CILKA’S JOURNEY by Heather Morris is a beautifully-written and heart-breaking follow-up to her first novel, THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ. It is a work of fiction, but is inspired by the real life of Cilka Klein who at the age of only sixteen is imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. In the camp, Cilka was friends with Lale and Gita, the main characters of THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ. Early on, a senior officer takes Cilka aside and for the duration of her three years in the camp, she is forced to do whatever he asks just to stay alive. Some of these unthinkable acts will haunt her for the rest of her life. When the Russians finally liberate the camp, they charge Cilka with colluding with her Nazi captors. Unimaginably, she is sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in the Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia. Imprisoned again, Cilka must find the inner strength and resilience to survive once more. The deplorable conditions and the atrocities committed against the women in the Gulag are extremely difficult to read about, but it was uplifting to see the bonds of friendship and love that were forged among the inmates. Throughout the novel, the reader learns more of Cilka’s time in Auschwitz through flashbacks that are clearly differentiated from the present story. Even though Cilka has suffered horrifically, she still finds the courage to help others before herself. CILKA’S JOURNEY is a powerful and unforgettable work of historical fiction and I recommend it most highly. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this outstanding book.

Another WWII story that drives home the horrors that so many had to endure until they couldn’t.

In this story we follow Cilka as she is released from Aushwitz only to find that the Soviet Union has sentenced her to a Soviet Gulag for 15 years. Her crime, it seems, is finding a way to survive.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release October 1, 2019.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Heather Morris and St Martin’s press for a early copy of the book Cilka’s Journey, in exchange for my review

First of all I must say that This is the first book by Heather Morris that I read, as I have “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” on my to - read list, but have not done so as of yet

I found that even though I have not read the first novel, It was easy to follow along with this second book and gather a good understanding of what has occurred with this Auschwitz story.

The main character Is one of strength, and character. A book that takes over your world as you read along, not wanting to stop until you have read the last words. Well written, engaging and so very heart breaking

I have read many books on the subject, and this Historical Fiction story is a superb read.

This was a wonderful follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz where we can see more of Cilka, The girl who kept her hair. What Xilka endured is horrific and at times reading about the treatment of prisoners both at Auschwitz and in Siberia was hard to read, However this story, a fixtionalized account of Cilka’s life, gave such inspiration about the magnificent heart and will some people have in even the worst circumstances. I thought the writing was a bit choppy, but well worth the read.

I absolutely loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz so I was extremely excited when I saw Cilka’s Journey.

Heather Morris does an incredible job of describing the horrors that people endured at the hands of the Germans in Tattooist and now the Russians in Cilka’s Journey.

Cilka’s Journey takes you through what happens when an Auschwitz prisoner is punished for being forced into working with the Nazis to stay alive. Taken to a camp in Siberia, again Cilka does whatever it takes to survive and to help her friends survive too.

This is a story of love and resilience in a time where there is no hope.

4.5 stars

I'm one of the few people who hasn't read the author's previous historical fiction book, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I will eventually go back and read that one because I thought the author did an incredible job with Cilka's Journey. While this book features a character from the other novel, this one can easily be read as a standalone.

Cilka was just sixteen years old when she was taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. She does what she can to survive and in 1945 the camp is liberated. However, she is not free as she has been accused of sleeping with the enemy and is sent to a Siberian prison camp. With conditions not much better than those at the concentration camp, Cilka once again is going to have to find the strength to fight for her life.

There are different types of historical fiction books and this one is more heavy on the fiction side. Unfortunately so many details about the real life Cilka remain unknown. and I'm glad the author is upfront about how she pieced together facts along with her imagination to come up with the story. In my opinion, Heather Morris did a good job showing the harsh and inhumane conditions of these post-war prison camps. I believe she captured the essence of what it might have been like for Cilka and other prisoners and to me that's what makes this such a worthwhile read regardless of whether it was 100% factual or not. While the war might have ended in 1945, so many people, like Cilka, continued to suffer and that is something that should never be forgotten.

The only slight criticism I have about the book is I felt like it was a rushed ending. I'm not trying to give away spoilers, so I will just say I'm specifically talking about the Epilogue. I think there was some room to expand there as I was left wanting just a bit more.

Overall, this was an incredible book and I'm thankful the author felt it was a story worth telling. Simply put, go out and read this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The profound story of the life and love of Cilka. It follows Cilkas life with flash backs from home to Auschwitz Birkenau to Gulag in Siberia. This was the story of a brave women doing what she could to survive and fighting to keep others safe. I really enjoyed the authors notes in the back about Cilka and her life and the all research to make sure her story was told!

Take a deep breath and try not to cry. This story picks up after WW2 has ended. Cilka has been charged with spying for the Germans and is being shipped off to a prison camp in Siberia. What Cilka has to go through in her short life is so painful to read. She survived Auschwitz by being raped by the Germans, she was sentenced as a traitor and then to top it all off, raped again in the prison camp. Cilka is just trying to survive, but her humility and compassion toward the people around her, in the same situation as her was incredible. I would imagine someone like that would be hardened to the world, but not Cilka. She gave away her chance of freedom so a friend could survive.

I read this book in one day. Couldn't put it down. This was a powerful story that needs to be read.

Heather Morris brings readers another compelling novel that focuses on one of the characters presented in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Russia, post World War II is the setting for this novel, although the horrors of Auschwitz are never far from the minds of the characters.

Cilka Klein, a young woman from Slovakia who managed to survive Auschwitz, is shockingly sent to a Russian prison in Siberia. Because she spoke several languages and had been accused of sleeping with a Nazi commander, she was charged as a collaborator and sentenced to 15 years in the Vorkuta prison.

Just about the only improvement in the Russian prison was the absence of crematoriums, possibly a bit more food to eat and access to medical care. The harsh weather and the prison mafia was enough to help control the prison population.

The story tells of Cilka’s life at the Vorkuta, sprinkled with flashbacks to her life in Auschwitz. In spite of the harsh conditions, Cilka manages to thrive and develop meaningful relationships while in the prison.

Readers should be sure not to miss the author’s note at the end of the story. Morris explains how the story came into being and gives some details about Cilka’s life beyond leaving the prison.

An unforgettable story and one not to miss!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

Thanks Heather Morris and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

My rating for this book is between 4 and 5 stars. First of all, you do not have to have read The Tattooist of Auschwitz prior to this book. Cilka, the main character, is best friends with a main character in the other book but you're able to understand and enjoy this book as a stand alone.

From the very beginning, you are thrown in the injustice that is Cilka's life. I enjoyed how it gave us glimpses to "the other place -Auschwitz-" so we could understand what she has been thru and what makes her who she is now. It's well balance between the awfulness of the situation and what make life worth living. I would definitely recommend this book.

I was introduced to Cilka in The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and was eager to learn more about her. It was so sad that not only was she forced as a young girl to be taken from her home and made a sex slave., only to be “freed” then found guilty of collaboration with the Nazis. She was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in Siberia. She endured extreme cold weather and terrible conditions, yet she remained positive and helped others in her barracks. She fell in love at the camp and after they were freed they married. It’s sad she was never able to have children as she loved them. The abuse of these prisoners is horrible, st times it was hard to read. Morris explains the background and how her research and conversations with Lale (The Tattooist) led her to write Cilka’s journey.

I feel this book is important to read,,that we may fully understand what happened to these innocent people.

Wow. Another equally impressive novel by Heather Morris. I couldn’t remember many details from the first novel but bits and pieces came back over the course of reading about Cilka. Her journey is a true testament to the amazing strength of the human spirit. The horrors she suffered through are beyond my own words, thankfully Heather Morris has taken that on.

I appreciate the extensive research that went into the writing of this novel.

It’s a painful read, but hard to put down. It evokes such strong emotion.

This follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz can be read as a standalone. This tells the aftermath of WWII, and what happened to the survivors who were "released" from concentration camps, but still seen as enemies of the Soviet Russian state.

I loved the Tattooist of Auschwitz! I was so excited when I saw that we got to learn more about Cilka. While it had its very dark, depressing moments- you also see that good people will always exist.

Cilka’s Journey is what happens AFTER Auschwitz. Cilka is sentenced to hard labor for simply doing what needed to be done to survive “the other place”. This is is her fight to survive. To grow. To help others. To remind us-
Good will always win!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think i actually like this one better than the first. I am still upset that people had to go through this torture. This book didn't seem as graphic as the first one did. The characters were all well developed however i would have given a little bit more information on Cilka and her journey from the beginning. She was resourceful, kind, and always looking our for those that couldn't help themselves. I liked that she was always trying to help others no matter what department she was in. I will recommend this to my friends and appreciate getting the chance to read this.

After reading and loving The Tattooist of Auschwitz last year, I was so eager to read Cilka’s Journey. Her story is beyond tragic, and it was heartbreaking to follow her journey and learn about what she continued to endure even after she was “freed” from Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The most poignant parts of this book, for me, were the survivor’s guilt and shame that Cilka battled despite her hardships. Yes, I was deeply impacted by the torture that she faced; but as if enduring that was not hard enough, I felt that Morris truly captured the complex emotions of survival.

I really enjoyed the format for the book, alternating between the present day and flashbacks to her time at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It felt very human, to live chronologically but be triggered by current experiences to memories of the past. This was a quick, easy read; but my one critique would be that the writing came across a bit too simple at times. Overall, really enjoyed this book and learned so much about the Soviet gulag system during the Stalin era.

The sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

This is the story of Cilka, which is based on the real life of Cecília Kováčová. She was a 16 year old character from book #1 The Tattooist of Auschwitz . She was a forced sex slave of a Nazi SS commandant.

I read this one as a fictional story as I'm not sure which parts are factual. Either way, her story is gripping, compelling and utterly heartbreaking. I loved Cilka's strength and courage. Every day was a struggle with new obstacles and little hope, but her instinct for survival was strong.

We follow Cilka as she is charged as a collaborator by the Russian government. She is sent to the gulags in Siberia. It was hard to read about how dire and horrific the prisoners were treated. I was invested in her story and pulling for her to make it through.

A compelling historical fiction novel with a character who felt very "real" to me and one I'll remember.

Mesmerizing. Thought-provoking Even though I read the author notes first and knew the ending, I couldn't put it down.

‘A taste for sadistic irony was just one of the many traits that Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR shared.’- Heather Morris

I was very excited to see this novel was continuing Cilka’s story from The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It was sad & enraging learning about the Soviet Gulag camps and how similar they were to German concentration camps. So overshadowed by Hitlers atrocities Stalin was able to get away with less accountability. I wish Morris’s storytelling had been as passionate as she was when relaying her journey in researching Cilka’s life. Though I liked the story it lacked depth for me. Felt like reading bullet points of information with no emotion behind them. Would still recommend highly not necessarily for the writing but definitely for the information. 4 stars.

This is the second book in The Tattooist of Auschwitz series by Heather Morris but can also be read as a standalone. Hauled off to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp when Cilka Klein was sixteen, she survived the horrifying years with smarts and the strongest of wills. Having caught the eye of a high Nazi official, she was subjected to brutality and sexual exploitation that she bore in order to stay alive and helped many prisoners while also helplessly being unable to prevent the deaths of many others. The end of the war saw freedom for Cilka. But her hopes were dashed and her life imperiled when she was labeled a collaborator and hauled off a second time in her short life - to a gulag in Vorkuta in Russia. Her sentence: 15 years. Conflicted by her years at Auschwitz she guards against her women prison mates finding out about her “elevated” status there. But someone knows and she’s forever on tenterhooks and attempts to keep a low profile. But Cilka is soon noticed by a woman doctor who teaches her the basics of nursing and before long she is helping to take care of the sick under terrible circumstances. And her memories from Auschwitz continue to haunt her… A haunting historical fiction that leaves the reader speculating…what would one do if you were Cilka? What decisions would you make under those horrific conditions with virtually no choice? Hard questions to contemplate…Overall, I preferred this book over the first one. Besides the storyline, I felt that Morris' writing style has matured, the flow was a lot more even, and Cilka’s character was well developed - complex, conflicted, selfless, and yet scarred - you feel her pain and experiences with her - nicely done. A definite recommended read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.