Official Review: Reflections by Elaine Roper

[Joy Phill]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Reflections" by Elaine Roper.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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One of the worst genocides in history is the Holocaust. Millions of Jews were wiped out. However, many are looking for ways to make the world forget that it ever happened. In 2006, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad compared Jews to cattle and also denied that the Holocaust ever happened. Reflections by Elaine Roper follows the story of a couple who managed to survive the Holocaust.

Eighteen years old Anna got married to Joseph. After five years of marriage, they were blessed with two children, Jacob and Rachel. However, life was not easy for them. Like other Jews, they spent their days hiding and their nights looking for places to hide. Often, their hideouts have no provisions for basic needs such as bathing. After moving through several hideouts, Joseph and his family finally got arrested by German soldiers.

The nightmarish conditions in the concentration camp were described in detail. Would young Jacob and Rachel survive the horrible treatments meted out to children in the concentration camp? Would Jack Schmidt face repercussions for assisting Anna? Would Joseph and his family ever be reunited? Reflections answers these questions and many more.

Elaine Roper has succeeded in bringing the story of the Holocaust alive. The narrative was written in the third person, which allowed the reader to gain an equal understanding of all the characters in the story. It was also descriptive and vivid. I felt Joseph's fear as he hid beneath stacks of hay. The author also made proper choice of words in conveying thoughts. The events and experiences in the story reminded me of archived videos of Nazi persecution that I had watched. The suspense in the story sustained my interest. For a long while, I was not sure if Jack Schmidt was a member of the resistance or a member of the German army. For this reason, I really feared for Anna and her children.

What I love most about this book is the conclusion. It was totally unexpected and suspenseful. My only dislike about this book is the typographical errors in the text. Although they did not interfere with the flow of the story, they show a lack of professional editing, considering the fact that the book is only thirty-eight pages long. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Asides from this, I have no other issues with this book. It opened my eyes to the sufferings of Holocaust victims. Readers who desire an in-depth knowledge of the experiences of victims of the Holocaust would find this book informative.

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Reflections
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[Prisallen]

I find it amazing that there are people who refuse to believe that it really happened. I suppose they think they can create their own reality. No one should have to endure what they did. Thanks for your intriguing and informative review!