A – Z Book Reviews

An endearing story of struggle and survival that pulls at your heart long after reading the last chapter.

A Quick Summary:

We Were The Lucky Ones transports us to 1939 in Occupied Poland, where we meet the Kurc’s. This family, spanning three generations, catapults into chaos with the entrance of the Germans.

We are introduced to the many members of the Kurc family one by one. Each has their own chapter and pulls us directly into their story in the timeframe surrounding the German invasion.

The family’s patriarch (Sol) and matriarch (Nechuma) are gentle souls that have raised successful children. All of whom are now in their early adulthood and most are beginning to start their own family.

The second generation of Kurcs are diverse in the paths they chose to follow, but are all equally easy to like and wonderfully woven into the story.

Addy, Genek, Mila, Jakob and Halina never imagine the direction their lives will take in the coming years with the onset of the war.

Addy, who recently moved away from Poland and is now living in France, has a nice career and a great life in the heart of France. He is single and free to bounce from bar to bar late into the evening. He relies on his charisma and good looks to ease his way in life. Addy is separated from his family right from the start and is unable to navigate a path back to Poland to help his parents and siblings survive this utter horror. We follow him as he tries to find his own path to freedom as the war soon begins to approach the French borders.

We meet handsome Genek and his beautiful wife as they are beginning their marriage and in a blissful state of newlywed love. Genek finds himself in a dire situation shortly after the German invasion, his wife alongside him.

Mila, her husband Selim and their newborn daughter approach the war with fear of the unknown for the newest member of their family. Mila’s navigation of motherhood and learning how to care for her first child is completely disrupted by the violence and hatred spreading through her town, along with the disappearance of her husband.

Jakob and Halina are the other two Kurc children living in Radom. Halina is a beautiful young woman who has recently fallen in love and beginning to plan her future. Jakob, ever practical and loyal, met the love of his life in grade school and has been committed to her ever since. This love may soon be what destroys both Jakob and Halina.

All five children are thrown in different directions soon after the arrival of the Germans. Some to Labor Camps under Russian control or trapped in the Jewish Ghettos, others are imprisoned by the Germans. Some are living free under false papers.

All of the Kurcs long for peace and for life to return to as normal of a state as possible, after the trauma they have experienced. The story unfolds beautifully, connecting each branch of the family tree without overloading the reader.

What I liked about We Were the Lucky Ones

The writing style is beautiful and depicts the heartbreak and emotions of each family member in a wonderful manner. The novel is easy to read, but not in a simplistic kind of way. It’s an easy and fast read because it sucks you into the storyline and compels you to read it as fast as possible. It’s easy to tell within the first few pages if you will connect to the author’s style, and it was an easy match for me. I loved the verbiage, diction and attention to detail.

I also enjoyed how she wove so many characters together without leaving me feeling overwhelmed. Usually, when there are so many POV’s and primary characters, it is difficult to attach to any of them or become too invested. This wasn’t an issue in this novel. I loved them all and felt for each individual with their heartbreak and struggle to survive.

What I Disliked about We Were the Lucky Ones

The only item I could mention about this novel that I did not absolutely adore is tidbits of the ending seemed a bit stretched and/or rushed. Mainly the family’s hike to Italy to gain entrance to Brazil. It seemed a bit unlikely they could hike over the mountain ranges with no guide and wind up exactly where they needed to be for their extraction. The novel also rushed through a few other aspects of the family’s recovery where I would have liked to see a bit more detail.

It’s possible this was necessary, otherwise it would have dragged on a bit too long and risk losing the reader’s interest. I do appreciate that it gave us somewhat of a happy ending, albeit slightly rushed.

There is not much else I can add to this category. It was truly an enjoyable read from start to finish.

What would I rate We Were the Lucky Ones?

This is a 4 out of 5 stars for me. A must read for any WWI Historical Fiction gurus!