This is a beautifully structured story, put together in the manner of Steinbeck, each part sliding smoothly into the next. It's very short, but packs a lot of action into its 120-odd pages. I also believe it's one of the more realistic novels I've read about the Holocaust. The author doesn't try to make a hero out of anyone, not even the Jewish woman whose plight drives the plot. None of the characters here -- Jews, Poles, Germans -- come off well. They are all selfish even when they try not to be. Irena is bitter and abrasive, and Jan is weak. But I think that's how people would really be in wartime, in an overcrowded city occupied by a foreign power, where you have a hard time of it even getting enough to eat.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Holocaust. In fact, I would probably put it on my top ten list of Holocaust novels. It's short as I said, and written simply, so a novice would not be intimidated by it. I also think it could be very easily adapted for the stage -- in fact, I ended up writing a short play based on the story. ( )

Check out my published review at: http://www.vqronline.org/articles/2007/winter/book-notes/. It's about a third of the way down.