Notes from the Shelf

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We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter is a 403-page historical fiction novel following the Kurc family during the Holocaust. It is based on a true story of one Jewish family being separated over the course of World War 2. It starts in the spring of 1939, where three generations of the Kurc family live in Radom, Poland, trying to live normal lives even amid a budding war. When the horrors of the war become inescapable, the Kurcs are flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate a path to safety. Driven by the will to survive and the fear they may never see one another again, they must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to carry on.

I think this book is a must-read for everyone. It was hard to read at times; I had to pause several times to process the horrors people had to face during the Holocaust, but it was definitely worth finishing the book. This book made me cry several times, from anger and sadness and joy. It is a rollercoaster of a read, and I felt transported to the time of the Holocaust with the gripping writing.

We Were the Lucky Ones is also now an 8-part series on Hulu and Disney+ if you would rather watch it. I have not watched it yet, but I believe the author was involved in the adaptation, so I would think it’s laid out similarly to the book.

I give We Were the Lucky Ones 5 stars.

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