Rating: 
Summary: An unforgetable story
Review: I have to say that I came upon this book by accident. I am an avid reader of WWII. I was completely impressed by the life of Irene. I could not put this book down and when I was done it made me yearn for more. The reason for the 4 star review, is that I felt that the book rushed to an ending and could have elaborated more on her partisan days. I could have read another 300 pages. This story had to be told and should be used as a teaching tool in all highschools. I would love to have a sequel to this compelling book. To the author, please bring us more of this lady's fascinating life. These stories must never be forgotten.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I loved this book. I got it for Christmas and read it within a few days. I liked it because it give you a view you rarely see of the Holocaust--one of a non-Jew, and one who was on their side. It was a very interesting book and it held my attention at all times--I couldn't put it down for days.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It tells the story of Irene Gutowna, who was seventeen at the beginning of WW Two, and chronicles her experiences as she is raped by Russian soldiers, begins a crusader for Jews, even going so far as to hide ten in the basement of a German Major she is housekeeper to's villa, and becoming his mistress in cooperation for his silence. This book shows the true duration of the human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: A True Hero
Review: This book is the most powerful, incredible, and moving book I have ever read. It starts out a little shaky, and looks as though the author is quite simplistic, but as you get into it, you can't put it down! I could never wait to find out what happens next! Bravo to Mrs. Opdyke for an incredible story, and even moreso, for an incredible life.
Rating:
Summary: In my hand
Review: It is the most powerfull book, but I think a 9 years old is a little too young to fully understand this amazing book. I think every high school student should read it.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtakingly intense from cover to cover!
Review: I have read World War Two novels before. I have read intense novels before. I don't know if any of them compare with this one. This is one of those novels that is so real it gives you goosebumps both while and after you read it. Given in a first person narrative, Irene Gut Opdyke's story is so amazing you would swear it is the work of a popular fiction author, but having the knowledge that it is absolutely 100% true gives it a sharp edge that no fiction novel can attempt. Showing the type of courage and self-sacrifices anybody could only hope to have in such circumstances, Irene unwittingly made herself into a true hero for all people, young and old. Love for your fellow man will triumph over all.
Rating:
Summary: An inspiring book about character - and how to grow it!
Review: This was a book I read in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. The story is captivating and above all, inspiring. 'Way beyond being a Holocaust story, it is a story showing that courage and moral fortitude are the products of a habit of being faithful in the little challenges of life.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary display of heroism and courage in adversity
Review: This short book is one of the more remarkable books on the Holocaust I have ever read. It details the life of one seemingly ordinary nursing student, thrown into adversity, who demonstrates extraordinary courage and heroism and humanity responding to the needs of a group of Jewish prisoners in her care. Against extraordinary odds, she manages to harbor the group in the basement of a house occupied by a Wehrmacht officer for whom she serves as housekeeper. The book is an easy read, written in a warm and direct style, very personal, and at the same time very intense. Reading this book helps answer some of the eternal questions about the survival of humanity in Nazi-occupied Europe, and is a must-read for students of the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Hope for a Cynical World
Review: Engrossing! I read this book in one sitting, because I could not bear to put it down. I'm not easily moved, but Ms. Opdyke's story of life as a young woman in Nazi occupied Poland moved me. I don't easily cry, but I shamelessly cried several times while reading this book.This is an inspiring tale of courage and resistence in the face of unambiguous evil. It is also the hope-filled story of grace found among the most surprising of individuals: two Soviet physicians consipring to help a young prisoner of war to escape; a Wehrmacht Officer's Club manager blithely feeding slave laborers with luxuries intended for the "master race;" a simple Ukranian priest openly preaching resistence; a Nazi officer sheltering Jews in the basement of his villa! Above all, this is a story of choices: a story of ordinary people immersed in a living hell, who chose to keep faith with each other, their ideals, their country, and their God. In a time when too many among us seek to avoid responsibility, here we find the story of a young woman who willingly took responsibility for herself and dozens of others. In a time when politicians conveniently twist "values education" to their own advantage, here we find the story of a woman whose religious and ethical heritage repeatedly demanded the best of her, even under the most dangerous of circumstances. Here we find a heroine on the order of Oscar Schindler or Raul Wallenburg. This life-affirming tale demonstrates that even under the most extreme circumstances, one righteous person can still change the world for the better. For that reason alone, this book is worth reading. If you have been wounded too often, and have become just a little too cynical about the world, read this book. If you enjoy a thrilling adventure story, laced with romance, read this book. If you want to inspire a child (especially a girl) to greater moral courage, read this book with her. If you wish to remember that glimmers of light shone through the darkness that engulfed the world from 1939 to 1945, read this book. Read this book.
Rating:
Summary: An inspiring story
Review: This story is unbelievable one. At first i kept thinking to myself "what story this, what a brave girl" and then i kept on telling myself this really happened. This is a story of a girl that sacrificed her own life to save others. Being Jewish this story meant even more to me and i believe that anyone that reads this will be touched by it.
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