From Stephen King horror novels, to Stephanie Meyer romances, to JK Rowling fantasies, to classics like Great Expectations, I've read almost any genre there is. However, I take quite a significant interest in historical fiction. Specifically, books about the Holocaust. I'm not sure what exactly I find so compelling about these books. It might be the terrifying fact that the events of the Holocaust really happened in a real place to real people. Reading a gory fictional thriller is never truly scary, when I know it isn't real. That might be why books based on events of the Holocaust tend to invoke a real fear. A cold, blood-curdling fear that no Stephen King novel could replicate. Without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite Holocaust novels.
Fair Warning: These books can be extremely graphic, and I cried reading every single one of them.
5. Maus: Art Spiegelman
Maus is a graphic novel, written and illustrated by Art Spiegelman. The story follows Spiegelman's interview of his father, a Polish-Jew and Holocaust survivor. The book captures his father's experiences during WWII, portraying Jews as mice, Germans as cats, and Poles as pigs.
4. Lilac Girls: Martha Hall Kelly
Lilac Girls is based on the true story of a group of women who suffered in a concentration camp called Ravensbruk. The doctors of Ravensbruk used the women as laboratory animals, experimenting on them by recreating war wounds and infections with chips of wood and glass. For this reason, those women were called the "Rabbits." The novel focuses on the lives of three women who are connected to each other through the horrors of Ravensbruk.
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: John Boyne
In The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne takes a unique standpoint, following a young Aryan boy named Bruno. Bruno's father is Commandant of the infamous concentration camp Auschwitz. Nevertheless, Bruno obliviously befriends a young Jewish boy in the camp, revealing the innocent nature and love of a child.
2. The Book Thief: Markus Zusak
One of the most popular books of this genre, the story of the Book Thief is taken from the perspective of Death. He follows a young orphan girl in Nazi Germany named Liesel, as she comes of age and struggles to understand the world she was born into.
1. The Hiding Place: Corrie Ten Boom
The Hiding Place is a touching autobiography written by Holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boom. Ten Boom explains how she and her family worked strategically with the underground and saved multiple Jews by hiding them from the Nazis, all while keeping her Christian faith; showing kindness and love to everyone around her, including her enemies.
Honorable Mention
The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini
One of the few people who share my interest in the topic of the Holocaust suggested I read the Kite Runner. How could I refuse? This person had good taste. However, the book was not at all what I had been expecting. It played with my emotions, pulling me through twists and turns, bringing me to tears and laughter. It may be my all-time favorite book. Although, I find it somewhat impossible to summarize in only a few sentences. I can only say that you'll have to trust me and just read it.
Overall, I am head over heels in love with great books and the few people who share my interest in them. (Shout-out to US history teacher, Ms. Carlin)! If you have any other recommendations, I'd LOVE to hear them.
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