I’m still trying to process that ending. Freida McFadden definitely knows how to keep a reader hooked. I’ll say up front that I don’t usually love unreliable narrators, and I probably would’ve liked the book more if that hadn’t been the big twist. Still, I have to give her credit - she really had me convinced the entire time that Ethan was EJ.

The pacing and tension were handled well, and the way everything slowly unraveled was genuinely gripping. Then that final twist — Ethan having killed his mother, and the two of them murdering the boyfriend and ending up as a “happy” family - was completely unhinged in the best way. It’s one of those endings that makes you close the book and just sit there for a minute.

Clever, unsettling, and well-plotted - everything i love from my thriller

Finally finished this book, and wow - I’m so angry at everyone in it. The pigs for becoming exactly what they swore to destroy, and the other animals for letting it happen, even though I get why they did. It’s such a simple story on the surface, but it hits hard. Watching all that hope turn into manipulation and control was so frustrating but also fascinating. I didn’t expect such a short book to make me think this much about power, trust, and how easily people (or animals) can be controlled. Honestly, it’s brilliant and depressing at the same time.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a deeply moving story that captures both the unimaginable horror and the rare moments of hope that emerged from one of history’s darkest places. I found it to be a good book overall — powerful in its subject matter and unforgettable in its emotional weight. However, the writing style left something to be desired; it often felt a bit too simple, and I couldn’t help but wish the story had been fleshed out more to fully convey the depth of the characters and their experiences.

This book resonated with me on a very personal level. I grew up only about 30–40 minutes from Auschwitz and have visited the memorial museum many times, both on my own and when showing friends from abroad. That closeness made reading this story especially harrowing — knowing it’s based on the real experiences of a man who lived through such unimaginable suffering gave it an even heavier impact.

Despite the darkness that runs through most of the book, the ending was surprisingly beautiful and hopeful. It’s rare to find such a sense of light after so much pain, and I think that balance between despair and love is what makes the story linger long after finishing it.