Received as a free digital ARC from NetGalley.

The topic of the book drew me to it. It covers the immigration of Jews and other populations to Canada around 1930, the politics and policies in place during that time for those from non-preferred countries. It also covers the author's grandfather, Yehuda Yosef Eisenstein who came to Canada to escape the Nazism and persecution. He hoped to start a new life and bring his family (his wife and children) to Canada. What followed was a life filled with fighting antisemitism and the government's unwillingness to allow his family to come to Canada. He was given the choice of staying in Canada or returning to Poland as he marked his immigration papers that he was single.

The author has done a lot of research. At times, the book felt a bit bogged down with all the statistics. I enjoyed the story and love genealogy. It was definitely a worthwhile read especially if you're someone who loves statistics.

I really liked this book because of the chronology of the events of Jewish migration to Canada, the author is based on what his grandfather experienced in the 1930s when he was fleeing the rise of Nazism in Poland

✨ The information is very well researched and detailed, it is a practically real and familiar story

✨ The photos are beautiful, from approximately 100 years ago when they began to emigrate.

✨ Would you stay alone, free, in a country you don't know or would you return with your family but with the danger of being imprisoned, tortured or killed for being a Jew?

This was an interesting book, but a bit long and verbose. Some of the information, I wasn't sure if it was entirely relevant to the story. Still, it was full of factual information, and gave me a new perspective.

A compelling historical fiction story of a young man who starts a new life behind a lie. A memoir story that gives a different sensation when reading it