Ellie Midwood tells a compelling story of extraordinary bravery, tenacity, and tenacity using two timelines. The Child Who Lived provided a unique perspective on that period of history, despite the fact that I had read quite a few WWII historical fiction books. I looked up additional information about Mauthausen and the adjacent camps right away because I had never heard of it or the bone grinder.Hannelore is now Mrs. Heinrich Stroman and the year is the late 1930s in Vienna. She shares the gratitude of everyone else when the Germans boost the Austrian economy. She appreciates the benefits and quickly gets a job with the Central Agency for Jewish Immigration.The mother told this tale.
The entire story takes place in numerous concentration camps during World War II. Despite the fact that they are all abhorrent, one character has a kind heart.
To submit to the situation would be to die. It was necessary to cling to optimism and the conviction that the conclusion was inevitable.
The key to survival was frequently just luck. We witness a group of ladies coming together to endure the violence.
We watch as the girls are subjected to horrific circumstances and horrible treatment. There was a lot of brutality during that time, but there were also brave gestures. This story was so moving.

#womensfiction #historicfiction #bookreview #booktour

The Child Who Lived by Ellie Midwood

It's the late 1930s in Vienna, and Hannelore is now Mrs. Heinrich Stroman. Like everyone else, she is grateful when the Germans revitalize the Austrian economy. She enjoys the perks and soon finds herself working for the Central Agency for Jewish Immigration.

One day, she's a valued employee, "and the next, an enemy of the state, who had betrayed the trust of her superiors; who belonged with the scum she'd been aiding..."  What follows is nothing less than an inspiring story of survival and how love can grow in spite of the atrocities of evil.

Using dual timelines, Ellie Midwood weaves an engaging tale of incredible bravery, strength, and perseverance. Although I have read quite a few WWII historical fiction books, The Child Who Lived offered a different look at that part of history. I had never heard of Mauthausen or the bone grinder and immediately researched more about it and the surrounding camps. As you read about Lore, Wolf, Anika, and the others, make sure to have some tissues handy!

Read this if you like:
• Historical fiction
• WWII fiction
• Stories of perseverance
• Stories that tug at the heartstrings

This story was heartbreaking for me to read... but in a good way! "The child who lived" takes us through a story of a woman named Lore who seen a need for change and put her life on the line to do so. Forced into prostitution, sex slavery and concentration camps, Lore faced a ever climbing uphill race to freedom. While in a concentration camp Lore fell in love and got pregnant. From the moment Lore realizes she is with child her life mission is for her child to come out of it all alive...... I hated that Lore was put through everything that she went through but I loved how she fought with all she had so she and her baby would survive. For me this is a true tale of a amazing heroine. ARC review. Thank you Netgalley

The Child Who Lived by Ellie Midwood is a powerful historical novel that I just could not put down, and devoured it in just one sitting.
The book is the true story of a young women with an indomitable spirit, who against all the odds, fell in love and had a baby in Mauthausen. This is a baby and mother who both should not have lived. This is the mother’s story.
All the action is set during World War II in various concentration camps. All of them, absolutely horrendous – but despite this, a character has maintained a kind heart. “A rebel with a moral compass always pointing in the right direction in spite of the circumstances.”
To give in to circumstances would be to perish. One had to hold on to hope and believe that one day the end would come. “We ought to stick it out to the end just to annoy them with being alive.”
Survival often came in the form of luck. We see a group of women banding together, in order to help to survive the brutality.
We witness the atrocious conditions and the dreadful actions inflicted on the girls. It was a time of great cruelty but there were also acts of heroism. This was such a powerful tale. It needs to be read in memory of the six million innocents who died and also of those who survived.
I will let Ellie Midwood have the closing words:
“The child who wasn’t meant to survive would become a child who lived.”
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Although a work of fiction, The Child Who Lived is based on true events and tells a little told story of female prisoners within Mauthausen.

The book starts in the divorce courts in 1946 where Lore's husband is filing for divorce due to her 'unacceptable behaviour'. There, she tells the story of her remarkable life before and during the war.

Lore was a political prisoner initially interred in Ravensbrück but sent to Mauthausen with another group of women there to service the needs of the men. Lore and the other women soon become like family; looking out for and supporting each other whilst trying to survive the brutal regime inflicted by the SS. Against all the odds and rules, Lore finds love and unexpectedly becomes pregnant ... a death sentence for both mother and baby. How is she going to survive and save the life of her unborn child?

This is a story of bravery, strength, love and survival and although a work of fiction and therefore there is some 'artistic licence' and a suspension of reality at times, it is a story that hits all the emotions and the characters stay with you long after you finish.

Recommended to those who enjoy reading historical fiction from this era and thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Child Who Lived.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this jaw dropping book

this is the story of survival, this is lores story and what she had to go through to survive.....

dont want to give to much away as this is a book that needs to be read, for yourselves to experience every shocking event that lore is about to go through

ellie midwood the author certainly knows how to write some gut punching books and this one is no exception

Normally I love Ellie Midwood books. I read them with chills down my spine and I get caught up in the story that I read the book in one go.
For some reason this book didn’t hold my attention and didn’t engage me in the story. No goosebumps while reading.

The topic is one you don’t read a lot about, the prostitutes of women in the camps and the camp it takes places for not known to me.

For me the relationship between Wolf and Lore went from talking and a common goal to lovers in a blink. The escape and the child who lived were over in a few lines. I would have loved to have read more about the escape.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love every Ellie Midwood book and this one was absolutely no different. While I did take a while to get into the book, once I did the pages flew before me. I couldn’t stop reading it and wanting to know the truth behind Lore and her experiences. Midwood has the amazing ability to discuss topics which haven’t been explored much in other WW2 books. This one focused on how the German army used women for prostitution in the camps during the Holocaust and the brutality they faced.

The ending was so perfect I couldn’t even begin to put it into words. I love Ellie Midwood’s books so much and I cannot wait to see what other books she brings into this world as I work my way through her backlist simultaneously.

The Child who Lived is a moving, thought-provoking WWII historical fiction novel based on true events. The story follows Lore, an Austrian citizen who finds herself at Mauthausen Concentration camp. Friendships are formed, and Lore meets Wolf, a male Prisoner. The tight knit group supports each other through the horrors they must endure, even finding humour in this awful place. This is a story of strength, love, friendship, hope, and survival against all odds.
The author educated me on events I was previously unaware of, and on several occasions, I had to put my book aside and take a breather. It’s not overly graphic, but reading about the horrors at Mauthausen, I felt a sense of despair, knowing these atrocities took place. This story and the characters will stay with me for a very long time - I can't stop thinking about it. This is my first book by Ellie Midwood and I can't wait to read more!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

In Austria in 1942, Hannelore Stroman was working for good, trying to counteract the bad that was surrounding them. But when she was arrested, jailed then sent on to Ravensbrück, the German concentration camp for women only, Lore knew her life was changing. She also knew she was happy to be away from her overbearing, arrogant but cowardly husband. Eventually sent to Mauthausen concentration camp with a few other women - all clean - they were the only women in a men's camp, there to service the needs of the men...

Mauthausen was brutal for the inmates. The cruelty of the SS in the death camp, a camp designed to have the inmates leave one way only, saw Lore and her friends working within the system, doing their best to keep on the right side, but objecting behind the scenes. And then Lore met Wolf - a kindhearted journalist who was determined to escape the tyranny. When the two fell in love, that determination rose one hundredfold. Pregnancy and birth was something not allowed in Mauthausen. Could they hide it from the oppressors?

The Child Who Lived is based on true events, and brought to life by Ellie Midwood in a most poignant and heartbreaking way. But there was hope, there was laughter, and there was love. The women surrounding Lore were all like sisters, determined to have each other's backs. And Wolf was an exceptional character. I've really enjoyed previous books by this author, and this one didn't disappoint either. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

It was not a bad book per se, it's just that I can't let those things, that most people would consider "minor", slip. If you enjoy historical fiction mixed with romance, and you don't care for the fact that what you actually came here for ("if" and "how" the child survives) will come at the very end, and... well, just because she has to mention it, then The Child Who Lived is the book for you. I didn't feel like this was a story about a child at all, but rather about a problematic character.

Full review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5752476610

Ellie Midwood’s The Child Who Lived delivers an emotional exploration of hope, resilience, and the power of love amid the horrors of the Holocaust. Drawing inspiration from true events, the book eloquently navigates the tension between the unbearable darkness of Mauthausen concentration camp and the flicker of hope embodied by two individuals who refuse to be crushed by their circumstances.

For me, Ellie Midwood's writing has been a favourite of mine for some time now, and this latest novel does not disappoint.
Telling the story of Lore, a prisoner of Mauthausen, and her subsequent pregnancy and relationships, Midwood creates a thrilling and well-written story of survival. Once again, she does not shy away from presenting the true horrors witnessed by inmates, as well as presenting stories that are less told and less well-known.
If you enjoy the genre, Ellie Midwood is always a must-read.

I can’t tell you how many books I’ve read, nonfiction about WWII and its atrocities. Midwood always manages to flesh out a new angle and snippet that I’m unfamiliar about.
The sex trade and slavery the Nazi forced women to perform at Mauthausen was truly repugnant. Is wood explains in the author’s note about facts versus fiction.
That anyone survived the hell much less had a child too is nothing short of a miracle.
The harsh truth can’t be erased or softened with time.

Ellie Midwood's The Child Who Lived presents a poignant narrative set against the chilling backdrop of Mauthausen concentration camp during World War Two. Despite initial pacing challenges, the novel deftly weaves a tale of forbidden love between Lore and Wolf, as they navigate the depths of despair to find solace and resilience within each other.
While Lore's transformation from vulnerability to strength is inspiring, my personal connection to her was limited. The story's emotional resonance and gripping narrative, eclipse occasional pacing issues and minor depth concerns. Ultimately, this novel is a testament to the power of love and hope amid the darkest of times, offering an experience that leaves an indelible mark on the reader's heart.

This was an oh, so lovely story of the worst savagery of mankind. Told with realistic detail of the horrors of the Nazi monsters of WWII, the cruelty was unbelievable and personal.

But out of this inhumanity and viciousness there were strong people, who managed to live and love and survive. This book is about those people, and I’m grateful to have read it.

A quick read, seemingly quickly written as well. I was rather disappointed in the plot that took place in Mauthausen most of the time. I thought I was reading a book taking place in 1946. The characters did not feel real to me, there was no depth in them, and definitely not credible. It is really a shame because I read other books by the author which had left me wanting for more. Not this time though!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

Wow, this was an incredible book!

I have to say, the first 25-30% was less interesting to me than the remaining portion, but I am so glad that I stuck it out. Lore’s story was truly heartbreaking but beautiful, and what an ending!

As with a lot of WWII historical fiction, this was very challenging to read at times. However, whether truth or fiction, these stories should be told.

I liked the dual timeline between the “present” court proceedings and the wartime. I loved the cast of supporting characters, particularly the brothel girls. I would love to get to know a little more of Wolf’s story as well.

Overall an excellent read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Child Who Lived by Ellie Midwood is harrowing novel about love, loss, hope and unending joy. The story begins with Lore, an Austrian woman working for the nazis. She sees things that ultimately encourage her to take chances which, unfortunately, lead her to Mauthausen where she lives endless days of a agony until she meets Wolf. The héroïsme that Wolf portrays are nothing short of incredible. He loves Lore and their unborn child so much that he willing to risk everything to save them. The supporting characters, Tillie, Emmi and Lisl add comic relief to the more intense, horrific events they have to endure in the camp. The three women add a humanistic dimension to the horrors of life within the walls of the camp and allow the reader to glimpse the quiet determination to survive of the women who live in a hell that we could never contemplate.

I just reviewed The Child Who Lived by Ellie Midwood. #TheChildWhoLived #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Ellie Midwood's book entitled The Child Who Lived. It was a great book. It is about a prisoner in a concentration camp during WWII. It is a different take of the historical fictions that I have previously read. The characters come to life with the reader experiencing all of the emotions of the characters. I rated this a five star book and would highly recommend it to those who enjoy reading historical fiction.