The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Book Review

The Tattooist of Auschwitz had been advertised for some time before I had read it. This was prompted as a book of interest by my app. It was an easy choice as it had been on my TBR list for quite some time. At university, I had heard my history friends talk about it, and I believe this is when my interest spiked. But, I am very interested in tattoos and thought it intriguing that an author wrote through this perspective. However, I did not realise it was based on a true story until I began.

Synopsis

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.¹ We follow his story and witness horrific barbarism as he develops into his role, yet secretly exchanges with merchants behind the enemies gaze. He is valuable and thus is not punished as harshly as fellow prisoners, and through this job he meets his love, Gita. This prompts a desire to live and survive, and get out of the camp.

Review

As mentioned, I do not remember the beginning very well and on deeper consideration I believe he sacrificed himself to save his family. Morris interviewed Lale himself. What we are reading is an account of his story formulated into a chronological order of events which is event led. I disagree with many reviews that suggest Morris’ Lale lacks characterisation as you can see from his actions that he is a compassionate and morally driven man. Not only this, but through the events we also learn he is very clever and plays games with the guards which enables him to help fellow prisoners as he gains a higher position as a tattooist. We do watch as he grows into a hard character, yet retains his softness, after witnessing the cold and brutal murder of many. I believe Morris had written his character well.

I do, however, agree that Gita’s character lacks depth that many would probably like to see more of. Perhaps, Lale didn’t offer more to Morris other than his own love towards her. Or perhaps, the focus is on the protagonist and his role within Auschwitz. We do, indeed, follow a series of events as he is pushed here and there to do this and that. Morris wrote with such careful detail. Yet, we still follow a love story between a closed and reserved lady who didn’t want to share her surname.. Her reservation may be a characterisation on it’s own, which is why we do not know such great detail about her.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and believe I will re-read it. I think I want to re-read it to gain a better sense of the story and events as I know I missed a lot of parts. Also, I am also not an expert in this field, and so I read it with a different lens that those who are more familiar with the Auschwitz and WWII. I want to read more, and perhaps may get the next book by Morris on Chilka’s Journey.

Do you have another suggestion?

Next read?

1. Educated – Also based on a true story

1. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38359036-the-tattooist-of-auschwitz ↩︎