#bookreview ~ Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

Hi everyone! Hope you are having a great day/night. Before, I get started in this review, I just wanted to share that I can't believe the Christmas season is over! To be honest with you... this has been the less Christmasy season of my life. I don't know if it was because I have been ill this entire month or the fact that this season was pretty short... I was just not in the Christmas Spirit. This season, I have spent most of my time reflecting on the past year/decade, since 2020 is a year that reflects a turning point in many ways. There is a lot of things I learned and want to change to improve my life. I will share more once I get my ideas organized, but for now enjoy my last review of 2019: Cilka's Journey. 

As a side note, I did read "The Tattooist of Auschwitz," earlier this year and I fell in love with it. When I found out that "Cilka's Journey" was in the works, I could not wait to find out more about the girl who Lale said "was the bravest person he has ever met." 

"Cilka's Journey" is based on Cecilia Klein, who at the age of 16 was sent to the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The book goes into detail about what happen to Cilka after her release.

As a disclaimer, I do feel the need to point out that this book is a work of fiction. While it is easy for us to think these are things that happen to Cilka, Morris does point out that events that happen in Cilka's life came from her. We don't know what actually happen to Cilka. Just that she was a prisoner in Birkenau and again at Vorkuta. 

In order for Cilka to survive the first camp, she was obligated to have sex with one of the commandants of the camps. Once Cilka was freed, her past came to haunt her as she was charged with sleeping with the enemy and sent to Vorkuta. It was like she could never escape her past, because essentially the same thing happened at Vorkuta. What comforted Cilka was that this time around, she knew that in 15 years time she would be free.   

While the book is being promoted as "based on the powerful true story of love and survival," I wish it would not say that. 

First of all, Morris said that this was a work of fiction. While Cilka did exist and went through the camps, the events are not factual. How can it be a "true story" if Morris adapted it to fit her version of Cilka’s story. Something about that does not sit well with me. Honestly, this book covers the will of survival and Cilka's resilience to live. 

This book does not have the same love focal point as the "The Tattooist of Auschwitz." Cilka herself, questioned love and if she could ever love a man after what has happened to her. Cilka does bring herself to care about her friends, especially a young girl named Josie, but I wouldn't call it love. She does develop a crush on man named Alexandr, but that love story only makes up about 98% of her story. 

I admired Cilka's resilience, despite the horrible conditions that she lived. I wish it reflected on that, instead of promoting it as another love story. 

As I was excited to read "Cilka's Journey," I did not like it as much as I liked "The Tattooist." I think I became bias when I came across this article. I was curious to see if I could find any pictures of Cilka, and during that process, I saw that Cilka's step-son was upset on how Morris portrayed Cilka as a sex slave and drug smuggler. While I do understand this was a work of fiction, I could not stop thinking how Cilka might have felt. How this was the legacy she left on this Earth. Cilka has never met Morris, as Cilka passed away in 2004. So, everything Morris had on her life was based on other people's version of Cilka. Something about using someone's story, developing it from other people’s opinions, and not having the original person’s consent is not okay.

Final Verdict: Ignoring my feelings," Cilka's Journey" is an amazing read about a young woman that despite everything she had went through she still has the resilience to keep going and live. Definitely worth the read. I would also love if the series continues. I would have love to know about Josie's life or even Yelena, who became a big part of Cilka's life as she does her time at the camp. Honestly, you read more about Yelena, then Alexandr, just saying. 

Let me know what you guys think. How would you feel if someone who just happens to stumble upon you, decides to write a novel about you, and you have no say in it? I still can get over that. Throughout the book, Cilka's biggest fear was her past being exposed. Even when she is not with us anymore, if this happens to be her past, I feel like it should not be our business to know. I know I sound conflicting, but is like a battle of my feelings/values and this book being amazing. 

Talk to you soon!

Marina