Tattooist of Auschwitz Collection 3 Books Set By Heather Morris

by Heather Morris

Please Note That The Following Individual Books As Per Original ISBN and Cover Image In this Listing shall be Dispatched

Heather Morris Collection 3 Books

The Tattooist of
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an extraordinary document, a story about the extremes of human behavior existing side by calculated brutality alongside impulsive and selfless acts of love. I find it hard to imagine anyone who would not be drawn in, confronted and moved. I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone, whether they’d read a hundred Holocaust stories or none.”—Graeme Simsion, internationally-bestselling author of The Rosie Project.

Cilka's
Cilka is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp in 1942, where the commandant immediately notices how beautiful she is. Forcibly separated from the other women prisoners, Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly taken, equals survival. When the war is over and the camp is liberated, freedom is not granted to She is charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to a Siberian prison camp. But did she really have a choice?

Three
Against all odds, three Slovakian sisters have survived years of imprisonment in the most notorious death camp in Nazi Auschwitz. Livia, Magda, and Cibi have clung together, nearly died from starvation and overwork, and the brutal whims of the guards in this place of horror. But now, the allies are closing in and the sisters have one last hurdle to the death march from Auschwitz, as the Nazis try to erase any evidence of the prisoners held there.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Audiobook, World War II, Holocaust

Paperback

Published October 7, 2021

About the author

I am a Native of New Zealand now resident in Australia, working in a large public hospital in Melbourne. For several years I studied and wrote screenplays, one of which was optioned by an academy award winning Screenwriter in the U.S. In 2003, I was introduced to an elderly gentleman "who might just have a story worth telling". The day I met Lale Sokolov changed my life, as our friendship grew and he embarked on a journey of self scrutiny, entrusting the inner most details of his life during the Holocaust. I originally wrote Lale's story as a screenplay - which ranked high in international competitions - before reshaping it into my debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Reviews

[Dana Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I think I need to not read anymore WWII books for awhile (especially from the viewpoint of the prison camp detainees...so difficult to read), this is a book with a little different point of view. It kind of explores what it means to have a desire to survive, and exactly what is a co-conspirator or sympathizer. It is about 95% true and is interesting to find out that this husband and wife found love and a life partner in the concentration camp. I guess the main protagonist did not tell his story for so long because he did not want to be viewed as being a nazi sympathizer. I really was moved by Lale's desire to live and his ability to not give in mentally or emotionally to the grim prospects around him.

[Anna Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven’t read all 3, but I’m sure they are all phenomenal. The story of Lale and Gita in the Tattooist was both extremely heavy and incredible. Heather Morris does an incredible job retelling the real life story of how these two lived for over 2 years in Auschwitz. She captures the power of human will and the terrible evil humans are also capable of so effortlessly and draws you in in such a way that this one was hard to put down. Highly recommend.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story, not great writing tbh.

[Yalda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book and watched life is beautiful and I cried most of the senses. It was like that I have felt all of this before. But if you read this book and liked it so you should watch life is beautiful.

[Jkrulder · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the story is true and a compelling one, Morris' prose is cliched and, despite the subject matter, strangely saccharine. It is subject to what Gwen C. Katz called the "pajamification" of Holocaust fiction, blunting the atrocities, while naming them.

[Vanessa Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve watched & have read many WWII books and stories from the holocaust, but this author opens your eyes to the love & hope that one must endure to survive such a tragic & horrific unwanted life experience. And that with that love, you can overcome with strength & will to live. I’m now ready to read book two & three, and take from these how precious life truly is.

[Andy Maddox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this whilst I, myself, was in prison.
I really 'enjoyed' this book.
I wasn't expecting much from it when I realised that it was part fact and part fiction but after starting it, I couldn't put it down.
It's subject is different from other books that I have read about the Holocaust as it focuses on individuals and their daily lives, their loves, secret trists and the consequences and horrors of being caught.
I felt I'd met a friend in Lale because of his compassion and overall non judgemental ways, his sometimes quirky observations and his passion for helping others despite his own sufferings.
I would highly recommend anyone to read the book and make their own minds up.
As a side note, when I was seventeen, I visited Auschwitz/Birkenau and had my hallelujah moment. I admit that at the time, I was racist and thought that anyone who wasn't white British and Christian were inferior. However, when touring the camps, I sat outside one of the huts and cried my heart out, and resolved to change. I knew then that I'd been an idiot during my formative years and was and still ashamed of who I was and what I mistakenly believed.
I hope that by admitting to this, I can influence others and make them see that we are all equal no matter what race, creed or colour we are as we all bleed that same.
Lastly, thanks for reading this far.

[Zoë Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

These set of three books are absolutely incredible. All taking part at the same time but three completely different stories with different aspects and story lines on each.

Totally captivating, leaving you wanting more and wanting to know what happens to the characters along with giving you an insight of what life was like at this time and how they actually dealt and coped with the tasks and hurdles they were faced with. I couldn’t keep my hands off each one and I’m dying to know when Heather is bringing out her next.

Yes, it is set during a very difficult time that plays on real events but Heather does it in a way where it’s informative and really delves into each characters story and how hope was their only way of survival.

Absolutely amazing, 10/10 on each, couldn’t recommend more

[Wendy Kraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII true story and excellent.

[Cecile Vermeulen · Rating 5 out of 5]

stunning books. You don't really have to read them in sequince.

[Simon Lowe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite underwhelmed by this book. In my mind it romanticised a most despicable time. The events and lifestyle described seemed incongruous. Many better novels about this period.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read all three, but only The Tattooist. It was wonderfully written and truly explores what it means to survive in the harshest of conditions, not only physically but emotionally as well. One of the hardest things to read about, but so worth it. It is necessary to remember the past, no matter how painful.

[Chloe Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all 3 of these books over a period of years. These books challenge you mentally and emotionally to read because they take you on the journey from the point of view of detainees in Autzwitch but each books follows completley different experiences and storylines which is what gets you each time.

Tattooist is about a man as you have probably realised it the tattooist in camp and he falls in love with another detainee and you follow their journey but I won’t say much more.

Cilka again is another love story but follows a woman that had to do what she needed to do to survive but unfortunately not everyone saw it this way.

Three sisters, wow now this one had to be (in my opinion) the hardest to read this follows 3 sisters all with so many experiences during the war with so much heartbreak the 3 girls endured a very tricky read and yet so hard to put down.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all three... the most depressing yet amazing books I have ever read!

Here is the order I read them in:

Tattooist of Auschwits (1)

This book was heart-wrenching. With everything that Lale and Gita went through it had me hooked, hoping that they could escape the harsh reality they were living in and be together. The additional characters, Cilka, Leon and Nadya highlighted other ways that prisoners were treated in concentration camps. It taught me a lot more about what was going on in Europe at the time and it gave intricate detail regarding Birkenau concentration camp; broadening my knowledge.​ It also demonstrated that love conquers all.

Cilka's journey (2)

Cilka's journey was probably the saddest of them all. It was heartbreaking to read how Cilka's suffering did not seem to end, especially when she only did what she had to survive. ​I had no idea that when people were liberated from the concentration camps, that didn't mean all of them. I felt so much rage and sadness for her because it all seemed so unjust.

Three sisters (3)

This book was so full of new knowledge for me. It began with life before the camp where you get to know Cibi, Magda, and Livia as well as their mother and grandfather. It was awful learning that they were split up and that their mother and grandfather didn't make it. However, it was such a happy ending that makes the book worth reading! They start a new life in Israel and start fresh.

Heather Morris really did their stories justice with these three books. All of them are so insightful and definitely worth reading. I learned so much about the Holocaust just from reading these books. While they were graphic and certainly depressing I think it is still important to read them and remember the awful things that people went through during the Second World War.

[Luke Dalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent. After reading the previous two books in the trilogy I was super excited when I stumbled across the third of the series in a book swap.

The start of the book is stunning and sets the scene and instantly helps you warm to the characters. The scenes of going to Auschwitz and the horrors that go on there are equally engaging and harrowing. I flew through this part and couldn’t put the book down! Especially when they ended up escaping from the death marches and trying to find their way back.

After this though, it is interesting hearing where there lives go from there but slightly mundane and repetitive. It was insightful to show how scarred those that had to suffer through the monstrosities of any concentration camp but the PTSD they experience made the rest of the book a difficult read.

Something I’ve not read about before and goes slightly unsaid, is the story and reasoning behind how and why many Jews moved to Israel and the community and safety they could feel there unlike many places in Europe which they clearly display in this book.

Overall - really enjoyed the book but the last 100+ pages drag on a bit. It is amazing to hear that the book is based on a true story and the epilogue is beautiful to show this. Worst of the trilogy but still worth a read as it’s very enlightening in a multitude of ways.

[Mari McR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read only The Tattoist of Auschwitz. Goodreads packaged the three novels together rather than as separate books.

Tattoist is an inspirational tale of resilience and optimism in the darkest hour when genocide, death, and war surround you. Lale's commitment to survive the concentration camp is a lesson in resourcefulness, friendship, loyalty, and believing in a higher purpose.

We are reminded regularly how those lessons became habits, e.g. Russians gave Lale so much food that he could have engulfed it. Yet he set some aside from not knowing when the next mean, if any, would come; how he would treasure friendships and focus on feelings that make us human rather than on the ash that fell all around him from the crematoria; that his dream of loving Gita freely, publicly, openly drove both of them to live another day for a life outside Auschwitz-Birkenau.

[Busiest Book Worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never forget this series. It takes a lot to make me cry, but these books did it. Both happy and horrified tears.

Tattooist of Auschwitz paints a very different perspective of the tattooist. I used to think the one who made those marks must've been just as evil as the Nazis themselves, but this book proved that idea to be too harsh. This shows the humanity behind the atrocity. I was able to empathize.

Trigger Warning for SA in Cilka's Journey. It got hard for me to handle at times. Cilka has to be one of the strongest, most inspirational women discussed in this series.

Three Sisters hit close to home as I am one of three sisters. I imagined what it would be like if it were myself and my sisters in their shoes. It was heartbreaking, but the ending was so wholesome that I wept with joy for the sisters.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves history these were amazing books which gave me a great picture of how people lived and/or survived in WWII (which impresses me and thought me to live life as much as I could).

Each book kept me attached to it wanting to read less and more at the same time! The amazing details they have in them gave me chills and some tears in all three of them.

I do believe I need a break from reading WWII/holocaust related books as they are quite heavy but for sure I will continue reading starting off with The Librarian of Auschwitz (as it was recommended to me after finishing this trilogy).

[Abireads&things · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, and I think the story was important to be told. However, I did not love the writing style. It was confusing to be reading of one day in a few simple sentences, then skipping to months down the road. It also flip flopped with no context initially which made it confusing.

Lastly, I was disappointed to read that this was not an accurate depiction of Auschwitz. That made me question the authenticity of the story, and what parts of it were actually true.

With all of that being said, the book led me through a roller coaster of emotions, and I couldn’t put it down once I got to about page 100. I ended up finishing the book in about 3 hours.

[Jamie Rosman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all the books over the course of the past few years and each book has moved me beyond belief. I cried, I questioned humanity, and I cheered when these people found a way to survive and thrive despite the horrible things done to them. While I’ll never have the honor of meeting them, I feel so honored to have at the very least read their stories. Morris is an amazing author and each page of every novel kept me pulled in. Be prepared for a weekend of reading because I could put NONE of these books down.

[M.K.B. Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story of survival of a Nazi death camp, the Tattooist of Auschwitz, is a terrific tale of courage, loyalty and cunning with a whole lot of luck. It reads like a good novel, which it is. The dialog however, at times, seemed too modern and sometimes stilted. Also, the telling of Lale's story tended to humanize some of the Nazis and lacked some details of the prisoners' suffering. For instance, no mention of the perpetual lice and the horribly crowded barracks. Despite these, it's a great read and a novel perspective on Auschwitz.

[Seldina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. Prebrala sem to trilogijo 3 sestre, Cilko in Tetovatorja, ampak mi sploh niso sedle. Prebrala sem ogromno knjig na to temo, in vse so se me dotaknile tako ali drugace, ta trilogija pa mi je tako zromantizirana, da je kar za bruhat. Kot da so samo bili v malo stozjem zaporu. Kar se mi zdi popolnoma zaljivo do oseb, ki so tam dejansko sli cez pekel, in zdaj nekdo to opisuje tako milo in daje v ospredje neke romance. Kar nekaj no. Res sem razočarana nad temi knjigami. Zdi se mi da avtorji nekih knjig samo zelijo narediti propagando da je knjiga na to temo samo da bi se prodala.

[Julie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

What interested me most about this book is that it showed that so many people did small things to try to help others, despite the great personal risk.

The idea that one of the worst mass atrocities in recent memory may have happened because so many people half-heartedly went along with hatred (I'll be a part of building the crematorium but I am actually someone who wants to help Jews by smuggling them food, even on penalty of death), was more clearly illustrated in this story than in any I've read.

[Lea Storry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a memoir writer so I understand that telling another person's story is difficult. You can only write with what they provide you: the characters, emotions, settings, etc. However, while the baseline of Lale and Gita's story is amazing, the writing is trite. I found myself being taken out of the story with some of the dialogue and description.

I read the author's note that said she had first wanted to craft Lale and Gita's story as a screenplay. I saw that in the writing.

Stories like this are important to tell and keep telling. We cannot forget.

[Margaret Oberst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half way through this book I noticed finally the photos and authors note at the end. Knowing this, it made the plot so much more convincing. At times the writing was trite but the content and events were brutal. There was some hero worship for Lale the main character. This is understandable since the author is interviewing him and has such high regard for he and Gita. It does appear that he miraculously escaped death like a cat with 9 lives.

[jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/4 (Read Tatooist of Auschwitz, not the other 2 books in the collection) Very emotional read, changed my perception on life and death. It serves it’s purpose of sharing the incredible true story of Lale and Gita’s love while not shying away from the brutality and harshness of the concentration camps and political climate. Only drawback is i didnt feel like i was really in the heads of the characters, but given the non-fiction account from a secondary source it was done well.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye opening. Interesting how privileged Lale was despite being a Jew in the concentration camps, and I would like to hear perspectives of other prisoners who did not have the same opportunities as him. It is very eye opening what people will do just to survive. This book shows how there is always hope despite bleak living conditions, and how it is still possible to help those less fortunate than you. They say those that have the least give the most - this is truly an example of that.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only book I have read in this three book series is the tattooist of Auswitch. What an incredibly lovely book. I’ve read many books about the holocaust and Nazi Germany, but this book showed the resilience and humanity between the prisoners and even some of the guards. I look forward to reading the other two.

[Amanda]

I actually only read the first in the series, but am trying to tackle "Cilka's Journey" now. The first book was excellent. A quick read, but a true tale of the horrors of the Holocaust while also seeing the bright light at the end of the tunnel for two individuals, which I recognize was a rare occurance for so many of these people.

[Jessica Odnoralov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely recommend all three. I read the first book in 2 days.. couldn't put it down. The second took me just a few days as well. Cilka's Journey opened my eyes to the Russian Gulags in a new way. I love how each story slightly overlaps but has entirely different characters who all knew one another in real life. Highly recommend the trilogy.