What is the best novel on The Holocaust?

Not a single genocide in history happened overnight. The same goes for World War II. The state-sponsored, systematic persecution and genocide of European Jews by Nazis regime, which is known as The Holocaust, has one mission: to single out Jewish population. The Holocaust did not only affect Jews soldiers but civilians as well. The great example of it is Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup.

Hundreds of novels on the war family stories start with Vel’d’Hiv Roundup because of the horrific situation 13,000 civilians, even women and children, were put in. Let’s have a look at the best novel on the Holocaust.

#1 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Compared to the other Nazi occupation books, Markus Zusak’s novel gives a new perspective on war family stories through Death itself. Death acts like a narrator who watches everything happening during the Second World War.

How a young girl Liesel found comfort in books and began stealing them from her brother’s graveyard and Nazis book burnings. 

But then her family hides a Jewish man, Max, in their basement as the war grows darker. Death, who was watching it all from the start and shows genuine pain, future will bring in their lives.

#2 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

This time the story is narrated from the point of view of children of Nazi and Jews. John Boyne’s novel follows a boy, Bruno, whose father is Nazi officer. The story shows how he met Shmuel, wearing striped pyjamas, not knowing he is a Jewish prisoner. 

Their friendship grows strong and Bruno decides to help Shmuel. But, in the end they both risk their life and are taken to the gas chamber during war.

#3 Sophie’s Choice by William Styron

William Styron shows the aftermath of war and how it impacts people’s lives. The novel starts with a young writer, Stingo who becomes friends with Sophie who is a Polish immigrant and learns about her past during war.

It is one of the survival books from Auschwitz where the main character, Sophie forcefully had to choose which one of her children would live and which would die.

#4 Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale

Among other best books set in Nazi occupied France,The Nightingale is still a favorite. The story is about two sisters, Vianne who remains in her house and shields her family from German soldiers, whereas Isabelle becomes a member of the resistance and assists the escaped soldiers in reaching safety. It is a touching story that illustrates the hardship of women in The Holocaust.

#5 Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Unlike other family memoir WWII Paris escape like The Last Train from Paris, Sarah from Sarah’s Key was not able to escape Paris. The story connects two timelines, the 1942 era and the present time. Sarah, who locked her brother in a cupboard hoping to come back for him, is arrested during the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup.

Meanwhile, Julia investigates the events in the present Paris as an American journalist and finds the connection between Sarah and her husband’s family history.

#6 Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See

If we are mentioning the top book about families escaping Nazis in Paris, All The Light We Cannot See is honestly a keeper. It shows how even in the dark times, there is still hope and goodness. It follows Marie-Laure, a blind French girl who escape from Paris and Werner, a German soldier who is forced to use his skills to track resistance fighters and how they met and showed kindness in the war situation.

Can We Even Pick One Novel?

And the list goes on and on. On one side we have The Walls by John Hersey about Jewish people trapped behind the walls, and on the other side, we have Lilac Girls by Martha about Rabbits, the prisoners used for medical experiments.

We can read books about Holocaust resistance in France like The Last Train from Paris and WWII escape book Paris family like All the Light We Cannot See, but we still can’t feel the loss and helplessness the victims and survivors faced. It was a horrible time period and we all wish it never comes back.

Read more true story escape from Paris book by Mireille Taub with the link.