Cilka’s Journey is the follow-up to The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. Cilka Klein was just 18 when Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Soviet soldiers, but instead of being freed, Cilka is sentenced to a labor camp on charges of having helped the Nazis. Cilka did what she had to do to survive the concentration camp, but that is not taken into consideration. She is sent to the Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia where she is sentenced to 15-years of labor. Cilka once again uses her wits and charm to survive another awful ordeal.

I really enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz especially Lale and Gita’s story. One thing that made that book special was that it was based on interviews with Lale. Unfortunately, Heather Morris was unable to track Cilka down before finishing this book so some of it is loosely based on her time in Vorkuta. The one thing I loved about Cilka in the first book was her strength. She did what she had to do to survive and then was punished for that. It was hard to remember she was just 16 in The Tattooist of Auschwitz and only 18 in the beginning of Cilka’s Journey. She seems so much older because of all she had to go through.

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as the first one. I liked the love story towards the end and was happy when Cilka was released from the labor camp and able to finally be free. I can’t imagine going through everything she went through and remaining so strong throughout it all.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.