Fictional account based on a real event that took place in a small town in Poland in 1941 where people of the Jewish faith were locked into a barn and burned to death. The author took a different angle than usual in approaching this story. It is set in the early 2000’s rather than the 1940’s and involves a forensic dentist, who has personal ties to the region, taking part in an excavation of the site of a mass grave from the WWII era.

I had mixed feelings about this book. On the plus side, I liked the idea of examining the past to find out the truth of what happened through forensic science. I found it intriguing that the author brought together an atheist, a priest, and a rabbi, providing the opportunity to reflect on human nature in an insightful manner from various angles. I thought the author did an excellent job of showing the ideology of the various political factions in the town. I am drawn to books like this that explore personal beliefs and values, and how seemingly ordinary people can act in an extraordinarily inhumane ways while others jeopardize their lives to aid strangers. I thought the protagonist’s journey of personal identity was conveyed in a meaningful manner.

On the minus side, after the prologue, it was extremely slow in establishing the storyline. I kept wondering where the book was headed. The main plotline doesn’t gain momentum until about midway through the book. I thought the last half was far superior to the first half and wish the laying of groundwork had been more focused. The few graphic sex scenes seemed somehow out of place in a book about such deep and thought-provoking subject matter.

If you are interested in World War II fiction based around true events, explorations of personal identity, integrity, or good vs. evil in the world, I think it’s a worthwhile reading experience. ( )

Based on real events: A hard story about Jews forced into a barn that was set afire in WWII. The story is about how forensics can tell the story, the tale of the racial divisions that still exist in the town, and a genealogical discovery. Questions if there is ever a point such a story shouldn’t be told. Heartbreaking, brutal, complex. It’s my first 5-star read of the year. Audio is brilliant. ( )

A beautiful story. Loved it! ( )

If you can get past the main character Halina it is a good book. ( )

If you can get past the main character Halina it is a good book. ( )