In My Hands (RC)

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Irene Opdyke

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Pages: 304 (Mass Market Paperback)

Reading Level: Young Adult

ISBN: 0553494112

Pub: Random House USA Inc

Pub date: 2004-10-01

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 156137

Editorial Review:

Age range: 11 and over
Irene Gut Opdyke was just 17 when the Nazis invaded her native Poland. From that moment she was wrenched away from her family and forced --literally--to run for her life. Eventually, while bearing witness to and falling victim to the brutality of war, she was forced to work as housekeeper to a Nazi officer. It was there that she took her life in her hands and committed the most audacious of acts in the name of humanity: she hid 12 Jewish people in the basement of her Nazi employer's house.
In In My Hands Irene recounts her extraordinary history, leaving no stone unturned as she takes the reader through time from the moment of Nazi invasion to her eventual departure for America. But the most remarkable thing about this book is the matter-of-fact tone in which it is written, which somehow allows readers to observe the events of Irene's life without forcing them to wallow in any kind of sentimentality. And although there is no doubt as to how Irene thought, felt and reacted, readers are required only to observe and draw their own conclusions.
This is by no means an easy read: the effects of war on the lives of ordinary people are surfaced to the point where it is impossible to not feel pain, and although it is ultimately a story of hope and inspiration, the spoils of the human condition are laid bare in a no-holds-barred manner that sometimes takes the breath away.

Jennifer Armstrong, who interpreted Irene's story to form the narrative of In My Hands says: "I was afraid to write this book, to put my self into her past." Irene's past is indeed frightening, and being forced to confront evil in this way is certainly uncomfortable. But if nothing else, it serves as a reminder that there are some things we should never, ever forget. --Susan Harrison

Reader Reviews:

A fascinating read (0/0 people found this helpful)

This book is about a young Polish girl and her experiences throughout the 2nd world war. I came across this book by accident and found it fascinating, amazing and horrifying. Her courage and bravery is astonishing; as another reviewer has said I don't think I would be able to stand up and be counted as she did. This book will make you cry (lots) and think and be grateful - a good combination.

Very good book about a girl during the war (0/0 people found this helpful)

Irene is a girl during WW2 who lives in Poland and gets a job in a big Nazi household so that she can first of all give Jews food through the fence in the next-door concentration camp and later on in the book, start hiding them in the house and by the end, start smuggling them into the forest in a cart. Amazing book, and best of all: it really happened!

This is a moving and brave novel about the Holocaust. (2/2 people found this helpful)

Irene is a sweet, Catholic girl, brought up in her quiet Polish home town. Suddenly, her eyes are opened to a world of cruel acts, and people just turning the other way. Irene, however, does not just look away. She begins to help Jews, first by hiding food under the fence of a ghetto, then to eventually hide twelve Jews in the basement of her German Major employer's house.
This is a story of a strong girl who endured more in those years than most people in their whole life.

moving, excellent discription of the scenes and the charactr (4/5 people found this helpful)

I was moved by this book. The author managed to caputure the feelings and emotions excellently that I actually felt her pain and her terror. Every description was so powerfully written down that even readers of a younger age could understand to some extent, her sceniro.

Moving and really outstanding (4/4 people found this helpful)

This book is about a 17 year old girl who lives through the 2nd world war hiding and helping jews through the loss of her own family and various other incidents even though knowing she could die for it. I really admire her and do not beleive that under her circumstances would do the same thing. It was very moving and made me cry in some parts because of the bad luck that she comes across. You have to read this book because it gives you a totally realistic, moving point of view.

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