This book has been on my "to read" list for a long time. Outside of Anne's diary, it's the quintessential holocaust story. Weisel jumps right in, spending very little time on occupation, taking us quickly into the story of his transport. He was able to stay with his father during his time in the camps. While this provides him some comfort, it also creates many stressful situations. I found this to be sort of the crux of his story. His never-ending, undying love for his father shapes his entire camp experience. That love influences all of his decisions, whether or not it endangers his own life. At one point during my reading, he almost seemed judgmental of others who did not make the same sacrifices for family, but brings this up himself at the end, and smooths out those rough edges for me as a reader. (Not that I would judge any holocaust survivor for anything, including judging another person, but it was an interesting aspect of the story for me.)
As far as holocaust stories that create a visceral response for me go, I found Diary of a Young Girl, Boy on the Wooden Box, and even The Boy Who Dared much more compelling. Those stories just interested me more. However, Weisel's writing is absolutely beautiful,and his wife's work on the translation is amazing.
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