Elvira Burgo

Spoiler Warning: This review discusses some plot details and character relationships. 

My book club chose The Girl Who Survived by Ellie Midwood as our latest read. The novel was both entertaining and memorable, and although most of my book club members haven't finished it, I'm writing my own review. 

Book Details

The historical fiction novel The Girl Who Survived was first published in 2019 as “No Woman’s Land” and is based on the true story of Ilse Stein, a German Jew, and Willy Schultz, a German Nazi officer, who fall in love during World War II. 

Emotional Impact 

I had mixed emotional reactions. I found the book hopeful, but sad. While the writing style was different from what I was used to, the book grew on me. By the end, I found the author’s writing strong, so much so that my next book seemed simplistic and slow by comparison. 

The book was heartbreaking; however, the romance touched me. The love affair between Ilse and Willy was tender, genuine, and deep. Between the two characters, Willy stood out to me most because of his love and compassion for Ilse. His quote, “We live together, or we die together,” captures the emotion fully.

Overall, it was an emotionally difficult read that reminded me of human cruelty and the resilience of those affected. Love and hope are key.    

What Worked for Me

I appreciated the themes of survival, resilience, family duty, hope, and, of course, love. I also enjoyed the book’s rich educational content about World War II. Finally, the novel wasn’t as depressing as I had imagined, and it showed that love was greater than hate or evil. 

What Didn’t Work for Me

The author's extensive adjectives or highly descriptive language initially annoyed me, but they seemed to lessen over time, or maybe I got used to them. The graphic depictions of bodies were also disturbing. 

Overall Rating

I would give The Girl Who Survived a 4 out of 5. I recommend it to anyone who likes romance and who enjoys history. It can be a difficult read, but its message about love in difficult times is memorable. 

Thanks for reading,

Elvira