This becomes even more engaging when their paths converge again. It was not rushed, but instead evocative.īy the chapters jumping from different perspectives and highlighting crucial events, the book felt extremely relatable in the sense that it was many memories of people all bound by blood, stringed together to create the story. That being said, through the writing, I could still experience the emotions of the characters. I would admit that it was a bit confusing at the start with the huge number of characters but after 100 pages or so into the book, I soon began to realise the beauty of it.Įach chapter is short and significant, showcasing the important parts of each of the lives of the characters. They all go onto separate paths, each their own journey with their spouse, spread all over the globe. Yeah we all know historical fictions love multiple POVs… but 6? I’m so pleased to say that it worked really well! The storyline is told from about 6 points of view.

They all go through their own troubles all because of the war and the persecution of Jews, allowing the readers to lucidly see the different ways in which they overcome it which is so empowering. They all possess unique personalities ranging from prideful to stubborn to sensitive. To think about a long-term plan feels complicated, and burdensome, like flexing an atrophied muscle.īringing me to the next stellar part of this novel: the characters. Driven by an unwavering will to survive and by the fear that they may never see one another again, the Kurcs must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to persevere.Īn extraordinary, propulsive novel, We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.ĭuring the war, their options were fewer, the stakes higher, their mission singular. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.Īs one sibling is forced into exile, another attempts to flee the continent, while others struggle to escape certain death, either by working grueling hours on empty stomachs in the factories of the ghetto or by hiding as gentiles in plain sight.

The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland.

It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. of Pages: 403 Click here to view Trigger Warningsĭeath, Murder, Exile, Starvation, War themes Publication: 14 February 2017 | Read: 9 October 2020 Genre(s): Historical Fiction | Age Group: Adult

The book we were the lucky ones