Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Violinist of Auschwitz is a beautifully tragic tale of a fearless woman’s trials during the Holocaust. A true tale of heroism and strength.

Ellie Midwood writes with the perfect balance of eloquence and rawness.

This tear jerker is a tough but very necessary read. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is one of this years best sellers.

This is based on the true story of Alma Rose’s experience at Auschwitz. Alma was a professional violin player before she was taken to the concentration camp. While at the camp she does what she has to to survive herself and save as many others as possible.

I’ve read many stories of Auschwitz in the past year and this one did not disappoint. I recognized some of the descriptions from other stories. These stories need to keep coming out so we never forget what happened. I loved the author’s writing style and how well the story flowed. Alma’s strength is amazing and it came through very well. I really enjoyed this book.

Oh man. What an emotional rollercoaster! Sobbed my wee heart out for the latter part of this. A beautiful story of dreadful proportions. We all are aware of how harrowing Auschwitz was so you know off the bat this is going to be a weepy. Very well told with believable characters. Another one that will stay with me. Thank you for the ARC I might not have found this beauty otherwise.
Beautiful.

I’ll be very surprised if The Violinist of Auschwitz isn’t a bestseller.. it seems that WWII books have inundated the market. You would expect that you’ve heard all the stories or very similar ones. The fact that new stories are still beIng exposed speaks to the magnitude of the tragic history of The Holocaust. This story is of a very strong, driven, musical genius who takes on the challenge of teaching an orchestra of mediocre musicians to perform at a high level for the SS Christmas celebration. Alma Rose is the name to never forget - she is a true heroine. She is brave but moral. I truly hope everyone will read this excellent and historical accurate book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of a book I’ll never forget. Watch for it - due out November 18th.

A very emotional read. This book is based on real people and real events, making it all the more engaging. Alma Rose is the famous violinist who shows such bravery and helps others to survive the atrocious conditions of the concentration camp.

You’ve read the history books you know the facts of World War 2 now The Violinist of Auschwitz will give a unique glimpse into the personal journey and true story of Alma Rosé. Based on Almas real life Ellie Midwood has done extensive research and written a beautiful story to share Almas life and accomplishments.
From the first chapter I was invested in Alma and her story, I wanted to know just how she got to this point and where her story would go. This is the first time I’ve read an account of a WW2 story that includes music and the way Alma used her talent in the camp to help those around her is simply astonishing. The addition of music to their harrowing tale adds even more emotion for the reader.
Through music the women can feel some hope and when they play or hear it, they are transported to a time when they were free, with their families and felt warmth and joy. Their fearless leader Alma is quite the character and uses her talent to help her fellow prisoners in a way that only she can. At first she refuses to play for the SS but then quickly realizes that she will need be to be strategic and use anything she can to help herself and those around her survive. Alma plays so these women can have a tiny bit more food, some clothing, a piece of soap, anything to help them survive another day.
I thought Alma was portrayed very well and her outlook of the officers was a refreshing one, often playing for them out of spite and constantly walking the line with her outward hate and disrespect for them. Alma is unlike any other prisoner in camp Auschwitz, creating something out of absolutely nothing. Because of this she is able to gain a little respect from the officers and conducts herself with grace and intelligence.
I especially liked that Ellie Midwood has included a note of history at the end of the book so we can see exactly where she draws all of her inspiration from the story, I was amazed to learn that nearly every event in this story is pulled from a real life fact, often found in an account from those who were at camp Auschwitz. Ellie Midwood worked hard to represent Alma and the others truthfully and to tell their story and she’s done a fantastic job.
A story full of pain, suffering, music, talent and hope this book will take your heart on a ride bringing you to tears, making you smile and cheer on the amazing women that you’ll find within this book.

It is always very hard to read about the horrors of Auschwitz. I never heard or have read that they had musicians there. Alma was so talented and such a strong female figure. Thank you to Ellie Midwood for bringing Alma's story to light so we can all learn about her. . . although her ending was so tragic and heartbreaking.

What a beautifully written book. The Violinist of Auschwitz is heartbreaking, inspiring, touching and every other feel you can think of. Loved this book from the first page until the last. Have read so many books about Auschwitz and this one might be my favorite.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood was a beautifully written story based on true facts. Ms Midwood did a wonderful job of weaving a story around the facts she found during research of Alma Rose. This story was set in an incredibly disturbing time in history, yet I felt as if I knew the characters first hand. Ms Midwood was able to seamlessly pull you back from the dark atrocities to a heartwarming part of the story. If you are interested in WW ll history, consider reading this book. It is raw at times, but also contains love, respect, and determination. Not an easy read, but an excellent read!

Beautiful music sets a tortured soul free and as the story goes, the young musician saved many young women who would have otherwise died under the evil hands of Dr. Mengale. Such cruelty leaves us feeling drained at the end but the author wanted the story told.

This was a very good read. Based off of the real Alma Rose, this book gave great insight to the musicians at Auschwitz. Highly recommend!

Beautifully written story of Alma Rose, a famous Hungarian violinist, who is sent to Auschwitz. She is brave and tries to help others by playing during her time at Aushwitz. She meets another famous musician, Miklos Steinberg, a famous pianist. They make beautiful music together. A hauntingly, brave, beautiful story of bravery. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood is the story of Alma Rose. A very real person who left the safety of England to return to Europe to continue performing. She was a well-known violinist throughout all of Europe. Her father was Jewish. Alma herself was baptized Protestant and raised a Catholic. Naturally, she felt she would be safe as she was not a Jew. Even though her father was no longer allowed to perform... and she whisked him to safety in England... she did not believe the Nazis would have any reason to stop her from performing as she herself was not raised in the Jewish faith. Big mistake.

The story begins with Alma arriving at Auschwitz. She had made the mistake of wearing her high heels and had to stand the entire train ride standing, cramped together with many others in a cattle car. When she arrives, the female Nazi guard recognizes Alma Rose and immediately asks if she would mind playing a song for her. The Guard makes sure that someone runs to Kanada to get a violin. Alma finds the situation a bit humorous and believes that everything will be fine as she is very well-known. Alma is given her own bedroom within the camp Auschwitz Orchestra bunkhouse. Installed as the new, "Kapo". She is given the job of enforcing the rules within her building. Tasked with playing with other musicians when the trains arrive to unload the cattle cars of humans. Humans that are immediately told to go left or right. Literally... who will live for a while... and those who will be immediately gassed and cremated. The Orchestra also plays for the Nazis at dinners. And, a few times a week at the Auschwitz hospital to bring comfort to the patients.

This story is unlike any tale ever told about a prisoner of Auschwitz. Alma finds herself in a bet with the Angel of Death himself. That she will turn her Orchestra into one as good as the one that she herself belonged prior to being imprisoned. If she is unable to complete the task... All will be gassed and terminated. Their very lives depend upon them learning how to play as professionals. When most of them can barely read music.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this magnificent story of the very real struggle to survive in a world gone insane. Where folks believe they are safe because they're famous. Where folks believe that what is happening in the world around them.. is simply politics gone insane... but, everyone will come to their senses soon and all will become right in the world. That the country who has come under the control of those who would take away another person's livelihood and send them to camps because of their religion or political beliefs or sexual preferences is just a passing fad. That someone who is so famous... cannot believe that anything bad could happen to them. That bad things happen to everyone else.

The Violinist of Auschwitz was a beautifully written book. It tells the story of a woman sent to the camps and how she started an orchestra. She literally saved so many people by doing that. As you can imagine the story is very hard to read but necessary. It is beautiful and tragic. It really brings out the emtion in the reader. I went from furious to sobbiing in the flip of a page. It is a very powerful book. Fantastically written with great characters.

I was very excited to learn about Alma Rose, the acclaimed Viennese violist who built the woman's orchestra in Birkenau, and in the process, saved the lives of many of her musicians. Telling the stories of individuals who suffered monstrously in the Nazi concentration camps helps us remember that these are real people with real families and talents and wishes and dreams. I appreciate the author's diligent research in bringing Alma's story to us.
However, this book was not for me. I did not connect with the style of writing. I felt it was much more plot-driven than character developed. I kept wishing for more detail on Alma's backstory - her life in Vienna, her determination to stay in Europe to play the violin, helping her father escape to England. I also wanted to find out about the camp through Alma's eyes rather than what the other characters told her. The long explanations from other characters could have been shown through other elements of storytelling, rather than just told to us. Many of these explanations were not essential to the main focus of the story. Finally, much of the dialogue felt overly sarcastic and provoking. It was jarring to me and seemed an unconventional way for Nazi prisoners to speak to and about the highest officials in the camp. It is possible that this is actually how Alma spoke to the officials, however, it did not evoke the emotional response in me that helps me to connect and commiserate with a character.
I realize that Ms. Midwood is a best-selling author, and for those who like and appreciate her writing style, this will be an excellent choice of books. It just was not an excellent choice for me.

I don’t know if in all the books I have devoured recently of WW2 and the Holocaust there was one more soul wrenching than this one. I have been through boxes of Kleenex. You read and with all you have, hope that this didn’t really happen. That Alma and the others didn’t go through this. Then you cry for those that you know had it worse. Because how could it be harder, more painful. How can we call people human who believed in this. How we need to learn from the past. Even writing this review I have tears. Knowing the strength of these girls and knowing I would in no way ever be that strong.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Harrowing and horrifying, when I pick up a book with Auschwitz in the title, this is what I have come to expect. The story of Alma, the violinist of Auschwitz, isn’t just harrowing and horrifying, but full of hope and steely determination.

Through the eyes of Alma, I was immersed into the life of the inmates, how they survived, how they worked and how they fostered relationships with each other, and their superiors. Alma, a renowned violinist, is saved from the gas chambers to become the Kapo of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. The book revolves around her need to perform for the SS, and to escape the finality of the gas chambers. An incident within the camp begins an uncomfortable relationship with the tyrant Doctor Mengele. Typhus threatens to cripple the group but Alma, repeatedly protects those around her, The much awaited Christmas Party will not disappoint but I will reveal no more!

Death lingers on every page yet Ellie Midwood’s style of writing is captivating and full of passion. This real life story is one that I will not be able to forget in a hurry. Midwood has given life to Alma’s story and has left me with a desire to find out more,

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of The Violinist of Auschwitz. This novel is based on the true story of Alma Rose. It was devastating and beautiful. Highly recommend for historical fiction lovers!

Heartbreaking and sad, this very emotional story is based on the true story of Alma Rose', a famous violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Austria along with her famous father. When the Jews were being rounded up, Alma was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. Alma was recognized by the head of the women's camp and appointed as conductor or the orchestra that played as the inmates marched to work. At first she refused, but them realized that she would get better treatment along with more rations for herself as well as the girls in her orchestra. Alma puts together an orchestra that plays for the SS officers and then she meets the famous Hungarian pianist Miklos Steinberg who helps tutor her students also plays in their concerts.

I really enjoyed this story and marveled at how courageous and fearless Alma was.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this very emotional book. It is definitely a page-turner.

The Violinist of Auschwitz is based on a true story of famous Violinist Alma Rose from Vienna with her famous musical father played in Holland before the war until the day she was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. Alma a Jew was caught with a fake passport. She was sent to an experimental block where she bravely asked for a violin which started an orchestra. She played for the governor of Auschwitz and the SS guards of the camp. Between the atrocities that they performed on the Jews, Polish, Hungarian, Czech and others that were classed as defectives.
This story is an incredibly detailed account of Auschwitz and a shocking account of what they did to the men women and children in the camp. You could feel the pain and the fear from these people, wondering what will happen to them. Will they be next to die? Also, the bravery of Alma who by building the orchestra saved people from certain death and helped get them better living conditions. I have read books of this type before but some of the details in this book was new to me. This is a brilliantly written book but also a sad telling of what happened in 1944. After reading this it made me want to research Alma and find out more about her and her bravery. 5 stars from me