Inspired by true events, To Dream of Shadows by Steve N Lee is a heart-wrenching yet powerful novel. We meet eighteen-year-old Inge Zaleska, packed into a cattle car with her family and other Jews on their way to being “resettled”. On reaching their destination, she is separated from her family and sent to a Nazi labor camp in Estonia. Alone, she has to learn to fend for herself and endure the filth, starvation, back-breaking work and horrific living conditions not to mention the cruelty of the SS Officers and the kapos in charge of the barracks. In a turn of events, she is eventually transferred to a different camp where she meets Nazi Commandant, SS Oberscharfuhrer Heinz Rudolf “Rudi”Kruse who has only recently assumed charge of the camp. Rudi is portrayed as a compassionate character and as he observes the Jews in captivity and bears witness to the cruelty meted out to them by his fellow SS officers, he begins to question the beliefs that have been instilled in him about Jews while in SS training. His predecessor was a vile man who enjoyed inflicting the harshest possible punishment, but Rudi, though firm in his authority, does not follow his commandant's example. He is tested further when he meets Inge and observes her compassion for others and as they befriend one another, Rudi begins to see Jews as human beings and not “vermin” as he had been taught. Inge senses Rudi is different from other SS officers, but both of them know that there are lines that can not be crossed, failing which would lead to dire consequences for both of them.

Meticulously researched, beautifully written, and consistently paced, this novel is a compelling read. Stories set in this era are never easy or light reads, and this novel is no exception. Needless to say, the descriptions of the working and living conditions in the camp were difficult to read, the author does not mince his words while describing the camps and the punishment meted out to those who were deemed unfit to work or those deemed guilty of breaking the rules set by their SS captors. Inge is portrayed as an admirable character. Her resilience and resourcefulness in the face of hardship and cruelty truly make her stand out. It was a bit hard to accept that Rudi, a Nazi, would be any different from other SS officers but yes, the author does a good job is depicting him as a conflicted individual who is torn between his loyalty to his fatherland and his humanity. Ultimately, this is a story of resilience, compassion and sacrifice in a time of incomprehensible evil and tyranny.

Having said that, I don’t think I would have been able to appreciate the premise of this novel had it not been based on true events. Do read the Author’s Note, where he details the historical context of the story and also provides a link to his research into the true events and places that inspired the story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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This was not a light read, but it was a powerful, moving story. This might be the epitome of a forbidden love story - a Nazi concentration camp officer falling in love with one of the prisoners. Dangerous for both of them - this puts both of their lives on the line. I really liked Inge from the start, she's strong, even in the face of such overwhelming cruelty. I didn't like Heinz very much at the start, but as the story progressed, and we got to know him better, and he started to change, I began to like him much more. I won't lie, this book is very emotional, but it gets you wrapped up in the plot fairly quickly, and although you might need a box of tissues at times, you won't regret one moment of reading this. Lee does an excellent job of bringing the historical setting to life, and doesn't tone down anything. I won't give away the ending, but I promise by the time you reach it, you'll have your heart wrapped up in the fate of Inge and Heinz. ( )

The novel begins in 1943 when Eva, an 18 year old Czech, is in a packed cattle car with no idea of where she and her family are headed. They believe that it's a resettlement until they are taken out of the cars and she is taken into a prison while her family disappears in the other direction. Eva is sent to a barracks that is crowded with women and the next day is sent on work detail. At first she doesn't understand the cruelty that happens daily at the camp but makes a friend who shares advice with her on how to survive. The work they are required is back breaking and they are watched over by people who don't hesitate to use a whip to keep them in line. After a short period of time in the prison, she and a group of women are forced to walk to a local concentration camp. The commandant of the concentration camp is cruel and enjoys inflicting pain on his Jewish prisoners. The second in command is Rudi who is beginning to question what he's been taught about Jewish people for his whole life. When the camp leader is injured and sent away to recuperate, Rudi starts doing things to help the prisoners as he begins to view them as people and not vermin. When Eva and Rudi first meet, there is interest between them but both know that it will be a death sentence for both of them if they allow their relationship to develop. They can't hold back their feelings for each other even though it puts them in grave danger. What will happen to both of them when their feelings for each other becomes known to the leadership in the camp?

This well written book required significant research and it shows it on every page. I'll admit it was tough reading in some places - for me the description of the torture that was inflicted on the women was horrendous and unsettling but from other books that I've read during this time period, no matter how horrible it was to read about -- it actually happened. Eva is an interesting character - no matter what is going on in her life she continues to try to take care of her best friend and the other women in her barracks.

This historical fiction novel is an epic tale of compassion, sacrifice and the ultimate strength of the human spirit.

NOTE: Be sure to read the author's comments at the end of the book. He provides information on the people that the story is based on and goes into detail about the difficulty of his research. ( )