Returning

by Yael Shahar

Paperback, 2018

Status

Available

Collection

Holocaust Fiction

Publication

Kasva Press (2018), 504 pages

Description

Where does memory go when it cannot be spoken?Now we know: It goes on to haunt future generations. It passes unscathed through temperatures that can melt iron and reduce bone to ash. And somewhere far removed in space and decades into the future, a stranger wakes out of a sound sleep with an inexplicable nightmare and a despair so deep as to negate life itself.At seventeen, Alex was torn from his home and deported to Auschwitz. He outlived his family, his faith, and his culture. His memory filled with the death of a people, unable to speak of what he had done to survive, he was locked in the silent prison of his guilt. This unforgettable and breathtakingly powerful book follows Alex on his journey from the flames of Birkenau to atonement, transformation, and redemption.Returning is a haunting and compelling exploration of the choices we make in a choiceless time, the terrifying strength and burden of the will to survive, and the power of the human spirit to transcend even its own destruction. It will leave you changed forever.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member lowelibrary

This is a powerful book that grips you from the beginning. It is moving and thought provoking. It is hard on the emotions but worth reading through. It pulls no punches in talking about the horrors of the holocaust and is very disturbing to be able to see the images in your mind from the

descriptions.

Very informative about Judaism for the reader that knows nothing of the religion. But I believe that the Jewish readers will get more from the whole religious aspect of the book.

I do need to mention that this book needs a large TRIGGER WARNING attached. Part 4 T'Shuvah is a struggling read for survivors of any trauma that still suffer from the guilt. I had to set the book aside for several days to work through some things. But please continue to the end of the book to find your own conclusions and maybe some forgiveness or peace.

Not easy but a worthwhile read.

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LibraryThing member SumisBooks

Wow! Powerful stuff!
Alex, a man who has lost more than just his given name is now in his senior years and is ready to speak out about his imprisonment in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Birkenau. He seeks the help of his good friend Yael and a judge rabbi to assist him in this endeavor.
I am

battling with this book. Part of me thinks that if the book was shorter it would be much easier to read. But another part of me knows that, due to the content of the book, it would not be easy to read in any format. In this book Alex and his fellow prisoner Masha describe in great detail the horrors that they witnessed in two different parts of Auschwitz and the horrible things they were made to do.
This is not an easy read for anyone. Although written beautifully and simply in a play by play style that tells a definite story, the content is by far one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. And coming from a horror fanatic like me that is saying something. Alex does not hold anything back. His story is told in raw genuine form. Masha's story as well is told in a similar fashion through letters that she had written to Alex. This is a story that depicts humanity at its rock bottom, lowest point. WARNING: this book is not for the faint of heart or the week of stomach.
With all these factors aside, this book is very well written and follows a definite storyline through Alex's horrific tale. From the very beginning Alex takes you along his journey into the past to seek redemption for his eternal soul as he seeks out the help of a judge rabbi and corresponds with him through email and tells his story. The book is a mixture of both Alex telling from the first person point of view and from the emails written back and forth. Yael also writes portions in first person point of view but her story, in my opinion, only ads a little bit of character to the underlining story itself. Her story is not really necessary to convey what the book is about.
This book was a twisted relationship for me. I would set down the book crying and pick it back up again only to have my heart broken once more. I found myself forcing myself to read through this book and finish to the end. Even though I knew the ending, it didn't make the journey any easier.
Please don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful piece of literature and a great book! This is one that I think everybody should read. But I know in my heart there are a lot of people who will not read it and know even more so that there are some who cannot read it. And while that is very sad, I know it to be true. Please read this book if you have not already. It is a piece of human history captured perfectly in one volume.

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LibraryThing member Prekrasan

Returning was a powerful tale of forgiveness, even of those who believe they are beyond the point of being able to be forgiven. I must admit to being glad that the author addressed the point of how to classify this book in the Q&A in the back - even with that help I struggle with how to think of

the tale - although it is most definitely historical, is it a memoir or fiction? I suppose at this point that is splitting hairs; the characters were simply so intertwined that the story became difficult to follow here and there. Either way, that intertwining made the story unique, and the perspective was so vivid that it really brought to life the horrors of Birkenau.

I found the character of Masha to be extremely confusing, more so as the story progressed - although it is somewhat explained, I wish Shahar had been clearer about Masha's role in Ovadya's life.

Overall, I found Returning to be well written, albeit horrifying. I would recommend it as a read for anyone interested in Jewish history, especially the happenings in Birkenau-Auschwitz.

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LibraryThing member jeanie0510

This is a dense and long narrative of one man's account of the time he spent in a concentration camp, Birkenau. He was deported there along with his family. The narrative switches from past to present as Alex speaks with a Rabbi that he is asking for forgiveness for his part in contributing to the

horrors at Birkenau. Alex views his participation as a means of survival rather than face death as his fellow Jews are led to gas chambers or burned alive. The Rabbi tries to show Alex the error of his thinking based on readings from the Torah and Jewish law. I am interested in books regarding the Holocaust and becoming more informed about this terrible tragedy that was going on while the rest of the world had knowledge of it, but did nothing to stop it. However, this book was difficult to stay interested in. There was a lot of repetition and recounting of Alex and the Rabbi's meetings which I felt were unnecessary. I feel that the same powerful story could have been just as effective in 200 pages rather than 400.

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LibraryThing member Gwnfkt12

I can not say enough good things about this book. It was so moving, so impactful, and so eye-opening. It's brutal, yes, but the reality of the holocaust is brutal. Well worth reading about the horrors to learn about the power of forgiveness.

LibraryThing member courtneygiraldo

I will update more comprehensively once I finish (about 1/4 of the way through now) but I will say this emotional memoir has me hooked. The journey back in time as Alex relives his time at a German concentration camp is heartbreaking. Although I am not as invested in the story of Yael and her

journey of self discovery, I feel once the two meet and begin their story together, it will come together more for me. So far an excellent read.

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LibraryThing member Loveuga

Returning by Yael Shahar is a powerful, emotional memoir. This book will stay with you after you have read the last pages of the book. This book will make you think and question. I highly recommend.

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