Probably one of my favourite of Zimler's work this is a gripping story, centred around the murder of a boy. As if life in the ghetto was not grim enough, the murder is gruesome and stirs up the emotions of the comunity. In the following investigation Zimler shows us another great set of characters who operate within the massive restrictions and limitations their location brings with it. The Jewish Council, smuggling activity in and out of the ghetto, keeping humanity alive in the face of bestiality, Jewish mythology and many more ingredients in this rich blend of drama and history make this one of the more unusual and sophisticated books about the Holocaust.Zimler has a gift for walking the line between sadness and hope in just the right measures to ensure the much needed respect for victims and yet bring enough other material to the story to educate and sensitise the reader to his chosen subject and avoid the danger of repetition.Zimler has shown the same detailed knowledge and sensitivity in his other works, which cover other continents and centuries, always bringing the described times to colourful life. About a third of the way through the book I became somewhat skeptical that the author could pull off a murder mystery/detective story set within the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto. It was an enjoyable page-turner but left me dazzled (thus the 4 stars rather than 5) by the various themes thrown at me: psychoanalysis, Jewish folklore, Nazi ideology, rightous and complicit Poles, etc. However, the ending was as enjoyable as the tale itself.
What do You think about Os Anagramas De Varsóvia (2009)?
Weird, surreal ending but an intriguing way of viewing life in this hellish ghetto.
—ANI
a great mystery that takes place in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi Regime.
—sam
Great book -- murder mystery in the Warsaw Ghetto!
—Riza
