Cilka's Journey

***I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley from the publisher***

This is Heather Morris' follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz (which I recommend you read first). This book tells the story of Cilka, a woman originally placed in Auschwitz for being a Jew who was later sent to the Soviet gulags for helping the Nazis...which she didn't. This is a story of survival, friendship, and the ability to love others in horrible circumstances. This was such a good book I read it in less than 12 hours and still wish there was more.

At 10:50 a.m. I received an email inviting me to read an advanced copy of Heather Morris’ sequel to the Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka’s Journey. At 11:00 p.m., I finished it. Pretty sure that’s never happened before. Good. Book.
I had not read The Tattooist prior to reading this (though it will be delivered today) and it is not necessary to have read it to enjoy Cilka’s Journey. This is a beautifully written, very readable account of Cilka Klein’s story after Auschwitz. Yes, all books from this horrific part of human history are about loss and survival, but this one is also about relationships and the human condition.
The characters came alive and were consistently written all the way through. The story flowed like water and I couldn’t put it down. I really appreciated the additional history included at the end. This is why I read historical fiction.

Thank you NG for the 48 hour window to finish this compelling novel.
I cried at the dinner table, telling my husband about this book that consumed my Sunday. This is the best book I’ve read all summer and my heart continues to grieve for those women in the hut.

I found this book to be absolutely unputdownable, and thus read it in one sitting. You often read about life inside the concentration camps but rarely do you hear anything about the time after. I had no idea that many of the survivors were imprisoned again after being rescued, and especially not for such trivial (i.e nonexsistant) offenses. It is amazing that Cilka or anyone like her actually managed to survive and even thrive after so much injustice and torture.. I can't imagine how devastating it must have been to survive Auschwitz only to be sent to a Siberian Gulag. This book is an incredible story of the absolute strength and tenacity of a young girl determined to survive. That Cilka was a real person who actually went through all of this ( and undoubtedly so much more) makes the book that much more amazing and heartbreaking.

Such a moving, heartfelt book. An emotional story of what happened “after.” A story of resilience and bravery. Wonderful!

A story of bone deep suffering with glimmers of hope here and there. Perseverance and survival with no end in sight. A crude doily, a chipped mug with a little flower plucked from frozen, arrid earth. The simple pleasures in life we all take for granted. Cilka's ordeals, punishment, bravery and deep love make for an evocative, emotional read. It is the tale of true sacrifice for those she called her friends, her sisters in survival. It is a tale of toneless brutality at the hands of disinterested, entitled people in power - just because they could. The fact that the book is based on a true story makes it that much more heartbreaking. Well written, well researched - a truly excellent book.

Cilka is first introduced in the Tattooist of Auschwitz. Heather Morris weaves a heartbreaking saga of Cilka’s early life drawing on fascinating actual research to tell the story of Cilka’s life. What is different about this historical novel, is that Cilka was a real person and this is her story. After surviving Auschwitz-Birkenau, Cilka becomes a prisoner in the Soviet Gulag. You will fall in love with the other characters and how they are interwoven into the story. Cilka’s Journey is an absolutely outstanding novel of tragedy, fortitude, and hope. For ardent fans of Tattooist, you are in for a wonderful reading experience...for Cilka’s Journey is even better. It is 6 stars!!!!

I haven't read the first book yet, but this one works as a stand alone book. It is a very moving story based on a real woman who endured so much trauma and pain, but still helped others as much as possible.

Heartbreaking and riveting. Couldn't put it down. I have never read anything that focused on the imprisonment of survivors and didn't even realize this was something that happened. Cilka is a truly remarkable woman.

This book was received as an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Everyone I told about Tattooist of Auschwitz absolutely loved every page they read in the book. I am so excited to see that Heather Morris is coming out with a new book and I have to say, I did like it a lot better than Tattooist of Auschwitz. The book focuses the journey of Cilka a sixteen- year old girl who gets sent to concentration camp in Auschwitz but because of her beauty, the guards gave her special treatment and she literally "slept with the enemy" but in her mind had no choice if that was the key to survival. She later was released but went to a prison in Serbia because she was accused of being involved on the opposite side. She later meets a doctor that is so kind to her that she becomes interested in taking care of patients and finds a passion for medicine and helping out the other female inmates in the prison. This book exemplifies how far life can take you if your heart remains warm, strong, and kind. Cilka despite the circumstances she was under, still remained strong and kind and her life is fuller than ever. I know this book will do really well with our community.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Cilka was the character that left readers wondering at the conclusion of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. This novel, a fictionalized account of Cilka's life, provides the answers. Starting where the author's previous book ended, the story takes Cilka from hope to hopelessness and back again. It is a story of confronting trauma and making the choice to trust and move forward or to let the past define the future. The author uses flashbacks skillfully weaving together the present and the past, adding depth to the story and filling in gaps for those who have not read Tattooist. This book was incredibly hard to put down, I read it in one day. Highest recommendation.

Following closely on the heels of the Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka’s Journey, is another page turning story. Author Heather Morris has grappled with further details on the atrocities faced by Jews and dissidents beginning with the Nazis. This story follows Cilka as she does what she must to save herself and those she cares about, from brutality, often death. “It is hard to articulate the relentless bone-chilling cold, the constant flow of sick, injured and dead prisoners, the humiliation of being imprisoned there.” So Cilka says of her time in the Siberian Vorkuta Gulag, Her unwavering determination, courage and tenacity carry her forward as she faces her fate and her captors. These traits also protect her secret ,traitorous, as some would believe, past. As the main character, Cilka draws the reader in and dares them to witness all she does. This begs the question, how was she able to calm her fears upon seeing the bleeding, the injured and maimed, the severely abused, the dead? The other characters are no less damaged by what they must see and do. Each secondary character has his or her own story. The reader and Cilka find compassion for the oppressed and a justifiable loathing for the oppressors.
The settings and times of this story are only history to most of today’s readers. Yet it remains important to understand the lives behind the stories, to meet and to become a part of the story. It is impossible to read this compelling novel without being aghast at Nazi and Soviet barbarity. It is why you silently and fervently stand with Cilka and the other prisoners as if were in their shoes. A heartbreaking, but wonderful read!

I couldn’t put this down. Hard to read some things but such a wonderfully written book of Cilkas story. This is the story of Cilka that survived the concentration camp only to be sent to a prison. This author is so good at taking history and incorporating it into a book that we can’t get enough of. I highly recommend reading it. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz was a big step for me. I don't usually read books set in WWII and especially in the concentration camps. That being said it left me wanting more stories of the prisoners who had survived the atrocities that went on in the camps. When Net Galley offered me the opportunity to read Cilka's Journey, I knew I had to do it. Cilka was only 16 when she and her sister answered the call to work for the Germans to help their family. Many young people answered this call and found themselves prisoners, barely hanging on when forced into slavery until they were of no more use to the Germans. Cilka did what she had to do to survive 3 years in Auschwitz only to be sentenced to 15 years by the Soviets for aiding the enemy. Cilka's story is one of heartbreak but also resilience. The strength so many men and women showed while fighting for their lives is amazing. If you haven't read The Tattooist of Auschwitz I highly recommend you do so and then, read Cilka's Journey.

To be completely honest: I have not yet read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, but I will be buying it in the morning, thanks to this book!

This book sucked me in from the moment I started reading it; Cilka's story is depressing but I never lost hope for her and her journey from the concentration camp she survived to the gulag of Siberia. You see a struggle for survival, resilience, pain and anguish, but you can't help but feel that she will make it through. The author gives a convincing tale of the life of a political prisoner in the Soviet bloc, without too much dramatization or frills for effect. I'm not one for books with flashbacks, but the ones in this novel are necessary for the movement and rhythm of the tale.

Seriously, don't walk, RUN, to pick up this book.

Cilka's Journey is about a young woman named Cilka, at 18 years old she has survived the horrors of Auschwitz, only to become accused of "Sleeping with the enemy" by the Soviet Agency. After spending a few months at a prison in Krakow, Cilka is sentenced to 15 years hard labor at Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia. The year is 1945.

It is on the way to Siberia where Cilka meets Josie, a 16 year old from Krakow. Cilka can tell this is the first time Josie has been subjected to anything this brutal. She makes it her mission to protect her and the first of many friendships is born. Friendships that carry Cilka through the darkest days. One night, Josie injures her hand and ends up in the medical ward. Impressed with Cilkas medical knowledge, Cilka catches the attention of a doctor. She is then offered a position at the hospital and through this position, finds purpose.

Cilka's Journey is 2nd book in the "Tattooist of Auschwitz" series, but it can also be read as a standalone novel. (I have not read "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" before reading) The book follows Cilka's experiences and time spent at Vorkuta Gulag, with many flash backs of her childhood and of her time spent at Auschwitz. Despite the horrible conditions of everyday life at Vorkuta Gulag, this is a story of friendship, survival, strength, and finding purpose when the cards are stacked against you. Cilka is strong, smart, resourceful and caring. She often takes care of others before herself. It is her strength that draws people to her, and her ability to persevere in the most horrific conditions with a clear head that makes her succeed in everything she does. However, Cilka also has a secret she keeps from everybody around her, one that keeps her overwhelmed with guilt and shame. Cilkas Journey is also a story about her overcoming this guilt and accepting her past in order to embrace the present.

Cilka's Journey is everything I love about Historical Fiction. Heather Morris does an amazing job piecing together real events, places, and people, and creating a beautiful story. I highly recommend it. I was completely captivated by Cilka's Journey, it is tragic, yet beautiful and brings to light a part of history that I have had no prior knowledge of. Her extensive research shows in her writing about Cilka. A real woman whos story deserves to be told. At the end of the novel, Historical background information is included.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy.

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris

In this story, Cilka does indeed go on a physical journey – from Auschwitz to Siberia – but the real story is about Cilka’s journey of discovering who she is and about her developing her abilities to help others even in horrible situations. At Auschwitz she managed to survive (that story is touched on in The Tattooist of Auschwitz by this same author). In Cilka’s Journey, Heather Morris shows us the real strength that it takes to survive situations that are terrifying and demoralizing. Cilka has already developed much of that strength with what she has survived at Auschwitz and we get windows into that through flashbacks. Now, though, she is in different settings. On the long train ride to Siberia, people are dying around her and she begins to physically and emotionally help some of them. When she gets to the work camp in Siberia where she has been sentenced to spend 15 years, she is put into a hut and work situation with women who are forced by the situation to rely on each other. These are women who do not know Cilka’s back story and the things she had to do in order to survive. The work most do is hard physical labor but Cilka is given an opportunity to work in the camp hospital and that is where she begins to really help others and to know that she is indeed more than her past. By placing Cilka in various parts of the hospital setting, the author is able to tell about the dangerous working conditions, the mostly horrible attitudes toward the worker/prisoners, the lacks in the medical treatment of injured workers, and the maternity/nursery setting for the women who become pregnant. Through all of the story, the author shows us how the women of Cilka’s hut deal with the imprisonment and punishments and deprivations. This story could be depressing because of the situation(s) in which Cilka has found herself. And yet I found it a really a very hopeful book as we see Cilka on her journey of discovering how to be more than just a survivor. Very early in the story, I found myself liking Cilka and wanting to keep reading to find out how she would survive because somehow I could sense she would. I was there as Cilka learns about herself. As the author says somewhat early in the book, “It is this fire, then that keeps her going. But it is also a part of her curse. It makes her stand out, be singled out. She must contain it, control it, direct it”. I was so caught in the story that I read the book in one day. The author at the end of the book says “The challenge of working with history is to find the core of what was true and the spirit of those who lived then.” Heather Morris has indeed done so with this book.

I was fortunate enough to be selected on netgalley to review this book Cilka Journey. It is the second book written by the author of the Tattooist of Auschwitz. Cilka’s story was lightly touched on in the Tattooist story of Lale and Gita. Cilka was a young girl of 16 when she entered Auschwitz and was very beautiful. Some high ranking nazis took advantage of her and used her for their pleasure. This allowed Cilka to live through 3 years of Auschwitz Birkenau. She was the head of a house where the women came before they were hauled off to the gas chambers. They kept her there so the high ranking Nazi’s had easy access to her. She had to help load the women each day on the truck heading for death. Cilka even had to help load her own mother on that cart. After all this abuse, when the Russians came in they charged her with aiding the enemy and being a spy and sentenced her to 15 years in a Siberian work camp. This is that story. Sadly Cilka is real. This is a true story. Lest we never forget. I read this book in one day.

Millions of people have read The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, based on the real-life story of Lale and Gita finding love under horrible circumstances. That book has been called “an extraordinary document”, and “a story of hope and survival against incredible odds”. Another reviewer notes, “I find it hard to imagine anyone who would not be drawn in, confronted and moved.” Cilka, Gita’s friend, was also imprisoned at Auschwitz-Birkenau and it is her story that is told in this second companion book to The Tattooist. Cilka’s Journey is historical fiction, based on her life and it is even more compelling, heartbreaking and inspiring.

In the excellent Author Notes at the end of Cilka’s Journey, Heather tells us that tattooist Lale considered Cilka to be the bravest person he had ever known. Cilka’s Journey begins when Cilka, age 16, was torn from her family and condemned to the Nazi concentration camp in 1942, then liberated at the end of the war only to be immediately imprisoned by the Soviet Union. She was then loaded on a box car for three tortuous weeks to a Gulag camp in Siberia north of the Arctic Circle.

What happens to a young girl/woman when staying alive is the only form of resistance she has? What happens when she feels she is an instrument of death? When she has never had any choices? Cilka’s Journey tells of her physical travels and also of her spiritual journey. Cilka survives because she is beautiful, brave, smart and searching for redemption. She survives because somehow humans are able to connect and love even while starving and working in harsh and evil conditions.

One of the most touching parts of the book for me is when the woman in Cilka’s Gulag prison hut celebrate the birth of a baby. They embroider baby clothes made from threads from their sheets and scraps of fabric. It’s hard for me to type that without crying. Another beautiful part of the book is the friendship of Cilka and the woman physician who sees Cilka’s talent and trains her.

The story is told in flashbacks from 1939-1945. The book is written in the third person, I believe deep third person, in the present tense which makes for a vivid and highly immersive story. You will feel like you are there with Cilka and the women, experiencing their fear, hardships, and deprivations. Once you start the book, you will keep reading until the end.

There is an epilogue which lets us know that Cilka and the man with the soft brown eyes she met at the Gulag returned to Czechoslovakia and were married for fifty years. I wonder if Cilka continued her medical work after she was released from the Gulag. This book is an inspiring and important memorial to those who perished and to those who lived to tell, but I wish it had never happened as it’s so unbelievably sad that Cilka’s Journey is based on true events and people.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Heather Morris, and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

There exist many stories of the atrocities of world war 11; the levels of cruelty and depravation are beyond the imagination. But there are also many stories of bravery and sacrifice men and women committed to survive and assist in the survival of others. I have often wondered and marveled at the people who had the strength to survive. Cilka Klein is one of those women. She survived not only the cruelties of Auschwitz but also 8 years in a Russian gulag. I never realized that this happened. Her name should be exalted and shouted from the rooftops. She was a very real and exceptional person. I never read the Tattoist of Ausschwitz and will definite do so now

“There was such inhuman, unimaginable misery, such a terrible disaster, that it began to seem almost abstract, it would not fit with in the downs of consciousness”.

Cilka had two choices: death or do as she was told.

Cilka was convicted of working with the enemy, as a prostitute and additionally as a spy. She was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.

There is no question of how well written, researched, captivating, brutal, devastating and emotionally GUT WRENCHING the history and storytelling is.
Heather Morris outdid herself!!!!! This is a phenomenal novel of the HORRORS of war...
The HORRORS of humanity!!!
This novel is darker and more intense than her previous book: “The tattooist of Auschwitz”.
There are moments of INSPIRATION....
Moments of ruthless courage - strength - bravery- with ordinary people doing incredible things to help others!
There is love - and there is Cilka...
I’ve almost hit my limit...
the wall....with reading Holocaust stories.
I admit to being drained...
I was also gifted with some happy news about the good people too....
Cilka Klein was the good one. She did what she needed to do....
She made a profound difference to many...
Risked her life...
Survived this war...
This novel brings memory - important memory to an extraordinary woman -
Cilka Klein: I’ll remember you!!!

Thank you - first and foremost author Heather Morris.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Publishing- and their terrific staff who are some of the most hardworking generous people in the book world!

This book was INCREDIBLE. This is the fastest I’ve read through a book in years, and I’m already a voracious reader.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is just unputdownable. It goes back and forth from a young woman’s years in a concentration camp to the different but equally horrific place she is sent after she is rescued. It’s based on a true story and I’m just in awe of her strength and bravery.

The characters are going to stick with me for a very long time.

I loved the tattooist of auschwitz (who didn’t) and so just seeing another book available was so exciting!

This book was great!

"Cilka's Journey" by Heather Morris is a work of historical fiction inspired by a real person whom the author's husband (Lale Sokolov, of "The Tattooist of Auschwitz") knew while he himself was in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Cilka Klein, along with her family, was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau when she was just sixteen years old. She survived an incredible three years in the camp by doing a job most people would find unthinkable. Cilka also endured years of rape and sexual abuse by high level Nazi officials.

When Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians, Cilka, accused of collaborating with the Nazis, was sent to the Vorkuta prison camp in Siberia. Imagine surviving the horrors of a Nazi death camp only to find yourself sent to a similar place merely for choosing to survive the death camp! Cilka again finds herself in positions where she must choose unsavory paths just to survive. Despite the new horrors she has to face, Cilka is still able to make friends, help others, and even find a bit of happiness in the darkest of places. Cilka is a remarkable woman and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her triumphing over evil..

"Cilka's Journey" is an extraordinary story of strength and courage, as well as the price one must sometimes pay to live. Though the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps are widely known and publicized, the similar conditions of the Gulags in the Soviet Union under Stalin are lesser known. The writer does not hold back on her descriptions of the prison camp, nor on the emotional toll it took on its occupants. I believe the author wanted to bring to light two methods of torture and control that were utilized by the Nazis (and the Stalinists) but are often overlooked in light of "more serious" crimes-the rape and sexual abuse of women prisoners.

Despite the heavy content, this was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the author's descriptive writing style; she really made the characters come alive. The plot tugged both tugged at my heart and made me incredibly angry. I also really liked the bit of non-fiction that the author included at the end. It was very interesting to learn a bit about the real person on whom the fictional Cilka was based. Though this novel may be triggering to some, especially survivors of sexual abuse, I would highly recommend it as I believe it is important for everyone to be as educated as possible about these dark periods of human history in the hopes that someday we may become wise enough not to repeat them.

This book is dubbed as a sequel of sorts to "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" by the same author. However, it really can be read as a stand alone book as well. Even though there are references to the first book (which I have not yet read), they are explained enough so that the reader can properly follow the plot of this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this important and eyeopening book.

Strength from within.

Although this book is fiction it is based on facts researched by the author concerning the people and conditions of Auschwitz and the Russian Gulag in Siberia. The facts are sad but believable considering what was done to the Jewish people and those that did not agree with Stalin's philosophy or were deemed spies for some reason or another, some of them very young.

The story is about a young girl named Cilka and her time spent is both Auschwitz and in the Russian Gulag following. Think how it must have been for a sixteen year old girl separated from her family in the concentration camp and trying to stay alive, trying to help her sister and her friends. It brought tears when she had to put her mother on the truck to take her to be burned in the Auschwitz crematorium ovens.

As if that was not enough when the Russians came and liberated the camp of Auschwitz she was questioned and sent to prison for sleeping with the Nazi's. This was hard to think of as she had no choice in what she did in the camps, do as told or die. Nevertheless she was eventually sent to a Russian Gulag where she was sentences to 15 years hard labor. She was 18 years old now surviving for 3 long years in Auschwitz.

The crux of the story surrounds her time and survival in the Russian Gulag with flashbacks to the German camp. She is lost at first but makes friends with the other prisoner's in the hut she is housed in, especially a 15 year old girl named Jose. She is a strong woman and with no regards to her well being she protects the best of her ability her friends especially her young friend. A woman doctor in the hospital takes her under her wing and helps her with a job in the hospital instead of working in the mines.

While horrible things happen to her and other's in the Gulag she stays strong and focuses on the good that she can do to help other's in the hospital and on the ambulance. She throws herself into her job in order to not think about the horrible conditions of the camp and the awful treatment of the prisoner's there. When given the chance to leave by the Commandant's wife she asks for the release of her friend Jose instead.

One day while on an ambulance run a young man she has a crush on but has never talked to is beaten and left for dead. She takes him to the hospital and helps him live. In the process she falls in love with him and he falls in love with her. She never thought this could ever happen to her.

Although the book has some sad moments, the rapes of the women, the starving with the thin soup and hard bread and the back breaking work in the mines, it also shows the good in people. The other prisoner's in her hut, the doctors that help her. The women make it a home by embroidering doilies form threads from the ends of their sheets, they look out for each other and they become like a family in the midst of a horrible situation they find a way to make this situation just a bit better.

I liked the way the author humanizes the characters and the way that the descriptions are clear and sometimes brutal but true for the situation. I think that the explanation of the Gulags and the research is very informative and a valuable part of the book.

I did not read the first book but this book stands alone and I enjoyed reading it, I learned so much I did not know before. Every time I read a different book on WWII and the Holocaust I learn something new. I still will never understand why the Nazi's were so cruel and why the soviets imprisoned so many that had already suffered so much.

If you have an interest in history and would like to know about the little spoken about Russian Gulags which were in my opinion almost a duplication of the concentration camps you need to read this book, it has so much information. I would recommend it.

Sometimes you finish a book and you want to ask the author "whatever happened to . . ." Well, here's your chance.
If you read and enjoyed Tattooist of Auschwitz, you will definitely want to follow Cilka's Journey. She was an important secondary character, but now we can read the rest of her story. And it's very much worth the read.

Neither of these books is an easy read. but especially because they're based on true stories, they're important.

I cannot wait to see what Heather brings us next.

Another wonderful brilliant book by Heather Morris. What this young girl had to go through in her young life is unimaginable. These stories that has has brought us absolutely wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time you have so many emotions going through you as you read this book.

Chika's Journey is a beautiful novel written bye Heather Morris. You can tell bye her writing that the author has genuine immense feelings for Chika. This novel made me cry tears of sadness, pain, and happiness it has been a long time since a novel has made me feel such raw emotions for the characters. This is a must read for readers who enjoy reading about the lives that were changed bye Hitler and World War II. I highly recommend Chika's Journey. If I could give 20 stars I would.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will LOVE Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris. It tells the continuing story of Cilka, whom we first met in the Tattooist of Auschwitz. Based on the life of Cilka Klein, Morris tells the horrors she endured both in Auschwitz and a Siberian prison camp. It shows the power of human endurance, forgiveness, and love. This was a book I could not put down and found myself finishing at 2 AM. Five stars all around!!

Cilka is a young jewish girl who is sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau at the age of 16. This is the story of how she survives that ordeal and more. She is then moved to Gulag after the war having been found guilty of crimes during the war. Again, she finds she is in a position where she is able to survive, all the while living in fear of the past being disclosed.
The writing is simple and powerful. After a long time I found myself reading the book in a single sitting and crying. Not too many books can achieve that. I will recommend this book to anyone who has the heart to read about the World War and its aftermath.
Its a book which delved clearly into the horrors of the time while still carrying a flame of hope. Cilka is a strong girl, capable of taking most things in her stride. Her various relationships with the inmates around her are so well depicted for all their complexity. A story such as this does not come along often.

Beautifully written novel and a wonderful follow up to The Tattoist of Auschwitz. I recommend you read The Tattoist first, but definitely do not have to if you can't grab a copy. This book will make you cry, make you hopeful, and make you believe in the power of never giving up. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this story about a woman and the things happening to her during the 1940’s. If you like books with a Nazi theme you will like this one. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this excellent book.

Admittedly this is a very hard book to read however it was brilliantly written by Heather Morris who gave lots of information about her research for the telling of this heartbreaking, dark, intense story. The character of Cilka and her background was so real you could just imagine the terror she went through being a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp, forced to be a prostitute then sentenced to Siberia for being a spy and traitor by the Russians. What she does to survive is told in excruciating detail in alternating chapters of previous history. This was such an emotional story told with incredible compassion and truth of this horrible time during and after WWII.

The authors book, Tattooist of Auschwitz, was an awesome read, so when I saw an ARC of her sequel to it on NetGalley, I requested it. This book continues the story of Cilka, first introduced in Tattooist of Auschwitz, and uses flashbacks to the first book throughout. Cilka Klein is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, in 1942. The Commandant at Birkenau, Schwarzhuber, notices her long beautiful hair, and forces her separation from the other women prisoners. Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly given, equals survival. After liberation, Cilka is charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to Siberia. But what choice did she have? In a Siberian prison camp, Cilka faces challenges both new and horribly familiar, including the unwanted attention of the guards. But when she makes an impression on a woman doctor, Cilka is taken under her wing. Cilka begins to tend to the ill in the camp, struggling to care for them under brutal conditions. Cilka finds endless resources within herself as she daily confronts death and faces terror. And when she nurses a man called Alexandr, Cilka finds that despite everything that has happened to her, there is room in her heart for love.

This story, as the first one, is based on the life of a real person as was Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Way up in the Arctic Circle there is a Siberian gulag that goes by the name of Vorkuta Gulag. This was the home of Cilka Klein for 10 long miserable years of her life. Not by choice but as a prisoner of the Soviet Russians at the end of World War ll. We know Cilka from the novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, which chronicled the love story of Lale Sokolov and his wife Gita. All three were prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau during the Nazi's reign of terror. In this sequel, Cilka's Journey, we follow Cilka as she is unfairly punished yet again for crimes that were nothing but trumped up charges that sent her off to a grueling and inhumane work camp, better known as a concentration camp.

As with TToA, Cilka was a real person but the book is loosely based on her life with many liberties taken to create a fictionalized account. A few stories from the lives of others were woven into the story as well as inspirations from the imagination of the author. From what I could tell, Cilka's Journey contains much more fiction than the previous book, in part, because Morris was able to actually meet and compare notes with the real Lale Sokolov whereas the same opportunities were not available for Cilka's story. With that said, Morris did extensive research as to what life was like at Vorkuta for those who spent time there, from the prisoners to the trusties and also some of the employees. Many of the various physical living conditions were laced into the story detailing what everyday life was like as well as how the social groupings created a network of caste systems, often utilizing fear for their own survival tactics.

Cilka, a Slovakian Jew, arrives at Vorkuta straight out of Auschwitz-Birkenau and is housed with 19 other women she must share a cold, flimsy hut with. The others are there for a variety or perceived crimes against the Russian government but Cilka is the only one with previous concentration camp experience. She fears the others will hold this against her, especially regarding what she had to do in order not to be killed, so she tries her best to keep that information to herself. As the ladies do their best to survive from day to day, we get to know a few of the characters whom Cilka develops bonds with. Then there are the "husbands" who often come and visit them. In other words, men who have the run of the place and rape them. This creates its own strange psychological environment amongst the group.

During the day, all of the prisoners must work outside in harsh conditions with little protection. One of the jobs the women are forced to do is to transfer heavy buckets of coal from place to place. Early on, after Josie, a woman Cilka has befriended, has an accident, Cilka manages to obtain a job working in the gulag's hospital. Not only is this job less labor intensive but it provides Cilka with more warmth and food. She takes to this job rather well and it leads to a new passion for Cilka as well as sets the tone for one of the central paths in the story. It also presents different dynamics for Cilka in regards to her relationship with the other ladies in the hut. She knows this and is very cautious for fear of retaliation because she is aware of the jealousy that some of the others might hold against her. Cilka is proactive and makes sure she uses it to their advantage just as much as her own by smuggling food and other items to help make life a little easier for her hut mates.

Ten years slowly go by and Cilka gradually works her way around the grounds learning who she can trust and who she needs to avoid and what she must do just to get by. She also learns much more about nursing and broadens her range within the hospital. Throughout Cilka's Journey, we feel her anguish, her fears, her struggles and even her joys as we get to know what life was like in that faraway land where life is taken one difficult day at a time.

This is a book that I very much liked but have one little issue with. I've always had a problem with books and movies that tend to make the protagonist the constant hero, saint, savior, most loved, and the best at everything. It always comes off like a high school story in Fantasyland. While I knew going into the book that it is Historical Fiction, I wanted to believe everything along the way, yet I couldn't help but not buy into some of what was being presented because of the extreme idealization of the character. This is the one area where I feel that the story manages to make Cilka's story less real and I did not want to think that any of the real parts were not true to life. Because it was based on a real woman's journey into Hell and back, I wanted to know exactly which parts were true and what was enhanced for the sake of a coherent story. In some ways, this was somewhat of a fairy tale; albeit, one that included lots of pain and suffering along the way. Never the less, it was well worth reading.

As a sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz, there are several references in the book that provide a much richer story for those who have read the previous book. One can still read Cilka's Journey and appreciate it for what it has to offer but I would very much suggest that one do what I did by getting a copy of the first book before you take your journey with Cilka. Not only will you read about how Nazi concentration camps compare to the Russian gulags but you will have a much better understanding of where Cilka came from and what her mindset was like once she arrives at her second stop along the way of her horrendous journey through her young, tortured life from one Hellhole to another.


Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the eBook for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much. Heather Morris is such a fantastic writer and this gripped me as quickly as “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.” Cilka’s story was both sad and moving, because she remained hopeful despite her circumstances. Her strength was so inspiring. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I will be reading it again, for sure.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and I can't thank them enough. I loved this book. I learned a side of WWII that I was not familiar with: the after the war prisons . Cilka was a strong, resilient, and compassionate woman. Her story is one I am glad I got to learn about. Heather Morris has a skill with historical fiction.

"I just want to live. I need to feel the pain I wake up with every morning knowing I am alive, and my family aren't. This pain is my punishment for surviving and I need to feel it, live it."
Auschwitz-Birkenau is being liberated and Cilka is ready to be free. Instead she is sent to the Russian Gulag in Siberia for sleeping with the Nazis. Sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.
I taught Holocaust for many years and heard survivors/their families speak about the horrors they saw and went through. Never knew that so many were imprisoned again after the camps were liberated. Something that is obviously not talked about.
Cilka Klein you will never be forgotten! She risked her life, courage, strength and even found love under brutal, devastating conditions.
This book is a MUST read!! I now need to read The Tattooist Of Auschwitz.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Publishing and Heather Morris for allowing me the opportunity to read this phenomenal book! One I will never forget.

Heather Morris again captures the horrors and real events of the Holocaust and Gulag survivors. From detailed research, she meticulously crafts a story of survival in the most inhuman conditions too horrendous to be fictional.
If you were fascinated by the Tattooist of Auschwitz , you will be captured and swept along in Cilka’s Journey of overcoming and allowing the survival instinct to propel Cilka to life’s riches.

I received a pre -published net galley copy for my review.

An incredible and heart wrenching book about Cilca's survival not once but twice in awful conditions whilst suffering horrendous atrocities. This book is based on facts and memorials of other Aushcwitz survivors. I enjoyed this book just as much and if not more than 'The Tattooist of Aushcwitz ' also by Heather Morris. Extremely well written and I just couldn't put it down. Both of these books will send you on a suspense filled roller coaster ride of emotions. I was also very pleased to see that there was also further detail on Cilca' s history before Aushcwitz at the end. Started this book yesterday and finished today and really hoping to hear more from this author. 5/5 and would give more of I could. Highly recommend this fab book.

I was never a big historical fiction reader, nor did I read the Tattooist of Auschwitz. However, after this book, I will be.

Heather Morris did a outstanding job with this story and her telling of Cilka'a journey to self forgiveness is beautiful and heart wrenching all at the same time.

Cilka was sent to Aushwitz when she was 16 and realized she had two choices, she could die or choice to survive by doing what she was told.

The War is over and Cilka was accused of working with the enemy and being a prostitute and even a spy. She is sentenced to 15 years hard labor at Vorkuta Gulag.

While there, she finally finds women who she connects with. Who she respects and who she is terrified of losing if they find out the truth about her and why she was sent there. I am still speechless by Cilka. While I'm sure she wasn't perfect, she was as good as they come. However, she was tearing herself up inside about her experiences at Aushwitz and believed that everyone would label her as a whore if they found out about her experiences.

This is just an amazing book and it needs to be on everyone's list for the fall!
Thank you so much to St. Martins Publishing and Heather Morris along with Bookish First and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

Heartbreaking story of an awful era in human history. Amazing what the mind and spirit can endure. This is a follow up to the Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Heart wrenching yet the story must never, ever be forgotten. Cilka will never be forgotten thanks to this fabulous author.
Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

I was lucky enough to be given this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. And it is amazing. It follows Cilka Klein as she goes from Auchwitz to Vorkyta Gulags in Siberia where she continues to endure hardships that one can only begin to fathom. Her resilience, bravery, and incredible will to live is demonstrated time and time again throughout this story. It’s a story that will anger you, crush you, and bring you to tears. Highly recommend so much- so well written and pays respected homage to the real Cilka Klein.

This is a stirring tribute to a valiant survivor of Auschwitz and the Soviet Gulag. Cilka was inspired by a young woman who survived her sexual abuse in Auschwitz, but was considered a collaborator and sentenced to a long term in a frightening, brutal prison in the Siberian Gulag. It is certainly a novel that will be treasured by those who enjoyed “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”.

It is not easy to read, because of the constant brutality coupled with the extraordinary skill of the author who brings each scene to life. Yet, she persisted and she survived. Cilka was able to withstand the brutality because of her determination to stay alive and her mentoring by the prison doctor. It was she who recognized Cilka ‘s extraordinary intelligence and ability and trained her to work in the hospital as a nurse.

Cilka’s courage and humanity are rewarded by her ability to stay alive and keep the people she loved safe.
I certainly recommend this to any group involved in Holocaust studies, or that of the Gulags of the Soviet Union. I know this will be a book club favorite as soon as it is released. It is beautifully written, combining Cilka’s experience in Auschwitz and in prison.

I thank Netgalley for giving me this moving experience.

Oh, my dear Cilka. Three years in Auschwitz where, as a young and pretty 16-year-old woman, you are subjected to the sexual advances of the higher-ranking Nazis. And, then, when the war is over and the camp is liberated by the Russians, you are accused of collaboration and sentenced to 15 years in Vorkuta Gulag, a labor camp in the coldest place on Earth. Siberia, 160km North of the Arctic Circle. To have endured what you had to endure at Auschwitz, and then to be punished for it! How can you go on?

For her, the answer is simple. She will live! She will not give in! She will be good in the midst of bad, the likes of which the world has never known. When offered a job out of the excruciating cold, she asks if her friend could have the job instead. She plots and schemes to find a way to get a friend and her baby out of the camp and free. She brings extra food from the hospital for the women in her "hut", even the ones who are difficult and who treat her badly. And when the day comes that Cilka, herself, can walk away from all this horror, she wonders if there isn't someone more deserving.

An endearing life in the midst of the worst possible circumstances. Read it! And then never forget.

I read this EARC courtesy of Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, pub date 10/01/19

When Cilka is transferred from a concentration camp to a Siberian work camp, she is only 16 years old and has already went through things that any person would struggle to deal with. She is assigned to a hut and builds a family from the women that she is surrounded by. She feels like she must hide her past from these women since she was kept by the enemy at her past camp and feels that they will hate her because of it. Despite all odds being against her, she is able to rise up with the help of a Dr that she becomes close to and learns to provide nursing care for many different populations and facets. She is initially trained on the ward and then moves onto obstetrics, surgery, and running the ambulance. The sheer strength of Cilka is astounding and I love that this is based on a true story.

Beautiful, heartbreaking, all of the emotions one could feel while reading a superb novel, I felt them. I am so glad the author decided to write a follow up to the Tattoist for her readers to enjoy. This book definitely lived up to her previous one. The things this young girl had to endure and experience really will make you open up your eyes to all the blessins we have in this world today. I encourage everyone to read this book!

Cilka’s Journey was devastating, heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. Just to imagine that someone that suffered so much at such a young age and was then imprisoned for surviving is just beyond awful. I’m so glad Heather Morris wrote the follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz so we could know what happened to Cilka. Her story, like so many others deserved to be heard and known. The story was well-written with occasional flashbacks to the concentration camp from her current time in the prison camp. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know how it ended.

Thank you to netgalley.com for the opportunity to read the book before publication. We first met Cilka in The Tatooist of Auschwitz. While you can certainly read this book as a stand alone, I highly recommend reading The Tatooist of Auschwitz first.

Auschwitz-Birkenau has been liberated by the Russians, but not all prisoners are free. Any prisoner convicted of consorting with the Nazis is sent to a gulag in Russia. Cilka managed to stay alive in Auschwitz and she pays dearly for it. Sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in a Russian prisoner camp her nightmare continues. Keep in mind that Cilka is Jewish And has lost her family at the hands of the Nazis.

Life, if you can call it that, in the Russian prison is hard and dangerous. Women are raped by other prisoners regularly and judged by their female counterparts who are also prisoners, often for crimes as insignificant as stealing a loaf of bread. Cilka is assigned to work in the hospital where conditions are somewhat better and certainly better than the mines.

Regardless of her own situation Cilka remains a kind and compassionate young woman who befriends and assists other prisoners both in the hospital and in the hut to which she is assigned. She lives with the guilt of surviving Auschwitz and the loss of her family in the concentration camps. She does not trust anyone in the camp to share her story with although one doctor suspects where she was transported from and what she has undergone and does everything she can to gain Cilka’s trust.

I had no idea that when the Russians liberated the concentration camps they could and would subject the Jews and other prisoners to a fresh new hell. Cilka’s Journey is beautifully written. You can feel her despair, resolve and sadness. It is brought to its end almost perfectly. Be sure to read the epilogue.

Dare I say that I enjoyed “Cilka’s Journey”? It seems almost barbaric to enjoy reading about the pain, deprivation, horrors, and tortures that were inflicted upon Cilka and her friends. Yet this book transported me to another place, another time, where no one should have ever gone. Clearly written as a captivating story, this tale of lives lost and lives of survivors made me really care about the characters and kept me thinking about them even when I had to put the book down. It does not mince words or smooth over what these brave women had to face as punishment for their perceived wrong doings, which, in reality, were nothing more than living life and surviving in difficult times. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced read copy. I highly recommend this book, as I recommend its predecessor, “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris is a powerful story that is inspired by the true to life experiences of Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor Cilka Klein. Readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz will remember being introduced to Cilka who was a close friend of Gita, the titular character's love interest. In an afterword by the author, Lale, the individual whose story is recounted in The Tattooist of Auschwitz, describes Cilka as the bravest person that he has ever known, and Ms Morris certainly brings this courage and unimaginable strength to life in the telling of Cilka's story.

Cilka Klein is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau when she is only sixteen, and her distinctive beauty serves to both save and condemn her. In order to ensure her survival, Cilka submits to sexual relationships with Nazi senior officers while at the women's concentration camp. After three years of enduring repeated rapes and other unfathomable injustices, she is sentenced to serve time at Vorkuta-Gulag, a Siberian prison, for the crime of consorting with the enemy. Once again, Cilka suffers deplorable conditions, but is able to find a small measure of humanity and purpose while working as a nurse-in-training.

This is a difficult read insofar as we are forced to confront the inhumanity of a period in history that is almost unfathomable in the fact that we are reading about the lives of real people rather than fictitious constructs. Ms Morris has truly brought history to life and, essentially, has given those who suffered the atrocities a face. I believe that this novel, as well as The Tattooist of Auschwitz, should be mandatory reading, not only for students, but for everyone. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Wow!! Such an amazing, heartfelt, courageous story.. I read the tattooist of Auschwitz and first heard of Cilka in Lale and Gitas story.. I was beyond excited to read this and this story completely blew me away. I cannot imagine how anyone survived the holocaust and the aftermath and it brings to life how horrible and evil the reign of Hitler and the aftermath truly was. It breaks my heart they had to endure this.

A Mesmerizing Story

A young woman sentenced to a Russian work camp after the war is surprised to learn that in spite of all she has lost, finding love is still possible.

I am an avid reader of Holocaust fiction. I find that it helps put the challenges of my own life into better perspective and reminds me that no matter what I am dealing with, human resilience is our most powerful superhero trait. Psychologist Jordan Peterson states that life is suffering and often it is suffering mixed with malevolence but the good news is that humans are far more resilient than they realize. However, I still struggle with the notion that any human has to be tested to the degree that some are. I believe the stories of these individuals are vital for all of us, no matter what are lives are.

Cilka’s Journey is a novel based on Cecilia “Cilka” Klein and factual events from her life. Morris has woven a compelling story about a young Jewish woman who spent three years of her life in Auschwitz before being sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in a Siberian prison camp. Morris has brought this story to life after extensive research and her interviews with the protagonist of her book: The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Lale Sokolov Some have mentioned that they recommend reading this book first however Cilka’s Journey is a stand-alone story. In the Kindle version additional information is offered by the author about her subject and her life and how Morris came to frame the story. Also, a powerful Afterword describes the Gulag system under Stalin from 1929 until his death in 1953.

Cilka’s Journey begins at the point she is sentenced to years of hard labor for the accusation of consorting with the enemy and working as a spy. At the camp, she digs deep inside herself to find the strength to keep on living another day in spite of all she has seen and lost, Cilka seems born with an iron-clad spirit that serves her well in terms of her own survival through the harshest depravities humans are capable of dishing out. In the Soviet Gulag under Stalin’s regime, Cilka befriends many and becomes especially close to a younger girl she meets on the way to Siberia and a young doctor who has volunteered her services and the camp’s hospital and has taken Cilka under her wing. The support of the other women in the camp is a vital lifeline to Cilka’s own survival.

One of the most fascinating aspects to people living under extreme duress is that there is no cut and dry notion of good and evil. Even good people are capable of turning on one another and committing heinous acts in the name of survival. Cilka is highly regarded as a good and decent woman yet even she was not immune doing what was required to survive. This set up an emotional paradox within her and at some of her lowest points, she seems to behave in ways that go against her own survival so that someone else might be saved. This could be interpreted as a kind of penance for her perceived sins. There is a character in the story, a bunkmate who sits in harsh judgment of Cilka and it is interesting to see how Cilka endures this judgement and her reaction to it. A woman called Hannah has managed to find Cilka’s Achilles Heel which is the fear of losing more people she cares about and Morris has captured this aspect of the story so well. Another aspect I got hooked on was Cilka’s states of depression and despair which she often went into and then came out of again. Our modern societal way of viewing depression as a mental illness with no context surrounding it and viciously drugged into a false oblivion instead of listened to and treated as a messenger to necessary adjustments to one’s own life makes me hope that many will read this story and others like it to gain a better perspective on how to live and how to thrive. Cilka understandably believes that she is no longer capable of having certain things she once longed for like finding love but like the study flowers in the story that push through the snow and bend without breaking in the raw wind in anticipation of springtime, love survives.

BRB Rating: Read It.

Cilka's Journey is the beautifully written chronicle of a young woman's survival. Cilka somehow perseveres, doing what she must to stay alive first in a Nazi death camp, and then in a Russian gulag, without losing her humanity.

Well written story that brings many emotions up. I can’t comprehend a life life this. I am always encouraged and motivated by a book that shows how someone makes it to the other side of such a horrible situation. I am thankful to have read this book.
I received an advanced copy from netgalley and am thankful to the publisher, netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read Clika Journey.

Difficult to read this book especially knowing that much of it is based on actual events. To think of the horrors that people lived through during that time period is gut wrenching. It is a well written very descriptive and realistic story. I did not read the previous book, and feel it might be beneficial to have read it first in order to get a better background on the character.
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Wow. What a great book. Cilka was a real person and most of the story is based on the facts discovered while the author was writing another book.

It was well written and I was immediately drawn into the story. It is so hard to believe that these things happened but Cilka was strong and did what she needed to do to survive Auschwitz and prison after that.

This is a follow up to the The Tattooist of Auschwitz involving the character Cilka, based on a real person. Although I hadn't read the previous book, I will definitely read it now although it is not necessary as this book stands alone. Cilka was a survivor of Auschwitz when she was 16. She stayed alive by being the "mistress" of a Nazi commandant. She does whatever she has to to stay alive and survive. After the camp is liberated, she is convicted of collaboration with the Nazis and is sentenced to 15 years in a Siberian prison camp. She has to learn again how to stay alive and try to carve out a life for herself. She becomes a nurse at the camp and meets people who will change her life forever. This is an excellent book and I found myself cheering for Cilka one minute and crying for her another. Please read the author's note and Afterword that is included at the end of the book. It has a wealth of information about Cilka and her life after the prison camp and the history of the prison camps. I can not recommend this book highly enough.

This was a solid 5-star book for me. I loved the writing style of Heather Morris and I really felt like I was in that harsh time frame. I would recommend this book especially after reading "The Tattooist of Auschwitz'. I laughed in parts but also cried. I want Cilka to win after all the hardship she had to endure. Heather Morris and St. Martin Press will be added to my go-to author and publisher to read.

I had read the first book in this series and was very excited to see a sequel. Honestly, I did enjoy the book, but maybe I should have read the first one closer to the second book. This book is well written and does a great job of explaining Cilka's life after the concentration camp. I cannot believe the horrors that people were exposed to during that time. The author uses great imagery and dialogue to make you become invested in their lives.

To think human beings could do the atrocities that were done to other human beings during WWII is sickening and very bothersome. Heather Morris continues in the same vein as with The Tattooist of Auschwitz in her latest novel, Cilka’s journey. I think the only way I could continue reading these books, is with the knowledge that they had both made it through the war and all the abuse inflicted on them under the hands of the Nazis. Cilka knew that to survive the war she would have to become numb to her feelings and do what she was told. When the war was over, her abuse was not. Hopelessness was not in her vocabulary and the hope that she would prevail kept her going. A well written book, in which you will fall in love with the characters and pray that they survive. Thanks to St Martins publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. It was quite a journey in a concentration camp during World War Two. Cilka was a kind person caring for others even in the horrible conditions in which she lived. She found love which kept her going even during her darkest moments. I highly suggest this book
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Exceptionally well-told story, poignant and empathetic, but not melodramatic or sentimental. Mesmerizing fiction based on real events.

I read The Tattooist of Auschwitz a few years ago and was extremely moved while reading that unimaginable story. I jumped at the chance to read Cilka's Journey. I remembered the name of the character but that was it. Her story starts at the liberation of Auschwitz and I imagined it was going to tell how she rebuilt her live after being a captive in that horrid place. I was SHOCKED to learn she did not gain her freedom and I was engrossed in learning what this human being had to endure. I have read many historical fiction books about this time period and it is always hard to know what to say about such a story. I loved this book, but it doesn't seem right to say I love reading about all of that misery, I enjoyed reading it, but it doesn't seem right to say that either. Heather Morris did a superb job in taking the facts that she knew about Cilka, building her character and weaving a heartfelt telling of human strength and endurance in the face of inhumane, unthinkable evil. I hope Ms. Morris continues to tell these stories.

This is an extraordinary book and I am privileged to have had the opportunity to review it. Cilka's Journey is the story of Cilka Klein, and is both the physical journey from her family, to Auschwitz, to the Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia and finally home to Czechoslovakia. It is also the story of the personal/emotional journey along the way losing family and friends, personal suffering and watching the suffering of others. Cilka is remarkably resilient and survives both journeys but compromises herself along the way to stay alive.

The book is both well written and well researched. I did not read the Tattoist of Ausschwitz before Cilka's Journey, but this book stands well on it's own. I'd have to say that when I have the time, I'll have to go back and read the Tattoist of Ausschwitz to complete the story.

While reading this book, I've come to believe that historical fiction is an important part of our literature. While Cilka's is real, the name of her husband has been changed to protect the identity of his descendants, but the book tells such an important part of our world history during the 40s and 50s. I'd almost rather see the Tattoist of Ausschwitz and Cilka's Journey used in High School History rather than the dry history books that are probably used today.

Many years ago I read Solzhenitsyn's work, remembering mostly Gulag Archipelago and The First Circle. Solzhenitsyn is obviously important to Russian history and Russian literature, with Gulag Archipelago overlapping in time with Cilka's Journey. Although Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, I will always remember Cilka's Journey more for the story it tells of developing the Communist state. Telling the story of one person tells the story of all. Morris has produced one such masterpiece.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins and especially the author to read and review this book.

*3.5* stars.
This is a bleak, intense and horrifying account of what it was like to endure and survive for almost 10 years in the nightmare conditions of Vorkuta Gulag in the remote Siberian north.

Cecilia Klein (Cilka) was a friend of Lale and Gita in Auschwitz. In the author’s interviews with Lale (The Tattooist of Auschwitz ) he mentioned Cilka and described her as the bravest person he ever knew. Much research went into her story, but it was difficult to separate true facts from fictional fillers.

Cilka entered Auschwitz at the tender age of 16. Family members perished there. Very early in her imprisonment, she realized she must do as ordered to survive. To do otherwise meant certain death. She became ‘camp wife’ of a German commander, submitting to her rapist in order to avoid serial rapists and gang rapes which other women prisoners were experiencing. She was also put in charge of a section where sick, dying, and women of the 'wrong ethnicity or background' were held on their way to the gas chamber. To fulfill her role she pushed and yelled at those who hesitated in line to their ultimate grim destination. When liberated, she harboured much guilt for her role as camp ‘prostitute’ and in her inability to protect others.

Liberation from Auschwitz was not what she had hoped. She was imprisoned for sleeping with the enemy, which also meant to her accusers that she must be a Spy for Germany. She was sentenced to 15 years in Stalin’s Vorkuta gulag prison in Siberia where she spent almost 10 years. Whereas Auschwitz had its gas chambers, the plan for the Gulags was to get rid of undesirables through hard labour and starvation while they worked in the harshest conditions for the Russian motherland. Freezing temperatures, inadequate clothing, poor hygiene, disease, work-related accidents, and lack of nourishing food made survival unlikely.

Cilka was housed in a cold, badly constructed women’s barracks where most of the women became a substitute family. She dreaded that the women would find out about her past at Auschwitz. Again she gained a favourable position by submitting to one of the German commanders. This rapist fell in love with her.

I found some of the story unbelievable, as we are constantly reminded of her beauty, intelligence and compassion. It may be true that she was beloved by most everyone. A kind woman doctor is so impressed with her that she becomes her protector and trains her to become a leading nurse at the hospital. She is loved by the patients and their families. When sent on ambulance runs, the two male orderlies also fall in love with her. Cilka uses her privileged position to bring extra food from the hospital for the female prisoners and also steals medication for a woman who knows about her past and threatens to blackmail her. She declines favours offered to her in order to request that they be transferred to benefit friends.

When the German commander she was sleeping with is transferred, she is in danger of abuse by gangs of men who prey on other women prisoners. She is moved into the safety of the nurses quarters. While being trained in the operating room of the hospital, she falls in love with a badly beaten patient who is near death.

After her release, she was married for almost 50 years, and the happy couple lived in Czechoslovakia. The author, Heather Morris, travelled widely to research what could be learned about her life.

To learn more about the brutal and deadly conditions and the history of the Gulag prison camps, I urge readers to read the account by Owen Matthews at the end of this novel. He is a British journalist and historian who provides a historical perspective.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this engrossing and heart-wrenching story in return for an honest review.

Wow! This was great. I read the first few pages early in the week and wasn't able to get back to it.
However, after finding myself awake early on a Sunday morning (try 5 am) I decided to pick it back up. I didn't put it down till I finished it.

Cilka's Journey is unlike any Holocaust/ Post World War II story I have read. We all know the horror and terror of Auschwitz-Birkenau, but what happened to the survivors after? Heather Morris takes us through Cilka's journey from Poland to Siberia. While this book is listed as part of a series, you do not need to read the first one to follow the plot.

This book was beautifully written and portrays Cilka's strength as she moves through new challenges and encounters new people, while also confronting the trauma left from her stay in a concentration camp. I really liked this book and will be recommending it to everyone! 4/5 stars!

I get really swept up in Holocause fiction. REAAAAALLLYYY swept up. To the point where in my head I can imagine the places the characters are, and simple details such as the weather conditions reported. Cilka’s Journey had me sobbing and commiserating. While this is fiction, it’s based on a real hero, a champion of the people she loved, who was brave in unimaginable ways. I can’t wait to share this book with my book club and get their opinions on it.

I fell in love with Cilka's character during the Tattooist of Auschwitz and my attachment to her just went up from there. While it may be helpful to read the Tattooist of Auschwitz first it is not necessary.

I literally could not put down this book while reading it. It was so engaging with so many hooks, I had to know what happened next to Cilka and her friends! This book pulled in its reader with how fast passed and how intense it was. Even when you wanted to it to shy away from a topic. I was pleasantly surprised with the flash backs to some of Cilka's time in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

This is a a realistic book about the awful conditions faced by women in the labor camps called the Gulag. Its horrific part of human history. This includes sexual abuse. The author handles this topic well. Sexual abuse is always treated as something wrong and never romanticized. The author notes at the end are a must read!

Cilka's Journey has wonderfully detailed and well rounded characters. There are characters you'll feel emotionally attached to like Cilka, characters you'll hate, characters that you become to love and characters you'll miss when they aren't around for a couple chapters. While you know Cilka is based on a real person, all of these other characters feel real too.

This book is amazing and has earned its spot in my 'must buy immediately' list once it is released! I absolutely loved it!

Thank you so much to Heather Morris and St. Martin's Press for approving my request for this title on NetGalley!

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris is highly recommended book. Heather Morris’ characters and plot are richly developed with surprising twists woven in to each of them. You can see through Cilka’s eyes the atrocities she was subjected to, feel the physical and emotional coldness she endured and share her tears in times of grief and triumph.

There is an important message recognized during this journey about others’ perception of you, your inner fear of them believing it and the ability to be true to yourself through all of it.

Cilka’s Journey will become a part of your memories, allowing you to not only remember the places, yet the people inside them and their daily struggle to live.

Heather Morris is an author to share with your family, friends, co-workers and book clubs as a pure voice amidst the rubble.

Oh.my.gosh.
This book...I just finished it and I feel like I have a book hang over. Cilka is a character from The tattooist of Aushwitch. This book was loosely based on her life, taking place mostly after World War 2. I naively did not know about this time in history in the Soviet Union.

It was an incredibly hard read to know that what happened to people after the War. But very important. I highly recommend this book 5 stars. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC. When this becomes an audible, I will be buying it for my husband to listen to.

This book will not leave my thoughts for long time...

This book is a wonderful envisioning if WW2 from a female perspective. Often times, the points of view are mostly male, but given then extreme hardship of the time period, a woman’s view is interesting. This book stands on its own as well as being a companion to the Tattooist of Aushwitz. The book starts slow but picks up and develops a great story of strength and character during the end of the Holocaust.

Cilka’s Journey underscores how strong a human being’s will to survive is, while at the same time showing the violence human beings can do to one another. As I read it, I wondered how anyone could survive the conditions described in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany or the work camps of the Soviet Union. But survive they did and we are lucky to have these historical accounts. Both books by Heather Morris—this one and The Tattooist of Auschwitz-Birkenau—are well researched, well written, and hard to put down.

If you like historical fiction, you will appreciate everything this novel has to offer. I have not read anything that based on the Soviet gulags of Siberia, and it was brutal. Heather Morris’s novel is based on Cilka Klein, a Czechoslovakian Jew who was imprisoned in Auschwitz and transferred to Siberia by the Russians at the end of the war, as a political prisoner. She survived the brutality of Auschwitz only to be sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in the gulags.
At times this story is difficult to read, with the horrific conditions, the back breaking labor, that even women were expected to perform, the lack of food and adequate clothing during the brutal winters. She lives with other women in their dormitories and toil with them during the long days.
This is an extremely well researched book, that is a wonderful history lesson into an era that isn’t as well known as the Nazi camps, as least not to me.
Her characters are well developed and some likable and others, not so much. She demonstrates how women are able to survive the worst conditions, but with support, can make a home.
I received this ARC for my honest review, and honestly, I was awed by it. I thank #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the opportunity to read this fabulous book.

This is a story that shows the resilience of the human spirit. The book follows Cilka, whom after doing what was necessary to survive in Auschwitz-Birkenau, is seen and charged as a "collaborator" with the enemy and is sent to a prison camp.
Conditions in the prison are different, but contain their own horrors. This is a story of love and survival in a place where there is little hope. It is beautifully written and while some readers may have read of Cilka while reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz (also by Heather Morris) this book stands on its own as a remarkable read.

Cilka’s Journey: A Novel by Heather Morris
Follow up novel to: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

October 1, 2019
St Martin’s Press
Historical fiction
320 pages
Rating: 4/5

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a follow up novel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It is not a sequel but more of a companion read which makes it a stand alone story. The first novel shines light on the unimaginable “job” as tattooist that a prisoner accepts as a means for survival in Auschwitz concentration camp. In Cilka’s Journey, we learn of another unenviable “job” in order to survive the atrocities of Auschwitz.

Complete review to follow.

Guyssssss. Let’s talk about another 5 star book by the fabulous Heather Morris.

I just love her writing. Both of her books are based off of true stories, this one following the life of Cecilia ‘Cilka’ Klein, a Jewish female taken by the Nazis at the age of 16, and it follows her journey thru Auschwitz and then again thru a Siberian prison camp. We first heard of Cilka in Morris’s first book The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

This book destroyed me just like the first one did. The author takes you thru all the awful things that happen to Cecilia while still leaving you feeling hopeful. She brings to light the horrors of our worlds history while still giving you hope in humanity. The writing it’s beautifully done and she portrays the characters so thoughtfully. I literally read this in a day because I just could not put it down.

A huge shout out to my friends over at @stmartinspress for gifting me a copy!
Out October 1st, 2019!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an advanced reader's copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars.

Words cannot even begin to describe how beautiful The Tattooist of Auschwitz is, nor its remarkable ability to restore one's faith in humanity. I will remember Lale and Gita's story for the rest of my life, if not longer. When I saw there was to be a sequel, and then saw that advanced copies were being offered, there was no "if" in my mind.

Heather Morris just has an incredible sense when it comes to balancing realistic dialogue with stunning prose. I read quite a lot of historical fiction (novels in particular), and Morris' writing is some of the best historical work I have come across.

A well-done novel that ventures back and forth from the protagonist's childhood to her time in Auschwitz to her years in the Vorkuta Gulag, this book tells of unimaginable pain and unbelievable courage. What I liked the most about Cilka's Journey, besides for the wonderful writing, was that it told a story that may have been largely lost. That is perhaps the greatest power that historical books have: To preserve the words, stories, and thoughts of those who were unable to do so years ago. Cilka was an amazing person with immense perseverance and selflessness. Her story deserves, more than anything, to be told and heard. So, thank you, Lale, for telling someone about Cilka; thank you, Heather Morris, for telling her story; and thank you, Cilka, for your strength.

This is the story of Cilka Klein. During the holocaust Cilka is chosen by two of the highest ranking SS officers at Auschwitz-Birkenau to be “theirs.” She is continually raped by them, but given more food, and a position of what could be considered power. After the war, Cilka is charged as collaborating with the enemy and sent to a Siberian prison camp. This book follows her time at the prison and her life after Auschwitz.

This would make a fantastic book club book. There is so much discussion to be had surrounding this book and I’m dying for someone else to read it and discuss with me! It’s amazing to think that someone who did what she had to do in order to just stay alive could then be sent to a prison with similar conditions for so many years. This book shows how much suffrage there was even after the end of the war.

Thank you to St Martins Press for my gifted copy of this book!

Wow. I had to really let this book sink in after finishing it. I had so many heavy emotions. Cilka’s Journey is an exceptional piece of WWll historical fiction. It is written as the sequel to The Tatooist of Auschwitz, where Cilka was a friend to two of the characters. This book continues her journey after the camp is liberated and she is wrongfully charged as a collaborator with the Nazis and sent on to another work camp as punishment. This was a unique element, as life in Nazi concentration camps are often written about in stories but not many books go into detail about those who were liberated only to face a trial and be sent back to work camp prisons. I was shocked to realize this horrible act actually happened and heartbroken to read everything she endured. Cilka was resilient, brave, and inspiring as a character. I can’t praise this book enough. I haven’t yet read The Tatooist of Auschwitz, and didn’t need to in order to be impacted and feel connected to this story. However, I will definitely be picking up the first book now. Historical fiction fans, preorder this and make sure to get your copy of Cilka’s Journey when it is published on October 1st! It’s one of my top reads for the year.

Oh Cilka ❤️

I fell in love with the characters of Gita, Lale & Cilka during The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and as soon as I saw this on Goodreads I dropped what I was doing to read this,

This book is filled with so much raw, emotional pain. Cilka is a absolute warrior I can’t work out after everything she was exposed to in Auschwitz that her freedom still isn’t hers. Charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to a Siberian prison camp to serve here sentence.

I found myself amazed that I have no knowledge of what happened to people after they survived concentration camps, despite there being a lot of information out there about the Holocaust and what the prisoners were subjected too, you don’t read what happens afterwards,

One girls story about courage, strength and determination to survive. I sobbed like a baby at the ending,


Thank you NetGalley for a ARC edition of this, 5 out of 5 stars

An incredible story of strength and courage in impossible situations. As a 16 year old, Cilka is forced to become the mistress of an SS soldier...or be sent to the gas chambers. When the camp is liberated by the Russians, Cilka finds that her horrors are not over. Convicted of collaboration with the Germans, Cilka is sent to the Gulags of Siberia for 15 years. This book relates what happens to her there and how (of if) she can retain her humanity and feel hope instead of despair.

The author has done exhaustive research and brings to life what some history books gloss over. So, while this book is a novel, the reader can be assured that it is based on facts. Like other war novels and books that are extremely readable, the reader can sometimes feel the sense of hopelessness that these victims experience. That is a testament to the author.

First line: Cilka stares at the soldier standing in front of her, part of the army that has entered the camp.

Summary: Sixteen year old Cilka Klein was sent to Auschwitz along with her family. One of the head SS officers of the camp notices her and moves her away from the other women. Over the three years she is kept in barracks 25 until the day the camp is liberated by the Russian forces. Upon their arrival she is arrested and charged with collaborating with the enemy. She is sentenced to fifteen years in a Siberian gulag.

When she arrives at the prison she finds a world that she has unfortunately become very familiar with. The forced labor and brutal conditions of the camp are not new to her. She makes friends with several of her fellow inmates but when she catches the attention of the female doctor her luck begins to change. With her work in the hospital she finds a way to make amends for the guilt about her past and maybe even start to feel love again.

My Thoughts: The Tattooist of Auschwitz was such a heartbreaking story. But I was beyond shocked by the story of Cilka. She was forced into a Russian prison after suffering for years in a concentration camp because she was raped for three years. It makes no sense. The poor girl is stronger than I can imagine I could ever be. I really cared about what happened to Cilka while reading her story. She did so much good in a terrible place. If only there were more people like her.

I never even considered that things like this happened to some of the survivors. It is sad that the “liberators” were nearly as cruel as the Nazis. Her time in the gulag is unbelievable. I know that the author did lots of research and she does a great job of bringing it to life. People need to know these things in order to try and stop them from happening again.

I felt like this was much better put together than the first book. It was not nearly as choppy.

FYI: This is a sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Zaffre through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Heather Morris, Zaffre, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Please read "The Tattooist of Auschwitz (#1)" before this book as it will help in understanding the flow of this book. It can technically stand-alone, but I think that it would be more enjoyable to read them in tandem.

I really liked the Silka and her fellow prisoners at the Russian Gulag in Siberia. I had NO idea that prisoners were released from concentration camps almost directly to the gulags. The crimes also seemed ridiculous and just created for prisoner labor. The prose was very good as it had interesting character and a strong, but horrifying storyline. I really liked the characters and wanted to know more. Hopefully, Heather Morris will write more books, PLEASE!.

Again, I am reading another WWII book which seems to be my favorite time period lately!! However, this is a powerful and well-written book - DEFINITE RECOMMEND!!!

Receiving the email that this book was available to read probably made my whole year. I absolutely loved The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey matched this love.

We remember Cilka as the friend of Lane and Gita's who definitely saves Lane's life by getting him his job back as the tattooist. If you were like me, you were left wondering what had happened to this selfless girl.

Cilka's Journey is what happened after Auschwitz. But don't be fooled this is no fairytale. Cilka's story is one to remember based on the compassion she shows, the endurance she has, and the fight to not only make this better but to not give up hope.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Author Heather Morris for this ARC!

WOW is all I can say. Another hit by Heather Morris. I did not think she would be able to top her last novel :The Tattooist of Auschwitz" but she did! This is the type of historical novel that I love. Where they do not go out of character to describe the history or the scene. Her writing style is wonderful where I just want to keep turning the page. This will be a book that I am going to read again! I loved how it is a stand alone book but also a "spin-off" from her last novel. The cover is great too. It made me want to read it before I even knew who the author was or the story itself. I highly recommend this book!

This is Cilka Klein’s story, who we met in the excellent The Tattooist of Auschwitz. As Auschwitz is being liberated in 1945, 18 year old Cilka assumes she will be freed. But after surviving the horrors of the concentration camp, she is sentenced to 15 years in Siberia at the Vorkuta Gulag. She is charged as a Nazi collaborator although her “crime” was doing what she had to do to survive which included being used and abused by a high ranking officer. A far cry from “sleeping with the enemy.” Her guilt and shame over what occurred while in the concentration camp leads Cilka to care more about helping others in the Gulag than herself including protecting a young woman she meets while being transported to this new prison. Cilka is able to work as a nurse in the hospital and demonstrates continued bravery and selflessness. This riveting book places the reader in this horrible setting where you can feel the suffering. Like the first book, this is a story of courage, love and the will to survive. Unforgettable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Heather Morris for this ARC.

Like many others, I was fascinated by Heather Morris’ book, The Tattooist of Auschwitz about Lale Sokolov. During their time together, Mr. Sokolov told Heather Morris that Cilka Klein “was the bravest person” he ever met and said she was the person who saved his life. In their conversations Ms. Morris learned that Cilka, a very beautiful young girl of 16, was imprisoned at Auschwitz-Birkenau and only survived by allowing herself to be repeatedly raped by two senior SS officers. The first part of her story is mentioned in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. In the epilogue the author states she received many inquiries as to what happened to Cilka. This novel is the answer to that question. While one would not need to read The Tattooist of Auschwitz prior to reading this book, I think would be helpful.

This novel starts right after Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp is liberated by the Soviets. Cilka is immediately convicted, without a trial, of working with the enemy, as a prostitute and additionally as a spy . Her punishment is to be further imprisoned for fifteen years in the coldest place on earth, Vorkuta Gulag.

Cilka is a fascinating character. She is smart, loyal, and generous. She is befriended by a kind female physician, who allows Cilka to train as a nurse. Cilka is able to improve the condition of the nursery, and is a comfort to many people. She is brave and often entered dangerous situations as a member of the ambulance crew. Cilka was human too, often entering into dark periods because of the hopelessness she often found herself in. She lives with the guilt of her time at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Heather Morris has done a fantastic job of historical research to show us the horrendous conditions of the Vorkuta Gulag, where Trustees ruled in gangs, raped as many women prisoners as they pleased, and tormented the staff.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book that will be released on October 1, 2019. 5 stars.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz book #2

This novel proclaims to be based on a true love story. Cilka whose real name is Cecilia Kovacoca was 16 in 1942 when she entered Auschwitz and was forced to become the commandant’s sex slave. On liberation, still only 19, she was charged as a collaborator by the Russians and sent to the Siberian gulags. In her new prison Cilka faced new and familiar challenges and confronted terror and death daily. She also found love.

“Cilka’s Journey” is based on research woven into a fictionalized story. The author states this is not a biography or an authoritative record of historical events but simply traces her heartbreaking journey through hell. The account particularly centers on the treatment of women in Vorkuta Gulag and the maltreatment and violence the men also had to endure. Brutality, rape and undernourishment were the ways of everyday life. Daily, force labor and the extreme cold awaited them to succumb.

Although this is the second novel in the series, “Cilka’s Journey” can easily work as a standalone. Throughout we have flashbacks skillfully weaved in spanning from 1939-1945 giving us enough background about Cilka’s past and also filling the gaps for those who have not read book #1.

Since I read very few books about the Russian Gulags I much appreciated the notes from Heather Morris and additional history on Vorkuta in the afterword by Owen Matthews. These chapters at the end of the book clarify what is factual to what was enhanced to suit the author’s narrative in order to make a most captivating story.

Thousands of prisoners were interned for all kinds of reasons and thousands died in the Gulags during the time Stalin was in power. After his death and a power struggle Khrushchev emerged victorious and denounced Stalin’s purges and ushered a less repressive regime, thousands of prisoners were pardon and sent free, Cilka’s and the man she had fallen in love with were among them.

I did not find this novel to have a depressing story but rather one that showcase resilience and hope. This is a well-written, well researched story hard to put down.

A powerful story of a women who survived a concentration camp and the gulag. Based on a true story, this is both a powerful statement to her bravery and a chilling reminder of what people suffered. The writing, as in the author's Tatooist of Auschwitz, provides just the right tone and truly brings these stories to life.

Chilka's Journey is another in the field that reminds us of the atrocities of concentration camps of WWII. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it until several pages in. Then Chilka became real to me as she became real on the page. The reader follows Chilka through the author's skillful ability to let us feel what is happening to Chilka. There is hatred, debasement, and horrifying moments, but, there is love, and hope and the message that if we can withstand it, we can overcome it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I was excited to see the book available for review. I read The Tattoist of Auschwitz and loved it. While Cilka’s Journey is a sequel to The Tattoist of Auschwitz , it actually can stand alone all on its own. Overall I enjoyed the story and the book. Cilka was forced as a Jew to go to Auschwitz-Birkenau. And there, she was forced to do things just to survive. Ultimately this puts her in a position of being forced to spend another 10 years in the gulag. While different than the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, it was another set of horrors to survive through.
I would recommend the book. I enjoyed the book and it was difficult to put down but I felt like there were some things that were contradictory or didn’t connect. Hannah would threatened Cilka and hold Cilka’s past as a threat to get drugs but then later it’s like she is a great person. Elena is a bully but then she is not. The book doesn’t really touch on why the change in character. Beyond that I am glad I read it. I learned a lot-and extra information at the end of the book was very informative.

What happens when you write a story of what happens after Auschwitz?
As we all know or are familiar with, WWII was a horrendous time in history that everyone should know and read about. History does NOT need to repeat itself and what better way than to read and familiarize ourselves with history. Unfortunately, not a lot has been written about what happened to some of the prisoners After. And in Cilka's case, her fight against evil wasn't over. She was sent to a Soviet Gulag. A working camp. After staying alive through Auschwitz (which was a war in itself). Still a prisoner, but she had to work long hours under horrific conditions. Her fight was to stay alive. That was how she was going to win.

This time in history has always held a special interest to me. To see the fight in these women and men and love they had for their fellow prisoners absolutely astounds me. While they were taken away from everything they knew, they still fought in their own way. And there was no wrong way in these people's case.

I read this book before The Tattooist of Auschwitz and feel it's 100% a standalone. I'm sure reading The Tattooist will only enhance your experience of this book, but it's not needed. We get enough background of Cilka's past that we get to understand where she came from and what she went through. And it's not pretty. But she is one to survive and love and be selfless in a time when she needed to only really worry about herself. You will feel for her and her bunkmates. Even when you shouldn't. You will understand their actions. The characters come alive right off the page and I could feel the light and the darkness and cold right along with them. And it wasn't pretty. It literally chills you to the bone when you read about their experiences.

This story was mostly true, but there are some part Ms Morris had to take liberties with making this a historical fiction. If you read the afterword and the author's notes, I have a feeling this book will hit you that much harder. Just don't read it before you read the actual book. There will be lots of spoilers.

A wonderfully written story of love, survival, friendship and the ultimate fight. The human spirit is stronger than you can even imagine. And this story shows it. Cilka is my hero and was to many around her as well. I hope she felt and saw that in her life. 4.5 stars

If you loved the Tattooist of Auschwitz you will love Cilka's Journey! Another great novel based on the true story of a young girl. Such a deep and moving story that Heather Morris wrote beautifully. There are lots of books out there that tell the story of what happened inside of the concentration camps, but not so much as the survivor's stories after they are liberated. You don't necessarily have to read the Tattooist of Auschwitz first, but personally I recommend it. Cilka's Journey was a wonderful story that you should definitely add to the top of your reading list!

CILKA'S JOURNEY - Heather Morris

I am definitely developing empathy for the survivors of WWII and the years after when there was still was prisoners, victims from Stalin. I received this on Kindle from Net Galley for the purpose of review.

Heather Morris who is the author writes a insightful novel based on true survivor and the power of love.

Cilka's was first a prisoner in Auschwitz thus she was tattooed with her prisoner number. She works out a deal to not end up in gas chamber by playing the game of cooperation with guards. Problem when she is declared an enemy of the state. That arrest lands her in Siberia. Now Siberia is in the Arctic Circle and stays cold and ALL the time. That alone for this Florida girl, would be awful.
Cilka makes every effort to hide that fact from her bunkmates. She feels they will not even like her and her treatment will be worse if they learn of her years in Auschwitz. But as if that is not bad enough there is one fireplace in Hut 29, no indoor plumbing, a trustee who watches every move in the hut. Wake up 5:30, breakfast consists of warm gruel and bread...Not much to go work in the camp until dinner. The method of minimizing persons in this camp was starvation, cold and very hard labor. They were not as brutal as Auschwitz. Dinner is no better than breakfast.
The hut is cramped with women who have hurts and fears that makes the hut a insecure place to be.
Cilka is a women who always looks out for others. She meets Josie and you soon find Cilka's character and care for others. The hut is all women but there are unwanted visits by the men prisoners as well as guards. Cilka tries to Josie who is only 16. Cilka herself maybe 20.

You will want to read this and especially if you have a high schooler who knows little or nothing about WWII and the atrocities there. Our American history is being minimized and demonized but the United States has always been the protection of friends and even our enemies if it involves inhumane treatment. Our teens, college students and others need the truth.

You will learn much and see amazing protection of Cilka.

Story of 16 year old Jewish girl, surviving Auschwitz-Birkenau. Then going to prison, heartbreaking what all these people were put thru, what this poor girl did to survive. Excellent story of human, love, compassion and survival.

I loved reading this incredibly emotional story of Cilka's life in captivity during the WWII. Cilka was a Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz trying to endure the horrors around her in the bravest way that a young girl could. She was then sentenced to a work camp in Siberia, where her bravery and intelligence set her apart from other prisoners, and allowed her certain privileges. Haunted by her past, Cilka chose to always be loyal to her fellow suffers, and elevate their well being over her own.

The story, written in a back and forth in time manner, and is a pleasure to read. This book will appeal to history buffs, but one doesn't have to have a thorough grasp of WWII (like myself!) to enjoy Cilka's Journey.

Heather Morris has crafted this book from facts obtained by extensive research on prison life in Siberia. This research is documented at the end of the book, and brings life to Cilka's story.

I recommend Cilka's Journey!

Cilka's Journey by author Heather Morris is a remarkable story about a young girl taken to a concentration camp in 1942. Cilka faces many challenges over the years confronting death and terror on a daily basis. By the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz comes another page turning 5 Star book!

Oh my. This book was hard to read. It was graphic and honest and dirty. I could not stop reading because I needed to cheer on Celia. I needed to know what happened to her and my heart broke for her in those pages. It was hard to read because it is a true story.

This is not a happy go lucky love story this is a survivors story. A woman who did what she had to do to live. So strong and so brave. It is a reminder to me that my life is good and I am blessed.

Ok the writing. Heather Morris is a genius. She weaves you a story that you can’t put down. Her storytelling is lovely to read, it flows nicely and is easy to understand. This is my second book by this author and I will now read anything she puts out.

Lou Jacobs's review Aug 21, 2019 · edit
it was amazing

A tour de force testament to the unbreakable human spirit. Cecilia "Cilka" Klein has endured unbearable hardships , humiliation , and serial rape to survive the horror of the Auschwitz - Birkenau
Concentration Camp .... all starting at the tender age of sixteen years old. Due to her natural beauty she was selected to service several highly placed Nazi leaders. When the Soviets liberated the camp in 1945 she was rewarded by being sentenced to 15 years in the notorious Siberian Gulag of Vorkuta ...
for the preposterous crime of collaborating with the enemy. Where once again she quickly drew the unwanted attention of both guards and lecherous trustees.
Although this novel is considered to be a sequel to the highly acclaimed: The Tattoist of Auschwitz
(which I did not read) it can certainly be read and appreciated as a standalone ... with the necessary backstory being seamlessly provided.
Thankfully, Cilka catches the attention of a kindly and devoted female physician ... she is taken under the wing of the doctor and nurses and is virtually trained as a nurse. Cilka is able to apply her skills and compassion to helping the ill of the camp. She shines not only in the ward, but also in the OR and even on ambulance runs. Nonetheless she continues to persevere in the face of repeated rapes, starvation, the extremes in weather and the constant everyday brutality of camp life. Hope is quickly realized as an unattainable illusion.
Heather Morris astounds with a moving, dark and treacherous narrative, that continually tugs at the heartstrings of any breathing mortal. This gem is based upon a true story in which we witness the remarkable journey of Cilka ... from child to woman and woman to healer. Morris hits home with the following statement: " Everyone affected by war, captivity, or oppression reacts differently - and away from it, people might try to guess how they would act, or react, in the circumstances . But, they do not really know."
Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Heather Morris for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this masterpiece in exchange for an honest review. Please excuse me ... while I immediately go download a copy of The Tattoosist of Auschwitz.

Heather Morris has done it again! I was so happy to receive an ARC from Netgalley for Cilka's Journey. After devouring The Tattooist of Auschwitz I couldn't wait to read the sequel. Cilka is described by Lale as the strongest person he has ever met, and I agree. After reading this book I feel like I know her. Her story is unbelievably sad yet inspiring as she survives the unimaginable. I highly recommend Cilka's Journey!

Many thanks to St. Martins Press, Heather Morris and #NetGalley for this advanced copy of the book Cilka’s Journey which is due to be published on October 1st 2019. What follows is my unbiased review.

I was approached by the publisher and asked if I was interested in reading this book because I have read a number of books that focus on stories from WW2. It is the second book by author Heather Morris to focus on some of these stories and I am very thankful that she has done her part to make sure these stories are not lost over time. While I have not yet read her first book The Tatooist Of Auschwitz, it is sitting in my ‘to be read’ pile and I will hopefully get to it soon. It did not affect my understanding of this second book and the author did fill in details which connected the two.

This book is written in the format of a novel but the author extensively researched the character and the locations involved. As Cilka was no longer living at the time of writing Morris did not have actual access to her thoughts. Cilke first came to her attention through the words of Lale (The Tattooist of Auschwitz). To quote: “Did I tell you about Cilka?” “No, Lale, you didn’t. Who was Cilka?” “She was the bravest person I ever met. Not the bravest girl, the bravest person.” “And?” “She saved my life. She was beautiful tiny little thing, and she saved my life.” This was only the first of many conversations the author shared with Lale in which stories were told abut Cilka. She was sixteen years old when she was interned in Auschwitz and she was chosen by Nazi officers to be their sex slave and the be the block leader for the infamous barrack where women were sent for their last night before death. Resistance on her part would have led to her death. She chose to live. Documentation from survivors abut her shows that people had mixed feelings about her – some thinking she was terrible while others had only good to say. The author explained very well in the book why this might have happened. At the time Cilka was waiting for her liberation thinking that her hell was finally over, the Russian soldiers determined that what she had done was a “crime” and sentenced her to thirty years hard labour in the Russian Gulag of Vorkuta – probably the coldest place on earth. Life their was extremely hard and once again Cilka had no choice but to do what she could to survive. The story includes flashbacks to Cilka’s time in Auschwitz. As a result of what she experienced there, Cilka dealt with significant survivor guilt and at times questioned whether she deserved any future. She did however, use the skills that she had learned in her short lifetime which drew her to the attention of a doctor in the Gulag who saw her potential and enabled her to take advantage of educational opportunities and access to better food and warmth among other things. This allowed her to survive when she otherwise might have died.

I have not read a lot about the Gulags before, so this book was an eye opener for me. Life was a little easier than it had been at Auschwitz but not much. Even in such horrible circumstances though, relationships developed among the inmates and a sense of family was developed. The will to survive was ever present.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in either the history of the war or the time period afterwards. I think it would make an excellent novel for a book club study. I am very thankful that I was given a chance to read it and learn some of Cilka’s story.


Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Heather Morris, and NetGalley for this advanced copy Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Heather Morris, and NetGalley for this advanced copy

I highly recommend Cilka's Journey. This author also wrote the Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka was another prisoner there at the same time as Lale, from Tattooist. Cilka, like Lale, was a real person. However, the author was not able to interview her the way she was able to interview Lale so much more of her story is supposition based on the research the author was able to do. It is definitely fiction but such a great story. The story starts when Auschwitz- Birkenau is liberated by the Russians and Cilka is accused of collaboration and sent to a Russian Gulag for 15 years. The story is mostly her time at the Gulag. It is obviously not light reading but really drew me in. I chose to just read the book all night last night instead of doing anything else and stayed up a bit too late finishing it.

I was SO excited when I saw this book come across in Netgalley. I just finished the first novel "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" a few weeks ago and fell in love with all the characters. I find this so incredible that a lot of this book is a true story; what a strong and resilient woman who loved life, her friends and to help others. I wish she was alive to tell us her story firsthand but this book was so well written & I loved every second of it.

Cilka’s Journey is an incredible account of one brave young woman who survived the horrors and inhumanity of Auschwitz and the notorious Vorkuta Gulag. It’s extremely difficult to even imagine anyone living through such a monstrous daily life, let alone surviving it. We all have read about these nightmarish times during and after WWII. Those memories are hidden in the recesses of the tortured and Heather Morris has done her research and has written a novel describing unthinkable savagery. Five Stars. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Villa was sixteen when she first entered Auschwitz. She was there for almost three years. The things she had to endure while there are horrifying and unbelievable. She had two choices live or die. Later it was determined that she was a war criminal and sentenced to fifteen years in Siberia. There she also had two choices, live or die. She was able to find a friendly female doctor who trained her in nursing and surgical procedures. She also helped another doctor in the maternity ward. There she delivered babies.
The winters were unbearable with forty below temperatures and snow almost all year round. She was able to make friends with the women in her hut. Women that became family.
A remarkable story of a brave woman. Whose strength and endurance and courage helped her survive the horrific conditions of a death camp.
Extraordinary!!

What a great read! I couldn’t tear myself away once I began reading. Heather Morris does a wonderful job of really connecting the reader to Cilka and bringing us all along on her journey through such a heartbreaking time in our history. Although it’s not a necessity to read The Tattoist of Auschwitz before Cilka’s story, what a wonderful feeling it was to have snippets of their journey sprinkled in throughout the book from a new prospective. I highly recommend Cilka’s Journey to anyone who finds themselves yearning to read about the survivors of such a powerful period in history.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris


Have you read yet The Tatooist of Auschwitz? It's the story of Lale and Gita Sokolov's survival in Auschwitz. Of course, to survive many other people needed to be trusted and included. One of those people involved with Lale and Gita was Cilka. Cilka was just a teenager and she was beautiful so of course she attracted the attention of the commandant. Cilka was made his mistress and given unbelievable power over the other female prisoners. But, when you are in her position, you do what you need to do to survive. These things you do are not easily forgotten.

When the war was over and the camp liberated by the Russians Cilka's journey was not over. She was accused of collaborating with the enemy and forced to exchange one prison for another, she is sent to Siberia along with anyone else the Russians didn't trust.

But Cilka already knows how to survive. You dig deep. And even though she is once again forced to be someone's mistress and work and live in a cold that can only be imagined she knows she has brains and spunk and heart and you keep your head down. A female doctor in the camp sees this and takes Cilka into her world of healing, however that can happen in a place like this. Healing can happen in many ways. Cilka forms friendships, shows heart and compassion to the sick and injured and eventually she discovers she has even more strength than she ever knew.

The Tatooist of Auschwitz is a true story and so is Cilka's

Heather Morris’s Cilka’s Journey is an insightful novel that deals with an issue little explored in fiction: the treatment of women in the Soviet Gulag. While Cilka’s Journey may be fiction, it is based on conversations with Lale Sokolov (the tattooist of Auschwitz) about Cilka, from others who knew her, and the authors impressive research. Cilka, a Czechoslovakian, was sent to Aushwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp for being a Jew. At liberation, she was wrongly convicted of working with the enemy. She was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor and sent directly to the Soviet gulag in Siberia. She was fortunate to obtain work duty in a hospital under a brilliant doctor who was willing to share her knowledge, give her training, and opportunities. She and the other women in her prison “hut” battled for trust, hope, and survival. At the Gulag, she again finds herself in survival mode over ethics. She does what she has to do in order to live. I found myself fully immersed in this story, a subject I had very little knowledge of. Two weeks later, I’m still processing the story. Rich in history and woven with a mix of real-life and imagined incidents and characters, the story gives history a human face to the awful treatment of those imprisoned at the Gulag. The author did an excellent job of taking history and writing a novel that tells a dark tale, yet honors Cilka, and making it readable. This is a story that tells of a remarkable journey and needs to be read.
Note: I have not read The Tattooist of Auschwitz which this is a follow-up to. Many have said to read that first, but I feel that Cilka’s Journey can be read as a stand-alone. I most definitely will read The Tattooist of Auschwitz in the near future, since Cilka’s Journey was an incredible read.

Cilka’s Journey, the sequel to Tattooist os Auschwitz, is as impactful and haunting as the first book. Cilka’s story of her internment in the concentration camp and then confinement in Siberia is heart wrenching. The fortitude of the human spirit is the catalyst of the story. Based on a true story we follow Cilka through flashbacks while in Siberia to her time existing in the concentration camp in the only manner she could to survive. Her will to survive wavered at times but she never gave up hope. I loved the story but felt at times the flashbacks disrupted the flow of the “journey”. Thank you so much Netgalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Wow! I enjoyed this book as much as I did The Tattooist of Auschwitz! Great book, wonderful story, well written and I will recommend it highly!

As I thought it would be.....this book is FABULOUS. Thank you thank you for allowing me to review this. Heather Morris is an incredible author, bringing important parts of history to the forefront of our lives. And Cilka's Journey is an important piece of history. You can be SURE I'll be raving about this book all over Bookstagram and Goodreads!

Morris' The Tattooist of Auschwitz was very good and based on true stories. Cilka's Journey is the same and is also very good. The story picks up after the liberation of the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau when Cilka is sentenced by the Soviet liberators to 15 years in one of Stalin's labor/death gulags in Siberia. From one concentration/death camp to another - for doing what she needed to do to survive as a beautiful 16 year-old Jew. Just as powerful as Morris' Tattooist, the dialog is well written and the story well developed.

Cilka's Journey is the story of a young Jewish girl that is singled out for her looks in German concentration camps for her looks. This allows her to survive when so many women she comes into contact die, but it results in her being sentenced to the Gulag in Siberia at the end of World War II for being perceived as helping the Nazis. There really isn't any part of her experiences that isn't heartbreaking, and yet despite her shame and anguish she does what for many would be unthinkable - continue to get up every day and live, and hope that by showing concern and compassion for others that someone, anyone, will look at her and see a good person. And there are people that do, that become friends, but unfortunately for Cilka they aren't people that can end her time in the labor camp. This was a beautiful story that once again is a reminder to me that even when I face my own personal battles there are people out there that have dealt with so much worse and survived and even thrived.

Cilka Kline may very well be new favorite person in history. Heather Morris crafted a fascinating and well written narrative of a brave young girl who faced the atrocities of Auschwitz and was liberated only to be taken prisoner for her “war crimes” and entered another period of imprisonment. Cilka is a true heroine who elevated the needs of others above herself. She persevered through at least 13 years of horror and saved and improved countless lives along the way.
I highly recommend Cilka’s Journey for any reader. I have read many historical fiction accounts of WWII and this was the first I have read that touched on the subject of the Soviet Gulags.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this review.

This book. My goodness. A follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which destroyed me, continued with this beautiful, harrowing story. We get to hear more about Cilka after the concentration camp, when she is a prisoner at a camp in Siberia. She is the epitome of a strong character, and I loved the elements of Lale and Gita (from Tattooist) that were woven throughout. Simply amazing.

Heather Morris has written with compassion and sensitivity. The story is emotive, thought provoking, awe inspiring and puts your everyday problems into perspective.

Considering "Cilka’s Journey" is a based on true events, it was very compelling. It's definitely one of only a few books that will stay with me a long time. The story is unforgettable and keeps you thinking about it well after you've put it down.

Although upsetting and saddening, there is such a beautiful story at the heart of the tale that you can't help smiling at. I immediately was able to picture the characters as they were excellently portrayed and I could imagine the whole story with clarity.

This book wasn't as brutal and as hard hitting as some holocaust books I've read although equally saddening, therefore I feel this could be read by slightly younger readers without offending or upsetting.

I can't recommend this book highly enough, it a definite must read and gets 5 stars for a heart wrenching unforgettable read.

With a bit of editing, this will be one of my annual favorite reads! Knowing that it is based upon a true story makes it feel even more chilling as to what one person can inflict on another.

From Czechoslovakia to Auschwitz/Birkenau to Gulag Vorkuta and back to Czechoslovakia Cilka is beautiful and she is a survivor. Her body may be taken, used, and abused but her soul and memories cannot be touched.

Starting at age 16, Cilka's journey through pain, terror, death, friendship, betrayal, and finally love is gently traversed through flashbacks. The plot is carefully constructed and, in the end,, the parts are greater than the whole. Morris’ careful research and interviews of Lale Sokolov create a historical novel that plumbs the depths of systems that oppress and compromise the human spirit. Characters are so real the reader will remember them as people who lived and died under circumstances hard to imagine, yet clearly drawn. The cover draws one into the journey and dismemberment that comes through years of survival in concentration camps and gulags. Although this is a continuance of Morris’ novel Tattooist of Auschwitz, it is a stand-alone novel.

Cilka is based on the true life of a young Jewish woman in the years immediately following WWII. She was sent to Auschwitz when she was sixteen years old and forced to serve a prostitute for the Nazi leaders. As a result, the Russians who freed the camp labeled her a collaborator and sentenced her to 15 years of hard labor in a Russian prison camp in Siberia. The book does an excellent job detailing Cilka’s life prior to and during her time at Auschwitz in short flashbacks which I found to be a very effective writing style as it explained Cilka’s actions and decisions in the present-day Russian gulag. Cilka’s spirit and determination to live the best life possible even in horrible circumstances are examples from which we all can learn. I greatly enjoyed this book and found myself reading when I should have been doing other things. The author, Heather Morris, learned of Cilka’s amazing life while researching her prior book “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” (which I would also high recommend). It is not necessary to read this book first, but I did like the minor interactions between the same people in both stories. I will definitely read future books by this author.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris is the heartbreaking account of a young woman who, at the age of 16, was taken by the Nazi's and sent to an internment camp. She was chosen by the Nazi's to serve as a lover to one of the high ranking officials and she did what she was forced to do, overseeing women who were being taken to the gas chambers as well as sleeping with the enemy. When the camp was liberated by the Russians, in spice of the fact that she was a prisoner and forced into these actions, she was seen as an enemy of the state and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in a camp in Siberia. How she survives there is a testament to her strength and the strength of those who survived with her. A compelling novel of tragedy and triumph over the forces of evil that you will remember for a very long time.

Having read 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz' in just a few hours, I had very high hopes of this book. It did not disappoint and I think I read it quicker! Beautifully written on such a sad subject, Would recommend to anyone and will be purchasing a copy when it is released in October.

This is such a wonderful book! So many emotions and you will never really realize what this girl goes through just to try to stay alive! The characters they are so real,the story plot you will think on this way after you have read this book! I received a paperback copy of this and It's so nice holding the book in your hand to read! The tears,the laughs so many emotions you will feel! Even some of the bad guys at the prison help the prisoners the best they can! All the books you read you shake your head on how humans can treat humans the way they did! Like to see this in a movie! There is some happiness in all of this unhappiness along the way!!

The sequel to "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", this book illustrates the journey of a young girl, Cilka, through the concentration camps of Auschwitz where her job, her way to stay alive, was to sleep with the enemy - literally.

After the war, Cilka is convicted of giving aid and comfort to the enemy during her time at Auschwitz, and is sentenced to fifteen years at a labor camp in Siberia.

I was prepared to think of this book as one more story of the Holocaust, but it isn't. This is a story of perseverance, of wanting to live against steep odds and unthinkable cruelty.

Cilka wants to make up for her political crimes by helping as many people as she can, within the bounds of the barbed wire of the Vorkuta Gulag, a concentration camp in Siberia. She learns to give medical care in the hospital building, and she works in the maternity ward, and as an ambulance nurse. She gains a reputation as a caring and able nurse under the tutelage of kindly Dr. Yelena Georgiyevna, a volunteer at the camp. Cilka does for others and sacrifices for the comfort of others, at her own expense. Friends come and go in and out of her life, sometimes the only thing they have in common is being held captive in the horrible Gulag.

This is a heart-rending story of a young woman who does whatever she must to stay alive.

I grew attached to each of the characters in the first book and was glad to hear there was going to be a book about Cilka. Her journey is incredibly heartbreaking but her strength and resilience is admirable. The author does an amazing job telling the story for those who cannot tell it themselves.

I’d like to thank the publisher for allowing me to read this book through Netgalley for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for accepting my request to read this advanced copy. When I requested this title I knew it was by the same author as The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I had not read it but knew it was a favorite read of many. Cilka's story is based on a real life woman who survived Auschwitz by becoming the mistress to a high ranked leader. After she is liberated she is deemed a criminal for sleeping with the enemy and sent to a prison in Siberia. Cilka, once again, has to do whatever she can to survive her sentence. This is an unforgettable story of courage, love and the undying willingness to survive. Heather Morris research and beautiful writing opens our eyes and hearts to the survivors of the Holocaust.

Another 5 stars for this extraordinary written work of historical fiction by Heather Morris! Whether or not readers have picked up Morris’s first novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, historical fiction lovers will not be able to Cilka's Journey down until they reach the final page. Morris enables her reader to travel back in time to the years of 1939-1945 to witness through the eyes of her protagonist, Cilka as she is forced to endure and survive the most notorious and lethal of the concentration camps, Auschwitz. Even after the camp is liberated, Morris transports her reader to the Siberian work camp, where Cilka must find the strength inside herself to overcome the physical and psychological deprivations she cannot escape. A truly inspiring novel that memorializes an extraordinary woman!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Publishing for the privilege of reading this advanced digital copy! Most importantly, thank you Heather Morris! I cannot wait to see where you take your readers next!

I have a real interest in World War II books and this book did not disappoint. While the subject matter is heartbreaking, it is nice to know that there were still people who cared for each other during very horrible circumstances. It was very interesting and a lot of research had to have gone in to writing this book as the narrative really made you feel like you knew how things looked. It was the first time reading a book by this author, and I will look forward to reading mores titles by Ms. Morris.

I liked this book and I recommend it. That said, it is another novel set during World War II. What makes this book special is the title character, Cilka.
This is not a spoiler, but Cilka is Jewish and goes from Auschwitz during the war to a Russian gulag after the war. Her life is one of hardship. She also carries a kind of survivor's guilt. That's all I'll say about the plot.
The other characters are very well drawn as well. You do feel that you know them, especially the ones she lives with.
And the cold; you feel the cold and the hunger of the gulag as well.
Overall, I thought it was well-written, it drew you in to the place and time, and it told a story I hadn't heard before.

I didn't read the Tattooist of Auschwitz but I understand it to be the first in this series. That book doesn't have to be read to understand this, but if this author is anything to go by, I'd highly recommend both. The painstaking research and emotional journey that Morris had to have gone through in the writing of this book, it rips at the heart.

TW - discussion of sexual assault. Cilka is a Jewish woman from Slovakia who, along with her entire family, were placed in camps during the Holocaust. She made it out, but at a cost that would land her in a Russian Gulag for a decade because of "collaboration." Who can say what they would have done in her position? Can you call what happened to her anything other than rape by Nazis? As Morris says in the book, it's so rarely ever discussed, but why would those monsters be the first to not engage in what is a common oppressive tactic during times of war? Of course they brutalized those women, and in so doing marked them with a lifetime of internalized shame that many would never speak to their families about.

Cilka's story isn't just one of abuse though. It's one of perseverance, overcoming through the extremes of adversity, caring for others in the so limited ways that she had available to her, and ultimately, survival. This book wrung tears out of me by the end. There are no words to describe the depths of sorrow and rage at what occurred to these people. This is an excellent, and timely book and one I can't recommend enough.

Well Heather Morris has manged to blow me away again with her fantastic writing. Cilka's Journey is heartbreaking, harrowing but also a story of hope and friendship. It has given me a small insight as to what went on during those horrific year of imprisonment. The bravery shown by many during what must have been a living hell just amazes me. Brilliant, brilliant read

Cilka's Journey is a terrific novel based on actual events. Picking up from a character in her precious novel, Morris highlights the experience of young Cecilia, Cilka. She exchanged one hell for another after having been liberated from a concentration camp, but then sentence to a Soviet gulag. I enjoyed reading this story. It was horrifying real and heartbreaking. Anyone who experienced the trauma Cilka did had an incredibly strong constitution. I appreaciated the epilogue and the aithor's note at the end that not only explained the real Cilka's life, but also the history of the gulag where she was resided.

I often find it wrong to say that I “enjoyed” books like these, as what these people went through cannot even be put into words and can even be imagined. However, I enjoyed reading this book and reading of Cilka’s story and fight for survival. Although I am not entirely sure which parts of the book are fiction as true, having read other survivors stories, I feel that the book was superbly written and gave a wonderful insight into people’s lives and journeys throughout the Second World War and concentration camps
The author did this book so much justice and despite the harrowing tale, it was a great read. The book deserves nothing but five stars.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Heather Morris' first novel I was thrilled to read her second work featuring one of her secondary characters. Although calling Cilka a secondary character is an incredible injustice. This was a difficult book to read mainly because it is based on a particularly dark period of history. Having survived the horrors of Auschwitz, Cilka finds herself sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in the Gulag. Her supposed crime, consorting with the enemy. Based on historical research of the period, Heather Morris has written a moving novel concerning what women such as Cilka experienced during their imprisonment. While the fictional Cilka is a combination of many different women, she is based on a real woman that featured prominently in interviews of survivors of Auschwitz. If you've read the Tattooist of Auschwitz, this is a must read book. While I have read numerous works centered around World War II, I have never read anything concerning the Gulags or even the Soviet experience after the war. I must say the book was well written and informative as much as making you think what became of the people as they were liberated from one camp only to find themselves in a different one.

This continues Cilka's story from the Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey continues after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau only she isn't liberated she is charged as a collaborator and sent to a Siberian gulag. Now she is might be lucky again and taken under the wing of one of camps doctors and is asked to help in the hospital but can she do it, to save her life?

This book is fiction, but it is so easy to see it really happening to some of the women of that era, and how horrible it must have been for them. This book is such a powerful book to tell what happened to this one woman after the supposed liberation, and how she had to keep her hope alive even longer when it would have been so much easier to just give up. This is a not to be missed book of the year, and would also make a great book club book as well. It is one of those books you can not say enough about as Cilka is one of the strongest women I know, she is a hero.


This review will appear on my blog on 1 Oct

Another amazing novel by this author!! Cilka's Journey is about a Jewish Holocaust survivor who is liberated out of Auschwitz but then imprisoned in a Siberian work prison. It is a sad story overall, but it is infused with hope and love and one woman's strength.

Saturday, I was checking e-mail and opened one from Netgalley...to my surprise, it was Cilka's Journey; read now, it said. So, Saturday evening and Sunday I was reading Cilka's Journey on my phone (gotta get a Kindle).

I have been anticipating this book since I saw some hype on Instagram! But I figured I would be the first to get it in October (when it comes out)! After reading it, I would have to say it is definitely one of my top five of this year! I even think that I liked it better than the Tattooist!

Cilka was a friend of Gita and Lane's in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. So, from Auschwitz we follow her 'journey'...and what a path it was!

I read this book "blind" (if you will) going into this book not knowing if it was going to be her journey TO Auschwitz or after the camp was released (for lack of a better word). And, I'm not going to say anything or give anything away because it is such an impactful story.

Suffice it say Cilka is one of the most captivating, heartfelt and brave women of her time. Enduring horrific atrocities, Cilka survives her untoward situations the best way she knows how, becoming blank in her soul in order to live.

However, Cilka has a compassion for others that exceeds the human heart! Taking care of others often gets her into trouble...but can help others in many ways! She is a beacon of light in this dark time.

This book may be about a dark time in history, but this book serves as a lovely show of endurance, friends who become family, so much compassion for your fellow man and love. Love is the biggest strength we are gifted with in this life.

I hope that everyone feels the same as I do about this book... but, I know that may not be the case. However, in my humble opinion, I give this book the shiniest 5 stars!!!!

I just finished an advanced copy from NetGalley of Heather Morris’ “Cilka’s Journey”. This book is the sequel to “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”. It is a fictional novel based on factual information about Cilka and her release from Auschwitz and subsequent imprisonment in a forced labor camp in Russia. If you read the first novel then you know who Cilka was. She was a prisoner of Auschwitz who was abused and mistreated and forced to do unimaginable things to live.

The story is an eye opening lesson in the atrocities so many people had to experience. The amazing gratefulness of being freed from a concentration camp to the unbelievable reasoning as to why the Russians felt Cilka belonged in a gulag.

Heather Morris did an amazing job putting you there with Cilka inside the prison. Her strength, compassion and resilience are incredible.I have not read much about the labor camps in Russia and now I want to know more.

Lastly the author notes at the end were a great way to complete the story and to understand where she got her information to develop the book.

Fantastic book and strongly recommend!!

Another fantastic book from Heather Morris. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Cilka, although it was heartbreaking. I loved this book just as much as The Tattooist Of Auschwitz. Heather Morris’s writing style is fantastic and has a big emotional impact on the reader. I loved the characters in this one and like that most of them are based on real people. It’s obvious that a lot of research has been done which makes me love this book more. At no point did I feel like this book was exaggerated or false. I like the factual side, although it does make it a hard-hitting read. I think books like this, that focus on a hard topic, are extremely important and should be read by everyone. Although it feels weird saying it due to the topic of this book, I did love it and I recommend it to everyone!

A sequel to the Tattooist of Auschwitz, this book follows Cilka's journey. As a young girl surviving the holocaust the horror for Cilka is only beginning. The story details the the remaining years of Cilka's life and her incredible desire to once again survive. This will be one of the best books of the year. Hard to believe, but this story needs to be told so that people never forget.

As Heather Morris interviewed Lale for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, the name of Cilka came up. Lale explained how Cilka saved his life when she was only sixteen years old. How she was in a position to save his life? Why did someone her age have the strength to survive three years in a place like Auschwitz? Why did she continue to be punished for choosing to live.

Cilka's Journey is the story of a young woman who survived a death camp by submitting to the sexual advances of SS officers. She did what she had to do to survive. Because of her choice, after Auschwitz she was imprisoned in Siberia for ten years. The story of her tragedy, her strength, and her survival is told in this book. While this is a book of fiction, it is based on Cilka's story.. Between the foreign names and the disturbing material, this is not an easy book to read. It is a story that needs to be told, because we must never forget what happened at these places.

Cilka’s Journey is the companion novel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz and was an amazing story. I have read many books about life inside concentration camps but have yet to read a story about what came after. This was my first foray into what it was like in a Siberian Gulag. I could not put this book down and highly recommend it.

Although this book is a work of historical fiction, Cilka Klein was a real person. She was incredibly brave and her story is inspiring. Despite everything she went through in life she still had grit and compassion. I also enjoyed the historical information in the authors note at the end of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Heather Morris, and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this amazing book.

This is an amazing story of the horrors of concentration camps and survival. Cilka survives not one but two different imprisonments, and in surviving, helps others endure the horrors they are living. The fact that she finds her love just as she is about to boars a train that should have separated them forever, brings her the love and happiness she so richly deserves.

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris is the amazing “followup” to her prior novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. This novel focuses on the Cilka, the “strongest person” Lale knew.
Ms. Morris has done a fabulous job interweaving the small amount of facts that are known about Cilka’s life with fictional details that result in a remarkable and honorable novel depicting a resilient, selfless soul that through no fault of her own, truly overcame every obstacle that anyone can ever think of, and even those that one cannot, to survive and live on with the love of her life.
I was continually amazed at all she was able to overcome, and where she was able to draw the strength from deep within, when many others would not be able to accomplish a quarter of the same trials and tribulations.
My heart ached for her and for what our people have had to unjustly suffer through now for hundreds of years.
Stories like Cilka’s need to be heard so that she can be remembered, so all the lost souls can be remembered, and so that we can never ever forget.
I was impressed by the amount of research, love, and passion Ms Morris placed into this novel and the information and afterword that was added thereafter.

Excellent read 5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

This review is automatically posted to my GR account and will be posted to my Amazon, Bookbub, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Cilka’s Journey
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Having read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, I was really looking forward to this sequel and I was definitely not disappointed.
Cilka survived Auschwitz any way she could, including “ sleeping with the enemy” . Now because of this she is sentenced for 15 years of hard labor in Siberia in one of the most notorious gulags of the Soviet era. Once again, she has to learn to survive. During her stay, she makes both friends and enemies, there are those who help her and those who are her enemies wanting to expose her hidden past.
This was a hard book to read in terms of all the hardships Cilka and her bunk mates had to survive, so it’s not appropriate to say I “liked” the book. However, it is a must read historical fiction with good character development and story lines based on real events and real people. Definitely worth 5 stars.
Thanks NetGalley, St Martin ‘s press and the author, Heather Morris for the “read now” advanced copy.

This book continues the story of a Cilka. The author tells the story in a way of making you feel like you are living it along with the characters in the book. I highly recommend this book to all readers!

This book is about a real person, based on many interviews of those people, who knew Cilka Klein. Cilka was 16, when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1942, where she survives until the liberation. The Soviets charged her as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy, and sent her to Siberia. The book has only a few snippets of Cilka's experience in Auschwitz, it is mostly about her life in Gulag. The author is focused mainly on her, and does a pretty good job in showing Cilka's character, especially her reactions to situations, and how she is is able to prove herself to the people and memories that haunt her. This story is about a journey of Cilka's survival, and the price she paid for it, and it does have a happy end, just the way we like it. And the best part is that the author did not make up the happy end, it is a true story.

I have just finished this heart breaking book. I felt so much sadness for Cilka and for the other prisoners. The author writes in a moving way, describing things as she goes along. Its a beautiful book, one that everyone should read.

Heart wrenching historical fiction at its best.A story about the bravery of a young woman who survived a concentration camp then is sent to a prison.Her strength her desire to survive to have a good life will keep you riveted to the pages. #netgalley#St.Martinspress

" Cilka's Journey" - Heather Morris. Author of best seller "The Tattooist Of Auschwitz" .

A work of fictional novel based on the life of Cilka Klein and family. A woman whose life the reader will follow from Cilka at sixteen into womanhood. A tenacious woman whose will to survive.....to live is unbelievable. From concentration camp to life in frigid Siberia. And, in the face of this struggle she is able to love.

This author has given us a work...a woman who is unforgettable.

Cilka’s Journey is another heartfelt, thought-provoking tale from the author of the renown Tattooist of Auschwitz. When Auschwitz-Birkenau is liberated by the Russian army, Cilka’s time at the death camp comes to a close but her story of hardship does not end there. She is branded a traitor by the Russians and sent to the Siberian prison Gulag to serve a 15 year sentence. While there, she must face head-on the many difficult circumstances that cause negative flashbacks of her time in Auschwitz and learn to persevere nonetheless.

As with the Tattooist of Auschwitz, this is a story that desperately needed to be told and I applaud Heather Morris for doing so. It is evident the immense amount of research Morris did to learn and portray the essence and spirit of the real-life Cilka. Much is written about WWII and the holocaust, but there is little portraying the darkness and unspeakable indignities beheld by those sent to Russian prisons. Morris does so with honesty, heart and understanding.

The only negative I have to add is that at times I felt that the portrayal of Cilka’s character in such a saint-like manner was highly unrealistic. Morris successfully brings across the point that women in Auschwitz were forced to commit uncharacteristic and misunderstood acts solely in order to ensure their survival. Understandably, along with this comes an inordinate amount of guilt. However, Cilka was still human and I would’ve loved to have had her character a little more well-rounded, with perhaps a selfish or untoward thought every once in awhile. For this, I am giving this 4 1/2 stars rather than 5, still an amazing accomplishment. This will be a guaranteed 2020 hit, enjoyed by library goers and book clubs alike.

Many thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Heather Morris for the privilege of receiving a complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz earlier in the year I was excited to be able to read Cilka's Journey too. Now, it is important to note from the beginning that this is a story based on facts but embellished along the way. However, this did not detract from my enjoyment of reading Cilka's Journey.

I did find the timeline jumping of the book a little difficult to get to grips with at first, but after a little while I felt it actually added to the story, with Cilka's previous experiences at Auschwitz Birkenau shaping her decisions and thoughts at Vorkuta.

I also enjoyed the added sections at the end of the book giving a little insight into the Russian Gulag system, and also explaining a little about how Cilka's story was researched.

Overall a solid 4 star read. I just need to know what happened to Josie and Natia.......

I would consider The Tattooist of Auschwitz to be a five star book, and this one held its own pretty well at four stars. Cilka’s story, although partially fabricated and weaved together from the limited information, really painted a picture of life in Auschwitz and the Soviet camps that followed. It was a heartbreaking story just as our history is often heartbreaking. It focused on real and raw subjects and gives clarity to a particularly grievous time in history, and shows the reader how complicated that era was and how hard it was to survive. It’s horrific to imagine the judgment that was passed upon prisoners of Auschwitz for doing what was necessary, and subsequently for being punished further for having managed to endure the death camp. Cilka was indeed a very brave person, and Heather Morris is to be commended for continuing the legacy of a brave woman who was punished for her stoicism. I only wish that more records of Cilka’s life had survived so I could feel like I’m reading more fact than fiction (unlike Lale’s story in the Tattooist of Auschwitz). Regardless, there is enough information on Cilka’s life to construct a solid idea of her life (and enough information on the countless others who endured similar hardships). Like Lale, and because of Heather Morris, Cilka might be one of the bravest people many of us will ever “know”.

Incredible story of survival, living through such horrible events....this is the story of Cilka who survives concentration camp, not only once but, twice. The courage to survive was astounding, so heart wrenching, so emotional.
It is based on a true story which makes this book so incredibly heartbreaking.
I highly recommend you read this book.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Heather Morris, for the privilege to read the arc of “Cilka’s Journey.” This is my true and honest review.

I read about the life of Lale Sokolov in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. In that book, Lale spoke of many people he met at Auschwitz - Cilka’s Journey tells the story of Cilka Klein. Cilka was a brave, strong, intelligent girl who was punished for doing what had to be done to survive. Cilka's Journey is a wonderful read and is an example of how we can be strong if we dig deep enough to find that strength. It’s so difficult to understand that less than 100 years ago, the atrocities described in the book were going on. We skim the surface of these stories in our history classes and imagine the people as simply characters in a horrible tale. Books like Cilka’s Journey bring the memories of these people to life. Let’s learn from the experience’s of those who have gone before us. 4⭐️

Another beautiful, emotionally-driven novel from Heather Morris!

Cilka had already endured the horrors of the Holocaust for three years, but her story of survival doesn’t end there. After being liberated by the Russians, she once again has her freedom ripped away when she is charged with sleeping with the enemy, but this time there is an end date in sight. Fifteen years.

Cilka is sent to a prison camp in Siberia, where she faces inhumane treatment that is all too familiar to her. While many of the women prisoners have never experienced a place quite like it, Cilka’s time in the concentration camp had, in a way, primed her to deal with it, in turn allowing her to help the others survive the terrible ordeal. After befriending a female doctor, Cilka finds a purpose while there at the camp as she tends to the sick and dying. But is it enough to push Cilka to survive herself?

When Lale referred to Cilka as the bravest person he’d ever met, that really resonated with me, and now after hearing her story I couldn’t agree more. After everything she had been through at Auschwitz-Birkenau, I would’ve thought her spirit would be broken. But somehow she managed to push through and focus on helping others live, even when at times she didn’t want to live herself. She was given the opportunity to have safer, more comfortable living conditions but turned it down to stay with the women she’d grown close to while at the prison camp. She was even offered help after saving the daughter of a Commandant, but instead asked that her friend and friend’s baby be helped first. That’s just who Cilka was, always putting others before herself, and those around her saw and felt that. I truly believe it was her kind heart and selflessness that saved her.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2697435611

Such a lovely book. This was a wonderful follow-up to the Tattooist of Auschwitz, also written by the same author and similarly detailing a true tale of the life of someone during the Holocaust. The trials and tribulations of Cilka were touching as well as riveting for me. I felt a kinship with her as she traveled from Auschwitz ultimately to the Gulag where she was held for an extended period of time. The insight into what occurred during Stalin's regime in Russia was eye-opening, leading me to realize the atrocities that were committed in the name of Russia. I feel that this is a very important lesson for many of us to understand and become more familiar with and I challenge all of you to attempt to read this book with the same mindset you would read a book about the Holocaust - that these are acts that cannot be let to stand and that hopefully we are all on the same page about not allowing something like this to occur again.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What an extraordinary read. Cilka was an amazing woman. So glad I got to read her story, I was eager to know more about her after reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Her strength and bravery goes beyond words. Highly recommended both books.

An incredible book rich in history, blended with characters that will stay with me for some time. Beautifully written and interwoven with character from her previous novel (The Tatooist of Auschwitz) the reader will become emotionally involved and cheer for the main character of this book. A must read showcasing the human spirit and the willingness to open her heart regardless of what has happened previously. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to have read this book prior to publication and cannot wait read another title by this gifted author.

I enjoyed reading this fiction book that is based on a real person and real circumstances. I was shocked at the reason why Cilka was sent to the Russian Gulag. She had an amazing spirit! I loved this book!

Absolutely fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. I have not read "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" but I will now. This book was totally absorbing even though conditions under which Cilka lived were horrific. It is a reminder of what can happen, what has happened, and what must not happen again. While fictionalized, the story is based on the experiences of a real person and I thoroughly enjoyed the information at the end which put Cilka's life into perspective in terms of the version I had just read. An amazing accomplishment from an author who deserves to be recognized for hard work and persistence in writing something of significance.

I didn’t read The Tattooist of Auschwitz, so I was not familiar with this author but I must say I am impressed. The hours of research and details she put into her work are very evident and makes the story come alive. Cilka’s Journey was a riveting glimpse into the further horrors that many survivors of the concentrations camps had to endure, which I didn’t know about. I can only imagine if Mrs. Morris interviewed the real Cilka what a further journey could have told. I think anything dealing with this subject matter tends to either hook people with fascination or turn them off, I would say to anyone not wanting to read this book because of the subject, to read it. It is so much more than talking about the atrocities of the Nazi’s and the Russian’s, it is about hope, friendships, and one girl’s strength of mind and character.
For me, while I liked reading the story and thought it really well done, I did not care for the authors writing style. The flashbacks while necessary seemed disjointed and needed a bit more. But then, the author is trying to place you in Cilka’s mind and into her disjointed and scattered thoughts. Spoiler- After reading the authors notes at the end, I was actually a little let down that this was a fictional story interwoven with real facts. Yes, the author went so far as to visit the real Cilka’s hometown, interviewed those who knew her, and found as much as she possibly could about her. But then it left me wondering if the real Cilka could have gotten away with training up as a nurse and being allowed such freedoms as was written when no one (other prisoners) else did.
Overall however, I really enjoyed the book and the glimpse into history and I applaud the author for all her research and for writing about such a tough subject and not letting it be forgotten. Highly recommend.

Cilka's Journey is a remarkable work of historical fiction that follows Cilka Klein and her life after Auschwitz-Birkenau to the Vorkuta Gulag. The story mostly takes place in Vorkuta, with flashback scenes to her life in Auschwitz and what she had to do in order to survive, and her life before, as a young girl.

I loved this book from beginning to end. The story is woven together magnificently and the reader really gets a feel of who Cilka was and the horrendous things she had to deal with. She is a fighter, and it shows throughout the book. I enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, but I think this book was even better. One of my top reads for 2019 so far.

#Cilka’sJourney #NetGalley
The author of Cilka’s Journey, Heather Morris, takes memories from Auschwitz-Birkenau survivors and creates Cilka. There actually was a Jewish woman named Cecilia Kline.
It’s August 1945 and a young woman is finally freed after three years from the horrors and atrocities of the concentration camp. Part of her time there she was forced into prostitution with German officers. But now the Russians take over, declare her a traitor, and sentence her to fifteen years of hard labor in Siberia.
Through flashbacks, we learn about her early happy years.
This is a hard read as Cilka suffers from inhuman treatment. She and her hut mates have little heat, a bucket to use as a toilet and barely enough food to survive, usually a thin broth and a piece of hard bread. During the day they are sent to the coal mines to fill pails with coal.
Cilka eventually gets a job in the hospital and is able to smuggle food left over by the patients to her group of women. This is a story of determination and bravery to try to live out her sentence. Again, she is forced to have sex, now by the Russians.
Can she endure and someday get to live a normal life?
Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, has written another incredible powerful book.
Read it and “Never Forget”. These horrors in Germany and Russia were real even if the characters were not.

I appreciate receiving an advance copy of Heather Morris's new novel, Cilka's Journey, courtesy of NetGalley, and highly recommend it for readers of WWII Holocaust fiction. This gut wrenching and harrowing story, well researched and based on actual prisoners, was so compelling and we'll written that I couldn't put it down. This was my first introduction to the horrors of post war Russian Siberian labor camps. I remain amazed at the strength and spirit of the survivors, so well portrayed in this book. The relationship to the Tattooist of Auschwitz is explained, but this novel stands alone on it's own merit.

I finished Cilka's Journey last night, emotionally drained, yet surprisingly uplifted. What an incredible story about survival and the choices an individual makes to just get from one day to the next! Two things stand out - Cilka's generosity to help those close to her and an utter amazement at what this young woman was able to accomplish and learn. I find myself wondering how her life might have been different if she had escaped being sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Would she have lived a life of leisure and/or adventure? Would the desire/need to help others have developed or was that a product of her experiences?

Cilka's Journey would be a great book discussion title and should definitely be made into a movie. This is an era that must not be forgotten. Thank you, Heather Morris.

This is Cilka Klein’s story. An incredible account of one woman's journey through the depths of hell and survival. After surviving in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp for 3 years and seeing and experiencing the most horrific events the camp is liberated and Cilka is freed to only be sentenced to fifteen years in a Siberian gulag for collaborating with the Nazis. This is a gut wrenching, heart breaking story of survival. Being called brave is an understatement. Based on true events during this time I can only imagine the strength and will to survive to defy the hate that so many succumbed too.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This review is in my own words.

Is it possible to love Cilka’s story more than Lale and Gita’s? An easy 5 stars. This book was heartbreaking, but reading how Cilka was so brave made the heartbreaking moments worth it. I loved how the author included her past in the chapters; both in Birkenau and her childhood. Cilka was sent to Birkenau at age 16 where she spent three years. After those three years she was charged with collaborating with the Nazis and sent to a prison camp called Vortuka Gulag in Siberia where she spent 8 years of her life. Just like in The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris’ notes at the end of the book are a must read. Highly recommend!

Thank you to St.Martins Press for a copy of this book to review! First off let me just say, I LOVED this book! Everything about it was fabulous including the cover art! Cilka’s Journey is a follow up novel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I read The Tattooist of Auschwitz earlier in the year (if you haven’t read it yet, go buy it now!) and was very excited to read more about Cilka! I remember reading the epilogue in The Tattooist of Auschwitz and being shocked that Cilka was sent to prison for 15 years. I needed to know more about the story and what happened to her. Let me say that, this book was an emotionally hard read. I felt bad for all that Cilka went through not only surviving concentration camps but then surviving the horror of the prison camps in the Soviet Union! Eventually, Cilka is able to find peace! As I mentioned above, I adored this book! Seeing Cilka survive was very inspirational! I am so happy that I read this book and I recommend it 100 percent!

Cilka’s Journey is a sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz (which I’ve not read yet), but thankfully, it stands on its own.
I’ve always been a fan of Holocaust and World War II fiction, so the story of Cilka—a then-16-year-old Slovakian Jew who spent 3 years in Auschwitz and lost her entire family only to end up being sentenced to 15 years in a Soviet gulag in arctic Siberia—drew me in immediately.
I thought the writing itself flowed well, and I found it easy to become immersed in the story and the characters’ motivations and emotions.
It’s a tough read, as all Holocaust-related fiction is, but ultimately, it left me with positive feelings and hope. It reminded me that ordinary humans can be extraordinarily strong, courageous, and compassionate when faced with unthinkable hardship, and it made me appreciate those survivors and resistors even more.
Cilka made some unfathomable choices in Auschwitz, but those choices are precisely what kept her alive. She spent her imprisonment in Siberia ceaselessly attempting to atone for her past, where she displayed unwavering loyalty to her loved ones and a passion for doing the right thing.
There’s been some criticism concerning historical accuracy and certain choices made by Heather Morris, but Cilka’s Journey is historical fiction loosely based on a real Holocaust survivor.
My thoughts are simple: if a fictional story introduces somebody to the horrors of the Holocaust and encourages them to learn more about it, then it’s a success. The generation of survivors is almost entirely gone, so we need these stories to educate ourselves of the dark times in our history.

“Finding a little hope in the darkness is not a weakness.”
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Cilka is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz, there a Commandant notices her beauty and takes her apart from the other prisoners.
She learns to survive at a young age, and when liberation day comes, she is then charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy and sent to Siberia, where she experiences the horrors of the Gulags.
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This book is part fiction and part non fiction, but it works perfectly, and it goes back and forth with Cilka’s days in Siberia and Auschwitz.
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Cilka’s Journey it’s a powerful, brutal, devastating, emotional and beautiful story, about survival, inner strenght, friendship and love.
It’s simply captivating.
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Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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“There is a better world out there. I’ve seen it. I remember it.”
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“When she wakes from her nightmares Cilka Willingly invites the blankness back. But sometimes it will not stay.”
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“Did I tell you about Cilka?” “No Lale, you didn’t. Who was Cilka?” “She was the bravest person I ever met. Not the bravest girl, the bravest person.”

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author, Ms. Heather Morris, for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "Cilka's Journey".

This highly anticipated new work from the author who brought us the incredible story of Lole in "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", Ms. Heather Morris now reintroduces us to "Cilka Klein", a secondary but powerful character from Lole's life in Auschwitz. This is her unbelievable story.

This feast of writing invokes an emotional connection to an inspiring young woman.

Cilka Klein, not only fought to just live during the darkest days of modern history, she had to then survive many years of horrific hardships imprisoned in Siberia.

This heartwrenching powerhouse of Historical Fiction writing is guaranteed to stay with the reader, leaving you wanting to read more.

Ms. Morris brings Cilka alive through her outstanding descriptions of life in Auschwitz and the Volusia Prison.

After surviving the horrors of Auschwitz our heroine "Cilka Klein" is not rescued from behind the death camp fence, instead, she is arrested for her "crimes against her fellow prisoners" and is sentenced to 15 years hard labour in Volusia Gulag, Siberia.

A tale of profound resilience, desire to survive, and a depth of will to live despite the dark despair that lurks with every new day. Cilka lives each day with a vision for survival, although she struggles with the nightmares of all the horrors she witnessed. She was only 18.

Having read and enjoyed the Tattooist of Auschwitz, I was thrilled to learn that readers would have the opportunity to learn more about Cilka's story. Despite the horrid life that these characters had to endure, it is history, and I am a firm believer we must learn from that in order to move forward.

Heather Morris has a way with words, as this was the second book by this author that I was not able to put down. Every spare second I had, I was picking up this book, longing to know what would happen to Cilka. I also loved the information provided at the end of the story, facts about her personal life. The author truly captured what it must have been like to live through these experiences, as I often found myself holding my breath, reading to see what was next, feeling the fear of this young lady. I highly recommend this book and author.

I was provided with a free advance copy of the book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Wow! This novel was the perfect follow up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz. As difficult as it was to read at times, I thought the novel did an excellent job in providing insight to Clika's journey, which I yearned for when reading the first book. The writing was absolutely beautiful, and as always I enjoyed the post-novel notes from the author. This is a must read!

Cilka’s Journey is an engrossing, heartbreaking, inspiring story about Cilka Klein. We first learned about Cilka in The Tattooist of Auschwitz but in the end we did not find out what happened to her. She gets her own book describing her experiences at Auschwitz and her subsequent imprisonment in the Gulag. Cilka Klein is the bravest person Lale knew and it shines through in this book. Heather Morris has done an outstanding job telling her story.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris is the sequel to her acclaimed "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", however, it can be read as a stand alone novel. I'm not sure I can do this book justice, I don't have the words to. This book is based on a real person and what she survived. After already surviving Auschwitz Cilka is sent to Siberia to a work camp all because she did what she needed to in order to survive. However, there she gets to really help people and maybe find a bit of hope again, however small. This book made me cry but it also reminded me of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of kindness.


I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

This was one of the best books that I have read this year. I didn't read the first book in this series but it didn't matter the writing was done in such a way that you could pick up either book and be able to catch on to the story. After reading this book it makes me want to search out everything written by this author.

I add my voice and 5 stars to praise this wonderful telling of Cilka's journey. It is a story of unfathomable brutality, the strength of the human soul, bravery, friendship, horror, and love. Similar tales have preceded this - stories of what women had to do to survive the Nazi death camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau, stories of how prisoners of the gulag managed to survive - but rarely have they been told by someone with the special gifts that Heather Morris has brought to the pages of Cilka's Journey. Thanks to her, the reader literally walks in Cilka's shoes, or whatever she finds to cover her feet. Plot, character development, and setting are the three major elements of good writing, although usually one is stronger than the other two. In Cilka's Journey all three are strong and so elevate this from a good book about Cilka's unbearable hardships to a great one.

This is an incredible story of how strong one woman can be, even in the absolute worst times. Facts weaved with an awesome storyline. A time in history that each generation needs to be aware of the cruelty and survival.


A must read!

Certainly books written about the Holocaust are difficult to read, but Heather Morris has done an excellent job in Cilka's Journey. The story follows you on Cilka's horrible journey through years of unbearable hardships and how she survived. So eloquently told, I could feel her struggles every step of the way. An incredible story of strength and courage in unthinkable situations.

I was able to read Cilkas journey through net galley. Thank you so much.

This book was heartbreaking and lovely still.

The courage of the women, the survivors is beyond comprehension.

Cilka was able to survive the auschwitz but then sent to Siberia. She was brutalized in every sense of the word and yet, and yet, she survived.

It was a wonderful story of a very strong woman.

A novel of one person’s hope and perseverance in the middle of devastating loss, abuse and pain. Cilka will not let her past define her but rather pull her out of the he’ll she has fallen into.
Based on true events, this proves that if the spirit is strong enough it can overcome anything.
Thanks to Netgalley for this prepub ebook.

Thank you, NetGalley and the author Heather Morris for the opportunity to read the ARC of Cilka's Journey.

I was unaware that the "Tattooist of Auschwitz" ( on my TBR list) was a prequel to this book. While it is not a requirement to have read the "Tattooist of Auschwitz" first, I have heard from other readers that it may enhance the historical perspective of the story.

While this is a novel based on historical events it is such an impactful and incredible story of survival that the book reads like a memoir. This topic is about such a dark time in history--but the author has made us aware of the amazing show of endurance, relationships, and the human condition.

This book will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

I had just finished reading (and loving) the Tattooist of Auschwitz when I found out that Heather Morris had written this book. I haven’t been this exited about a book in a long time and it did not disappoint.

After surviving Auschwitz it is almost unthinkable that Cilka is sentenced to 15 years in a Gulag for her “war crime” of sleeping with the enemy. She is sent to Siberia to work and this book is a story of how she survives and even begins to realize maybe one day she will thrive and life won’t be a series of horrors.

Heather Morris is a master at weaving real events and fiction together to create a believable world that pulls the reader in. Like the Tattooist of Auschwitz, the subject matter here is very tough, but it is beautifully written and hard to put down.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Cilka’s Journey is a follow up to the Tattooist of Auschwitz, however I read it as a stand-alone book. Cilka was a prisoner at Auschwitz and after the camp was liberated, Cilka was found guilty of helping the enemy and sentenced to another camp, very close to the Arctic Circle. There she spent several years trying to forget what she had done at Auschwitz while at the same time do what she needed to do in order to survive. It was heartbreaking to know camps like this existed. I felt for Cilka because even as she struggled, she always put someone else before her. She always looked for ways to help others. The story was fiction but based in facts. One of my favorite sections was at the end of the book where the author tells the real life details of Cilka. I think it is very important to tell stories such as Cilka’s.

I loved this book. It tells Cilka’s story beautifully and focuses on the human element of these times.

This is a wonderful and heart-wrenching story. Cilka is sent to Siberia to serve 15 years after being judged to be a collaborator with the Germans after her release from the concentration camp. Cilka was sent to Auschwitz Birkenau when she was sixteen and, because she was beautiful and intelligent, she was forced to be a mistress to a German officer and was given the position of officer in the barracks that was the last stop before women and children went to the gas chore chambers. This is the story of her survival not only in the concentration camps but also in the Siberian Prison, where she tried to hide her role in the war. Her determination and courage kept her alive. She lived by her principles and at times bore terrible consequences for her decisions.
Morris based this novel on Cilka Klein and used as much factual knowledge as was available to tell Cilka's story. It is a must read for anyone interested in this terrible period in history and the individuals who survived against brutal conditions and inhumane treatment. And yet in the midst of all the brutality, there were individuals who helped Cilka. These individuals recognized a light in her that could not be extinguished by the cruelty of others. Cilka's story is one of inspiration and courage and should be read by everyone.

I went into this book expecting one thing, but got another. Perhaps it is my fault for not reading the description closely enough, but I was expecting more about Cilka's stay in Auschwitz. However, this book mainly deals with what came after her stay in the German concentration camp, when she was moved to a Russian-controlled gulag in Siberia. While it wasn't what I was anticipating, this does not mean it's a bad thing. I still really enjoyed this book.

Knowing that this book is based on a true story makes it all the more powerful. Cilka truly did go on a journey, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. Though she was forced into horrendous circumstances in Auschwitz, she internalized and blamed herself, leading to her growing sense of shame and relentless pursuit of atonement.

I did not care for the writing style, which prevents it from being a 5 star. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something just felt "off" about it.

This book covers themes of shame, redemption, family, friendship, war, and rebuilding. I definitely recommend it.

Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 5
Plot development: 5
Characters: 5
Enjoyability: 5
Ease of Reading: 5

Overall rating: 5 out of 5