I have finished reading "The Enemy Beside Me", by Naomi Ragen.
It is difficult to articulate my thoughts, because it was a powerful read for me on many levels.

Milia Gottstein-Lasker accepted an invitation from Dr. Darius Vidas, to be the keynote speaker at a Holocaust conference, in Lithuania.
She is the head of the Survivors Campaign, and perceived as a public enemy by many Lithuanians. From the moment the plane lands, and she steps foot in Lithuania, the nightmares unfold.

The depictions of the atrocities against the Lithuanian Jews were horrific, brutal beyond comprehension. ( )

A book about Lithuania and its role in destroying the very vibrant and strong community in Lithuania during WWII not by the Germans but by the locals. It is a story about an Israeli woman and a Lithuanian man attempt to educate and correct the history of Lithuania role in the war. ( )

Inspired by true events, Naomi Ragen's The Enemy Beside Me is a powerful, provocative novel about two people fighting for reconciliation over unforgivable crimes of the past.

Milia Gottstein is following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather in a quest to bring justice to the victims of the Holocaust. In Lithuania, the number of Jewish deaths was staggering. I had never heard about how bad things were for the Jews in Lithuania or for the people who helped them.

The book is a very sobering account of what went on and how Lithuania has tried to keep their atrocities out of the public eye. Milia was extremely focused on getting retribution for the Jewish people and bringing the war criminals to trial. Because of the this, Milia can appear combative at times and almost obsessive about her work.

In addition to the stress of her work, Milia was also facing a possible divorce, which in my opinion, did nothing to add to the story.

If for no other reason, this is worth reading simply to learn about how Lithuania treated their citizens during the war and how it seems as if today they are still in denial of their wrongdoing.

Many thanks ti NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review. ( )

A different perspective on the Holocaust, foremost, that of a Jewish woman helping to run The Survivors Campaign. Her manhunt for Nazi war criminals leads to many places, including the US, where these criminals fled and were assisted by the governments therein for far too many years. Told from many points of view, focusing on the Lithuanian atrocities, whose Jewish population had been 96% wiped out following Nazi law, is followed by gaslighting, scapegoating and excuses when the acknowledgment and reparation of the horrific actions would have been a better use of their time.
Flip side *One man’s quest to show the stories of the Lithuanians who were helpful in order to ease his shame and give an alternate view is where the story gets even more interesting. In his quest to “reinter (Jewish victims) with dignity, respect and true sorrow; to finally stop hiding the truth, however painful.” leads down roads not thought to be taken. Lies and truths unfurled as these two seemingly polar opposite people, on opposing sides of this atrocity, can come together to unveil truths and find forgiveness for their parts & also those who came before them.
Not only a detailed novel, but also an eye opener as many of these post war events are not well known by most people. An entertaining yet informative fictional depiction of a time in history that is both humbling and shaming on many levels. Well done.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review ( )

Milia has taken over as head of the Survivor’s Campaign. Her grandfather has lead this charge for years. Now it is her responsibility to fight for Justice for the Holocaust victims. Milia receives an invitation to a conference in Lithuania. She has fought for the right to inform the public about what truly happened in this country. Lithuanians have never been taught the truth and Milia is determined everyone learns the heart wrenching details…even if it puts her life in danger.

This was really close to a five star read for me. But, I really was not a fan of Milia. She gets furious in several places without…in my opinion…understanding the true nature of the situation. Nor does she want to learn about the situation. She just wants to get mad. Now, she has EXCELLENT reasons to be mad about many things…and this is why everyone should read this book.

This story portrays what really occurred to the Jews in Lithuania. I have never, ever read a story with Lithuania as a backdrop in WWII. To say I learned something is an understatement. This novel had me researching and studying what I had missed. I cannot believe this tale slipped by me. Such an under reported tragedy.

Need a different take on the Holocaust…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )