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Natalie Manuel's Reviews > The Tattooist of Auschwitz
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
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What a waste of an amazing story on an incapable writer. There is no 'prose', there is really just "he did this, and then he did that". No depth of emotion, no depth of characters, heck - no characters! I couldn't tell you ONE personality trait of Gita's. Lale also, is so thinly drawn I know nothing about him other than he is supposedly charming.
The dialogue between characters is ridiculously empty and the whole thing feels like the most superficial experience of Auschwitz possible.
The love story, which I'm sure had depth and feeling in real life, is like a disney retelling.
A sad sad waste :(
The dialogue between characters is ridiculously empty and the whole thing feels like the most superficial experience of Auschwitz possible.
The love story, which I'm sure had depth and feeling in real life, is like a disney retelling.
A sad sad waste :(
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The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
May 15, 2018
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Started Reading
May 15, 2018
– Shelved
May 18, 2018
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Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 230 (230 new)
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Nikki
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rated it 2 stars
Oct 30, 2018 03:51PM
YES- WOW. I could not have said this better myself. I'm halfway through - and sooo disappointed. Having read & watched countless stories about WW2 and the death camps, you simply cannot paint a picture in your mind of what this place was like through her writing.
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I could not agree more. Utterly disappointed.
Totally agree, Natalie. Such an amazing story so poorly told. It was empty.
Agreed! I’m half way through and thoroughly disappointed so far.
I’ve read many Holocaust stories where I’m deeply moved and feel some sort of connection with the characters, this was not one of them. Having said that, it was very appealing to me because it provided me with the facts allowing me to make my own decisions about how I “felt” about the characters. It’s a lot like technical writing, and I appreciate that, I don’t need the fluff to move me. Different styles of writing appeal to different brains.
Claudia wrote: "I’ve read many Holocaust stories where I’m deeply moved and feel some sort of connection with the characters, this was not one of them. Having said that, it was very appealing to me because it prov..."Sure, but I don't read novels to read what is basically an outline of a possible story. Who really does?
I totally agree! I’m about 2/3 through the book and it’s a fast read but I’ve been having trouble figuring out why I’m not more engaged in it. But it’s exactly as you say - the dialogue is empty and the character development is weak. I didn’t even realize it was based on a true story because it seems like such a whitewashed version of events.
I agree! It is an amazing tale, but badly told. What a disapointment.
I’m so pleased to find people who agree with me on the writing of this book. I thought there was something wrong with me looking at the other reviews. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I agree! Could have been great...struggled to be only meh.
"What a waste of an amazing story on an incapable writer" -- exactly my thought. I can't help but wonder how this book would have turned out if another writer took the job.
I totally totally agree.
One if the worst written books I've ever read. Raging I spent money on it. Last time I'll listen to over hyped publicity.
Glad I am not the only one, just could not connect with this book I have read much better ones about this subject.
Totally agree! The rave reviews completely miss the mark on this one. Very poorely written and historically inaccurate.
So true. Awful writing, but a great story. Such a pity.
Agree 100%!! Very poorly written. There’s no development of character and when one takes into the amount of research done it feels like a disservice to the memory of those written about
I completely agree with your assessment of the book. I'm very disappointed. The author did a great disservice to Lale, Gita and the rest of the characters. Sad.
I am totally appalled at this dishonest book. It has nothing to do with actual events, how could she portray two prisoners with shaven heads, emaciated having a torrid love affair!!! Total hype, untrue Mills and Boon type fiction. Worse than that she has portrayed this as ‘true happenings’ and the memories of the real truth will be tainted and be seen by many people in this totally untruthful book. Shame on you Heather Morris for ‘taking the money’ and not standing up to account for your actions!
I agree, the writing style was mediocre.
Agree - clumsily written!
It was going to be a screenplay, but the author decided to change it to a novel. I believe that is why it "seems to be" poorly written.
I totally agree. I feel guilty for not thinking this is amazing, but it’s just not
Peggy wrote: "It was going to be a screenplay, but the author decided to change it to a novel. I believe that is why it "seems to be" poorly written."Then she should have done a much better job before she did that!
Totally agree. Just tried again to finish the book but so irritated by the flat monotone I’ve given up. Feel uncomfortable saying I’ve developed no interest in Lale or Gita whatsoever. What a waste of a potentially deep & moving story.
I would say that the reason why this book is so highly rated is the vast amount of ARC reviews. It frustrates me to no end. This book was terrible.
You’ve articulated what I couldn’t explain, a beautiful story, but I felt like I was being lectured to almost.
So glad to find people who agree with my thoughts on this book! I thought I was the only one. It also leaves a pretty bad taste in my mouth that it’s ‘based on a true story’ but published as fiction. What is true and what is totally romanticised? I feel it does a real disservice to true victims of the Holocaust.
Absolutely. Given the subject matter, I expected to read this through frequent outbreaks of tears and finish it feeling emotionally drained. Neither happened. Lale and Gita’s story deserved better.
I agree, and the last few chapters were so abrupt!
Agreed the writing was really average. It’s a great story but the way it was told was flat. There was mention of the atrocities that occurred around them but I didn’t feel it. Agreed the end was quick and they just seemed to find each other in the street which seemed very (forgive my words) under done! I was hoping for much more considering the story behind it.
Hit the mark. I feel so disconnected with the story. The author has done a poor job in telling this horrific occurrence in our life time.
I felt the same way! It was all I could do to finish the book
I felt the EXACT same way. It could have been so much more. I cannot understand why people love it so much.
Amazing that no mention was made of the fact that the Slovakian government paid Nazi Germany 500 Reichsmarks for each Slovakian Jew deported. There was no pretext or trick to get people to take a train to Prague. 57,000 Slovakian Jews were rounded up by the brutal Hlinka Guard and handed over to the SS.
The only reason I could get through this book is that the story is very captivating. But yes I agree with most comments, what a boring writing of a book. I haven’t learnt any new nouns or phrases. I haven’t been awed by any use of diction. I wouldn’t call it literature. It could pass as a plain kids book
couldn't agree more, damn what a waste
Yes I agree..it was a hard one for me to review...after reading the postscript and the fact that the author interviewed lale this should have been so much better.
That’s exactly how I felt too. Captivating but dull. Try the orphans tale. That was really great. And the nightingale. Also wonderful and rich
I just finished the audiobook and I’m thinking that’s the way to “read” this one The reader definitely brought it to life 🧜🏻♀️
I know the whole feelings part seems to be empty, but it’s Auchwitz.I am not sure if anyone can do that taking into account the horrors happened around that place. So having some exposure of a in more depth of feelings it’s something way too much for this awful place.
I just finished it and had many of those thoughts that this was not good writing, just more of a he said this then she said that. But at the end of the book the author describes that she wrote it as a screen play, or usually wrote screen plays. Maybe all of the emotion would be shown on screen. But I didn’t understand why it was such a best seller except that it was a true story and I felt compelled to read it.
Sadly agree, jealous of all the time she spent with Lale and getting his story but felt like we were somehow robbed of most of it. The end was extremely rushed and I didn’t even know what the characters looked like until I found the photos at the end of the book. Would have loved a more in depth depiction of Lale, Gita and the characters within this saga.
I sadly agree. A completely emotionless and simple portrayal of a potentially powerful story. Not one phrase or sentence took my breath away.
Very much agree. It was so shallow and mechanical. Very much the bones of a screenplay and not a novel.
Very much disagree, I thought it was extremely well done.
I started reading a few reviews before I typed mine, and yours echo exactly what I felt after finishing the book. An poorly written injustice to the story of a survivor.
I couldn’t figure out how/why Gita and Lale fell in love.
