Book Review: "Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila" by Jeanette Katzir

Title: Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila
Author: Jeanette Katzir

Publisher: Jeanette Katzir

ISBN, PUB Date: 978-0615274836, April 2, 2009

Reviewed by: Evangeline Han for Author Exposure

Jaclyn’s parents, Channa and Nathan Poltzer, grew up during the horrors of the Holocaust. Channa was a resistance fighter while Nathan was in a concentration camp. After marrying, Channa and Nathan bore five children. Life at home was not as peaceful as it could be. Things worsened when everyone grew up and had their own lives and families. But Channa kept the family together. When she died, the whole family was thrown into turmoil because of her will. The family would never be what it once was before.

Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila isn’t just a story about Channa, it is a story about the whole family. Every one of them is a broken bird. It was interesting reading about life for the Jews after World War II. Many books on World War II usually only tell about life during the war but not after it, so this book was eye-opening. I was especially intrigued when it came to the part where Jaclyn, her two brothers, and father journeyed back to his hometown and the concentration camps where he was held. I hadn’t realized before the amount of denial the Germans had about the Holocaust right after the war. They even made the concentration camps look better so that no one would really see the actual horrible conditions. Worse than that, they called the concentration camps “work camps” and glossed over the deaths in the gas chamber!

The writing style of the book was quite good albeit slightly casual. Since the narrator is Jaclyn, stories were told from her perspective and were quite biased. I would have loved to know how “the other” parties thought and felt. Sometimes it sounded like the book was her chance to write her story and point of view. I would also have loved it if there were more pictures for illustration purposes. Nothing beats a well-illustrated book with pictures at the right places!

Since this is a memoir with many references to history, readers have to enjoy reading about other people’s lives and experiences. After the middle of the book, the story was mainly focused on the family’s many feuds and it wore me out quickly. It isn’t nice reading about a family’s backbiting and fights, especially since those concerned are all adults. I thought that it was a sad thing that the family was so broken up with all the bad feelings against each other.

I did not have a particular favorite part in the book. Some parts were informative especially with issues pertaining to World War II and its aftermath. What I like about the whole story is that despite all the differences, each and every of Channa’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are a testimony to the fact that “Hitler had failed – the Poltzers had continued”.

I would recommend Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila to those who are interested in the effects of World War II’s aftermath. If you are looking for a story with a complete, happy family, then this book isn’t for you. There is nothing complete or truly happy about this family. At the end of the day, Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila can be a book of lessons for us. Every family faces a threat and is vulnerable to be broken up over any issues, even petty ones. It’s how each family deals with the issues that threaten to burn up their relationships that matter.