Though slim enough to qualify as a novella, Maria Àngels Anglada's The Violin of Auschwitz carries all the weight and power of a novel four times its size. Originally written in the author's native Catalan, this book has sold more than 100,000 copies in that language alone and with this English version, has been translated into two dozen others--a testament to the notion that less can often be a great deal more.
The story begins with Climent, a violinist in a well-known trio, who is performing with an orchestra in Krakow. Climent is struck by the beautiful sound produced by Regina, the orchestra's first violinist, and asks her about the provenance of her instrument, which she provides him via a sheaf of documents (both real and fictional). The novel then switches to the point of view of Daniel, a luthier (violin maker) imprisoned at Auschwitz in 1942. Though known only as a carpenter, Daniel attracts the attention of the Commander when he attempts to stop the beating of Bronislaw, a fellow prisoner and violinist who is not playing to the Commander's satisfaction. Daniel points out that the violin is cracked and needs to be repaired. Soon after, Daniel is ordered to create a violin for the Commander that will equal a Stradivarius in quality. If he manages to make such an instrument, Daniel's life (and Bronislaw's) may be spared a little longer. If not, he will be delivered to Rascher, the "doctor" conducting inhuman experiments on prisoners and with whom the Commander has made a devilish bet.
Daniel works on the violin every day, fighting debilitating hunger and crushing, constant fear. He is sustained by memories of his mother's cooking, scraps of information about loved ones who still survive (including his Aryan-in-appearance niece, Regina), and the transformative joy of creating the violin itself. When at last he finishes, Daniel has no idea whether or not his instrument will pass the test or win him his life.
Anglada provides just enough details of life in Auschwitz to create a thrumming sense of horror, but also manages to balance these extremely effectively with careful and beautifully rendered descriptions of Daniel's work, which, in turn, reflect the possibility of hope and beauty within so much darkness. The novel (based on a true story) is as well-crafted as Daniel's violin turns out to be, and lingers in the imagination long after the last page is turned.--Debra Ginsberg
Shelf Talker: A beautifully crafted and deeply moving novel of a violin maker imprisoned in Auschwitz whose life depends on creating a perfect instrument.