thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books)'s Reviews > The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz

I feel the same way. I have a fairly extensive collection of b ooks, diaries, documents, newspapers, and other things related to WW2 and the pre/post war years, but historical fiction just doesn't work for me. I've had a hard time finishing some accounts of the Warsaw Uprising and many memoirs/diaries from Eastern Europe because they're so devastating that I don't want to know what happens, although I already know the ending in some cases. It's different when I'm reading another person's words and thoughts. It really drives home the fact that all of these things happened to real people and those people should be remembered. Incredibly courageous and dedicated people lived (or sadly died) during such events, so the least I can do is read whatever they had to say. I've never pinned down exactly why I don't like histroical fiction from this era, but I think it's similar to your reasons. There are plenty of real stories with real people. Fictional characters aren't needed. I have no desire to waste tears on fictional characters when so many real people were lost.

It is very close to real stories, people’s from this book really existed, while in some other books many people are invented. I was very surprised to see at the end how close to the real story is.