After a quite slow start, the world of the Jewish mafia in pre-war Poland opens up. Jakup Szapiro is a handsome, Jewish, tough guy. Inside the ring, he is unbeatable. Also, outside the ring, everyone fears him because he works for Buddy Kaplica.

The novel takes place in Poland before the Second World War. At the same time, Hitler’s power in Germany is strengthening. Also, in Poland, a similar national movement emerges. Polish Jews are considering going to Palestine.

I wanted to read this novel before, but I’ve finally found the time to do so now. The slow start may put you off, but later events in the novel confirm that this book is definitely worth reading.

This a translation and does well in the wording and writing. Conveys the emotions of the times. Brutal

This is a powerful and dark book set in Warsaw in 1937 – and it’s very violent. It’s the story of the Polish-Jewish underworld, a world of gangs, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, presided over by crime lord Buddy Kaplica and his henchman and enforcer Jakub Szapiro, a feared and respected Jewish boxer. 1930s Poland is a turbulent place, with fascism and anti-Semitism on the rise and a sense of impending doom hanging over the Jewish population. I found it a compelling read, original and intelligent. The magic realist and surreal elements didn’t sit so well with me although I accept that one image in particular added to the sense of dangers to come. As for the violence, I’d like to feel that it wasn’t gratuitous, but I’m not so sure. Sometimes I felt that the author simply went too far – but on the other hand we all know now how much worse the savagery and brutality was going to get within a very short space of time. Unpredictable, full of suspense, a real page turner, and not without its tenderer moments, it’s a compelling and unforgettable literary novel, a multi-layered story of a world rarely depicted in fiction.

Writing a review about this item is not an easy opinion, because although it has been several hours since I finished reading, I still have a confusion in my head. King Twardoch's author is not easy reading, even in Polish, and I read it in English (the author's style is not the simplest in itself, so reading a King in a foreign language can be a feat for many people - I recommend limiting yourself to your mother tongue).
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We are moving to 1937, Poland ends the interwar period, an extremely turbulent time in Poland and Europe, which has only just begun to rise after World War I. Each subsequent day is uncertain and carries risks.
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The King of Warsaw talks about a city that rises like a phoenix from the ashes after a bloody period in history, which has always changed the life of Warsaw, but only - Europe as well. Mojżesz Bernsztajn is the narrator of the whole novel, who is seventeen at the beginning of the novel, but he is not the king. The king of Warsaw is Jakub Szapiro, a Jewish boxer who, as it turned out, killed the narrator's father, which he did not yet know. After all, their lives were connected at some point in an intricate way. How their lives will be connected, that even after several dozen years memories of Moses remained and decided to write them down.
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The King of Warsaw describes a lot of great contrasts, a city that no longer exists, divided into two parts - full of Western Europe and style, and the other full of poverty, rising from a fall, dirty, unable to cope with its divisions, which each year deepens and will never be sealed.
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Then the King talks about the gangster world of the interwar period, which is described in a decent noir style, which is ideally suited to describing such elements. As for the characters, they all fit in with the previously set patterns, which is their drawback and makes them can be considered unnatural and even caricatured in the context of this novel. I was hoping that women would not be treated like that, but their characters are also well-defined, but this is not so visible in the sheer volume of events, because women are hidden somewhere on the side of the plot.
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Is the King of Warsaw worth reading? I think so, at least for a try, because the style of this novel will not appeal to everyone. In my opinion, this is a piece of heavy literature that anyone should be willing to face.

This has been out since 2016 and has many, many helpful reviews from readers smarter than I, so I'll just recommend it for historical fiction fans. Good stuff.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

This novel succeeds in what it sets out to do. It''s violent. There are no interiors to speak of: the scenes are mostly descriptions of physical conflict, written in cinematic detail. In terms of my reading enjoyment I'd have to say this is one of the least enjoyable books I've read in a long time. I also hated The Godfather and still feel sick when I remember some of those scenes, too. So even though this is a huge "not for me" review, I truly think it's me, not the novel. Others will enjoy the tension, the action, the conflict, the guts.

This book is incredible. It brilliantly tells a story with a historical, war-torn backdrop. The characters are so well developed that it is not hard to begin to think as they would think. This book is violent - if torture, killing, and other acts of violence bother you, it's important to know that they are contained within this book. However, none of it was gratuitous. It only added to the realistic portrayal of the time.

The writing was nothing short of masterful. It's easy to see why the author is an award-winning author in Poland. The translation was perfect and I hope that more of his work is translated into English.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. My detailed review will be published on my blog within the next few weeks.

Occasionally I like to read something a bit different. I've also tried to expand my reading horizons by reading some translated fiction. So when The King of Warsaw was pitched to me I saw it as an opportunity to accomplish both.

The King of Warsaw was originally published in Polish and has now been translated in English by Sean Gasper Bye. Being a Polish novel, the author writes of Polish history for an audience that is familiar with Polish history. As someone who knows little about Polish history besides a few WWII references, I had some trouble understanding the importance of ABC and Phalanx.

The novel is set a few years before WWII and focuses on the life of a star Jewish boxer who is also the muscle of a Polish gangster who is not Jewish. WWII-set fiction is one of my favorite genres and I'm always looking for different stories being told about this time period. While there are some political maneuvers mentioned that foreshadow things to come, they are not the prominent plot.

The writing style is a little too stream-of-consciousness for my liking, particularly in the first chapter or two. While I'm not a fan of this literary device, it does allow the reader to see early on that the narrator is not reliable. However, it isn't revealed until much later in the novel just how unreliable the narrator is. I was kind of shocked.

I was not happy that the Yiddish dialogue was not translated until the end of the chapters. I was reading the ebook which does not lend itself to easily flip back and forth like a print copy. I would have liked for the translations to be closer to the dialogue so that I didn't feel like I was missing pieces of the story. Interestingly, only the Yiddish dialogue is not translated into English. The Polish dialogue and the narration are all translated.

Boxing and gangsters are not topics I care much for, but I did come to care for the characters. It is a rough time in Poland. In a lot of ways, it was a fledgling country having only regained its independence in 1918. And Europe itself was still recovering from WWI. So while the characters are violent and corrupt, there is also something about them that make them sympathetic characters.

I wish I could tell you this is a happy story, but we know what happens to Europe just a few short years after these events occur. It is a difficult story, but one I'm glad I read.

Review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday, April 28 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/04/the-king-of-warsaw-by-szczepan-twardoch.html

Wow, what a book!

The best way I can think to describe this book is as Peaky Blinders with a twist, full of historically accurate elements and an incredible mix of ultra-realism and magical realism that I have never seen done before.

Following an unreliable narrator Moyshe Inbar, as he is writing down his memories of his younger years in 1930s Warsaw. After seeing his father dragged out of the house by a group of gangsters for not paying his store’s rent, Moyshe decides he will not be vulnerable. When the book opens, he finds himself at a boxing match watching the man who killed his father, knocks down one of Warsaw’s Aryan sons. Jakub Szaspiro, an intimidating and handsome Jewish Boxer, is the right arm of Warsaw’s biggest gangster Buddy Kaplica. Jakub is also the man that dragged out and killed Moyshes’s father. He is now the man that has taken Moyshe under his wing.

A fast-paced and brutal story about political extremism, religious intolerance, and ethnic tensions in 1930s Poland, this is a very timely read. But not for the faint of heart, the violence in this book is very graphic, and I found myself emotionally exhausted after every chapter and needed to take breaks in between. However, as someone genuinely interested in this period in time loves gangster movies and has been accompanying Poland’s current political rhetoric towards the holocaust, I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Another aspect I found quite remarkable about this book is the magical realism aspect of it that is interwoven with questions of grief and memory in between the two timelines of the narrative. Litani, a colossal sperm whale, swims above the sky of Warsaw eating up souls, with its flaming eyes only waiting to eat up out the narrator. Also, I won’t give any spoilers, but the twist was AWESOME! It only became ‘predictable’ when the author truly wanted you to realize what was happening, and the end is not a happy one if you need that kind of stuff in your books.

The reason why I’m not giving this book five stars is the following. Some, although most certainly not all, of the violence felt unnecessary. At times I felt deeply uncomfortable about how shallow some of the graphic scenes were when they did not further the plot in any way or said something beyond just remembering the reader how awful everyone in this book is. That being said, for most of the novel, the author and consequently, the narrator seems to be very self-aware not to exploit violence without a purpose and was very critical of it in the text. But like many books in this genre, it was noticeable when the author got lost in the grit and evil and started writing violence, especially that against women, just because which felt a little bit like violence porn, which I did not like.

Another note is that I wished that some of the side characters, specially Ryfka and Emilia, were given more space. Every time they were in the scene, they stole the show. But even when we are given their background, their story seems rushed and only scratches the surface. Also, they are made out to be healthy and independent, but when it comes down to decision making, they only seem to be motivated by their affection for Jakub, which just felt lazy.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book. I can’t deny that, but I think it could have been better.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "The King of Warsaw" by Szczepan Twardoch, Translated by Sean Gasper Bye, Amazon Crossing, April 21, 2020

Szczepan Twardoch, Author of "The King of Warsaw" (translated by Sean Gasper Bye) has written a challenging, and heartbreaking novel.  The Genres for this novel are Fiction with some Historical Background. The timeline for this story is set around World War Two in Poland and goes to the past and future when it pertains to the events or characters. The author describes the characters as complex, and complicated. There is a contrast between decent vs. evil seen in many characters. In this novel, there also are some possible symbolism, hallucinations, or religious folklore. ( It is very confusing.) Please note that there are some horrific and vivid descriptions of torture and death. Please be aware that this is a time of hate and power.

Jakub Szapiro is a famous Jewish boxer and has commanded respect. He also is an enforcer for a criminal. In the first third of the book, this reminds me of Mafia stories such as "GoodFellas". People had better pay up or else. Add the dimension of antisemitism and different parties vying for control in Poland. We see Jakub in many toxic situations.

There is also the mention of freedom in Palestine, concentration camps, powerful journalists, ande betrayals and crooked politicians. This is a very difficult and confusing novel. I would recommend this intense novel for readers who enjoy a complex read.

Twardoch delivered a dramatic and powerful narrative that was unique, highly ruthless and brutal about life in 1930's Poland. He tells a gripping tale of life in the streets of Warsaw where warring gangsters between the Jewish and the pro-fascist/anti-Semetic experienced violence as part of daily life and survival. The novel was a historical fiction with an element of psychological thriller vibe which made this book unputdownable for me.

Twardoch proved himself as a gifted storyteller through mesmerizing dialogue, creating a world full of ruthless characters that was delivered and told from the point of view from both a child witnessing harrowing violence to an older retired Israeli officer full of regrets remembering his past in a way that is both real and imagined. I felt the pain in the narrative on how violence affected people through the difference in not only their beliefs but also in their social classes and social standing within their community.

I found this book to be an addicting read which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Enter the tumultuous year of 1937 ..... Poland is gripped with the ever present cloud of approaching doom of Hitler's continuing stranglehold on Europe. .... certainly not stifled by Prime Minister Chamberlain's ineffectual appeasement overture. The streets are littered with brawls and violence .... Warsaw is fractured ... Jew versus Christian ... socialist versus nationalist. ... and the ever present prospect of government collapse. Experience a completely new voice in this gritty and literary historical fiction novel, laced with violence, love, injustice and delivered in a noir cinematic style.. The main protagonist, Jakub Szapiro (Americanized in my mind to: Jacob Shapiro), is a handsome, champion heavyweight boxer of Jewish birth ( but, certainly secular in actions and mind) who daily plies his skills in the streets, as the right hand man for notorious crime boss, Jan "Buddy" Kaplica. And, yet he remains a revered and loved man of his Jewish brethren . Buddy and Jakub surround themselves with a unholy cadre of dangerous associates that are amazingly fleshed out in intimate and unflinching detail. The scariest is Pantaleon Karpinski ... who obviously is dissociated into two warring personalities ... his alter ego being his "devil brother" who continuously urges him onto greater heights of violence. He quelches this: "Silence demon" and takes out razor from his pocket and drags it along the skin of his shoulder ... cutting deep ... and jet adding another line in the network of scars."
Much of the narrative unfolds through the eyes of 17 year-old and then the typewriter of 67 year-old Moshe Bernsztajn (nee - Bernstein) - a teenager whose father is brutally killed by Jakub on the order of 'Buddy" for not repaying his "vig" payment on a ridiculous loan. In vivid detail the dismemberment murder is layed out in a Tarantino-like visual. Pervasive throughout the narrative is a metaphysical harbinger of violence, visible to Jakub and Moshe .... Litani... the great predator, a sperm whale with burning eyes and swimming up river through the air. As anti-Semitism metastasizes through Poland and a government coup evolves, Jakub and his Jewish compatriots struggle with the plight of staying or emigrating to Palestine.
Twardoch weaves a complex and multi-layered narrative brimming with excesses.... love, violence, empathy and sympathy through the eyes and actions of multidimensional characters. This is the first novel to be translated into English from this multi-award winning author. .... I anticipate more will follow. Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for providing an electronic uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.

Heart-wrenching, dark and violent, The King of Warsaw is a beautiful piece of literary fiction.
As a reviewer, I must talk about the trigger warnings before recommending this book. Violence, sexual abuse, murder, hate crimes and dismembering of bodies are mentioned throughout the story. If this isn't something you like to read in a lit-fic, think twice before reading this book. Read this book for the story; read it for the emotional turmoil described here; Read it to get a picture of how life was in Poland before Hitler's wrath.
Twardoch is a brilliant author and I really like the way every emotion in this story is described. The dialogues and the character portrayal - simply wonderful.
I did not see the twist coming! That was, so very unexpected! Magda and Mojzesz!
I believe a translated work is either a hit or a miss and this solely depends on the translator. So, in this case, the translation was surely a hit. Kudos to the translator Sean Gasper Bye for such a wonderful job.