4.5★s

It was 1943 in Germany when the Bergman family were cruelly separated. Their apartment in Hamburg was in danger of becoming a fireball, and although the nearby shelter was full, they squeezed in. But it didn't take the Nazis long to drag them out - first Dalia and Leo, then their children, Max, Jordanna, Lilli and Alfie. Dalia ended up in Auschwitz, while Jordanna, Lilli and Alfie were at a Polish camp for orphans. Leo and Max went in different directions - all heartbroken and wondering if they would ever see each other again. Jordanna and her siblings were worked hard, with little to no food. Exhausted, hungry - it was hard to keep hope in their hearts, but they tried to.

Dalia worked in the infirmary in Auschwitz, where she became robotic, watching the prisoners die one by one. With little to no medical supplies, it was a cruel and sick joke that no one except the Nazis were laughing about. When Dalia joined the camp's inside resistance, it gave her a modicum of hope, but also put her in dreadful danger. Dalia's hope was to see her family again, to reunite with hugs and kisses, but she had no clue whether it would happen or not...

The Family Behind the Walls is another well written holocaust story by Shari J. Ryan. Written in the voices of Dalia and Jordanna, the heartbreak was devastating, the actions of the Germans once again horrifying. Recommended to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read and review.

While this story is a work of fiction, the author has first hand interest in the history of this era and also has first hand knowledge of the events that transpired during the Holocaust through family members who were there. When I read Shari's historical fiction, I understand that they ARE fictional but with roots grounded in the realities that were forced on the Jewish people. These stories (which are most definitely the author's sweet spot in storytelling) take me there and completely immerse me in the horrific details of that time in history and keep me in goosebumps throughout. While there can never be a truly happy ending because of what they go through, there is a story of true survival and strength.

A family torn apart during ww2. The book was heartbreaking, but with glimmer of hope. The characters were strong. I just wanted more depth in some parts of the book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I think this book will be in the running for the best book of the year for me. I’ve been in such a historical fiction rut lately, and this book brought me out of that rut. The story was heartbreaking, incredible, and infuriating all in one. The author did a marvelous job with the writing, really making me feel everyone in the book and their emotions. She truly is keeping these stories alive, nearly 80 years later. I will definitely be picking up more of her books this year.

“The Family Behind the Walls” is a gripping WW2 novel that captures every emotion during the tragedies of the Holocaust; while keeping the audience cloaked in blankets of hope and faith. Those who loved Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale” Jodi Picoult’s “The Storyteller” and Kristin Harmel’s “The Book of Lost Names” will absolutely love “The Family Behind the Walls.”

I’m not even sure where to begin with this book—it’s heart-wrenching, sweet, and dark. It’s hard to read at times, yet impossible to put down. I may or may not have cried a time or two while reading. I've been on a WWII book binge lately, and this one is right up there with The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It’s incredibly well-written, following the journey of a family through the eyes of Dalia and Jordanna—mother and daughter—who are torn apart by war and sent to concentration camps. Jordanna must not only fight for her own survival but also protect her little sister along the way. Ryan does an exceptional job of portraying the pain and hardships of Dalia, who is assigned to work as a nurse in Auschwitz. The tough decisions she faces while tending to patients and trying to stay under the radar in the hopes of reuniting with her children are truly gut-wrenching.

The Family Behind The Walls by Shari J Ryan is a powerful historical novel that gripped me from the start.
The book opens in Germany in 1942 as we follow six members of one Jewish family through the war years.
We witness the pit of hell that is Auschwitz and see that more than just hope is needed to survive, luck is needed too.
We also join the children’s camp and then a church-run orphanage.
It is important to have hope. “I need to give Lilli hope.” Without hope, the people perish.
We see the lessons of the past keep characters grounded and give them a purpose even in the darkest of times. “They may take my hair, but not Mama’s teaching to care, lead and be brave for those unable to.” We need to be the beacon that shines in the darkness.
Within the pit that is Auschwitz, trust is in short supply. “We’re rewarded for turning on each other. Desperation can alter a person’s ability to navigate their morals.” People are exploited when they are at their lowest. An animal instinct to survive kicks in.
In contrast we witness a character who serves. “Hate is the only contagious disease that’s killed more people here than typhus.” We do not want to water the seed of hate but feed the seed of care and compassion.
Death and loss dominate. Even at the liberation of Auschwitz, there is fear. He “will always be with you. He’s a part of you, not this place.” A character fears moving on and leaving her loved one behind but memories of our loved ones go with us. No one can take their memory away.
There is the theme of healing throughout. Both physical and mental healing is needed. The people needed “to have an opportunity to begin the process of healing from the burdens they’ve all endured.”
All the characters were well drawn and believable. The reader ‘experienced the hell of Auschwitz through the eyes of a character who had the compassion to help but the reality was, there were no medical supplies available. Help would never be coming.
We get closer to the action as it is told in the first person through a mother and a daughter. This enables us to really ‘know’ the characters as the chapters alternate.
The Family Behind The Walls is such a powerful read. May we never forget the six million innocents who perished.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Wow wow wow- what a great book. I really enjoy WW2 historical fiction and this is a gem in that genre. When I wasn’t reading it, I found myself thinking about it! This book sucked me in from the first chapter! I wanted to know what was going to happen to our characters! And it’s a humbling reminder as I read that this could be any of us. Thank you to Shari and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for a review. It was really a wonderful book - despite the hard subject matter. This one will live rent free in my brain for a long time to come.

I've read a lot of books that take place during the Holocaust, including non-fiction, but suprisingly this is the first I have heard of "Little Auschwitz", where they sent children orphans/prisoners. It was interesting to read about.
I teared up at times and enjoyed their story. I loved reading about their strength and growing up emotionally, espically with Lilli. I enjoyed the deafness storyline with Alfie, although I struggled to believe he would have been able to hide it so well while at Little Auschwitz.
The time jumps could be a little confusing, with jumping time and then immediately flashing back. I feel like it messed up the flow. And while the chapter from Leo's perspective could be seen as important, I feel like that messed with the flow having one chapter with a 3rd pov when the rest of the book was between Dalia and Jordanna. It just felt out of place. Also the epilogue was written in a different tone that made it feel like it didn't belong with the rest of the book, it felt too summarize-y.
Definitely worth the read.

A family torn apart but whose love and hope bounds them together. Told in multiple POV’s, we follow the Bergmann family as they are separated from each other in WWII. Without knowing the fate of the others, this family’s strong foundation of an enduring love shines a light through the darkness.

This author doesn’t miss. She’s able to bring her tales to life and make you feel as if you are the characters. She always breaks your heart but finds a way to stitch it together again.

I have one word - incredible!!

Such a moving book from Shari J Ryan - her writing keeps getting better and better. I love that we got to see the war through both Jordana’s and Dalia’s eyes, showing how the many lessons passed on from mother to daughter helped them both in their fights for survival. Many moments throughout the book brought tears to my eyes - especially the final chapter - and the epilogue was so incredibly powerful.

What was it all for?

5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

This book is incredible and nothing I say will do it justice in the slightest. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure and broke me on several occasions. I loved it

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a warm thank you to Shari J. Ryan, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For the audience, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

Hot off the tail of another book that had two female leads who took turns to narrate the chapters, I launched into Shari J. Ryan’s The Family Behind the Walls. I quite enjoy haunting fiction set during (and around) WWII, and this author is no stranger to writing about these times. What I found interesting about this novel, in particular, was the parents were automatically sent to Auschwitz, whilst the children were sent to a camp for Polish orphans, their heritage unknown. The question in my mind was, how were the kids not identified and marked for death sooner? Thus, this story offered a different perspective to ones I had previously encountered, and I was half rooting for the children to remain undisclosed whilst also hoping that they would find a way not to deny their heritage (because, well, why should anyone have to deny who they are?).

A family, previously satisfied that their involvement in the last Great War, are divided and sent to different camps. The parents, having been duped into providing medical assistance for the wounded, are eventually brought to Auschwitz, the eldest son is deployed to a labor camp in the Polish ghetto, whilst the younger children are sent to an alternate labor camp for thieves and Polish orphans. Shielded as much as possible from the atrocities of war, Jordana, finds herself quickly developing a maternal role to her younger sister, Lilli, adopted brother, Alfie, and several younger children, despite the separation of the girls from the boys. In a parallel life, Dalia does her best to motivate the women around her, all the while, trying to maintain the strength and conviction to escape the camp in order to find and reunite herself with her family. When every family member is surrounded solely by death, and subjected to a life of torture, who, if any, will survive? And at what cost? After all that is endured and witnessed, life as everyone knows it can never be the same again!

When I first started reading this novel, I was reminded of both Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, and The Book Thief. It is not so much the plot that is similar, but the time, some scenarios, and the emotions this book stirs that create the reminiscence.

As reviewers have said before I, this book is utterly heartbreaking. Hope and despair, and hope and despair intermingle rapidly that when the real sadness starts flowing, it barely pauses to take a breath. Small sighs of relief are just that; small and short-lived. The reader is spared the gore that many novels promote in books that feature Auschwitz. Instead, the book is more focused on relationships that characters form with each other within the camps and the roles they are forced to take on, roles that condemn others to their fate. Yet, despite the misery depicted on these pages, it is hard to look away. I found myself continuing to read, wanting to reach a place of peace. Before I knew it, the novel was over.

I did feel the last chapters were rushed and would have liked the orchestration of a significant event to have been more drawn out, in line with the rest of the story. However, I do recognize that the story had lasted quite a long time for the subject matter and needed to draw to a close. As books go, it was a story that is hard to tear yourself away from and commands your attention throughout. It tugs at the heart strings and has readers feeling an array of powerful, and sometimes overwhelming emotions.

As mentioned above, the book has Anne Frank and The Book Thief vibes and is best suited for mature readers that appreciate books set within the Nazi camps of WWII. There is a rich cast of characters with the main characters and several of the supporting characters very clearly developed. Had the ending been tackled in much the same way as the rest of the book, i.e., with drawn out suspense, it would have received more than a 4 out of 5 stars from me, and I can see why the book is generally highly rated. The alternating perspectives, the parallel lives and the overall writing style served the novel well to culminate in one of the best books I have read in a long time.

The Family Behind the Walls is heartbreakingly beautiful. What Shari Ryan has crafted is perhaps her most poignant book within her historical WWII collection of stories. There is something that truly tugged at my heart as I read about the Bergmann family and all that they endured in wartorn Germany, Auschwitz and beyond. I cried many times as Ryan relayed the horrors of the Holocaust with details that felt all too real. Her prose is exquisite as she didn't hold back on what mother Dalia, kids Max, Jordanna, Lilli and 'adopted' son Alfie endured and how they managed to keep the faith they would be reunited again. Their strong belief in their family dynamic, held together by father Leo's determination that they would survive and find their way back to each other in time.

Told in alternating POVs from Dalia and Jordanna, we get a front-row seat once again as to how the Jewish people were treated and how cruel this world could be. Ryan does not hold back with respect to the suffering as Dalia uses her nursing skills to try and keep fellow prisoners alive, even though there is little she can do to make that possible. The pain in her thoughts is felt through the pages of this book and her ongoing struggles to keep putting one foot in front of the other made me weep. Yet she stays compassionate no matter what is thrown at her and I'd like to think that helped her through the most dire of circumstances no mother should have to experience.

With Jordanna, the cruelty is just as potent while forced to dig up potatoes despite horrid outside conditions. Her side of the story takes a unique turn with Lilli and her secret love Alfie by her side and I found it interesting how Ryan decided to try and keep them safe even while also suffering a profound loss that would undoubtedly shape their future.

I loved this family. How they encouraged one another even when not together. How their beliefs helped them withstand the horrors they not only witnessed but knew they would be forever burned into their memories. We get glimpses of a time when this family was whole and enjoyed the simple things and that helped not only each other survive but helped this reader truly know them, not wanting to let go when those last words were read.

Ryan's continuation to tell these kinds of stories is a true testament to her own family history and the inspiration to start writing these books. I can always feel her sense of loyalty to make sure she tells these stories correctly, never holding back on the darkness but always offering up glimmers of light for those who are prominently featured. Her writing has certainly hit another level of brilliance with this book. There is something just so compelling that I struggled to put it down yet had to numerous times when things got a bit too rough. Knowing her penchant for giving her characters the kind of forever that might be tarnished from all that they experienced, I kept going and was rewarded with the bittersweet conclusion that had me smiling through more tears.

When looking for a storyline that will undoubtedly wreck you but will put the jagged pieces of your heart together in the most lovely of ways, pick up The Family Behind the Walls. In fact, give her entire catalog a go since each book is unique yet offers up a new understanding of a time in our past that should never be forgotten. Shari Ryan is proud of her heritage and we are the fortunate ones who get to experience that pride with each new story written. That to me, is a true Godsend.

5++ huge stars!

4.5 ⭐️ Shari Ryan is an incredible storyteller. For anyone that loves historical fiction, read this book. The Family Behind the Walls focuses heavily on a Jewish family of 6 during WW2. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. You hear from the eldest daughter and mothers POV as well as one or two chapters from the fathers POV. I love the little details that stayed true to actual events especially when including the prisoner uprising in Birkenau in 1944. This book will definitely pull at your heart strings. Especially if you’re a parent, in my opinion.

Shari J. Ryan delivered a heart wrenching, raw, unputdownable World War II novel. She shared the story of a family torn apart by evil, hatred, and war. Jordanna and Dalia are mother and daughter, whose lives are upended and ripped apart by the Nazi’s. Each chapter is shared from the perspective of Jordanna or Dalia. As Dalia finds herself behind the hellish gates of Auschwitz, Jordanna and her siblings find themselves at a children’s camp in Poland.

As they each fight to survive and hope to one day reunite their families, the story showcases their bravery, refusal to give up, and their warrior blood.

This book was truly unputdownable and I was so inspired by the resilience of Dalia - and the determination of Jordanna. They truly are like mother, like daughter.

Author Shari Ryan delivers another fantastic historical fiction book! This is a WWII story that was hard to put down. Leo and Dalia Bergman are Jewish and live in Hamburg with their 3 children, Max, Jordanna, and Lilli. Leo served in the Great War and therefore his family did not immediately go to a concentration camp. Their good friends were sent away, but before they had to leave, Alfie, their son, was taken in by the Bergman family.

One evening they awake to a loud explosion from a bombing. Together they head out in the streets to chaos and fire. Their papers are destroyed and Leo and Dalia are separated from the children. Because the children do not have papers on them, they are sent to a Polish orphan labor camp. Alfie and Max are sent to a boy's camp and Jordanna and Lilli to a girl's camp. Dalia is 100 miles away in Auschwitz. She is a nurse so they send her to work each day at a hospital even when she's only had one piece of bread to eat. Leo manages not to be captured and he is determined to find his family and rescue them.

The story is told from the perspective of Dalia and Jordanna as they endure the evil and horrific conditions. It is so heartbreaking and you will need the tissues for this story. I felt compassion for each character as I got to know them through Ryan's storytelling. Will Leo ever find his family? Do they all survive? What about Alfie's family?

What an emotional story of survival, hope, tragedy, hardships, fear, and family love! I highly recommend this excellent book! Such an amazing story!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC in exchange for an honest review

A beautifully written WW2 Holocaust novel told by from the perspectives of a mother and her eldest daughter. Unputdownable and gripping from the very first chapter. The Family Behind The Walls is an emotional book about a fathers love and sacrifice, and a family’s courage, survival and loss. Its hard to believe that one of the worlds darkest places and time was only liberated 80 years ago, Shari J Ryan has written an amazing book to remind and commemorate that. 5 stars
I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.
#TheFamilyBehindtheWalls #NetGalley

Shari J. Ryan is a sublime writer and just when it seemed impossible to add even more power to her stories. she did it with The Family Behind the Walls. My new favourite is off-the-charts good. She writes Historical Fiction as though she lived it...and takes her readers along the perilous and heart bruising journeys of her gorgeously-written characters through vivid scenes of tragedy, grief, humiliation, shame, anguish, despair, unconditional love, courage, faith and kindness. How someone can string letters together to craft text this beautiful and heart rending is beyond my comprehension. This story is told mostly from the perspectives of a mother and daughter bound together by deep love. My mom and I share such a bond which further enriched my reading experience.

A close-knit Polish Jewish family lived in Hamburg, Germany, when the first mutterings and swirls of war appeared. Later, in 1943, city water was poisoned, Germanization screenings were conducted and people were forced into hiding during terrifying raids. Nazis ripped families apart including that of Papa Leo, Mama Dalia and their children Jordana, Lili and Max as well as adopted Alfie. This harrowing story is told mainly from the perspectives of Dalia and Jordana. Selfless Dalia did everything she could to protect her family and would lay down her life for them if necessary. She was taken to Auschwitz where she endured constant torment, humiliation, torture, starvation and living death. The hierarchy in the camps is detailed and was yet another way for the Nazis to mentally and physically destroy the prisoners' wills. Crippling fear of the unknown weighed heavily. Jordana and other children were rescued and taken to displaced persons camps. Imagine not knowing whether your family members are alive or dead. Their goal was to reunite but war changes everything.

Excluding the family, Sister Josephine was another favourite character of mine, superbly resilient and brave under desperate conditions. If only we had more Sister Josephines in the world. I appreciate that though the subject matter is tough, the author's writing is refreshingly clean. She doesn't fluff over the difficult parts but draws attention to them candidly and sensitively as they are very important. I finished reading this novel a few days ago but took the time to process it and its impact did not diminish.

My sincere thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this breathtaking novel. I could not possibly recommend it more highly.

Reading The Family Behind the Walls by Shari J. Ryan was an experience that is hard to put into words. As someone whose family carries the scars of the Holocaust, I felt every page of this story deeply, not just as a reader, but as someone who sees the echoes of history in my own family’s past.

The book is both heartbreaking and beautiful, and I found myself glued to the pages, unable to look away from the characters’ struggles and triumphs. Told primarily from the perspectives of Dalia, the mother, and Jordana, the daughter, The Family Behind the Walls weaves a narrative of strength, survival, and the undying hope that even in the darkest of times, love and family can prevail.

It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the human spirit in the face of unspeakable horror. I give it all the stars—this is a story that deserves to be heard.