The Violin of Auschwitz by Maria Àngels Anglada, Martha Tennent (Translator)

In the winter of 1991, at a concert in Krakow, an older woman with a marvelously pitched violin meets a fellow musician who is instantly captivated by her instrument. When he asks her how she obtained it, she reveals the remarkable story behind its origin. . . .

 Imprisoned at Auschwitz, the notorious concentration camp, Daniel feels his humanity slipping away. Treasured memories of the young woman he loved and the prayers that once lingered on his lips become hazier with each passing day. Then a visit from a mysterious stranger changes everything, as Daniel’s former identity as a crafter of fine violins is revealed to all. The camp’s two most dangerous men use this information to make a cruel wager: If Daniel can build a successful violin within a certain number of days, the Kommandant wins a case of the finest burgundy. If not, the camp doctor, a torturer, gets hold of Daniel. And so, battling exhaustion, Daniel tries to recapture his lost art, knowing all too well the likely cost of failure. 

This book is a very short, quick read. It was simply and beautifully written but was lacking.

The story begins in 1991 at a concert, with the person who now has the Auschwitz violin. It goes back to the early 1940's in Auschwitz to tell the origin of the violin. Finally we are brought back to the 90's when past and present meet for the violin.



The factual documents in the book are interesting and a bit horrifying but the story itself lacks depth. There were many jumps in the book that didn't mesh well and it left you wanting to know the characters more. You don't really get a sense of how the man is feeling during his time in the camp. She actually made the whole thing feel rather dull, which saddens me because we all know of the horrors the Holocaust caused. I think if the author would have put more into it, made the story longer, it would have been so much better. It had such great potential.

Overall it was a very quick, easy read but I neither loved nor hated it. If it is available to you, pick it up but I wouldn't go out of your way to find it.

3 out of 5 stars

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