We Were the Lucky Ones
By
Georgia Hunter
We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter tells the story of Hunter’s family and what happened to their family as well as the broader jewish population during the Holocaust. This book is an emotionally tough but important book to read. My emotions shifted from chapter to chapter. At times I was disgusted and appalled, and at other times I was amazed at the courage of the characters (based on real individuals). I found myself struggling with the question as to how brave I might have (or have not) been during those times.
Hunter divides the novel up by following the life of her grandfather and his siblings leading up to and during the war. We see how families were torn apart and some went years without hearing from their relatives. Others never heard from their relatives as they were lost to the actions taken against the Jews or were lost fighting. Hunter also shares what how even the youngest of children had to learn how to hide physically and emotionally from the Nazi regime. I also learned about the role Russia played early on in deporting Jews to Siberia. These stories broke my heart and gave me hope.
Those of you who regularly read my reviews know that I read history – especially about WWII – because it teaches us lessons about how important it is to never allow oppression of a group of individuals due to race, religion, political or personal beliefs. We Were The Lucky Ones demonstrates what happens when we forget to treat all people as equals. I highly recommend this book as it makes a lasting impression that will always remind me, how precious is our freedom.
