacrifice that stefania had is unlike anything I have ever read before. I've read many accounts from the perspective of Jewish people during WWII but never of a person that took it upon themselves to hide them. I have forever been touched by her story. I am so grateful that Sharon Cameron did so much work to gather all the information and put it in this book. It was utterly beautiful.
December 31, 2020
O carte foare emotionanta, dar dureroasa, despre Stefania, o adolescenta poloneza pe care al Doilea razboi mondial o gaseste angajata la familia Diamant, de care se ataseaza foarte mult. Doar ca ei sunt evrei si vor pierde totul in 1939, fiind o parte dusi in langare, o parte inchisi in ghetou. Dar Stefania nu se da batuta, devenind, fara intentie, o eroina, salvand viata a 13 evrei, trecand printr-un lung sir de suferinte, sacrificii si temeri. Alaturi de ea este sora ei mai mica, Helena, pe care o salveaza de la ferma parintilor dupa ce razboiul incepe. Cu fiecare capitol datat nu te gandesti decat la timpul care trebuie sa se mai scurga pentru a ajunge la capatul suferintelor. Deja prin 1942 se adunasera atatea suferinte incat abia asteptam sa ajunga la sfarsitul lui 1944. Cartea se bazeaza pe memoriile Stefaniei, majoritatea personajelor si evenimentelor sunt reale si documentate. Recomand audiobookul in engleza, este narat de o poloneza care a cunoscut-o pe Stefa in realitate, iar vocea ei da o nota in plus de autenticitate si emotie scriiturii.
July 8, 2022
THREE STARS
It was mid.
Review to come
It was mid.
Review to come
November 30, 2021
There was something about the writing style and storytelling style that I did not like. I was interested in this based on truth story though.
I simultaneously read the Kindle e-edition and the Overdrive audio edition, both borrowed from my public library.
The narration didn’t really work for me. It was useful for all the name & place pronunciations and pronunciations of the other Polish words but it was decreasing my reading pleasure. About 2/3 the way through the book I started reading the e-book only. I thought reading both editions simultaneously would be the most enjoyable way to read and do that often helps me focus & concentrate but even playing the audio on 1.5 time it slowed down my reading speed, and I’m not a fast reader. Mostly though I couldn’t stand the acting done by the narrator. Once I started just reading and stopped listening I enjoyed the book much more and was more inclined to want to pick it up and read it.
The based on true story is compelling. I had nightmares a few nights as I was reading. I decided to not take the stress and I researched the sisters and what they had done and its outcome. I wanted to know what had happened to all the people. There is a lot online about them, especially the two sisters. It’s hard to not put this on my non-fiction and biography and history shelves but it is a novel. I appreciated that at the end of the book the author includes a lot of information about what really happened during and after and also some photos. I had to go back and read it again, that I appreciate that the author does tell what became of everybody.
Reading just the words and ditching the audio (something I should have done from the start) I ended up really liking the book. The ending felt too abrupt to me even though I think how the events were portrayed were realistic and probably did happen that way and probably did feel that way to all involved.
This is an important story and I’m glad it’s told in this book. I’d like to read a non-fiction book about this woman, these sisters, all of these people and places.
3-1/2 stars, rounded up.
ETA: Bravery galore from the two sisters. What they did is almost unfathomable. There is bravery shown by many others too. I always have wondered if I would help others who needed this type of help and I’ve always wanted to be that kind of person but had my doubts if I would have the courage. I find inspiration (in general and for myself) in these sorts of stories. This one is a mostly true story.
I simultaneously read the Kindle e-edition and the Overdrive audio edition, both borrowed from my public library.
The narration didn’t really work for me. It was useful for all the name & place pronunciations and pronunciations of the other Polish words but it was decreasing my reading pleasure. About 2/3 the way through the book I started reading the e-book only. I thought reading both editions simultaneously would be the most enjoyable way to read and do that often helps me focus & concentrate but even playing the audio on 1.5 time it slowed down my reading speed, and I’m not a fast reader. Mostly though I couldn’t stand the acting done by the narrator. Once I started just reading and stopped listening I enjoyed the book much more and was more inclined to want to pick it up and read it.
The based on true story is compelling. I had nightmares a few nights as I was reading. I decided to not take the stress and I researched the sisters and what they had done and its outcome. I wanted to know what had happened to all the people. There is a lot online about them, especially the two sisters. It’s hard to not put this on my non-fiction and biography and history shelves but it is a novel. I appreciated that at the end of the book the author includes a lot of information about what really happened during and after and also some photos. I had to go back and read it again, that I appreciate that the author does tell what became of everybody.
Reading just the words and ditching the audio (something I should have done from the start) I ended up really liking the book. The ending felt too abrupt to me even though I think how the events were portrayed were realistic and probably did happen that way and probably did feel that way to all involved.
This is an important story and I’m glad it’s told in this book. I’d like to read a non-fiction book about this woman, these sisters, all of these people and places.
3-1/2 stars, rounded up.
ETA: Bravery galore from the two sisters. What they did is almost unfathomable. There is bravery shown by many others too. I always have wondered if I would help others who needed this type of help and I’ve always wanted to be that kind of person but had my doubts if I would have the courage. I find inspiration (in general and for myself) in these sorts of stories. This one is a mostly true story.
November 6, 2020
Opinião:
“Uma Luz na Escuridão” de Sharon Cameron é um livro e tanto!!! O nome da personagem principal ainda me ecoa não cabeça, tantas foram as vezes que pensei que ela não seria capaz de aguentar tal provação com apenas 16 anos!!
Sim, falo como se ela fosse real, e é!! Stefania existiu e escondeu num sótão 13 judeus, colocando em risco a sua vida e a da irmã de apenas 6 anos! Talvez seja por isso que toda a história me conquistou e arrepiou a cada página!!
A escrita da autora é de tal forma sensível e humana (parabéns também a quem traduziu!), que consegue de forma extraordinária uma ligação ao leitor desde o momento em que pegamos no livro!
É um relato emocionante, de amizade, esperança e coragem que infelizmente Stefania não chegou a ver publicado, vindo a falecer a 29 de setembro de 2018...
É um livro poderoso e inspirador, que merece sem dúvida 5 brilhantes estrelas!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Uma Luz na Escuridão” de Sharon Cameron é um livro e tanto!!! O nome da personagem principal ainda me ecoa não cabeça, tantas foram as vezes que pensei que ela não seria capaz de aguentar tal provação com apenas 16 anos!!
Sim, falo como se ela fosse real, e é!! Stefania existiu e escondeu num sótão 13 judeus, colocando em risco a sua vida e a da irmã de apenas 6 anos! Talvez seja por isso que toda a história me conquistou e arrepiou a cada página!!
A escrita da autora é de tal forma sensível e humana (parabéns também a quem traduziu!), que consegue de forma extraordinária uma ligação ao leitor desde o momento em que pegamos no livro!
É um relato emocionante, de amizade, esperança e coragem que infelizmente Stefania não chegou a ver publicado, vindo a falecer a 29 de setembro de 2018...
É um livro poderoso e inspirador, que merece sem dúvida 5 brilhantes estrelas!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 13, 2024
This book… this book holds a story that needs to be told.
July 15, 2020
I am a very self-controlled person, and I pride myself on being able to put a book down and go to bed. However, I stayed up until 4 AM to finish this one night, because it was so suspenseful that there was never a good stopping place. I kept going, desperate to know what happened next, and I can't even remember the last time that I have found a book to be so deeply engaging.
This WWII novel is based on a true story, and the author actually used less creative license than I had assumed, explaining in the author's note that she based this on an unpublished memoir and extensive interviews. This story about a young Polish woman's bravery to hide Jews is incredibly moving, and it is incredible how many obstacles she and the others endured. This is a powerful survival story, with strong characterization, a gripping first-person narration, and lots of meaningful social messages that are embedded within the story, rather than tacked on as a sermon. The writing style wasn't my preference, since it involves lots of fragmented sentences, but the story was so engaging that I was able to ignore it after a while, and the occasionally choppy writing worked for the level of stress and fear that the POV character was living under.
This book is both a thrilling novel and an extremely well-researched piece of history, and I recommend it to people who enjoy either. Readers who are not especially well-versed in or interested in Eastern European WWII history will still find this gripping, and people like me, who are very invested in this time period and care a lot about historical accuracy, will appreciate the author's attention to detail and correct portrayal.
Many aspects of this story made me think of the memoir In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. I recommend that people who like this novel check out that memoir, and vice versa. They are very different stories, but are about young women of similar ages who endured through extraordinary obstacles to save Jewish lives.
Also, one thing that I really appreciate about this book's afterword is that the author shared about what happened to the characters after the war, and mentioned their descendants as well. One thing that people often forget to take into account when considering stories like these is that the rescuers did not just save the lives of the people they hid. They also saved the future lives of their children and grandchildren, and of all the future generations that branch out on their family tree.
This book is incredible, and even though I waited months for the library to reopen before I was able to follow up on this recommendation from a coworker, it still wholly surpassed my excited expectations. This is so, so good, and I am very thankful that I got to read this at last.
This WWII novel is based on a true story, and the author actually used less creative license than I had assumed, explaining in the author's note that she based this on an unpublished memoir and extensive interviews. This story about a young Polish woman's bravery to hide Jews is incredibly moving, and it is incredible how many obstacles she and the others endured. This is a powerful survival story, with strong characterization, a gripping first-person narration, and lots of meaningful social messages that are embedded within the story, rather than tacked on as a sermon. The writing style wasn't my preference, since it involves lots of fragmented sentences, but the story was so engaging that I was able to ignore it after a while, and the occasionally choppy writing worked for the level of stress and fear that the POV character was living under.
This book is both a thrilling novel and an extremely well-researched piece of history, and I recommend it to people who enjoy either. Readers who are not especially well-versed in or interested in Eastern European WWII history will still find this gripping, and people like me, who are very invested in this time period and care a lot about historical accuracy, will appreciate the author's attention to detail and correct portrayal.
Many aspects of this story made me think of the memoir In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. I recommend that people who like this novel check out that memoir, and vice versa. They are very different stories, but are about young women of similar ages who endured through extraordinary obstacles to save Jewish lives.
Also, one thing that I really appreciate about this book's afterword is that the author shared about what happened to the characters after the war, and mentioned their descendants as well. One thing that people often forget to take into account when considering stories like these is that the rescuers did not just save the lives of the people they hid. They also saved the future lives of their children and grandchildren, and of all the future generations that branch out on their family tree.
This book is incredible, and even though I waited months for the library to reopen before I was able to follow up on this recommendation from a coworker, it still wholly surpassed my excited expectations. This is so, so good, and I am very thankful that I got to read this at last.
August 19, 2020
Holy. Frickin. Cow.
I don’t know what to say about this book that hasn’t already been said, but this is one of the most remarkable things I have read in a while. It has been so long since a book has gripped me body and soul and refused to let go. Every page I had to remind myself that this is a true story, that this act of heroism was committed by a girl not much older than myself. Stefania Podogórska is nothing short of a hero, and I guarantee you that her story is one of the most awe-inspiring ones that you will ever read about.
I don’t really know how to fully articulate what made this book so incredible but just know it has beautiful writing, magnificent characters, and fascinating (and factual) historical setting. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart, as Sharon Cameron does not shy away from the horrifying details of life as under Nazi rule. I left this book both disgusted at this time in history, and inspired by this amazing tale of resilience and faith.
I could not recommend this book more, and urge every single of you to pick it up immediately.
I don’t know what to say about this book that hasn’t already been said, but this is one of the most remarkable things I have read in a while. It has been so long since a book has gripped me body and soul and refused to let go. Every page I had to remind myself that this is a true story, that this act of heroism was committed by a girl not much older than myself. Stefania Podogórska is nothing short of a hero, and I guarantee you that her story is one of the most awe-inspiring ones that you will ever read about.
I don’t really know how to fully articulate what made this book so incredible but just know it has beautiful writing, magnificent characters, and fascinating (and factual) historical setting. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart, as Sharon Cameron does not shy away from the horrifying details of life as under Nazi rule. I left this book both disgusted at this time in history, and inspired by this amazing tale of resilience and faith.
I could not recommend this book more, and urge every single of you to pick it up immediately.
May 18, 2024
This book... how am I supposed to review this book? It was horrible, yet beautiful. Because such awful things happened, and yet, this is a story of true bravery. And it is so inspiring. Not to mention that it reminded me of how thankful I should be. Just today, I caught myself complaining, and then I remembered this book, and all that these people went through, and I felt ashamed, because what do I really have to complain about?
I believe this is up there with Ruta Sepetys' Salt to the Sea for my favorite his-fic about World War II. That's how good it is. And yes, I believe any Ruta Sepetys fan would love The Light in Hidden Places
Prior to this, all I had read by Sharon Cameron was The Dark Unwinding and A Spark Unseen, and while I enjoyed them, this was on another level, and I need to read more of her books.
So, if you haven't read this, and you can handle the horrible things that happen (feel free to ask in the comments if you want more details), you need to. This story needs to be heard.
October 23, 2020
Um livro baseado na história real de uma heroína, no Holocausto, Stefania Podgórska. Uma menina católica, de 16 anos, na Polónia, que não apenas cuidou da sua irmã mais nova, bem como escondeu 13 judeus no seu pequeno apartamento, contra tudo e contra todos.
Embora, por vezes pareça um livro de memórias, Uma Luz na Escuridão é um romance tenso e emocionante, cheio de momentos de cortar o fôlego, onde a morte espreita em cada esquina.
É uma verdadeira história de fé, amor e heroísmo.
Narrada na primeira pessoa, a história destaca eventos essenciais na vida de Stefania Podgórska (Fusia), mantendo um ritmo consistente.
Ressalvo a escrita cuidada e maravilhosa criada por Sharon Cameron, em Uma Luz na Escuridão. Esta é uma história real de heroísmo e coragem brilhantemente “convertida” num romance que nos leva diretamente para o coração dos dias mais sombrios da Polónia da Segunda Guerra Mundial.
É, naturalmente, impossível listar todos os heróis desta história - heróis reais que realizaram atos incrivelmente corajosos que poderiam ter custado as suas vidas. A história inclui algumas passagens terrivelmente comoventes, sobre eventos reais que ocorreram durante este tempo terrivelmente negro. O mal que foi perpetrado durante esta época de horror, faz-nos encarar a dura realidade de que os humanos podem ser realmente depravados e imorais no seu pior. E neste livro, vemos as pessoas no seu pior.
No entanto, a parte maravilhosa deste verdadeiro conto de heroísmo é que também vemos o melhor das pessoas - nomeadamente Fusia e sua incrível irmã mais nova, Helena, que numa idade muito jovem foi capaz de mentir e encobrir o que as irmãs iam fazendo, para se proteger, à sua irmã Fusia, bem como os treze judeus cujas vidas dependiam deles.
Uma emocionante leitura.
Embora, por vezes pareça um livro de memórias, Uma Luz na Escuridão é um romance tenso e emocionante, cheio de momentos de cortar o fôlego, onde a morte espreita em cada esquina.
É uma verdadeira história de fé, amor e heroísmo.
Narrada na primeira pessoa, a história destaca eventos essenciais na vida de Stefania Podgórska (Fusia), mantendo um ritmo consistente.
Ressalvo a escrita cuidada e maravilhosa criada por Sharon Cameron, em Uma Luz na Escuridão. Esta é uma história real de heroísmo e coragem brilhantemente “convertida” num romance que nos leva diretamente para o coração dos dias mais sombrios da Polónia da Segunda Guerra Mundial.
É, naturalmente, impossível listar todos os heróis desta história - heróis reais que realizaram atos incrivelmente corajosos que poderiam ter custado as suas vidas. A história inclui algumas passagens terrivelmente comoventes, sobre eventos reais que ocorreram durante este tempo terrivelmente negro. O mal que foi perpetrado durante esta época de horror, faz-nos encarar a dura realidade de que os humanos podem ser realmente depravados e imorais no seu pior. E neste livro, vemos as pessoas no seu pior.
No entanto, a parte maravilhosa deste verdadeiro conto de heroísmo é que também vemos o melhor das pessoas - nomeadamente Fusia e sua incrível irmã mais nova, Helena, que numa idade muito jovem foi capaz de mentir e encobrir o que as irmãs iam fazendo, para se proteger, à sua irmã Fusia, bem como os treze judeus cujas vidas dependiam deles.
Uma emocionante leitura.
June 15, 2020
DEATH PENALTY FOR ALL WHO GIVE AID TO A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO HARBOUR A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO FEED A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO A JEW.
I have read a number of historical fiction books surrounding the Holocaust in various settings - Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, Corfu, Italy - and all are of a similar vein. And yet they are each different.
Incorporating true life with fictional, THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is the true story of Stefania Podgorska who successfully hid 13 Jews in her attic during Nazi occupation in Poland during World War 2. Using Stefania's own unpublished memoir, Sharon Cameron retells Stefani's story in this inspiring yet heartbreaking book. Stefania, or Fusia as she was known, showed true bravery through one of the toughest times in history that was enough to break anyone. Her story, though one of many, is one that inspires through heartache.
In Poland, the second world war is on the horizon and a young girl called Stefania has left home at the age of 13, taking a job in the Diamant family's shop. The family is Jewish, which means little to her as she is Catholic, but she grows close to the family particularly the mother Leah, calling her "babcia" (meaning grandmother), and two of her sons Izio and Max. But there is unrest with the invasion of Poland as Hitler begins to deporting Jews, first to the Jewish ghetto and then to concentration camps.
When Izio disappears, Fusia works harder to protect the Diamant family, from slipping them food in the ghetto to hiding them. But Fusia must find Izio and she does everything in her power to do so...and when she does, Izio is a shadow of his former self, head shaven and emaciated. Izio begs Fusia to help him escape...and so the two make a plan. But as the day arrives, with everything in place, Fusia arrives at the camp to find it deserted and locked up. She is too late.
Returning to Przemsyl, Fusia makes a decision. She returns to her family's farm to find it empty...except for her little sister Helena. Her family have been taken away and with only Helena left, Fusia will do everything within her power to protect them all...even if it means death for helping the Jews.
It is easy to like Fusia and root for her. She is putting herself at risk to help those shunned by the new regime and who otherwise have no one. And yet, even when her plans are thwarted and it all goes horribly wrong, she remains positive that she is doing the right thing...and never doubts the her purpose and why she is doing it. Stefania Podgorska may be a lesser known heroine from the Holocaust but through THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES she has been given a voice. To know what she went through at such a terrifying time and that she survived, is both incredible and inspiring.
The Author's Note at the end, continues Stefania's story in a condensed format, including some photos of during and after the war. It is eye opening and yet it is heartbreaking. I found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES incredibly sad, though inspiring, and it left me feeling such depression for all they endured.
While today we witness lesser issues of black versus white and rioting over the colour of one's skin, these people were fighting for their lives every day. They risked their lives to save others, not just themselves in a war that they didn't ask for but was thrust upon them. It kind of puts things into perspective. Most people today have never lived through a World War, so cannot appreciate what we have now as opposed to the segregation, degradation and death of Jews for no other reason than that was issued by a dictator.
I may have found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES depressing but at the same time it was also inspiring. Stefania Podgorska did something incredible for others despite the huge risk to herself. She did it anyway because it is what was right.
Stefania lived well beyond another 70 years after the war's end, passing away in 2018. This story is her legacy. I may not have heard of Stefania Podgorska before but now she is someone I will never forget.
THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is a heartbreaking yet inspiring read for lovers of historical fiction or historical memoirs, particularly of the Holocaust.
I would like to thank #SharonCameron, #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for an ARC of #TheLightInHiddenPlaces in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
DEATH TO ALL WHO HARBOUR A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO FEED A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO A JEW.
I have read a number of historical fiction books surrounding the Holocaust in various settings - Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, Corfu, Italy - and all are of a similar vein. And yet they are each different.
Incorporating true life with fictional, THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is the true story of Stefania Podgorska who successfully hid 13 Jews in her attic during Nazi occupation in Poland during World War 2. Using Stefania's own unpublished memoir, Sharon Cameron retells Stefani's story in this inspiring yet heartbreaking book. Stefania, or Fusia as she was known, showed true bravery through one of the toughest times in history that was enough to break anyone. Her story, though one of many, is one that inspires through heartache.
In Poland, the second world war is on the horizon and a young girl called Stefania has left home at the age of 13, taking a job in the Diamant family's shop. The family is Jewish, which means little to her as she is Catholic, but she grows close to the family particularly the mother Leah, calling her "babcia" (meaning grandmother), and two of her sons Izio and Max. But there is unrest with the invasion of Poland as Hitler begins to deporting Jews, first to the Jewish ghetto and then to concentration camps.
When Izio disappears, Fusia works harder to protect the Diamant family, from slipping them food in the ghetto to hiding them. But Fusia must find Izio and she does everything in her power to do so...and when she does, Izio is a shadow of his former self, head shaven and emaciated. Izio begs Fusia to help him escape...and so the two make a plan. But as the day arrives, with everything in place, Fusia arrives at the camp to find it deserted and locked up. She is too late.
Returning to Przemsyl, Fusia makes a decision. She returns to her family's farm to find it empty...except for her little sister Helena. Her family have been taken away and with only Helena left, Fusia will do everything within her power to protect them all...even if it means death for helping the Jews.
It is easy to like Fusia and root for her. She is putting herself at risk to help those shunned by the new regime and who otherwise have no one. And yet, even when her plans are thwarted and it all goes horribly wrong, she remains positive that she is doing the right thing...and never doubts the her purpose and why she is doing it. Stefania Podgorska may be a lesser known heroine from the Holocaust but through THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES she has been given a voice. To know what she went through at such a terrifying time and that she survived, is both incredible and inspiring.
The Author's Note at the end, continues Stefania's story in a condensed format, including some photos of during and after the war. It is eye opening and yet it is heartbreaking. I found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES incredibly sad, though inspiring, and it left me feeling such depression for all they endured.
While today we witness lesser issues of black versus white and rioting over the colour of one's skin, these people were fighting for their lives every day. They risked their lives to save others, not just themselves in a war that they didn't ask for but was thrust upon them. It kind of puts things into perspective. Most people today have never lived through a World War, so cannot appreciate what we have now as opposed to the segregation, degradation and death of Jews for no other reason than that was issued by a dictator.
I may have found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES depressing but at the same time it was also inspiring. Stefania Podgorska did something incredible for others despite the huge risk to herself. She did it anyway because it is what was right.
Stefania lived well beyond another 70 years after the war's end, passing away in 2018. This story is her legacy. I may not have heard of Stefania Podgorska before but now she is someone I will never forget.
THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is a heartbreaking yet inspiring read for lovers of historical fiction or historical memoirs, particularly of the Holocaust.
I would like to thank #SharonCameron, #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for an ARC of #TheLightInHiddenPlaces in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
May 3, 2020
This is classified as a young adult novel and the writing is definitely geared towards that age group. That said, this was a story of an amazing girl, Stefania Podgorska, who managed to successfully hide thirteen Jewish people in Przemysl, Poland during the Holocaust. She must have truly had a guardian angel watching over her with all the close encounters she experienced without getting caught. She not only managed feeding and caring for her hidden Jews, but was also responsible for caring for her younger sister. Stefania was only in her late teens/early twenties when she accomplished this heroic feat, which makes her story even more incredible..
The book is based on a memoir written by Stefania Podgorska, a remarkable women.
The book is based on a memoir written by Stefania Podgorska, a remarkable women.
August 13, 2024
The Light in Hidden Places tells the true story of Stefania Podgórska, who hid 13 Jewish people in her attic during WWII--while Nazi nurses lived in her house. I can't imagine a seventeen-year-old doing everything she did, especially while raising her little sister who had been left behind when the family was deported to a labor camp. The novel is suspenseful to the final chapter. Cameron writes without prevarication or floweriness, letting the story and its natural emotional intensity do the work.
Podgórska's Catholic family disowned her for marrying a Jewish man and for her valiant efforts in saving over a dozen lives during the Holocaust. She was named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1979.
This book is about on the level of Ruta Sepetys in terms of intensity--appropriate for older high school students.
Content warnings: war violence, attempted sexual assault, medical experimentation, violence against children
Podgórska's Catholic family disowned her for marrying a Jewish man and for her valiant efforts in saving over a dozen lives during the Holocaust. She was named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1979.
This book is about on the level of Ruta Sepetys in terms of intensity--appropriate for older high school students.
Content warnings: war violence, attempted sexual assault, medical experimentation, violence against children
December 4, 2023
Fantastic WWII read about one girls quest to save her friends and protect her sister.
January 24, 2021
Aceasta carte este inspirată din viata Stefaniei Podgórska. Dupa ce am terminat de citit cartea am cautat si vizionat cateva filmulete cu Stefania si am realizat ca sunt norocoasa ca am avut ocazia sa o citesc, sa o "cunosc" pe Stefania Podgórska si sa iau parte la o lectie de curaj, devotament, supravietuire si speranta.
Mi-a placut povestea acestei fete care a reusit , riscand atat viata ei cat si pe a Helenei , sora ei mai mica, sa salveze 13 evrei , ascunzadu-i in timpul celui de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial , in podul casei.
In 1943 Stefania avea 16 ani si lucra in pravalia familiei Diamant, o familie de evrei din Przemyśl, Polonia.
Atunci cand germanii au invadat orasul familia Diamant a fost nevoita sa se mute in ghetou, Stefania ramanand astfel singura , fara slujba si cu o noua responsabilitate, aceea de a avea grija de Helena, sora ei in varsta de doar 6 ani.
Inca de la inceput Stefania isi pune viata in pericol ajutand familia Diamant . Ulterior fetele accepta sa il ascunda pe Max, unul din băieții sotilor Diamant si, in cele din urma inca alti 12 evrei.
Stefaniei nu ii este usor, pericolul pandeste la tot pasul dar condusa de curaj si determinare lupta sa isi creasca sora si sa salveze vieti nevinovate. Mi-a placut Helena pentru ca, desi era doar un copil, a fost un real ajutor pentru Stefania.
Mi-a placut povestea acestei fete care a reusit , riscand atat viata ei cat si pe a Helenei , sora ei mai mica, sa salveze 13 evrei , ascunzadu-i in timpul celui de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial , in podul casei.
In 1943 Stefania avea 16 ani si lucra in pravalia familiei Diamant, o familie de evrei din Przemyśl, Polonia.
Atunci cand germanii au invadat orasul familia Diamant a fost nevoita sa se mute in ghetou, Stefania ramanand astfel singura , fara slujba si cu o noua responsabilitate, aceea de a avea grija de Helena, sora ei in varsta de doar 6 ani.
Inca de la inceput Stefania isi pune viata in pericol ajutand familia Diamant . Ulterior fetele accepta sa il ascunda pe Max, unul din băieții sotilor Diamant si, in cele din urma inca alti 12 evrei.
Stefaniei nu ii este usor, pericolul pandeste la tot pasul dar condusa de curaj si determinare lupta sa isi creasca sora si sa salveze vieti nevinovate. Mi-a placut Helena pentru ca, desi era doar un copil, a fost un real ajutor pentru Stefania.
June 7, 2021
Осъзнавам колко е трудно да се пишат романи , ситуирани през годините на ВСВ, но този според мен изобщо не се е получил дори на поносимо ниво. Чувствам се измамена в очакванията си.
Образите са кухи, повърхностни и не добре изградени. Липсва дълбочина, липсва емоция... или поне аз не открих такава.
Голямо разочарование на фона на рейтинга на книгата.
Мисля, че ще се хареса на тези, които са харесали "Люляковите момичета" например..
Образите са кухи, повърхностни и не добре изградени. Липсва дълбочина, липсва емоция... или поне аз не открих такава.
Голямо разочарование на фона на рейтинга на книгата.
Мисля, че ще се хареса на тези, които са харесали "Люляковите момичета" например..
July 16, 2022
Qué hermosura.
En resumen, La luz en los lugares ocultos ha sido una novela preciosa e inolvidable de la Polonia de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, en la que destaca una protagonista valiente y bondadosa, llena de luz en un periodo demasiado oscuro. Perfecta si os gustan los libros históricos que acontecen en esta época.
Reseña completa
En resumen, La luz en los lugares ocultos ha sido una novela preciosa e inolvidable de la Polonia de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, en la que destaca una protagonista valiente y bondadosa, llena de luz en un periodo demasiado oscuro. Perfecta si os gustan los libros históricos que acontecen en esta época.
Reseña completa
October 30, 2019
This is truly a remarkable story about Stefania Podgorska, a 16 year old Polish Catholic girl, set during the Holocaust in Poland. Stefania uses her wit, bravery, and love to hide thirteen Jews in her attic. The story will be one you cannot forget and I am still amazed at Stefania's ability to survive against so many odds.
June 12, 2020
A wonderful read based on a true story of an amazing real-life heroine! I may have to buy a copy of this for my classroom! YA at it’s finest!
July 29, 2021
Que d'émotions, que de désir de voir Fusia heureuse, de lui décerner une médaille de bravoure. Une histoire qui permet de voir la guerre dans les yeux d'une heroïne.
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