The Storyteller of Krakow by Carly Schabowski while set partially during WWII is not just a book about war. It is a book about surviving what is thrown at you and finding a life. It is a story about strength. It is a story about a bear.
The story is told in a dual time line with part occurring during WWII and part happening more recently. The main character Lena, tells her story about her life up and until the end of WWII. The other part of the story, while still being told by Lena, is about her life as an older woman in a nursing home. Lena is a strong willed independent woman. She has worked hard through brutal conditions and learned to rely only on herself, first as a prisoner, then as a soldier, then as a displaced person.
I found the story of Lena (and the bear) fascinating. It contains a view of WWII that I was not expecting, nor had I heard about it before. I was not expecting to connect with Lena, but I did. Her journey and her kindness will touch your heart. The Storyteller of Krakow by Carly Schabowski was a good read.
