Wow! What a great book! Loved this historical fiction about a Jewish Ukrainian family that survived WWII by hiding I forests and caves, as told from the perspective of Hanna, a teenage girl. She is relating the story to her child, looking back on her past experiences. This book is based on a true story of Esther Stermer’s family, as recorded in her book We Fight to Survive and a documentary film entitled No Place on Earth.

The book is engrossing and well-crafted. Her prose exudes a simple and discreet beauty. It is one of the few books I’ve read about the events of WWII taking place in the Ukraine, where the populace dealt first with Russian control under Stalin and then the Nazis under Hitler. While concentration camps and slaughter of the Jewish population is referenced, the violent horrors are kept at arm’s length, as befitting a novel targeted toward young adults. I appreciated the author’s descriptions of nature and her ability to tell a moving story, while weaving in appealing flourishes such as Ukrainian folklore and Jewish traditions.

Recommended to anyone interested in stories of survival during the Holocaust of age twelve to adult. I found it a powerful and touching narrative of courage and the will to survive, aided by the kindness of a few good-hearted people.

Oh gosh this book!! This book will linger with me for a long time.
I read it in two days because I simply could not put it down and when I had to put it down it was all I could think about.
The story is set during WWII in Ukraine. Hanna, a young Jewish girl of almost 14 goes to school and helps her neighbour paint psyanky eggs. Things slowly start to change in her day to day life as Hitler invades Ukraine. They are given less food on their ration cards than anyone else and experiences bullying from others at school but that was just the beginning. Hitler is set on making the land "free of Jews" and that is when Hanna's live really turns upside down. They are forced to hide in the walls of their house, leave their home and flee to the forest before eventually living in underground caves to evade capture.
This was a heartbreaking read that reminds us of a time when fear and hatred ruled, but also of when love, hope and kindness prevail.

Word's from the author that ring so true. " I dream of a day when we will no longer need Holocaust stories to remind us to be kind to each other, and to be watchful of those who aren't."

Thank you to NetGalley and Mandel Vilar Press for the review copy!

I received an ARC of this book from Mandel Vilar Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Real Name Is Hanna is a moving story of the experiences of the Slivkas, a fictional Jewish family who were able to survive the Nazi’s purge of the Jews in their Shtetl (village) by hiding, first in the forest and when that became too dangerous, in a series of caves.

The story is told in first person by 14-year-old Hanna, the oldest child in the family. She starts by telling what her life was like in her Shtetl in the Ukraine before the arrival of the Nazis. She introduces us to various members of the village – some Jewish, some Christian, some Polish, some Ukrainian – and tells how they mostly got along, although there was always some anti-Semitism against the Jews. Besides acquainting us with the members of her immediate family, Hanna tells us about some other members of the community. We meet Fedir, the lamplighter; Hanna’s neighbor,Mrs. Petrovich; the Cohan brothers; Yuri, the local forester and gamekeeper; and her friend from school, Leon, among others.

With the arrival of the Germans, life changes drastically and the fear felt by Hanna, her family, and fellow Jews is palpable. As stories of the killing and extermination of Jews reach their ears, the only way to save themselves is to go into hiding. With the help of Yuri and the Cohan brothers, the Slivkas and three other families hide in two cabins in the woods. When the Nazis start combing the forest for Jews in hiding, Yuri encourages them to move to some nearby caves that are relatively unknown in the area. The remainder of the story tells of their survival in the caves despite the many challenges they face, such as the difficulties of getting sufficient food to stay alive.

The story is well-researched and believably presented, although at times the writing is somewhat stilted. My Real Name Is Hanna is tailored for middle grade and young adult readers, so there are few graphic details of the treatment of the Jews at the hands of the Nazis. There are positive values exhibited throughout the novel – family, love, helping others, courage, hope, and determination to survive. I found myself cheering for Hanna and her family, hoping for the best possible outcome for all the main characters. A worthwhile read.

Just finished reading this beautiful novel. This is such a wonderful story of perseverance, the strength of faith and family and ultimately of survival. This is a YA novel, about a young Ukrainian Jewish girl named Hanna who goes into hiding with her family at the time of the Holocaust. Although a work of fiction, the novel is based on true events and the accounts of survivors. A must read for fans of historical fiction.

Note: I received an advanced copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having read many books revolving around a similar subject matter before, (The Book Thief, Diary of Anne Frank, etc.) I was curious to find out how this tale differed from the others. The premise of this young adult novel is the tale of a young Jewish girl during the beginning and throughout the second World War. We follow the story of Hanna, who ultimately has to survive with her family in an underground cave for over a year. This may seem fantastical but is based upon the true story of the Stermer family who hid in a cave for 500+ days to avoid capture by the SS. The author masterfully paints a heartbreaking picture of a young lady who just wants to exist and is continually forced into more and more difficult situations but inevitably survives if only in order to prove the Nazi regime wrong. While it is written to educate young adults and therefore isn't as brutal as some other Jewish centered World War II fiction, it outlines an idea that is very pertinent in this political climate - that someone is not an "other" just because of the circumstances of their birth.

okay so im going to start this off by saying i am a big mood reader and when i requested this i was very interested and in the mood but when i actually got around to reading it i just couldn't get into it. it was not a bad book at all and the story and topic was very touching and educational and actually pretty good.

the main problem i had with this book was the writing. it just seemed awkward and all over the place? it made me bored and i could barely get through a few pages at a time without wanting to scream and put down my phone.

i also did not like the format and the way and order in which the story was told. it was weird and confusing and back and forth idk it just wasn't for me.

i did really like the main character and her way of thinking and just everything about her was amazing. i didn't feel like we got to see much about all the other characters, at least as far as I got into this book.

i try not to ever dnf a book because it drives me insane and i feel like a bad reader but god this book bored the hell out of me. i wish i could have read it at a different time when i was more in the mood and might could have gotten into it but for now i really didn't like this.

“Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love”
--Dance Me to the End of Love, Leonard Cohen, Songwriters: Leonard Cohen

”I will say my real name to you for the first time. Hanna Slivka. Don’t be scared. I am still your mother. Born on February twenty-second, in the winter of 1928. Your grandmother often told me to remember this date because that is the day that God allowed me into this world to breathe my first soul breath of chilled Ukrainian air. “

”She told me all this as we sat in fear for our lives in the dark. That our people believe the breath of life—neshamah—is holy. That she could see snow falling outside the window, great big flakes like goose feathers. And a bantam cock crowed, she said, as if to welcome me.”

”My family told stories. We swallowed them in place of food and water. Stories kept us alive in our underground sanctuary. The world continued to carry out its crimes above us, while we fought just to remain whole below.”

Sharing this story with her daughter, now, from when this begins in May of 1941, she shares this story with us, as readers, her personal petition that this story, their family story, be held in her daughter’s memories.

Life in Kwasova in the days before the war was simple and good, with their life filled with the daily rituals, the small tasks throughout the day, and prayer. But life changes as often as their country’s borders change, and historically they have been Ukrainian, Polish or Austrian citizens. On the day that Hitler invades, the 1st of September 1939, they are Polish, and the border is now down the middle of Poland. As the Nazis take over, hostility toward Jews increases, the number of people they can trust decreases, and by 1942, life is unsustainable there, and they make plans to leave, but it takes time to gather that which they hope to keep, and what they, reluctantly, must leave behind.

They leave their home on October 12th of 1942, with Hanna leaving a note that includes all of their names, including their dog and horse, and the ages of the children, asking the person who finds this list to please say these names out loud, and then bury the paper in the yard.

Once they leave, their journey is fraught with problems that start out small and few between, but as time goes by, and food is scarce or impossible to find. Shelter that they once had they are forced to leave until they seek shelter in a cave. Knowing the alternatives, there are few complaints at first, but as time goes by, the effects of living like this begin to take a toll.

While the Nazi Camps are mentioned, the focus of this story is on this one extended family and their fight for survival in a story that is incredibly compelling, but without the descriptions of the horrors we have all come to know of by reading about the Holocaust.

This is categorized as a Teens & Young-Adult novel, but can be appreciated by all ages.

It is also worth noting that this story was inspired by Esther Stermer’s ”No Place on Earth”, a documentary, based on the true story Ms. Stermer’s book ”We Fight to Survive.” A quote by her follows a dedication at the start of this book:

”Long ago, people believed that spirits and ghosts lived in the ruins and caves. Now we could see that there were none here. The devils and evil spirits were on the outside, not in the grotto.” -- Esther Stermer, author of”We Fight to Survive.”



Pub Date: 25 Sep 2018


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Mandel Vilar Press

Wow. What a beautifully written novel following young Hanna as her family struggles to survive through WW2. Absolutely loved this book and the well developed characters.

I'm struggling to put into words how I feel about this. I didn't dislike it but I also didn't love it. It started off intriguing and easily kept my attention, but once I stopped for a break I struggled to get back into it. I found myself skim reading a few pages which then for a few pages became lost, however I soon caught up again.

My Real Name is Hanna
by Tara Lynn Masih
Mandel Vilar Press

Historical Fiction , Teens & YA
Pub Date 25 Sep 2018


I am reviewing a copy of My Name is Hanna through Netgalley and Mandel Villar Press:


My Name is Hanna is a beautifully written story of a young Jewish girl coming of age in wartime Ukraine.



Hanna Silka's in on the verge of turning fourteen when Hitler comes into the Soviet Occupied Ukraine and is determined to free her area of all the Jews, until the German Occupation . She spent her life exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings and admiring the drawings of Leon Stadnick and helping her Mother dye Pysanky eggs but now their families are forced to flee into the Forest and in dark caves beneath the rolling meadows where it is said there are evil spirits!


Months of living underground has left them sick and malnourished . Hanna's Father ends up missing in this time and it falls on her to find him. The others are two weak or sick! Will Hanna find out a way to save her family and friends? Find out My Real Name is Hanna!


Five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Give me a WWII historical fiction story and I'm sold. Add a lesser known setting (Ukraine), and I'm just about jumping up and down from sheer excitement. Oh yes, I had high expectations for My Real Name Is Hanna and not just because of the beautiful cover and comparison to Between Shades Of Gray. While I do have to note that the ARC version I read had a lot of editing issues (both related to the font, repeated words over and over again and sentences being cut and never finished), I am confident those issues will be fixed in the final sentence and therefore I won't hold it against the story itself. And there is no doubt that this story set in WWII Ukraine is absolutely wonderful. Though not based on a specific true story, the events are all too real and will shine a light on how Jewish families tried to hide and survive in Ukraine. Both descriptions of the setting and the different characters make the story really come alive and it feels as if you are living the horrific experiences along with them. I really liked the writing style and the way the story was told; the inclusion of local customs a huge bonus. The character development is thorough as well and it was interesting to see them evolve over time, reacting to the increasingly dire situation. If you are like me a fan of WWII survivor stories, My Real Name Is Hanna is a must-read.

I was drawn to My Real Name Is Hanna from the very first time I saw it mentioned. I have a weak spot for WWII stories and this one sounded particularly interesting. And there is no doubt that this YA historical fiction story delivered. Well written, well developed, emotional, harrowing, heartbreaking and with a healthy dose of local customs and excellent descriptions of the setting... Oh yes, there is a lot to love in My Real Name Is Hanna. This book shouldn't be missing from the wishlist of any WWII historcial fiction fan.

My Real Name is Hanna
By Tara Masih
Published by: Mandel Vilar Press
Release Date: September 2018
Rating *****

Review:
I have read a lot of historical fiction stories about world war two, but this novel has really blown me away. The story was inspired by a lady called Ester Stermer and her family who survived the world war 2 invasion by hiding in bunkers and underground caves.  It's estimated that less than 5 percent of the Jewish population in Ukraine survived the Holocaust so a survival story like Ester Stermer’s is extremely rare. I think because My Real Name is Hanna is based on this true story
it makes the novel mean so much more to the reader, especially with this fragile and harrowing subject matter.

The main character in the novel is a young female protagonist called Hanna Slivka. Hanna is a normal 14 year old girl who values school, friends and family. When the war hits her life is slowly turned upside down and she has to deal with unspeakable things. Throughout the novel she is a brave, courageous, intelligent and caring girl who understands the war and doesn’t complain or fuss about anything whilst she is in hiding. She has a positive way of thinking and has a passion for life which keeps her going. She doesn’t quite understand why her religion and people are under attack, why any other human being would make others suffer in such a way. She spends her young adult life trapped in total darkness inside a cave and just gets on with it although when she surfaces she says “ this is how life should be, being able to move around freely about in space with no chains or fears or limits” she understands what life should be like, she knows what is happening to her and her family is so wrong even if she doesn’t understand why, she like many other Jews in hiding just want their freedom back.  I felt for her age she was acted very mature and adult she took so many things in her stride without complaint or fuss. I really loved her as a character as she was just so strong and independent but had the caring and sweet side of her as well.

I thought the novel started quite slowly however felt that this reflected on how the Nazi’s worked. Slowly changing things for the Jewish population, creeping in and isolating these innocent people until it was all too late for them. Hanna, her family and friends realise what is going to happen to them if they stay in their home town and they flee into the forest where they live for months on very small portions of stale food and only surviving because of the kindness of others. Later in the novel their safe hiding place becomes discovered and they result to living in a dark cave for over a year. The tension in the novel builds up gradually, as a reader you keep thinking how on earth will these people survive with no food, light or medicine. They live in constantly fear either in hiding or on the run and whilst reading you really do feel so fearful for these innocent family’s lives, every unexpected twist and turn I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails hoping that they found a safe way out. At one-point Hanna’s father says “This is what those Nazis make us do huh? Live like barbarians. But the best revenge, my Eva, is just that – to live…” Even though they are filthy, starving, ill, cold and terrified they continue to live in these horrific conditions because they know it is their only way to survive and to “beat” the Nazi’s.

A great part of their survival throughout the book is down to trusting the right people, who are kind to them even if it may cost their own lives. A pivotal character who helped the Slivka family to live was Hanna’s neighbour Alla, whom takes a great fondness to Hanna and helps her and her family throughout the novel whether that be looking after their pets, not dobbing them into the SS, feeding them and giving them money. Alla saves their family time and time again and the only reason she does so is because Hanna is such a lovely, caring sweet girl who takes an interest in her. Without people like Alla even more Jewish families would have perished under the SS and Nazi regime. Another reason for their continued survival was their hope and faith in their religion, which is ironically being shunned and one of the main reasons for the war. The family pray, still try and take part in their beliefs such as the sabbath and look to their god for guidance and strength. Without their hope and others kindness, I don’t think any family could have survived for so long.

My Real Name is Hanna is beautifully told, an intense survival story that will resonate with me for a long time. I don’t want to compare it to other historical fiction novels as I think this story is so unique especially because Masih shines light on the Ukrainian Jewish history which I don’t think has been pivotal for many world war 2 historical fiction novels in the past.

If you want to read a deeply moving story of a family’s courageous journey throughout world war 2 then I highly recommend this novel to you

“Abram Slivka (my Papa)
Eva Slivka (my Mama)
Hanna Slivka (14 years old, loves to read)
Leeba Slivka (12 years old, loves to sew)
Symon Slivka (10 years old, a really good bit who
Loves his dog) Ovid (our dog)
Steed (our horse)
We all lived in this house until October 12, 1942. If you
find this ,
say these names out loud, please, and bury this paper
in the yard.”

Maybe a request for some semblance of a proper burial. Perhaps a plea for remembrance. These are the words that Hanna buries in a tin in the Slivka family’s yard before they are forced to flee their home, their quiet, happy existence, as the Nazis move in to make the town free of Jews. This becomes a journey for survival from their life in the shtetele, this small town, their Polish and Jewish roots, in the Ukraine, to the deep of the forest and eventually to the darkness of a cave finding refuge from the darkest hearts of the Nazis. We don’t see much of the horrific things that happened to the Jews as they are rounded up and sent to camps, but we know of course , and the characters find out as the novel moves forward. They learn that railway cars take away Jews and then the Nazis don’t take them away anymore. They just shoot them as they try to escape through the forest. We do see first hand the hunger and hardship that the Slivka family, their extended family and neighbors endure. There was no food at times. They were starving until one of the men or older boys could safely leave to scrounge what they could.

This is a beautifully written, well researched story inspired by a real family who together survived the holocaust by hiding in a cave for well over a year. This is a story of courage, of love, of family, of culture , of religious beliefs, of how it is possible to sustain hope in the face of hunger and darkness and loss. Through the beloved character of Mrs . Petrovich, one of my favorites, the kind Christian neighbor, we are reminded of the goodness of people, so many of whom aided Jews through these horrifying times. Through the characters of the Cohan brothers, we are reminded of the courage of so many who risked their lives to save the people in their community. I was struck that this was about the importance of story telling, both real and wonderfully imagined on a number of levels. When the novel begins, it is Hanna telling her story of survival to her daughter. Hanna’s beloved friend, Mrs. Petrovich, tells her stories through the beautiful eggs she decorates. The spirits of the children as well as the adults were sustained in the dark cave by the voices the children as they say “ tell me a story”. There are stories told in the cave remembering loved ones, some biblical, and some are fables of a sort - all beautifully told. Then of course there is this beautiful story told by Tara Lynn Masih encompassing all of this, itself based on a true one. While this may be geared to a YA audience, it is far from an ordinary coming of age story. I believe it’s an extraordinary story that everyone should read because it’s an imperative reminder that we can’t forget that the Holocaust happened and we can’t let it happen again.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Mandel Vilar Press through NetGalley.

**This book was inspired by real Holocaust events

Hanna Slivka is almost fourteen years old when her entire world is turned upside down. Hitler's army has crossed into the Soviet occupied Ukraine. They are intent on making the land "free of Jews." Hanna's life goes from exploring with her siblings and helping her neighbor decorate psyanky eggs, to having rocks thrown at her on her walk home from school, to hiding in the walls of her home when the army comes, to eventually leaving everything behind to seek safety in the forest and eventually in an underground cave with several other families.

The caves, although they provide protection, do not let in any sunlight, fresh air and keeps them in perpetual darkness both literally and figuratively. They do not know what is going on in the outside world, until their members must leave to find food and hopefully trade with nearby farmers.

This book is a well written account of what it was like to live/survive during the Holocaust. Where neighbors either helped neighbors or turned on them. Where hatred and racism tore away people's morals and values. A time when fear and hatred ruled the day. But in the darkness of the caves, humanity existed. People helped people, lives were lived, hope remained, and the true meaning of what makes a home is learned.

This is a timely book as there are so very few Holocaust survivors left in the world. My Ma passed away in 2017. Books such as this one keeps their stories and memories alive. No one truly knows what he/she is capable of until they are placed to the test. Readers may ask "could I survive this?" I hope none of us ever have to find out.

As I mentioned this book is well written and contains beautiful descriptions of nature. I enjoyed Hanna's relationship with her next-door neighbor and both of their openness and interest in each other's lives. This book showed the strength of family bonds but also showed the strength of friendship and how small acts of kindness can not only make someone's day but can also save a life. This is a wonderful book about courage, survival, and family for readers of all ages but is geared for the YA population.

A 2018 Skipping Stones Honor Award Book

Thank you to Mandel Vilar Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All of the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This work of historical fiction covers a geographic area, The Ukraine, not frequently featured in Holocaust literature for children and young adults. This well-written story is compelling, fascinating & moving. Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end to discover the research she based her novel on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was deeply emotional and extremely well written. You felt like you were traveling along with Hanna and her family - the Slivkas. Hanna is a 14 year old girl at the start of the book. She realizes that not everyone in their tiny town accepts them because they are Jewish. There is teasing at the school, some name calling. They are however fortunate to also have loyal and loving friends that they can depend on to help them, even though they might pay for this kindness with their own lives.

Hanna prepares for the Jewish holidays with her family but also enjoys the Ukrainian Christian holiday traditions of painting Easter eggs. As Hitler's army approaches, Hanna and her family decide to head for a remote cabin in the woods where they feel they will be safe. Her father and Uncle Levi are men of great courage who venture out to bring them food and other necessities that they need.

They realize that the cabin might not be safe much longer as the army is searching for Jews to round up, deport and/or just simply shoot on the spot. They find a series of caves where they live for over a year. Deep underground, in the pitch dark. The writing in regards to this part of the story is spot on and you can feel the enclosed space and the walls surrounding you, the pitch blackness. There are times when they have very little food left and they could easily give up the fight but they persevere because they stick together as a family, with their faith to keep them strong.

At the end of the war they find that they are not welcome in their own community, there are people living in their homes, wearing their clothes. There is violence directed at surviving Jews. They decide to change their names and leave for America and Canada. They carried with them the past that they survived and a hope for a new future they would build.

The story is based on the survival of the Stermer family who lived underground in the caves for 511 days.

"This is how life should be, being able to move freely about in space with no chains or fears or limits."
Excellent coming of age story during Nazi occupation in Poland. I enjoyed everything about the book. The writing, the beautiful insights, and the Jewish customs explained through out. This is a must read for older children, YA, and adults. We must never forget!!

WWII and holocaust survivor stories are some of my favourite reading genres so when I saw this book on Netgalley with the absolutely raving reviews I knew I just had to read it.

Set in Kwasova, Ukraine during WWII, "My Real Name is Hanna" is a unique coming of age story. With the rise of Nazi Germany, Hanna and her family don’t initially suspect that that anything will happen to them in their small town. Hanna spends her time helping her neighbour dye decorative pysanky eggs and hanging out with her friend Leon. However, the tides quickly change with the Nazis on their doorsteps and the carefree life and childhood that Hanna has known comes to an abrupt end. Her family is desperate to stay together and do whatever it takes to keep it that way. A few kind friends and neighbours help Hanna and her family plot their escape into the forest when the Nazis come for them. After their first safe place comes under threat, Hanna and her family are forced underground where they have to learn to live in a cramped cave in order to avoid the horrible Nazi forces. Finding hope in the darkness, both literally and figuratively, is all that Hanna and her family have left.

Everyone seemed to love this book and while I didn’t dislike the novel I also don’t feel the need to rave about it either. I am struggling to find the words for my indifference to this story as the plot was exciting and definitely nerve-wracking at times. The plot and layout of this story is its best feature but I felt a disconnect between some parts of the story and with the characters. For example, the book Hanna was given as a gift, which is the focal point of the first chapter, felt absolutely unnecessary in the rest of the book and really could have been edited out. Based on the reviews I have read, it seems that the majority readers had a strong emotional connection to the characters but I, however, found it a bit lacking. The characters struggles, as awful as they were, did not seem like they were communicated as well as they could have been. One of the most touching scenes of the story entails Hanna and her friend Leon but at the same time, Leon also felt like an unnecessary character. If the story had focused on just Hanna and her immediate family members, the characters might have felt a bit more robust to me.

I can see why readers have compared this story to "The Book Thief" as this book has successfully discussed a difficult and tragic story but has also kept it attainable for youth readers. However, in terms of potency and character development, The Book Thief is still the clear winner for me.

While I wasn’t as enthralled with this book as other readers the content of the story is good and many others swear by its moving story so I would still recommend this book for those interested in the WWII narrative and YA readers.

In 1941, a family of Jews live comfortably in northern Ukraine town of Kwasova, integrated with neighbors of other faiths. The eldest girl, Hanna Slivka, has just turned fourteen when the Germans invaded then Soviet-occupied Ukraine, determined to rid the shtetl of Jews. She, together with her family and other Jewish friends, were forced into hiding, first in the forests that surround their town, and second in underground caves believed to harbor evil spirits.

Inspired by real events that occured during the Holocaust, the story in My Real Name is Hanna is a retelling of Hanna's childhood to her daughter. Being a recollection of memories of one of the most terrifying real-life events in history, it has a poignant tone that imbue the narrative with emotion and tension. The narrative is further interspersed with both Ukrainian and Jewish folklore - the making of Easter pysanky eggs, using wax to scry for one's future husband, and the giving of birthday gifts to ward off evil for the year - making the story even more personal and grounded in that location and within their community.

In her debut novel, Tara Lynn Masih chronicles the intensifying hardships of Hanna's family in particular and the Jews in general. It starts with restrictions on the food they can buy, the businesses they can engage in, until later, Jews are seized and made to travel north to the work camps. Some Jewish Romaninan prisoners, as revealed by the family's informants, were made to cross a deep river and were either drowned or shot in the back when they made it to the banks, all while classical music is being played on the Gestapo's gramophone.

Masih's novel couldn't have come at a more appropriate time: today, there are voices spewing words of hate about other groups of people, and the appeal to intellect and rationality has given way to emotional outbursts over real and imagined slights.  The author explains that given her young adult audience, she did leave out "some of the more nightmarish events."  But what she did leave in are heart-wrenching enough.

Even more heart-wrenching are the actions of the people who helped Hanna's family despite great personal danger: from the neighbor who gives them crosses to place on their door to hide their Jewishness during a raid, to the people who served as their contact to the outside world while they were in hiding.  

As the novel ends, the family survived but to get their visas and be on their way to freedom in a new country, they needed to change their names.  This is why the retelling to her daughter begins and ends with her real name, and with it, the acceptance of what has happened before and since.

Masih's story is brilliantly told with a relatable and sympathetic narrator.  The events described are grounded in history, and all the more horrifying because of it.

My Real Name is Hanna, published by Mandel Vilar Press, will be released on September, 2018. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mandel Vilar Press for the advanced read.

My other book reviews may be seen at beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (for Fiction and Crafts/Cooking) and at thelearneratlarge.wordpress.com (for Business).

My thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

This is a story told by Hanna Slivka to her daughter, about a part of her life that she has so far kept hidden from her—when at fourteen, she was living with her family in Russian occupied Ukraine. Life had become hard, their possessions reduced because of the strict rules the communists went by, and religion, also taboo to the communists, was something that couldn’t be practised as openly as when they were ‘free’. But these hardships seem nothing compared to what lay ahead for the Jewish family (and others in their village) when Hitler invades. Initially, the impact on them is in terms of helping persecuted people from other villages and towns to escape, more restrictions on food and resources, and having to face taunts and insults from some members of the community they have been part of. But before long, despite many friendly and kind (and indeed brave) neighbours’ help in keeping them safe in their own house, they soon have to leave and go into hiding for safety. For a period of over two years they must live, first in an isolated forest cabin, and then in an underground cave with others of their community, with precious little to eat, fearing for their lives every minute, not only from the Germans but also from many in their own village/surroundings who are willing to turn against them as easily. Thankfully for them, not all are like that and they do manage to get help from various friends, particularly their neighbour Alla Petrovich, and friend, farmer Yuri Janowski.

While this story is a piece of fiction, the author has based it on a true incident of the Stermer family who survived the war living in such caves for over 500 days, a family who survived intact in a country where only 5 per cent and region where only 2 per cent of Jews survived. This is a very hard book to read and yet such an important one, for it brings us face to face with perhaps the ugliest side of humanity, as well as I guess, the best side. While the Slivkas do not see the worst of the Nazi atrocities, what little they see or hear of is also something that words can’t really describe. (I couldn’t help but wonder, one would dub Hitler as ‘mad’ at the least for the way his warped mind worked, but what about those hundreds of thousands who followed in his footsteps and perpetuated unspeakable atrocities? What is worse, as the author too writes in her note at the end, is human beings don’t seem to have learnt from this and continue to persecute on the basis of religion, of skin colour, of race.) The hardships (too mild a word, really) the family and their friends face in having to live with so little, in circumstances that we would wish on no living creature, and always having to look over their shoulder, perpetually being in fear of their lives is something that one can’t even imagine. What immense courage it must have taken to have the will to fight on, to live on, when literally everything seems against you, the invaders but also people that were of their own place, and the very the circumstances in which you are forced to live—disease, sickness, and malnutrition posing equally serious threats of their own. Each page one reads, each day that one reads of is heart-breaking. But there is hope in that for all of those who were cruel, who turned against their own, there were as well a few, who stood by them, facing as much danger of being caught and punished. They at least show that there is some ‘human’ left in human beings.

But amidst all of this suffering and pain and heartbreak, there was something that kept the families’ lives somewhat normal, and brought a ray of pleasantness into the reader’s experience and this was how rich in culture this book was. The festivals that the Slivkas observed (now so much more familiar to me since I read All-of-a-Kind Family), the birthdays, were something, that even if could not be observed openly or fully as they were before, gave them something to hold on to, something that made life more liveable perhaps, though later, when food and resources becoms more and more scarce, these too are no longer there. But I loved the descriptions of these in the initial parts of the book as I did those of the local culture, Alla Petrovich’s egg-painting (pysanky), the local parades and festivals, and daily life.

I haven’t read many books with a holocaust theme (only Anne Frank’s Diary, really), mostly because I know how heart-rending they will be (and how hard to handle), but I realise, it is also so very important to read them, to face how low human being can fall, how little they deserve the superiority they assume, though there are those in every circumstance, who certainly do deserve every accolade, who are really ‘human’. This is certainly one such books and I can’t recommend it highly enough.