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Battling numbing cold, ever-present hunger, and German soldiers determined to hunt them down, four dozen resistance fighters--escapees from a nearby ghetto--hide in a Ukrainian forest, determined to survive the war, sabotage the German war effort, and rescue as many Jews as they can from the trains taking them to concentration camps. Their leader is relentless in his efforts to turn his ragtag band of men and boys into a disciplined force that accomplishes its goals without losing its moral compass. And so when they're not raiding peasants' homes for food and supplies, or training with the weapons taken from the soldiers they have ambushed and killed, the partisans read books of faith and philosophy that they have rescued from abandoned Jewish homes, and they draw strength from the women, the elderly, and the remarkably resilient orphaned children they are protecting. When they hear about the advances being made by the Soviet Army, the partisans prepare for what they know will be a furious attack on their compound by the retreating Germans. In the heartbreaking aftermath, the survivors emerge from the forest to bury their dead, care for their wounded, and grimly confront a world that is surprised by their existence--and profoundly unwelcoming.--Amazon.… (more)
User reviews
A different viewpoint here as most of the story takes place within the camp and among the partisians. As horrible events are occuring outside of the camp, those in the camp take comfort in their religion and are determined to hold on to their humanity. So, it is also a novel of love, of a shared humanity and comfort in the face of adversity. The characters question what their fate will be, if they will find alive the lost family members that are gone. It is a sad novel but also one of a shared commitment and most of all hope.
"It's not easy to be a twig rescued from the fire. You keep burning but, defiantly, you are not consumed."
"I suddenly understood that each of us carries within him not only painful experiences that could unnerve him at a dark hour but also strong words to toughen his resolve."
ARC from Edelweiss.