Mischling
Ratings11
Average rating3.7
This book takes an incredibly hard topic and treats it with a lyrical, almost fable-like style that makes it stand out from its neighbors in the realm of fictionalized Holocaust stories. I have read a lot in this area, as a Historian of the Holocaust, and honestly speaking there is a lot out there to pick through. It is a very thoroughly written about era. But what Affinity Konar has done here is refreshing in style and treatment without shying away from the horrors committed by Josef Mengele, and I think the heart of it is the way she has handled the bond between siblings and family, both blood family and chosen family.
Some parts I really liked. But overall I thought it was weird and hard to follow. About half way through I almost quit and gave up on it. I understand it's supposed to be sort of fairy tale -esque but it did not work for me. Some of the author's choices were just too nonsensical.
Why does Pearl disappear? Stasha and Pearl are literally standing next to each other but then Pearl is just gone, it was such a weird choice when there are any number of ways the girls could be separated if that is what the author wants.
Why does Stasha follow bloody tracks into a salt mine to the hands of the Nazis- this was so idiotic as to be bizarre. She wakes up to her stolen horse missing, the horse is apparently bleeding for some unexplained reason so she follows the blood. But instead of the author having her stumble upon a camp, she has the characters descend into a mine where they clearly have the opportunity to see the Nazis and run away at any time, instead they just stand there and get stripped and shot at.
And then near the end Stasha, a twelve year old traumatized girl, gives an impromptu cesarean section to a woman she finds in an abandoned house. What. Why. And well the woman dies but miraculously the baby survives. I know this is supposed to reference Mengele's insane surgeries and tortures, maybe even have Stasha learn something good from what she witnessed, but having her be able to perform a successful cesarean after glimpsing her torturer perform the same operation is just insane.
And how does Pearl get back to Poland, and why does she come? One minute she is being carted off to Palestine and then her cart driver is shot and the scene fades to black.
This is a beautifully written and harrowing story of twin experiments during WWII. These events and characters will be etched in my mind and heart for a long time. Highly recommend.
