The Spider Keeps On Spinning
The Last Baby In Auschwitz by Anna Stuart is a powerful and heartbreaking historical novel that consumed me from the start. It is based in facts.
The reader follows the plight of the Greek Jewish people from freedom to the hell that was Auschwitz. They were always “a heartbeat from death.”
We follow two Jewish female cousins and their fight to survive. It was hope, love and luck that kept them going. “They can’t wash away my heart. They can’t shave off my spirit. The spider keeps on spinning.” The webs of love and friendship were woven in Auschwitz. They had to focus on each other and hope for a better future. They needed to survive in order to tell the world of the horrors.
Even in Auschwitz, the women retained their humanity. “As Naomi sang… she knew that love, not hatred, was the way to truly rouse a rabble, the way to fight oppression.” The women shared what little they had. They did what they did in order to survive, and to help others to survive. “Survival was their only weapon against Nazi oppression.” They realised “guns were strong, but hearts were stronger.”
In the hell that was Auschwitz, it was easy to lose sight of God. “Naomi tried to pray, but it was hard to get through to God these days.” As the months went on, “God was becoming harder and harder to see through all this darkness.” But love was stronger than hate. “She had to… pray that love would win out against the grinding hate.”
There was a powerful quote about the futility of war (from a Nazi Soldier). “I went off to fight thinking it was all about glory and honour, but… it’s just horror and fear and… waste. Waste of money, waste of resources, waste of lives.”
All the characters were well drawn and believable. Their spirits to survive were commendable. Anna Stuart has portrayed the horrors of Auschwitz with her words – but the reality would have been far worse than we can ever imagine.
The Last Baby In Auschwitz must be read in memory of the brave men and women who survived, and of the six million innocents who perished.
I will leave you with a final powerful quote:
“The world has been knocked down by hate and we must rebuild it with love.”
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Anna Stuart
Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers. You can reach her on Facebook @annastuartauthor or Twitter @annastuartbooks.
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The Last Baby in Auschwitz
Women of War
ISBN: 9781805502807
Publication Date: 23 March 2026
Anna Stuart
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- Amazon: https://geni.us/B0GBR9YK8Rsocial
Auschwitz, 1945: I rock my baby gently in my arms, willing him to be quiet. Because if anyone hears my newborn cry, he could be taken from me. I pray that soon I will be able to escape with my precious son…
Inspired by incredible true stories, this emotional novel tells of a mother’s love and courage in a time of unimaginable darkness.
Naomi Demetriou has survived three years behind the walls of Auschwitz. Torn apart from her family, every breath could be her last. She’s learnt to survive by secretly trading the clothes she’s forced to sort through in exchange for food. But when an SS officer singles her out, her life becomes even harder. And then she discovers she’s pregnant…
With the support of Ana, the kind midwife, and the other mothers in Barrack 24, Naomi does the impossible and gives birth to a tiny baby boy. Hiding in the shadows, Naomi vows to do whatever it takes to keep baby Isaac safe. With rumours circulating of an Allied invasion, Naomi holds onto the hope the camp will be liberated. And she dreams of returning to her house by the Greek sea with her son.
But the day comes when Naomi hears heavy footsteps and the harsh voice of an SS guard. ‘Out! Now! You can’t take anything with you!’ She’s shoved into a line of people being marched out of the iron gates. Thick snow falls around them. Tears sting in Naomi’s eyes.
It all happened so fast. And she was unable to grab the bundle of blankets containing her little boy. But Ana is still there, will she and the other brave women be able to save him?
An absolutely heart-wrenching and page-turning WW2 novel inspired by true stories of love and bravery. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale.
What readers are saying about Anna Stuart:
‘BLEW me away… I was in absolute AWE reading this… I could picture everything… SPEECHLESS… Brought tears to my eyes.’ @thatbookishvixen, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely heart-wrenching… I raced through this book… Grabbed me from the first paragraph and didn’t let gountil the last line of the fabulous ending. Anna Stuart is fast becoming my favourite WW2 author. A cracker of a story.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Shattered my heart… I was in tears… So powerful you feel as if you are there… Incredibly moving… Absolutely brilliant… this gut-wrenching journey will hit your heart… I highly recommend. Cindy L. Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This book is everything! It deserves every one of its five stars and more!… I can’t recommend this book highly enough, the writing and the storyline are exquisite.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I couldn’t put it down… A heart-wrenching and emotional journey that will leave you in tears… My heart brokemultiple times throughout the story… Powerful…Gripping historical fiction novel that will tug at your heartstrings.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Reading this book absolutely broke my heart… A haunting story that will stay with me long after I’ve turned the last page… Heartbreaking historical fiction… Gripping and emotional…A must-read.’ Vegan Book Blogger,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘From start to finish, this book had me captured… Heart-wrenching… An emotional rollercoaster… I think I went through every emotion as I read this story. What a page-turner!’ @celticcaston, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Utterly brilliant, emotionally charged… This truly is one of the best books I’ve ever read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐