My Mother's Secret by J.L. Witterick

*I was given this book free by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.*

My Mother's Secret is a work of fiction, but it is based on the basic attributes of a true Holocaust story; Franciszka and Helena Halamajowa were real people who lived in Poland during the German occupation and helped many of their Jewish neighbors escape the concentration camps or death. The story is broken into five parts, each told from a different person's perspective. The writing is direct and informative - fitting to the stark reality of the story. There is no flowery language, and it is not prone to long passages of description. I do not believe that readers will find this style unreadable, but some may find the writing style a bit lacking. That being said, I think that the plot is written well, paced nicely, and it reads very quickly. I did think at times that if the story was set up in a diary or letter format, that the writing style might fit better.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I had not heard this particular Holocaust story before, and I think Witterick wrote it well - adding to the historic fact with humanity and depth. I would recommend this book to any readers who enjoy historical fiction, history, biography, or realistic fiction. I give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

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