As with any WW11 survival story there are some difficult parts, but it is balanced nicely with humor, hope, and lovely characters. We Were the Lucky Ones is a book that I highly recommend for readers of engaging WW11 historical fiction, for those who love family stories with heartfelt themes, and for those who enjoy against-the-odds and inspirational reads. Just be prepared to keep track of many individuals! Recommended? Because this story is about the survival of a family, I don’t see how the author could have left any one out. There were so many characters! I should have kept a character chart with important details in my journal as I read. Researching and writing this story must have taken the author on quite an emotional journey. I cared deeply about each one and their survival. That added an element of investment that I felt toward each character. It is becoming more rare in fiction to see religious themes presented in positive ways.įinally, I enjoyed that this story is closely based on the author’s own family history. Sedars are described and prayers and song lyrics are explicit.

In addition, I appreciated the author’s inclusion of religion as an important part of family life and a basis for their hope. Even though the children are adults, there is a devotion and commitment to family that is especially joyful, endearing, and inspirational. In addition to the story’s harsh themes of survival, fear, prejudice, and hardship, the theme that means the most to me is the importance of family. What Worked:įor me, themes are one of the more compelling elements in literature, and a story with strong themes has a great chance of earning a 4 or 5 from me.

This is a solid, satisfying, and inspirational read. To solidify my thinking I noticed that 84% of the 914 reviewers on Amazon also rated it 5 stars. I changed my initial rating of 4 stars to 4.5, finally rounding it to 5. This was the case here as I closely reflected on the endearing commitment to family themes. Very often when writing a review I change my star rating. Through cleverness, determination, faith, hope, and hardship they endure.Īmazon Rating (March): 4.8 Stars My Thoughts: Family members share a will to survive and seeing one another again is their greatest goal. Soon the entire close-knit Kurc family faces separation, makes attempts to flee, and desperately focuses on safety and survival. In the midst of joyful family celebrations, however, there is increased talk of the mistreatment of Jews. In the spring of 1939, the extended Kurc family is living a modest and happy life in Radom, Poland. ***This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, Jewish, Inspirational, WW11, family ….

The book we were the lucky ones