Castles Burning: A Child's Life in War

Rating:
Summary: a childhood memoir of the WWII Hungary
Review: As a student I read the "Diary of Anne Frank" and indeed it was poignant and unforgettable. Magda Denes' book is the darker side, a memoir written almost 50 years after the war, and yet through the eyes of a young child. Her relationship with her beloved brother Ivan is central to the story, and their closeness makes you want to examine your own sibling relationships. Magda survives, but at a cost. I had a sense of immediacy and even awe, that she and her mother and elderly grandmother could be so resourceful, so brave, in the face of starvation and deprivation. I kept wondering, could any of us be so brave, and at 9 years old yet. This book is more than a holocaust memoir, it is an ultimately awe inspiring adventure tale, tinged with truth and sadness.

Rating:
Summary: A true account of WWII through the eyes of a 12 year old.
Review: Magda Denes writes of her experiences in World War II, and how she and her Jewish family deal with deprivation, fear, tragedy, and ultimately, hope. Denes' words flow, and her abilty to comment on her environment and on her own personality lend levity and irony to what could be a very grim story. There are many sadnesses that Denes must overcome, but at the end of the book, one feels uplifted. This book is not only an excellent way for young people to learn about the way and the persecution of Jews, but will appeal to the natural wit of most young people. Mostly, Denes, who has gone on to carve out a successful life for herself, reminds her readers, without hammering them over the head, that this very important time in history must be remembered in order for it not to be repeated. I highly recommend this book for adults and teens alike. It is well-written, poignant, and quite funny at times. One needn't be Jewish to get something from reading it, because it is about the human experience, not just the Jewish experience.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable!
Review: Magda's story grips you from the start - full of horrifyingly vivid memories told in a straightforward fashion, it examines several years of a Hungarian child's life during and after WWII. Her relationship with her brother and cousin is so intense that your heart will ache for all three children. At the book's conclusion, although you know that Magda will be okay (obviously, if she wrote the autobiography later) but you itch to find out more about this incredibly resillient, intelligent young lady.