Based on the real-life events of Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, Heather Morris's novel is a testament to the human spirit and the power of love, which can flourish even in the darkest of places. And it is hard to imagine a darker place than the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
In 1942, Lale, like other Slovakian Jews, is sent to Auschwitz. Once there, thanks to his ability to speak several languages, he gets a job as a tattooist and, with terrifying speed, inks numbers onto new prisoners, gaining certain privileges in return: a separate room, slightly better food, and relative freedom of movement within the camp. One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, tattoos the number 34902 onto the arm of a trembling young woman. Her name is Gita. Despite their dire situation, and despite the fact that every day could be their last, they fall in love and, against all odds, believe that they will survive these inhuman conditions. And although Lale's position as a tattooist is relatively better than that of the other prisoners, it does not protect him from the cruelty of the SS. Again and again, he risks his life to help his fellow sufferers, especially Gita and her friends. Despite the constant threat of death, Lale and Gita never stop believing in a future. And in that future, they are destined to live happily ever after together...
Author: Heather Morris
Translation: Irina Ivanchenko
Pages: 320 (offset). Hardcover
Dimensions: 210x120x20 mm
