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Mengele’s Apprentice
Author: Roberta Kagan
Series: The Auschwitz Twins Series, Book 2
Tag: Recommended Books
Publication Year: 2022
ASIN: B09ZBCBTP6
ISBN: 9781957207179
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A Fast Paced and Haunting World War Two Historical Fiction Novel

As the Nazi shadow of death falls across Europe, one man's wickedness looms out of the darkness.

Mengele, the Angel of Death.

When the Aizenberg family winds up in the dreaded Warsaw ghetto, they must share an apartment with a secular Jewish family. This living arrangement will test young Shoshana Aizenberg as adulthood creeps ever closer.

Meanwhile, fast-rising doctor Ernst saves a man's life on the Russian front. This good deed earns him the coveted role of Dr. Mengele's apprentice at Auschwitz. An opportunity beyond his wildest dreams and the stuff of his nightmares.

Gisele's beauty shines in a life fraught with hardship. She hopes to find her father, but first, she must navigate a Paris crawling with invading Nazis.

Mengele's Apprentice is the second book in Roberta Kagan's heartwrenching Historical WWII series—The Auschwitz Twins.

Praise for Mengele's Apprentice:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "If you are looking for a hearbtreaking, page turning emotional historical fiction, this one is for you--worth five stars!" – Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I loved this book, I read all night couldn’t sleep till I finished it. I’m looking forward to The Auschwitz Twins. I had already read some Roberta Kagan’s books but this is the best one, yet!" – Netgalley review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Historical fiction can be informative and upsetting. Roberta Kagan does it all in this book... I’m looking forward to the next book in the series." – Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is a great sequel to the first book and I can’t wait to read the third! The story is sweet, heart-breaking, and hard, with a lot of sorrow." – Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ " I was super exited to read more about this story and this book really follows through. I was desperate to know more of what happened to the the characters after the ending of the first one. The characterization is still amazing, every character adds a unique perspective. The changes in the narrator to exemplify different points of views is incredibly done... Honestly, this is a great book for any fans of historical fiction." – Netgalley review

About the Book

Review

“Mengele’s Apprentice is by Roberta Kagan. This book is a little deceptive as I though it was about one young man who ended up working for Mengele. This book is actually three different stories of survivors, although they may be based on true stories, they are all fiction.


The first story is about a young man who worked very hard to become a physician in spite of his poverty. He was picked on by bullies in school and was shy and stuttered. He was very intelligent and encouraged by his parents to aspire to becoming a doctor. He becomes the assistant to Mengele and thought this would help his resume later in life. He greatly disliked his work with Mengele and wondered how to get out of it. On his one leave, he returned to Berlin to try to decide what to do. Here he met Gisele who was simply trying to stay alive and who also had been told that her father was Josef Mengele. He falls in love with her and wants to marry her and take her back t Poland with him; but is afraid she would say no. Gisele is not above using him to get closer to her “father”. What will happen when they return to Auschwitz?
The second story is a continuation of The Children’s story which is book one in the series. Now, the family is placed in the ghetto where Shoshana finds that she enjoys music, singing and dancing which are all very much against her Hasid raising. Her parents disown her and send her out on her own. She must leave her twin sisters behind. When the ghetto is sent for resettlement, her parents and sisters are in the first set of trains. Shoshana asks to be on that train where she can at least see them. She and her friend, Ruth, are picked up out of the train line by Ruth’s ex-boyfriend, a German officer. He knows the train is going to death at Treblinka. He ends up taking Ruth, Shoshana and her sisters. Instead of going to Treblinka, he is taking them directly to Auschwitz where he thinks they may have a chance.


The third story is Gisele’s story of how she ended up in Paris in a house of ill-repute and became involved with Dr. Satan before making her way to Berlin where she manages to ensnare Dr. Ernst into marriage. Now she is on her way to Auschwitz as a doctor’s wife.


The book is very good; but I wanted to know more about Ernst and how he makes his way in Auschwitz. I want to know more about the twins. Maybe book three will tell.” – Amazon Reviewer

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Roberta Kagan

I am a USA Today Best Selling Author of Historical Jewish Fiction mainly set during World War 2. My father was Romany, and my mother was Jewish; when I was very young, I learned about the Holocaust. I couldn't understand how something like this could happen. So, I began to research and learn more. I met with survivors. I even met with the children and grandchildren of SS officers. But I still had no answers. I cannot say that I have all of the answers to all of my questions even now. But what I do know is that soon all of the survivors will be gone. Their message must be remembered, and the sacrifices that they made must not be forgotten. And so I humbly and with the utmost humility, I try to tell their stories. It is painful, but I must convey the darkness and horror of the time. However, I also want the world to know and celebrate the unsung heroes. Because many ordinary people acted in heroic ways. I realize that writing these books is a great responsibility. I pray every day that I can do this correctly. I am trying to reach out and touch many people, not with the message of the horrors but with the promise of hope. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering my work. It is an honor that I never take lightly.

Other Books in the "The Auschwitz Twins Series"
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