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Not Without My Sister
1944, Germany. Two sisters seek to overcome impossible odds to be reunited, in this utterly devastating and unforgettable novel about sisterhood, courage and survival.
All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.
After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together.
But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her.
Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her.
But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
A completely heartbreaking, utterly gripping tale of courage, loss and overcoming impossible odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Ragged Edge of Night and The Orphan’s Tale.
All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.
After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together.
But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her.
Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her.
But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
A completely heartbreaking, utterly gripping tale of courage, loss and overcoming impossible odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Ragged Edge of Night and The Orphan’s Tale.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2021
1397 people are currently reading
2518 people want to read
About the author
Marion Kummerow
117 books424 followersMarion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to "discover the world" and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she's now living with her family.
After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime.
It's a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing.
After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime.
It's a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
December 15, 2022
Pensive, heart-wrenching, and evocative!
Not Without My Sister is a beautifully written, moving tale set during WWII that takes you into the lives of the Epstein sisters, two young Jewish girls from Bavaria who, due to a long-held promise and exceptional perseverance, manage to survive hell on earth, Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and remarkably find each other and reunite upon liberation.
The prose is haunting and gritty. The characters are vulnerable, strong, and brave. And the plot is a poignant tale of life, loss, love, family, survival, sacrifice, courage, selflessness, the unimaginable horrors of war, and the special bond between sisters.
Overall, Not Without My Sister is a thought-provoking, immersive, touching tale by Kummerow that does a remarkable job of reminding us of the incredible ability of humanity to love and still be kind, compassionate, and resilient even in the face of unimaginable evil.
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Not Without My Sister is a beautifully written, moving tale set during WWII that takes you into the lives of the Epstein sisters, two young Jewish girls from Bavaria who, due to a long-held promise and exceptional perseverance, manage to survive hell on earth, Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and remarkably find each other and reunite upon liberation.
The prose is haunting and gritty. The characters are vulnerable, strong, and brave. And the plot is a poignant tale of life, loss, love, family, survival, sacrifice, courage, selflessness, the unimaginable horrors of war, and the special bond between sisters.
Overall, Not Without My Sister is a thought-provoking, immersive, touching tale by Kummerow that does a remarkable job of reminding us of the incredible ability of humanity to love and still be kind, compassionate, and resilient even in the face of unimaginable evil.
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2021
This book was inspired by the author taking a trip to Bergen Belson Concentration Camp in Germany where she viewed a temporary exhibition about children in concentration camps. One picture in particular caught her eye – a picture of a very young girl with a stuffed animal in her arms. You can see that picture here: https://kummerow.info/bergen-belsen-c...
After seeing this photograph , Kummerow was inspired to create the character of four year old Mindel and her 17 year old sister Rachel. Throughout the book, the reader experiences their stories which are told in alternating fashion. The sisters are part of a larger family that live on a farm in in a rural part of Germany. They are the last Jews in the area and their parents, having transferred ownership of the farm to a local Aryan friend are hopeful that they might be able to live out the war unnoticed by the Nazi’s, sadly this was not to be. With the death of their friend, suddenly their life was to change drastically. Rachel, Mindel and their brothers were trying to escape to a local convent that might hide them but when Mindel fell and Rachel stopped to pick her up, they were captured by German soldiers. They hoped their brothers had escaped, but had no way of knowing with any certainty. Life became a series of endless camps with little food and little to do beyond surviving. Mindel has a beloved doll called Paula that Rachel had made for her fourth birthday. It is a great source of comfort to her.
Eventually, the girls are placed in a cattle car that is headed to Bergen Belson Concentration Camp. Upon arrival, in the crush of so many people the sisters are separated, Rachel to the Women’s Camp and Mindel to the Star Camp which was primarily filled with Jews from the Netherlands. At the age of four, one could not expect a child to survive for very long, but Mindel was lucky enough to encounter a group of children and one – a seven year old boy, became her protector.
The author clearly put a lot of time into her research on this story and I certainly felt that I learned a lot while reading. Kummerow introduced certain characters who did exist in real life – including a guard, a “mother” who took orphans under her wings and a few female prisoners whose names will likely be known to readers. I felt a little conflicted about the introduction of two sisters that I had done a lot of reading about. I think I would have preferred just random characters in their place.
On the whole, this book is more character driven than plot driven though the goal throughout, and the hope that Rachel and Mindel cling to, is that they will eventually be reunited. Both characters are young and especially in the case of Mindel we see war from a child’s eye view and hear the questions that a child in such circumstances might ask. Of course, war can age one quickly, and Rachel’s experiences putting explosives into bullets and later working in a salt mine were certainly harmful to her health both physically and mentally. Time must have moved very slowly for them.
This is a story that I think would be of great interest to high school readers as well as adults. There are certainly some descriptions of quite horrendous actions on the part of the SS guards at the camp but compared to some other books that I have read this one gave an overall feeling of the desperation they faced without dwelling on the daily tragedies that occurred.
There are still camps in the world to this day where children have very little voice and hope is hard to come by. They hopefully are not as bad as those that Rachel and Mindel spent time in, but they are still places where life offers few opportunities to thrive. Reading books like this is a reminder that we need to speak out for those who have little power to speak for themselves.
Many thanks to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and #MarionKummerow for allowing me to read an advance readers copy. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
After seeing this photograph , Kummerow was inspired to create the character of four year old Mindel and her 17 year old sister Rachel. Throughout the book, the reader experiences their stories which are told in alternating fashion. The sisters are part of a larger family that live on a farm in in a rural part of Germany. They are the last Jews in the area and their parents, having transferred ownership of the farm to a local Aryan friend are hopeful that they might be able to live out the war unnoticed by the Nazi’s, sadly this was not to be. With the death of their friend, suddenly their life was to change drastically. Rachel, Mindel and their brothers were trying to escape to a local convent that might hide them but when Mindel fell and Rachel stopped to pick her up, they were captured by German soldiers. They hoped their brothers had escaped, but had no way of knowing with any certainty. Life became a series of endless camps with little food and little to do beyond surviving. Mindel has a beloved doll called Paula that Rachel had made for her fourth birthday. It is a great source of comfort to her.
Eventually, the girls are placed in a cattle car that is headed to Bergen Belson Concentration Camp. Upon arrival, in the crush of so many people the sisters are separated, Rachel to the Women’s Camp and Mindel to the Star Camp which was primarily filled with Jews from the Netherlands. At the age of four, one could not expect a child to survive for very long, but Mindel was lucky enough to encounter a group of children and one – a seven year old boy, became her protector.
The author clearly put a lot of time into her research on this story and I certainly felt that I learned a lot while reading. Kummerow introduced certain characters who did exist in real life – including a guard, a “mother” who took orphans under her wings and a few female prisoners whose names will likely be known to readers. I felt a little conflicted about the introduction of two sisters that I had done a lot of reading about. I think I would have preferred just random characters in their place.
On the whole, this book is more character driven than plot driven though the goal throughout, and the hope that Rachel and Mindel cling to, is that they will eventually be reunited. Both characters are young and especially in the case of Mindel we see war from a child’s eye view and hear the questions that a child in such circumstances might ask. Of course, war can age one quickly, and Rachel’s experiences putting explosives into bullets and later working in a salt mine were certainly harmful to her health both physically and mentally. Time must have moved very slowly for them.
This is a story that I think would be of great interest to high school readers as well as adults. There are certainly some descriptions of quite horrendous actions on the part of the SS guards at the camp but compared to some other books that I have read this one gave an overall feeling of the desperation they faced without dwelling on the daily tragedies that occurred.
There are still camps in the world to this day where children have very little voice and hope is hard to come by. They hopefully are not as bad as those that Rachel and Mindel spent time in, but they are still places where life offers few opportunities to thrive. Reading books like this is a reminder that we need to speak out for those who have little power to speak for themselves.
Many thanks to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and #MarionKummerow for allowing me to read an advance readers copy. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
March 3, 2021
This story is a page turner, but not in the usual sense, I wanted to know if they survived the terror that they ended up in.
Of a family of five, we follow two of them as they journey to survive the evil that is taking place in Germany during WWII. Two sister’s one seventeen and one four at the time they are placed in the Concentration Camp, and they are there because of a religion.
The author makes this read so very real, and the horrors of what happened during this time, linger.
Books like this one make me realize how fortunate we are, and we should not forget, and all the while you keep wondering if these girls will survive, most don’t.
Keep reading as there is an epilogue at the end, and I loved the updates!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookoutour, and was not required to give a positive review.
Of a family of five, we follow two of them as they journey to survive the evil that is taking place in Germany during WWII. Two sister’s one seventeen and one four at the time they are placed in the Concentration Camp, and they are there because of a religion.
The author makes this read so very real, and the horrors of what happened during this time, linger.
Books like this one make me realize how fortunate we are, and we should not forget, and all the while you keep wondering if these girls will survive, most don’t.
Keep reading as there is an epilogue at the end, and I loved the updates!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookoutour, and was not required to give a positive review.
February 2, 2024
I sat on this review for a bit because I wanted to be sure I truly disliked the book as much as I did.
2 stars because it was well-researched and a classic Holocaust story relative to its peers in Holocaust literature.
Only 2 stars for 2 main reasons: this story has been told over and over in many books and I had a really hard time reconciling that one of the main characters was 4 years old. While the story was sweet, haunting, and gut wrenching at times, there’s no way a 4 year old had the capacity to think, communicate, or act the way she did throughout the story. I can understand wanting to portray 2 young sisters, but as a mother, I’m familiar with the emotional and intellectual capabilities of a 4 year old and this FAR exceeded that. I found myself getting lost in the story occasionally only to be reminded that I was reading from the perspective of a small child and just couldn’t make myself believe it. We need more stories from the Holocaust, but this isn’t a good one.
2 stars because it was well-researched and a classic Holocaust story relative to its peers in Holocaust literature.
Only 2 stars for 2 main reasons: this story has been told over and over in many books and I had a really hard time reconciling that one of the main characters was 4 years old. While the story was sweet, haunting, and gut wrenching at times, there’s no way a 4 year old had the capacity to think, communicate, or act the way she did throughout the story. I can understand wanting to portray 2 young sisters, but as a mother, I’m familiar with the emotional and intellectual capabilities of a 4 year old and this FAR exceeded that. I found myself getting lost in the story occasionally only to be reminded that I was reading from the perspective of a small child and just couldn’t make myself believe it. We need more stories from the Holocaust, but this isn’t a good one.
January 29, 2021
As long as we are together, we'll be fine.
A heartbreaking story of the courage of two sisters living in horrible circumstances in the worst of times.
In the flick of an eye Mindel and her sister Rachel went from eating Apple cake for Mindel's fourth birthday to being transported to Nazi concentration camps until they ended up in Bergen-Belsen. When they arrived the girls were separated from each other and Mindel found herself alone with her rag doll Paula. She met a boy named Laszlo who was Seven years old. Laszlo and Mindel took care of each other until they went to stay in the orphan's hut.
Rachel found herself separated from Mindel and every time she got close to finding her in the other part of the camp she would be set to a work camp. She kept trying to find Mindel the whole time she was at the camp. She felt guilty that she didn't try hard enough to keep a hold of Mindel.
The book is a touching story about the two girls and their time spent in the camp. I like the way Mindel's story is told through the eyes of a child.
The things they saw and were subjected to should never have happened. This was the cruelest time in history led by the cruelest group of people in history. The Nazi's were cruel but so were the townspeople that did not stand up to them and treated the Jewish people as badly as the Nazi's.
This was a good book to read of the courage of two girls and their love for each other. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Marion Kummerow, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.
A heartbreaking story of the courage of two sisters living in horrible circumstances in the worst of times.
In the flick of an eye Mindel and her sister Rachel went from eating Apple cake for Mindel's fourth birthday to being transported to Nazi concentration camps until they ended up in Bergen-Belsen. When they arrived the girls were separated from each other and Mindel found herself alone with her rag doll Paula. She met a boy named Laszlo who was Seven years old. Laszlo and Mindel took care of each other until they went to stay in the orphan's hut.
Rachel found herself separated from Mindel and every time she got close to finding her in the other part of the camp she would be set to a work camp. She kept trying to find Mindel the whole time she was at the camp. She felt guilty that she didn't try hard enough to keep a hold of Mindel.
The book is a touching story about the two girls and their time spent in the camp. I like the way Mindel's story is told through the eyes of a child.
The things they saw and were subjected to should never have happened. This was the cruelest time in history led by the cruelest group of people in history. The Nazi's were cruel but so were the townspeople that did not stand up to them and treated the Jewish people as badly as the Nazi's.
This was a good book to read of the courage of two girls and their love for each other. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Marion Kummerow, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.
March 21, 2021
Oh my goodness. I think I must have cried my weight in tears reading this book.
This is the story of two sisters who get split up when they arrive at a concentration camp. The story flicks between both sisters and their time in the camp. It broke my heart reading of what both these characters had to endure. This may be fiction but the things that go on in the camps and the work that Rachel finds herself doing, was sadly all too real.
Reading of life in the camp from young children's points of view, just tore me apart. There is one boy in particular who Mindel befriends who stole a piece of my heart and I couldn't help feel so utterly sad at the stubbornness and strength of his character which was down to the horrible things he has seen. I felt like my heart had been put through a wringer so many times and had to keep stop reading to wipe the tears away.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, more so stories set during WW2 and life in the camps, you definitely don't want to miss this one. I loved the author's writing style which captured my attention from the very start. The story flowed so well and had me engrossed throughout. It is a highly emotional read of which some of the characters will stay with me for a very long time to come. Worthy of way more than 5 stars!
This is the story of two sisters who get split up when they arrive at a concentration camp. The story flicks between both sisters and their time in the camp. It broke my heart reading of what both these characters had to endure. This may be fiction but the things that go on in the camps and the work that Rachel finds herself doing, was sadly all too real.
Reading of life in the camp from young children's points of view, just tore me apart. There is one boy in particular who Mindel befriends who stole a piece of my heart and I couldn't help feel so utterly sad at the stubbornness and strength of his character which was down to the horrible things he has seen. I felt like my heart had been put through a wringer so many times and had to keep stop reading to wipe the tears away.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, more so stories set during WW2 and life in the camps, you definitely don't want to miss this one. I loved the author's writing style which captured my attention from the very start. The story flowed so well and had me engrossed throughout. It is a highly emotional read of which some of the characters will stay with me for a very long time to come. Worthy of way more than 5 stars!
March 27, 2021
I read a lot of historical fiction, much of it set during WWII, but this story was very different from any I had read before. Not Without My Sister was told from the POV of Rachel, 17 years old and her sister, Mindel who was only 4 when they were captured and sent to the Nazi Camps. Most of the story is set during their time in Bergen-Belsen. When they arrived, they were separated and Rachel spent the rest of her time there trying to be reunited with her sister. Things were not easy and she was unable to get into the other side of the camp where Mindel was living.
This was a difficult story to read, and some of the atrocities described are a bit graphic, but not overly so. Hearing about the conditions the prisoners lived under is awful, but thinking of children dealing with this, some of them born there, was horrific. Somehow, Mindel hung onto her doll, Paula, that Rachel had made for her 4th birthday. It gave her hope and strength. This is a character driven story. The goal and belief by both sisters that they would eventually be reunited kept them alive. I cried at parts of this story, where the loss was heartbreaking. As Mindel grew up in the camps, we see the innocence and questioning of the young children. Being young was the thing that kept them alive and allowed them to deal with certain things. Marion Kummerow did a lot of research to write this story. Anne and Margot Frank, who were prisoners in Bergen-Belsen, make an appearance. There are also characters who were actual people, and had important spots in this book. Rachel's experiences of working in the munitions factory are also taken from history and the description was terrifying. Make sure you read the author's notes at the end of the book as she writes about her experiences when she visited Bergen-Belsen as well as interviews with people who had been children there before they were liberated. I think this would be a good story for anyone who reads historical fiction, but also a great book to use in high school history classes. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
This was a difficult story to read, and some of the atrocities described are a bit graphic, but not overly so. Hearing about the conditions the prisoners lived under is awful, but thinking of children dealing with this, some of them born there, was horrific. Somehow, Mindel hung onto her doll, Paula, that Rachel had made for her 4th birthday. It gave her hope and strength. This is a character driven story. The goal and belief by both sisters that they would eventually be reunited kept them alive. I cried at parts of this story, where the loss was heartbreaking. As Mindel grew up in the camps, we see the innocence and questioning of the young children. Being young was the thing that kept them alive and allowed them to deal with certain things. Marion Kummerow did a lot of research to write this story. Anne and Margot Frank, who were prisoners in Bergen-Belsen, make an appearance. There are also characters who were actual people, and had important spots in this book. Rachel's experiences of working in the munitions factory are also taken from history and the description was terrifying. Make sure you read the author's notes at the end of the book as she writes about her experiences when she visited Bergen-Belsen as well as interviews with people who had been children there before they were liberated. I think this would be a good story for anyone who reads historical fiction, but also a great book to use in high school history classes. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
January 5, 2023
A character-driven story about two sisters who are separated by the Nazis while in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. It is their hope that they will ultimately reunite that drives the story, rather than too many major plot events. The grief and determination that both Rachel and Mindel possess is beautifully written.
Thank you to Forver publishing for my final copy.
Thank you to Forver publishing for my final copy.
April 5, 2024
Not Without My Sister
Another wonderful book by Marion Kummerow! This one nearly drove me crazy wondering "What ELSE could possibly go wrong?"!! Thankfully, I've learned to not ask that in real life! I've been reading a lot of books set in this time period lately, many of which include children, but I think this is the 1st one with children as the protagonists! As heartbreaking as they all are, this one takes the cake! The near misses that Rachel & Mindel go through trying to find each other! Ach!! So close, yet they might as well have been on separate planets! Each, though seemingly without any chance, make friends, lose them, & beyond hope, find them again! Some, though, never to be found again. I'm afraid, I would be amongst those who had lost too much, who'd "gone too far". I don't think I'd have survived 1/100th of what these girls did, & I consider myself a fairly strong woman! I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates this Era, of good overcoming evil, of the preciousness of childhood. May none of our children ever have to live this way again!
Another wonderful book by Marion Kummerow! This one nearly drove me crazy wondering "What ELSE could possibly go wrong?"!! Thankfully, I've learned to not ask that in real life! I've been reading a lot of books set in this time period lately, many of which include children, but I think this is the 1st one with children as the protagonists! As heartbreaking as they all are, this one takes the cake! The near misses that Rachel & Mindel go through trying to find each other! Ach!! So close, yet they might as well have been on separate planets! Each, though seemingly without any chance, make friends, lose them, & beyond hope, find them again! Some, though, never to be found again. I'm afraid, I would be amongst those who had lost too much, who'd "gone too far". I don't think I'd have survived 1/100th of what these girls did, & I consider myself a fairly strong woman! I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates this Era, of good overcoming evil, of the preciousness of childhood. May none of our children ever have to live this way again!
May 4, 2021
It is the best book I have ever read so far.
Two sisters, Rachel and Mindel, had been living with their parents and two brothers on the farm in Germany before they were captured by the Nazis in 1944 and sent into the concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen. Rachel and Mindel were separated and had to live and survive apart from each other. Only hope to meet again did not let them give up.
I love the characters so much. Reading this book I felt that I was in Bergen-Belsen by myself with sisters, I have seen what they saw, I have felt what they felt, their pain and happy moments.
So emotional and heartbreaking reading, masterfull writen and realistic story. I could not put it down.
I will always recommend this amazing book to everyone who loves reading historical fiction.
Two sisters, Rachel and Mindel, had been living with their parents and two brothers on the farm in Germany before they were captured by the Nazis in 1944 and sent into the concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen. Rachel and Mindel were separated and had to live and survive apart from each other. Only hope to meet again did not let them give up.
I love the characters so much. Reading this book I felt that I was in Bergen-Belsen by myself with sisters, I have seen what they saw, I have felt what they felt, their pain and happy moments.
So emotional and heartbreaking reading, masterfull writen and realistic story. I could not put it down.
I will always recommend this amazing book to everyone who loves reading historical fiction.
April 19, 2021
Not Without my Sister. A novel so moving, so poignant, it will bring tears to the readers’ eyes. The degradation of the concentration camp inmates is vividly rendered in flowing prose. It come across so true that it is almost as if the author wrote from personal experience. Obviously, a very well researched book.
To have the four- then five-year-old Mindel’s point of view could have been childish and boring. Yet, on the contrary, it is uplifting in its innocent truthfulness.
Marion Kummerow deftly shows that, despite unspeakable conditions, the instinct to live can carry a person onward... until the body shuts down.
Not an easy book to read but it is a major contribution to understanding the human mind under the extreme conditions of a concentration camp.
To have the four- then five-year-old Mindel’s point of view could have been childish and boring. Yet, on the contrary, it is uplifting in its innocent truthfulness.
Marion Kummerow deftly shows that, despite unspeakable conditions, the instinct to live can carry a person onward... until the body shuts down.
Not an easy book to read but it is a major contribution to understanding the human mind under the extreme conditions of a concentration camp.
March 14, 2021
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Marion Kummerow's beautiful but heartbreaking story NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER.
Although the market is literally flooded with these types of books, there are some that stand out amongst the rest. NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is one of them. Unlike many others of its kind, it is not bogged down with historical fact and descriptions, giving it a textbook-type feel, but focuses on the actual on the two sisters and their stories. This makes it a page-turner, but not in the usual sense, but rather in the way the reader wants to know if the sisters survived the terror and deplorable circumstances in which they found themselves in.
I must add that this book was inspired by author Marion Kummerow visiting the former concentration camp Bergen-Belsen in Germany where she was viewing an exhibition about children in concentration camps. There was one particular photo that caught her eye. It was of a very young girl - of no more than 4 or 5 years old - with a stuffed animal in her arms. The photo is indeed very moving and heartbreaking. You can see the photo and read about Marion's visit to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. After seeing this photo, Marion was inspired to create the character of 4 year old Mindel.
Enjoying a quiet, hardworking life on their small farm in Bavaria Germany, Rachel and Mindel Epstein live with their parents and two brothers, Israel (10) and Aron (7). They are Jewish, but non-practicing, though that matters not to the Nazis. Mindel has just turned 4 and the children have been sent out to collect fruits to preserve for the winter months, although Mindel has eaten half of her basket already. As they neared their farm, the old woman Mindel was always frightened of as being a witch warns them not to return home as the Nazis have arrested their parents and laid claim to their farm. With nowhere to go, the children survive by hiding in the outbuildings of neighbouring farms and finding small morsels of food to fend off starvation. When they receive word that a convent will take them on as orphans, a friend of their's arranges for papers to be falsified to allow them entry into the safe haven.
Then in the blink of an eye, 4 year old Mindel and her 17 year old sister Rachel were snatched by SS officers and sent to various Nazi concentration camps before ending up at Bergen-Belsen. Upon arrival, the sisters are immediately separated with Rachel imprisoned in the women's camp and Mindel sent to the neighbouring compound known as star camp.
All at once, Mindel went from the safety of Rachel's presence to being all alone with only her rag doll Paula. She didn't even have her cup for the tasteless soup that was dolled out to them in rations as Rachel held on to them both...and the rule in the camp is "no cup, no food". So Mindel found herself not only alone, but without food also. Star camp, she was to discover, was filled with young children like herself and women of various nationalities like Dutch and Russian...although Mindel had no idea what that meant. A young lad named Laszlo took Mindel under her wing, found her a cup so she could receive rations and introduced her to the other children. Although Laszlo was just 7 years old, he became Mindel's best friend, brother and protector. He taught her how to survive the deplorable conditions of the camp by teaching her how to get scraps of food and collecting various items that could be used as currency in the future. They survived by making everything a game - such Jews and the SS as well as who could wrap their hands around their ankles or wrists the most and who was the thinnest.
One day a woman told Mindel about the orphan's barracks at the far end of the camp, run by a woman and her husband who take in various children and care for them as their own. Mindel thought this sounded wonderful and told Laszlo about it...but he wasn't so thrilled. He said they take care of each other and don't need anyone else. Besides, he says, you can't trust adults. But Mindel begged and pleaded until Laszlo relented on the proviso that he would make no promises. But as soon as they met Mother Brinkmann, Mindel felt safe and knew that she wanted to stay there. Laszlo wasn't so keen but he grudgingly agreed. Soon, it felt as if it were a real home outside of the confines of the camp. Here, in the orphan's barracks, they were largely left alone. There were no roll calls and the SS left them to their devices. Although there were around forty children, and they each had to share their bunks, it was clean and they were cared for. Mother Brinkmann read them the same story every night from the only book they had but the most favourite part of all was the stories about Fluff. All the children loved the adventures of Fluff, a dog who took them out of the confines of the camp and into a whole different world of adventure and discovery. Everyone looked forward to hearing about Fluff each night with the children taking turns in choosing his adventure.
Despite her new home in the orphan's barracks with Laszlo and Mother Brinkmann, Mindel still yearned for her sister and wondered if she was still alive. She knew she had been taken to the compound beyond the wire fence but she had never seen or heard from her again...her parting words "I love you Mindel. I promise I will find you again!" rang in her ears but after many many months Mindel wondered if it were true. Would she ever see Rachel again? She had to believe she would. So when Laszlo came up with a plan to escape to Switzerland, Mindel refused to leave for fear of never finding her sister again. Besides, at least here she was safe with Mother Brinkmann.
When Rachel was wrenched away from her sister and imprisoned in the women's camp, she made every effort to find out where Mindel was. She knew her little sister would not survive these harsh conditions on her own but her questions largely fell on deaf ears. In Bergen-Belsen, you needed all your energy to look after yourself. There was nothing left for anyone else. But Rachel would not be swayed. She despaired over how a little girl, a toddler no less, could possibly manage the deplorable conditions they were in. She soon learnt that Mindel would more than likely be in star camp which was just beyond the wire fence in the next compound. But the fenceline was heavily patrolled and there was no way to cross over. Unless she went to the infirmary...then she could get a message to the star camp than she was looking for her sister. But that came at a cost...usually in cigarettes. But as Rachel had none she had to find ways to earn the coveted cigarettes. When she finally had enough, she was suddenly selected and sent to another camp miles away to work at the munitions factory. Rachel could have cried...she was so close.
Life was tough at the munitions factory. While the work wasn't hard, her body paid the price with the chemicals used to pack the bullets turning her hair orange, her skin yellow and creating breathing difficulties. After an accident resulting in burns to her hands and broken ribs, she is sent back to Bergen-Belsen to recover from her injuries. She finds herself in the camp's infirmary - ironically, where she had been trying to get all along - and asks makes enquiries about Mindel. When she next sees the nurse she learns that a little girl who says she is 4 is looking for her sister called Rachel. It's Mindel! Rachel is elated. Her sister is alive. She asks the nurse for another favour but is declared well enough to return to work and is sent back to her barracks. Before she could make any further enquiries, she is sent out to yet another camp to work in the salt mines. Conditions are so bad that Rachel gives up. She sees no point in going on anymore. Every time she gets close to finding Mindel, something happens to stand in her way. Mindel is probably dead anyway...so what is the point anymore?
With so many books relating the atrocities of the horrible experiences endured in these camps, Marion Kummerow has given us something so uniquely different. A child's perspective. As seen through the eyes of Mindel. And while what Rachel suffered was deplorable, it was Mindel's story that touched me the most. It is unique and heartbreaking to say the least as little Mindel navigates her way through the horrid conditions to find hope through compassion. Some of the things she saw no child should ever have to see. There is even a short appearance of two well known real life siblings who are wise beyond their years and help give Rachel hope. And you'll wish you could hug all of the children in star camp, some of whom were born there and know no other way of life, but mostly the toughened seven year old Laszlo for his care and protection of a frightened little girl.
Written in an easy style, NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is a touching story that will tug at your heartstrings and you will find yourself reading through tears as it comes to a close. Although fictional, the appalling conditions and the cruelties of the Nazis are well documented truth upon which books of this genre are generally based. The vivid descriptions are horrific and a stark reminder of the atrocities that took place in reality and in the hope that they will never ever happen again.
I enjoyed the oscillating perspectives of both Rachel and Mindel in each alternate chapter as the sisters take turns to tell their stories. They are both complementing and different in contrast to the other. While Rachel sees the horrors and the camp for it is amidst the systematic neglect and starvation and cruelties, Mindel's naivety protects her unaware of the depths of horror that take place around her. Your heart will break as you follow Mindel's story and you just want to wrap her in your arms and keep her protected forever.
NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is poignant and heartbreaking but is not without hope. That even in those darkest times when it would be easier to give up, there is hope. As Rachel and Mindel carry hope in their hearts that they will see each other again, that this war will end and that there is a better and brighter world out there waiting for them...if they can just survive the war.
Grab your tissues because you will need them! NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is so emotional, so heartbreaking and so brutal at times that it will live with you long after you have finished.
A book to inspire, NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is perfect for fans of this genre. A definite 5 star read!
I would like to thank #MarionKummerow, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #NotWithoutMySister in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Although the market is literally flooded with these types of books, there are some that stand out amongst the rest. NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is one of them. Unlike many others of its kind, it is not bogged down with historical fact and descriptions, giving it a textbook-type feel, but focuses on the actual on the two sisters and their stories. This makes it a page-turner, but not in the usual sense, but rather in the way the reader wants to know if the sisters survived the terror and deplorable circumstances in which they found themselves in.
I must add that this book was inspired by author Marion Kummerow visiting the former concentration camp Bergen-Belsen in Germany where she was viewing an exhibition about children in concentration camps. There was one particular photo that caught her eye. It was of a very young girl - of no more than 4 or 5 years old - with a stuffed animal in her arms. The photo is indeed very moving and heartbreaking. You can see the photo and read about Marion's visit to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. After seeing this photo, Marion was inspired to create the character of 4 year old Mindel.
Enjoying a quiet, hardworking life on their small farm in Bavaria Germany, Rachel and Mindel Epstein live with their parents and two brothers, Israel (10) and Aron (7). They are Jewish, but non-practicing, though that matters not to the Nazis. Mindel has just turned 4 and the children have been sent out to collect fruits to preserve for the winter months, although Mindel has eaten half of her basket already. As they neared their farm, the old woman Mindel was always frightened of as being a witch warns them not to return home as the Nazis have arrested their parents and laid claim to their farm. With nowhere to go, the children survive by hiding in the outbuildings of neighbouring farms and finding small morsels of food to fend off starvation. When they receive word that a convent will take them on as orphans, a friend of their's arranges for papers to be falsified to allow them entry into the safe haven.
Then in the blink of an eye, 4 year old Mindel and her 17 year old sister Rachel were snatched by SS officers and sent to various Nazi concentration camps before ending up at Bergen-Belsen. Upon arrival, the sisters are immediately separated with Rachel imprisoned in the women's camp and Mindel sent to the neighbouring compound known as star camp.
All at once, Mindel went from the safety of Rachel's presence to being all alone with only her rag doll Paula. She didn't even have her cup for the tasteless soup that was dolled out to them in rations as Rachel held on to them both...and the rule in the camp is "no cup, no food". So Mindel found herself not only alone, but without food also. Star camp, she was to discover, was filled with young children like herself and women of various nationalities like Dutch and Russian...although Mindel had no idea what that meant. A young lad named Laszlo took Mindel under her wing, found her a cup so she could receive rations and introduced her to the other children. Although Laszlo was just 7 years old, he became Mindel's best friend, brother and protector. He taught her how to survive the deplorable conditions of the camp by teaching her how to get scraps of food and collecting various items that could be used as currency in the future. They survived by making everything a game - such Jews and the SS as well as who could wrap their hands around their ankles or wrists the most and who was the thinnest.
One day a woman told Mindel about the orphan's barracks at the far end of the camp, run by a woman and her husband who take in various children and care for them as their own. Mindel thought this sounded wonderful and told Laszlo about it...but he wasn't so thrilled. He said they take care of each other and don't need anyone else. Besides, he says, you can't trust adults. But Mindel begged and pleaded until Laszlo relented on the proviso that he would make no promises. But as soon as they met Mother Brinkmann, Mindel felt safe and knew that she wanted to stay there. Laszlo wasn't so keen but he grudgingly agreed. Soon, it felt as if it were a real home outside of the confines of the camp. Here, in the orphan's barracks, they were largely left alone. There were no roll calls and the SS left them to their devices. Although there were around forty children, and they each had to share their bunks, it was clean and they were cared for. Mother Brinkmann read them the same story every night from the only book they had but the most favourite part of all was the stories about Fluff. All the children loved the adventures of Fluff, a dog who took them out of the confines of the camp and into a whole different world of adventure and discovery. Everyone looked forward to hearing about Fluff each night with the children taking turns in choosing his adventure.
Despite her new home in the orphan's barracks with Laszlo and Mother Brinkmann, Mindel still yearned for her sister and wondered if she was still alive. She knew she had been taken to the compound beyond the wire fence but she had never seen or heard from her again...her parting words "I love you Mindel. I promise I will find you again!" rang in her ears but after many many months Mindel wondered if it were true. Would she ever see Rachel again? She had to believe she would. So when Laszlo came up with a plan to escape to Switzerland, Mindel refused to leave for fear of never finding her sister again. Besides, at least here she was safe with Mother Brinkmann.
When Rachel was wrenched away from her sister and imprisoned in the women's camp, she made every effort to find out where Mindel was. She knew her little sister would not survive these harsh conditions on her own but her questions largely fell on deaf ears. In Bergen-Belsen, you needed all your energy to look after yourself. There was nothing left for anyone else. But Rachel would not be swayed. She despaired over how a little girl, a toddler no less, could possibly manage the deplorable conditions they were in. She soon learnt that Mindel would more than likely be in star camp which was just beyond the wire fence in the next compound. But the fenceline was heavily patrolled and there was no way to cross over. Unless she went to the infirmary...then she could get a message to the star camp than she was looking for her sister. But that came at a cost...usually in cigarettes. But as Rachel had none she had to find ways to earn the coveted cigarettes. When she finally had enough, she was suddenly selected and sent to another camp miles away to work at the munitions factory. Rachel could have cried...she was so close.
Life was tough at the munitions factory. While the work wasn't hard, her body paid the price with the chemicals used to pack the bullets turning her hair orange, her skin yellow and creating breathing difficulties. After an accident resulting in burns to her hands and broken ribs, she is sent back to Bergen-Belsen to recover from her injuries. She finds herself in the camp's infirmary - ironically, where she had been trying to get all along - and asks makes enquiries about Mindel. When she next sees the nurse she learns that a little girl who says she is 4 is looking for her sister called Rachel. It's Mindel! Rachel is elated. Her sister is alive. She asks the nurse for another favour but is declared well enough to return to work and is sent back to her barracks. Before she could make any further enquiries, she is sent out to yet another camp to work in the salt mines. Conditions are so bad that Rachel gives up. She sees no point in going on anymore. Every time she gets close to finding Mindel, something happens to stand in her way. Mindel is probably dead anyway...so what is the point anymore?
With so many books relating the atrocities of the horrible experiences endured in these camps, Marion Kummerow has given us something so uniquely different. A child's perspective. As seen through the eyes of Mindel. And while what Rachel suffered was deplorable, it was Mindel's story that touched me the most. It is unique and heartbreaking to say the least as little Mindel navigates her way through the horrid conditions to find hope through compassion. Some of the things she saw no child should ever have to see. There is even a short appearance of two well known real life siblings who are wise beyond their years and help give Rachel hope. And you'll wish you could hug all of the children in star camp, some of whom were born there and know no other way of life, but mostly the toughened seven year old Laszlo for his care and protection of a frightened little girl.
Written in an easy style, NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is a touching story that will tug at your heartstrings and you will find yourself reading through tears as it comes to a close. Although fictional, the appalling conditions and the cruelties of the Nazis are well documented truth upon which books of this genre are generally based. The vivid descriptions are horrific and a stark reminder of the atrocities that took place in reality and in the hope that they will never ever happen again.
I enjoyed the oscillating perspectives of both Rachel and Mindel in each alternate chapter as the sisters take turns to tell their stories. They are both complementing and different in contrast to the other. While Rachel sees the horrors and the camp for it is amidst the systematic neglect and starvation and cruelties, Mindel's naivety protects her unaware of the depths of horror that take place around her. Your heart will break as you follow Mindel's story and you just want to wrap her in your arms and keep her protected forever.
NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is poignant and heartbreaking but is not without hope. That even in those darkest times when it would be easier to give up, there is hope. As Rachel and Mindel carry hope in their hearts that they will see each other again, that this war will end and that there is a better and brighter world out there waiting for them...if they can just survive the war.
Grab your tissues because you will need them! NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is so emotional, so heartbreaking and so brutal at times that it will live with you long after you have finished.
A book to inspire, NOT WITHOUT MY SISTER is perfect for fans of this genre. A definite 5 star read!
I would like to thank #MarionKummerow, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #NotWithoutMySister in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 8, 2023
Such an incredible book that brought me to both happy and sad tears- multiple times! Highly, highly recommend.
February 6, 2023
It took me quite a while to finish this. Not because it wasn't good but because sometimes with the subject matter I can only take in small doses. Very poignant and grips your soul.
June 8, 2021
This made me cry like crazy you cannot believe how sad I was while reading this book, my heart was in my hands at all times and after seeing the picture of the little girl whom the author got inspired for this book, I think my heart broke even more.
I really get very angry whenever I read about the atrocities the Nazis did to the children, the way they spoke to them, and even hit them like if they were not going to break. but Mindel really was the tip of the iceberg I've never read the story of a kid during the war and this was it.
This is the story of Rachel and Mindel two wonderful sisters with a wonderful family living at their farmhouse without any trouble or care until the War got through their doorstep and the Nazis destroyed whatever was left of their home. Rachel and Mindel were separated from their brothers and family never to be found and this is where their journey begins.
Both are sent to a concentration camp and were separated this is the story of how hard they worked to survive and to finally get together, there was a lot of hunger, they had to steal to survive, they had to do stuff that didn't agree or like in order to survive, they constantly were put to a test with chords or situations that were terrible.
what I love about this book was the strength and the kindness of Mindel she was always trying to be kind and nice, she was innocent and lovable like any child, she was always talking to Paula her doll and that made me even cry harder how can someone that young be treated like if she was the worst enemy of this world.
one of my favorite characters was Laszlo, he was the real savior of Mindle, I love how much he took care of her and how much he was always able to console he and protect her, another great character was Mother Brinkmann, I'm sure she has a very huge place in heaven, she saves so many and gave so much
Not without my sister was a good book but very hard for me to read. the atrocities during the WWll still very much hard to understand and to comprehend how can a human be so soulless and have the nerve to destroy so many lives without even close your eyes.
overall it was a good book, a good story, with great characters, I really would have love to know what happened to Mindel's brothers but I guess not every story has an ending or the right ending.
I really get very angry whenever I read about the atrocities the Nazis did to the children, the way they spoke to them, and even hit them like if they were not going to break. but Mindel really was the tip of the iceberg I've never read the story of a kid during the war and this was it.
This is the story of Rachel and Mindel two wonderful sisters with a wonderful family living at their farmhouse without any trouble or care until the War got through their doorstep and the Nazis destroyed whatever was left of their home. Rachel and Mindel were separated from their brothers and family never to be found and this is where their journey begins.
Both are sent to a concentration camp and were separated this is the story of how hard they worked to survive and to finally get together, there was a lot of hunger, they had to steal to survive, they had to do stuff that didn't agree or like in order to survive, they constantly were put to a test with chords or situations that were terrible.
what I love about this book was the strength and the kindness of Mindel she was always trying to be kind and nice, she was innocent and lovable like any child, she was always talking to Paula her doll and that made me even cry harder how can someone that young be treated like if she was the worst enemy of this world.
one of my favorite characters was Laszlo, he was the real savior of Mindle, I love how much he took care of her and how much he was always able to console he and protect her, another great character was Mother Brinkmann, I'm sure she has a very huge place in heaven, she saves so many and gave so much
Not without my sister was a good book but very hard for me to read. the atrocities during the WWll still very much hard to understand and to comprehend how can a human be so soulless and have the nerve to destroy so many lives without even close your eyes.
overall it was a good book, a good story, with great characters, I really would have love to know what happened to Mindel's brothers but I guess not every story has an ending or the right ending.
March 28, 2021
I don't know why I keep torturing myself with these heart -wrenching stories of WWII, but I do! I just find it so hard to imagine what these people were made to endure at the hands of their fellow human beings! The thing that keeps bringing me back I think is the reaffirmation of the human spirit that is found in each of these stories, there is good out there, and in reading these stories we see it, over and over, despite the horrors there is still hope and resilience of the human spirit.
Rachael and Mindel's story is heart-breaking, when the family farm is lost to the Nazis and their parents taken away by the gestapo, Rachel tries to flee to a convent 20 miles away with her two small brothers and baby sister. Caught unaware by an approaching car, and too burdened down to run carrying Mindel, Rachel is caught, she can only pray her brothers who were walking ahead of her and Mindel escape the same fate.
Shuffled from camp to camp, Rachel and Mindel end up getting separated, leaving four year old Mindel to face the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp alone, with no one to care for her except her rag doll named Paula, given to her by Rachel on her last birthday.
Feeling a great burden of guilt for allowing Mindel to be separated from her, Rachel finds it harder and harder to hold on to the will to live as she is shuffled from one work camp to another, each one worse than the one before. Every ime she thinks she is close to finding Mindel she is sent away to some other torture.. Will the two sisters survive till the Allies arrive and liberate the camps? Or will it be too late for little Mindel on her own for so long without her big sister's care?
This book brought tears to my eyes, I cannot imagine the children in these camps, I can't imagine them being able to survive what even seasoned adults found they could not endure. But some of them did, and that is the amazing part, that is the part that makes the tears shed when reading a novel like this worth it.
I recommend this one to all historical fiction fans, if you like Pam Jenoff or Karen Robards then you will love this one. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Bookouture for the free ARC copy of the e-book version of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return
Rachael and Mindel's story is heart-breaking, when the family farm is lost to the Nazis and their parents taken away by the gestapo, Rachel tries to flee to a convent 20 miles away with her two small brothers and baby sister. Caught unaware by an approaching car, and too burdened down to run carrying Mindel, Rachel is caught, she can only pray her brothers who were walking ahead of her and Mindel escape the same fate.
Shuffled from camp to camp, Rachel and Mindel end up getting separated, leaving four year old Mindel to face the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp alone, with no one to care for her except her rag doll named Paula, given to her by Rachel on her last birthday.
Feeling a great burden of guilt for allowing Mindel to be separated from her, Rachel finds it harder and harder to hold on to the will to live as she is shuffled from one work camp to another, each one worse than the one before. Every ime she thinks she is close to finding Mindel she is sent away to some other torture.. Will the two sisters survive till the Allies arrive and liberate the camps? Or will it be too late for little Mindel on her own for so long without her big sister's care?
This book brought tears to my eyes, I cannot imagine the children in these camps, I can't imagine them being able to survive what even seasoned adults found they could not endure. But some of them did, and that is the amazing part, that is the part that makes the tears shed when reading a novel like this worth it.
I recommend this one to all historical fiction fans, if you like Pam Jenoff or Karen Robards then you will love this one. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Bookouture for the free ARC copy of the e-book version of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return
January 22, 2021
I read this when it was part of a WW2 novel collection and before it was picked up by Bookouture, and almost a year later, still remember the story vividly. A number of editions and substantial edits make this worth reading the second time around.
Sisters Rachel - a teenager, and Mindel - a toddler - are deported to a Nazi concentration camp, and forced to endure slave labor conditions. The real trauma begins when they are separated. Rachel goes to a women's camp, and Mindel is essentially left to fend for herself. Their greatest challenge is to muster enough strength and courage to survive and find one another. Rachel despairs when she imagines how a toddler could possibly manage in the conditions they are in. When she tells others about her sister, the women begin forming a network through the barriers to try and locate her, and thus forging friendships. This hope is what buoys Rachel's diminishing spirit and saves her from giving up.
Mindel, on the other hand, has been truly left to her own devices. Her only friend is a rag doll that she has managed to sneak in beneath her dress. To the women she shares the bunker with, she is nothing more than a feral cat. Mindel however discovers a band of imprisoned children. They survive by risking their lives and stealing what they can, and by making everything into a game, including competing who can wrap their fingers around their ankles or wrists the most, or hide their hands deep beneath their ribcages. Eventually, they too, find hope through compassion.
Thoroughly researched, what I appreciate about this story most is that Kummerow really dove into the children's perspectives, which will remind readers of perhaps, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", or even "Life is Beautiful", which means it can easily be picked up by younger readers as well.
There is a striking balance between scenes where Rachel faces the darkest and most vile human conditions and Mindel relies on her naivety to cushion her psyche from the horrors of the camp. It's a bittersweet and compelling read.
Sisters Rachel - a teenager, and Mindel - a toddler - are deported to a Nazi concentration camp, and forced to endure slave labor conditions. The real trauma begins when they are separated. Rachel goes to a women's camp, and Mindel is essentially left to fend for herself. Their greatest challenge is to muster enough strength and courage to survive and find one another. Rachel despairs when she imagines how a toddler could possibly manage in the conditions they are in. When she tells others about her sister, the women begin forming a network through the barriers to try and locate her, and thus forging friendships. This hope is what buoys Rachel's diminishing spirit and saves her from giving up.
Mindel, on the other hand, has been truly left to her own devices. Her only friend is a rag doll that she has managed to sneak in beneath her dress. To the women she shares the bunker with, she is nothing more than a feral cat. Mindel however discovers a band of imprisoned children. They survive by risking their lives and stealing what they can, and by making everything into a game, including competing who can wrap their fingers around their ankles or wrists the most, or hide their hands deep beneath their ribcages. Eventually, they too, find hope through compassion.
Thoroughly researched, what I appreciate about this story most is that Kummerow really dove into the children's perspectives, which will remind readers of perhaps, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", or even "Life is Beautiful", which means it can easily be picked up by younger readers as well.
There is a striking balance between scenes where Rachel faces the darkest and most vile human conditions and Mindel relies on her naivety to cushion her psyche from the horrors of the camp. It's a bittersweet and compelling read.
March 14, 2023
Really sad but a good read!
April 22, 2021
I got a free advance reader's copy and am leaving this review voluntarily...
Publisher's Blurb: All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.
1944, Germany: After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together and have each other.
But on arrival they are separated. Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, she has no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her.
But the only person willing to help is barely older than she is. Will that be enough to keep Mindel alive, until she can find her sister again?
Separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who don’t consider them human beings, can the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
This was a beautiful story of the tragedy that was the Holocaust. Often we see the pictures and read stories about the adults. But what about the children who were subjected to just as much torture as their parents just because of their religion?
The author was inspired to write Mindel's story because of a picture which she saw of a child in a concentration camp. After reading the story, I looked at the picture and she looked just like how I pictured Mindel to be. At that age, no child deserved what the author wrote about. Rachel was Mindel's much older sister and, even though quite close to adulthood, was still a child. My heart ached for her just as much as Mindel. Another favorite of mine was Mindel's best friend at the camp, Laszlo. He was so brave and protective even though he was not much older than her.
The Holocaust was a truly horrific time and reading these stories only serve to strengthen my belief that humanity should never be allowed to reach that low point ever again. Reading about the indignities these women endured made me sick.
The author is quite talented and I would definitely read more books by her.
Due to some very disturbing content, I would suggest that this book is read by adults only. There are scenes of abuse, particularly against children, which can be a trigger.
Publisher's Blurb: All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.
1944, Germany: After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together and have each other.
But on arrival they are separated. Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, she has no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her.
But the only person willing to help is barely older than she is. Will that be enough to keep Mindel alive, until she can find her sister again?
Separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who don’t consider them human beings, can the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
This was a beautiful story of the tragedy that was the Holocaust. Often we see the pictures and read stories about the adults. But what about the children who were subjected to just as much torture as their parents just because of their religion?
The author was inspired to write Mindel's story because of a picture which she saw of a child in a concentration camp. After reading the story, I looked at the picture and she looked just like how I pictured Mindel to be. At that age, no child deserved what the author wrote about. Rachel was Mindel's much older sister and, even though quite close to adulthood, was still a child. My heart ached for her just as much as Mindel. Another favorite of mine was Mindel's best friend at the camp, Laszlo. He was so brave and protective even though he was not much older than her.
The Holocaust was a truly horrific time and reading these stories only serve to strengthen my belief that humanity should never be allowed to reach that low point ever again. Reading about the indignities these women endured made me sick.
The author is quite talented and I would definitely read more books by her.
Due to some very disturbing content, I would suggest that this book is read by adults only. There are scenes of abuse, particularly against children, which can be a trigger.
March 26, 2021
Not Without My Sister by Marion Kummerow is a heartbreaking WWII story centering on two sisters, seventeen year old Rachel and four year old Mindel, who are sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, but in the process they are separated, leaving four year old Mindel defenseless. Rachel will do everything she can to locate her sister as how can a four year old survive all on her own without the help of an adult. Will Rachel reach her sister in time?
The idea behind this story came to life when Kummerow visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with their temporary exhibition of “Children in Concentration Camps.” Moved by the stories of children and one picture of a young child inspired the premise for this book and the creation of Mindel, which I feel really was the star of this story.
One would think even in the worst of times, being forced into the terrible living conditions of a concentration camp, that no one would just ignore a small child, but this is exactly what Mindel faces when she is separated from her sister, Rachel. It is heartbreaking to read, but Mindel does eventually find a group of small children and a boy, Laszlo, takes Mindel under his wing. If you read Kummerow’s notes at the end of the story you will see mention of some of the games the children played such as “SS or Jew” or “Who dies next.” These are just children and while they are still young they had to grow up in different ways in order to survive the horrors of the concentration camp without really knowing the true truth to the camps.
Not Without My Sister is a short and fast read that focuses on a different outlook than the “norm” stories centering around WWII. Utterly heartbreaking and moving, this story will stick with you after you are done reading.
The idea behind this story came to life when Kummerow visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with their temporary exhibition of “Children in Concentration Camps.” Moved by the stories of children and one picture of a young child inspired the premise for this book and the creation of Mindel, which I feel really was the star of this story.
One would think even in the worst of times, being forced into the terrible living conditions of a concentration camp, that no one would just ignore a small child, but this is exactly what Mindel faces when she is separated from her sister, Rachel. It is heartbreaking to read, but Mindel does eventually find a group of small children and a boy, Laszlo, takes Mindel under his wing. If you read Kummerow’s notes at the end of the story you will see mention of some of the games the children played such as “SS or Jew” or “Who dies next.” These are just children and while they are still young they had to grow up in different ways in order to survive the horrors of the concentration camp without really knowing the true truth to the camps.
Not Without My Sister is a short and fast read that focuses on a different outlook than the “norm” stories centering around WWII. Utterly heartbreaking and moving, this story will stick with you after you are done reading.
May 5, 2021
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This was a great historical fiction book based on WWII. This has quickly become one of my favorite genres although it’s always very hard to read about all the suffering and to know that these books are based on actual facts and true stories. This is my first book by Marion Kummerow and I really enjoyed her writing. I think she did a wonderful job with the descriptions of life for Jewish people during WWII. She also really made you connect with each character. This story of Mindel and Rachel, two sisters who are separated at a concentration camp, will touch you in so many ways. When I first started this book, I was immediately worried more for Mindel (since she was only 4 years old), but sadly as I kept reading my heart broke over and over again for Rachel. Both girls had struggles to face and both overcame so much. If it weren’t for Laszlo and Mother Brinkmann, I don’t think Mindel would have survived long at all. I loved Laszlo’s character and how he was so protective of Mindel even though he was only 7 years old himself. I often worried for him because he wasn’t afraid of taking risks which often got him into trouble. And Rachel, she is the definition of a fighter. She never gave up, no matter what was thrown her way because she knew Mindel was out there somewhere and she was determined to find her. I highly recommend this beautiful novel about two sisters whose love for each other is what kept them going when so many times they just wanted to give up.
April 24, 2022
Eine Geschichte, bei der ich schon während den ersten Seiten Tränen in den Augen hatte. Ja, ich habe schon viele Romane gelesen, welche im Krieg spielen, aber dieses Buch ist eins der ganz besonderen.
Kein großes drumherum an Protagonisten, sondern einfach nur Mindel und Rachel und die Personen, welche um die beiden drumherum sind. Wundervoll gefühlvoll, hoffnungsvoll, oft hoffnungslos und unglaublich psychisch und körperlich brutal. Was habe ich mit den beiden tollen Schwestern mitgelitten. Charakterlich wurden die beiden unheimlich authentisch und klar gezeichnet, ich hätte oft schwören können, beide persönlich zu kennen. Sowas liebe ich, das macht alles viel realistischer.
Unglaublich, was die Schwestern aufgenommen haben, um einander wiederzufinden und natürlich hat der Krieg sein ganz eigenes Spiel gespielt und den beiden immer wieder einen Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht. Ich konnte das Buch absolut nicht weglegen, ich habe jede einzelne Seite verschlungen und geliebt. Der Epilog hat mich dann FAST zufriedengestellt. Eine kleine Frage hätte ich sooo gern noch beantwortet gehabt. Wenn ihr dieses Buch lest, werdet ihr sofort wissen, was ich meine. Ganz, ganz große Empfehlung. Ein Buch, welches sich ohne Anstrengung, aber mit ganz vielen Gefühlen, wunderbar liest!
Kein großes drumherum an Protagonisten, sondern einfach nur Mindel und Rachel und die Personen, welche um die beiden drumherum sind. Wundervoll gefühlvoll, hoffnungsvoll, oft hoffnungslos und unglaublich psychisch und körperlich brutal. Was habe ich mit den beiden tollen Schwestern mitgelitten. Charakterlich wurden die beiden unheimlich authentisch und klar gezeichnet, ich hätte oft schwören können, beide persönlich zu kennen. Sowas liebe ich, das macht alles viel realistischer.
Unglaublich, was die Schwestern aufgenommen haben, um einander wiederzufinden und natürlich hat der Krieg sein ganz eigenes Spiel gespielt und den beiden immer wieder einen Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht. Ich konnte das Buch absolut nicht weglegen, ich habe jede einzelne Seite verschlungen und geliebt. Der Epilog hat mich dann FAST zufriedengestellt. Eine kleine Frage hätte ich sooo gern noch beantwortet gehabt. Wenn ihr dieses Buch lest, werdet ihr sofort wissen, was ich meine. Ganz, ganz große Empfehlung. Ein Buch, welches sich ohne Anstrengung, aber mit ganz vielen Gefühlen, wunderbar liest!
November 6, 2023
This was good but not nearly as emotional or intense as I expected it to be. The book is about 2 sisters, Rachel and Mindel, who are sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during WWII. Rachel is 17 and Mindel is 4 when they arrive so they are separated into a more adult area and a young kid area. They are spending the book trying to get back to each other, but moreso just trying to survive. Rachel's storyline was tough. She had things really hard and it was harrowing to read about. Mindel found a best friend and, while I think she read a little too old for 4, seeing the experience through the eyes of a young child made it feel less intense. They got to a little orphanage where this woman takes very good care of them (all things considered) and moreso she shows them love. At times it almost felt cozy, even with the terror surrounding them. I liked reading this book, but perhaps because it was so short, I struggled to connect in the way that I wanted to. I would've loved to have a little bit more of the girls' lives before or something to really bond me to them and get me invested in their story.
February 27, 2021
Thank you to Bookouture for the arc of Not Without My Sister by Marion Kummerow.
5 star read- The author ended up getting inspired for this book as she took a trip to the concentration camp in Germany called Bergen Belson. When she was there she viewed this temporary exhibition on the children in these camps. She then saw a photograph of a little girl cuddling her teddy bear, which was very emotional so this inspired her to write Not Without My Sister which follows a young Jewish girl named Rachel whom is 17 years of age and her baby sister Mindel ages 4 years, who ended up getting deported to Bergen Belson. The girls are part of a much larger family whom live on a farm together. This is their story of survival in the horrid conditions in Bergen Belson Concentration camp..
Such a heartwarming, emotional read! So well written.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 star read- The author ended up getting inspired for this book as she took a trip to the concentration camp in Germany called Bergen Belson. When she was there she viewed this temporary exhibition on the children in these camps. She then saw a photograph of a little girl cuddling her teddy bear, which was very emotional so this inspired her to write Not Without My Sister which follows a young Jewish girl named Rachel whom is 17 years of age and her baby sister Mindel ages 4 years, who ended up getting deported to Bergen Belson. The girls are part of a much larger family whom live on a farm together. This is their story of survival in the horrid conditions in Bergen Belson Concentration camp..
Such a heartwarming, emotional read! So well written.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 29, 2021
Kummerow writes realistic historical fiction. Two sisters, one 17 and the other 4 are separated at Bergen Belsen. The author provides a voice for each sister. She did an excellent job viewing the entire horrific experience through the eyes of a child. To me, that was the most challenging part of the story. She also captures the gamut of emotions felt by the characters: hunger, despair, pain, and hope. That anyone survived the camps and went on to repair their lives continues to fascinate me. I liked how the author based some of the people in the novel upon real individuals. That lends authenticity even in historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance read.
November 25, 2022
Reading life in Bergen Belsen from young children's points of view, just tore me apart. I felt like my heart had been tore open so many times that i had to stop reading.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, set during the holocaust and life in the camps, you definitely don't want to miss this one.
It is a highly emotional read of which some of the characters will stay with me for a very long time to come. Worthy of way more than 5 stars
If you are a fan of historical fiction, set during the holocaust and life in the camps, you definitely don't want to miss this one.
It is a highly emotional read of which some of the characters will stay with me for a very long time to come. Worthy of way more than 5 stars
November 2, 2024
I only cried once and then choked up again in chapter 37. It is a well written story that kept me going all day.
June 20, 2021
Tough book to read, powerful & thought provoking.
November 23, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story, especially Mindel's side, was unbelievable at times. I also think adding in the Franks was strange and possibly in bad taste.
The ending was a bit too abrupt.
The writing itself was really good and the emotions rang through.
A good historical fiction book about a disturbing time in history.
A quick and fast-paced read.
All in all, it's definitely worth the read.
The story, especially Mindel's side, was unbelievable at times. I also think adding in the Franks was strange and possibly in bad taste.
The ending was a bit too abrupt.
The writing itself was really good and the emotions rang through.
A good historical fiction book about a disturbing time in history.
A quick and fast-paced read.
All in all, it's definitely worth the read.
March 26, 2021
Excellent book! You can find my full review here
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