DIAMONDS IN AUSCHWITZ

Emily Sutton-Smith narrates a story of Auschwitz and the Nazi regime throughout Europe in a low, wistful tone without an accent. The novel features Rachael, a Jewish woman imprisoned in Auschwitz who finds a diamond ring in the mud, and Samual, a Jewish man living and working in Prague who is in love with a woman named Hanna. Sutton-Smith's slow-paced delivery portrays Rachael's ebbing strength and feelings of hopelessness, which contrast with the hopeful feelings of lovesick Samual, who attempts to hide his past from everyone, including himself. Sutton-Smith's attempts at Hebrew and Yiddish are barely recognizable, and she uses German accents sparingly. This poignant story, both imagined and based on the historical accounts of survivors, grows increasingly depressing as life leaches out of characters who are in the iron grip of the Nazi regime. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]