Like Embers in the Night by Andrew Goliszek:

Winner: Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Synopsis: During Stalin's brutal reign of terror, Janek, a Polish soldier, and his wife, Wanda, endure the horrors of Soviet labor camps and Siberian gulags as World War II rages across Europe. While millions perish, they endure the invasion of Poland by Germany and Russia and then miraculously survive mass deportations, imprisonment, torture, and starvation. Broken both physically and emotionally by their near-death experiences and the unspeakable atrocities of war, Janek and Wanda are reunited seven years after he marched off to defend his country. They must begin a new life and try to forget the many scars of their past, but where? And can they ever truly forget all that happened to them while they were apart. Andrew Goliszek's gripping novel is based on the incredible true story of what two people endured when the world was on fire and all hope seemed lost.

Book Reviews

“Like Embers in the Night” by Andrew Goliszek is a haunting, evocative tale of World War Two and its aftermath, with a focus on the horrors inflicted on the Polish people. The book opens with a graphic reference to Auschwitz and moves to recalling the Katyn massacre. How people and society can ever heal after such appalling losses is an enduring question, and the two central characters, Wanda and Janek, continue to be prisoners of the past. “Like Embers in the Night” commences in 2004, in Ohio. Wanda has dementia, and, with such memories stored in her mind, returns to lucidity are not particularly welcome and only bring further pain. On occasion Wanda remembers Janek, and reminisces that he is handsome. Such recollections are heartbreaking, and the reader will wonder how one person is to survive such continuing pain. The narrative then moves to 1939, in Lwow, Poland. The significance of the timeframe is obvious, and the unfolding story well-written. Janek, a Polish officer, is captured, and is fearful of the fate of his wife Wanda and daughter Sophie. He is taken to a prison camp, where further graphic scenes play out. The terror is not only physical. Told that “Poland no longer exists” he realises that he and his fellow soldiers will be forced to give up personal information, which will then be used against them. Janek lies about the existence of Wanda and Sophie in an effort to save them. The utter hopelessness of Poland and its displaced and traumatized people is profound.

Both Wanda and Janek are compelling characters with distinct and believable personalities and character arcs. There are secondary characters; family members, a sympathetic nurse, terrifying occupiers. Throughout it all, Wanda’s spirit shines, and every reader will relate to Janek’s focus on protecting his family and his country, although at great personal cost. The characters’ personal relationships are all authentic, particularly Wanda and Janek, who must reconnect after finally being reunited. The pacing of the book is measured, but appropriate for the storyline, and historical background is skilfully woven into the overall narrative. “Like Embers in the Night” also focuses on the post-war period, and the situation of immigrants to the United States of America from war-torn Europe. Such a major voyage and re-settling means further upheaval, although great opportunity awaits.

The ending of “Like Embers in the Night” is deeply emotional, but will satisfy the reader, bringing the story of Wanda and Janek, their family and their homeland around in a full circle. “Like Embers in the Night” is a heartrending story that will stay with the reader for some time after the final page is finished. That is the mark of well-written historical fiction; Wanda and Janek will seem very real to the reader. It is one of the world’s great tragedies that the pages of this gripping fictional novel were the reality of life for so many millions of their generation. An immersive return to one of history’s darkest chapters, where the human spirit survives the unthinkable. An absorbing read!

-Historical Fiction Company Reviews

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A woman's reflection on her and her family's life during World War II in Poland.

During Stalin's brutal reign of terror, Janek, a Polish soldier, and his wife, Wanda, endure the horrors of Soviet labor camps and Siberian gulags as World War II rages across Europe. While millions perish, they endure the invasion of Poland by Germany and Russia and then miraculously survive mass deportations, imprisonment, torture, and starvation. Broken both physically and emotionally by their near-death experiences and the unspeakable atrocities of dictatorships and of war, Janek and Wanda are reunited seven years after he marched off to defend his country. They must begin a new life and try to forget the many scars of their past, but where? And can they ever truly forget all that happened to them while they were apart...

Nearing the end of her life and battling dementia, Wanda is living in a nursing home with the Sisters of Saint Francis. Her memory comes and goes, and she often thinks about her late husband, Janek. Memories of him come with memories of war. Through flashbacks, we see both Janek’s and Wanda’s experiences. Janek is sent off to fight in the west, leaving Wanda and their young daughter, Sophie, behind. The Soviets soon move into their city of Lwow and begin meticulously erasing all traces of Polish culture. This includes the destruction of buildings, the outlawing of religion, and even the banning of the Polish language. The horrors only get worse for Wanda, Sophie, and Janek, who ends up being captured.

Like Embers in the Night is rich with history. I learned a lot about Poland, both what the country and its citizens went through during the war as well as its culture and faith. Of course, the emphasis is on the horrors brought on by the Nazis and Soviets both in brutality and ideology. Straight away, I was absorbed into the story. The eloquence of the writing has a hypnotic element that makes thirty pages go by in what feels like a heartbeat despite it not being dialogue-heavy. This kind of well-crafted writing can be difficult to come by, and I think a lot of this is a testament to the author’s obvious passion for the subject matter.

Along with the eloquent writing is its ability to convey the story’s atmosphere. I have read countless historical fiction books in this and similar settings and only a few have immersed me as deeply as this book did. The material is haunting but also hopeful. I especially enjoyed how much faith was incorporated, offering a bonus history of Poland's deeply rooted Catholicism. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I plan on purchasing a physical copy so I can do a deeper reread. This is the kind of book that deserves a devoted amount of time spent with it for reflection.

-Reedsy Discovery Book Review

Like Embers in the Night is set during World War II. It follows the lives and trails of Polish soldier Janek and his wife Wanda, who manage to survive Soviet labor camps and Siberian gulags as they struggle to stay live and connected even as their familiar world devolves into chaos. If the events featured in this book seem exceptionally vivid (a warning for sensitive readers), it’s because descriptions are powered by the memories of author Andrew Goliszek’s sister Sophie, who survived war, dictators, and prison camps. This gives Like Embers in the Night a hard-hitting feel that brings the 1939 siege of Poland to vivid life from its opening chapters:

Wanda sat trembling as she rocked back and forth, clutching six-year-old Sophie to her chest so tightly her hands grew numb. The electricity in the city had been out for days. Water was scarce. What little food she had left would run out in a week. Through a small broken window, she could see and hear the nonstop barrage of artillery fire off in the distance. Fingers of thick black smoke rose columnlike along the horizon and swirled eastward in the cold wind. For days, the pungent stench of death and decay had descended upon the city of Lwow like a shroud.

Readers need not hold prior familiarity with the history of Poland or the events of 1939 in order to enjoy Goliszek’s story. History comes to life with no prerequisite for anything but a basic interest in wartime events and how ordinary people survive them. Like Embers in the Night will attract a wide audience with its compelling reviews of impossible-to-survive situations and how each character makes compromises and forms strategies to endure. Goliszek’s story juxtaposes Wanda and Janek’s struggles as each face different challenges. These lead them to wonder if their personal survival is even important in the broader scheme of world affairs:

Hour after hour Janek worked, hungry to the point of near delirium, thinking of nothing but the sun setting in the west so he could march back to camp, eat what little they’d give him, and collapse like a dead man on his bunk. And as he watched the sun gradually fall from the sky and looked at the band of ragged men around him, he realized that one of the saddest things in life would be to die in that faraway land and eventually be forgotten. Nothing he’d ever done would matter, he thought, because generations after he was gone the only thing left of him would be distant memories and dusty photographs.

The delicate dances of contrast between characters, survivors, oppressors, and social and political struggle maintain a tension and sense of immediacy. This keeps readers thoroughly engrossed in not just the lives of ordinary people, but the special projects, objectives, and choices of nations under siege. Also notable and engrossing is the aftermath of war, in which Wanda and Janek continue to struggle over reconciling peacetime with the trauma of the war:

“Janek and I spent that first year in England trying to adjust to our new life together. I suffered with nightmares, screamed in my sleep, sometimes woke up crying, thinking I was back in the labor camps. But the worst nightmares were of my escape from Poland, and when Sophie was taken from me. It changed me…and I was never the same…never looked at people in the same way.”

With its hard-hitting “you are here” atmosphere and comparisons of trials and tragedy between different characters and nations, Like Embers in the Night is especially highly recommended for historical novel readers interested in vivid experiences of war and its aftermath. Libraries that choose Like Embers in the Night for their collections will also want to point book clubs and reading groups to the story, whether the subject of interest is World War II, survival tactics, or the wrenching, lasting impact of living alongside “people walking as if already dead.”

-Midwest Book Review

It is uncertain what the outcome will be when two people from different backgrounds fall in love despite all the odds against them and choose to stay in love despite those odds. But what was more uncertain was their fate after the German and Soviet invasion of their beautiful and dear country, Poland. Wanda and Janek were those two people; Wanda, who is from a wealthy home, risked being disowned by her parents to be with the man she loved, not minding that he came from a poor background. Wanda became pregnant, and they got married before moving to Lwow, where they had their first child, Sophie, who would also suffer the devastating impact of war. Janek went to a technical school, where he studied to become a civil engineer. After this, Janek became a Polish officer and was required to defend the Western Front when Germany launched its attack on Poland, not knowing what awaited him and his beautiful family in a land that they called home. With that, he said his goodbyes to his family and set off to battle, leaving his beloved wife, Wanda, and his daughter, Sophie, in Lwow vulnerable to the impact of war. But the question remains: will they live through the war to tell of their heart-wrenching and horrific experiences of hardship suffered during the war? It is left for you to find out as you set out to discover the history of World War II from a new and indispensable perspective in the book Like Embers in the Night by Andrew Goliszek.

If history is shaped by those in power, as stated by Wanda, how much of what we know is an accurate reflection of events? I was irritated by the acts of wickedness demonstrated in this book and found most of it unbelievable, so I had to reread some phrases to ensure I got the details right. It shows how war can bring out the most dreadful monsters in humans because the acts are inhumane; human life holds no value to the perpetrators of this evil. Being a fan of historical fiction, I like how most of the facts in this narrative are verifiable truths. After hearing so many stories about the Second World War, I realized how little I knew because everyone experienced it differently, and some never lived to tell their stories.

Although it was difficult to read some aspects of this book because of the sheer cruelty portrayed, I appreciated that the author did not withhold these truths because of how terrifying they are. While reading this book, it was palpable that the author chose to withhold some disturbing information and not share some in-depth, which is one of the many things I enjoyed about this book.

I rate this book five out of five stars because I disliked nothing about this book. The story was built around a love story set against one of history’s most unforgettable periods, seamlessly blending romance with historical events. The pacing is another aspect I liked about the book; it was moderate and easy to follow. Fans of historical fiction would enjoy this book, so I recommend it to them.

- Online Book Club *****

Andrew Goliszek’s Like Embers in the Night delivers a moving exploration of human endurance, inspired by real-life events during the Second World War and the grim realities of Soviet labor camps. At its core, the novel tells Wanda’s extraordinary story, a tale of survival, family, and love blossoming against the backdrop of unimaginable chaos. Goliszek juxtaposes human suffering with defiant acts of resistance, crafting a work of historical fiction novel that serves as a powerful testament to the indomitable will to persevere.

Through vivid and unflinching prose, Goliszek captures Poland’s anguish, caught between the brutalities of Soviet oppression and Nazi atrocities. The dehumanization faced by those imprisoned in labor camps and the relentless physical and emotional toll inflicted upon them leave a searing impression. Wanda’s resilience as a survivor of not just one but two merciless regimes resonated deeply with me.

The novel’s portrayal of war is unrelentingly raw, exposing the grim realities of trauma and suffering. Goliszek’s ability to immerse readers through evocative imagery and skillful storytelling is exceptional. Each scene pulses with intensity, making it nearly impossible not to feel the characters’ pain and perseverance. Particularly striking is the depiction of Wanda’s post-traumatic stress. Goliszek captures the subtle, heart-rending triggers, such as the delicate breath of a child, that unearth buried memories of Wanda’s darkest moments. These details lend an authenticity that lingers long after the final page.

At the emotional heart of the story is Wanda and Janek’s love, a relationship forged through shared hardship and sustained by hope. Their bond shines as a beacon in the pervasive darkness, offering glimpses of light amid the despair. The narrative structure, which alternates between Wanda’s present-day struggles with dementia in 2004 and flashbacks to her harrowing past, amplifies the emotional depth of her journey. Her unwavering love for her family becomes her anchor, sustaining her through unimaginable suffering.

Like Embers in the Night is an unmissable read for fans of historical fiction or those drawn to stories of resilience, love, and the triumph of the human spirit. Goliszek’s story not only immerses readers in the brutality of history but also leaves them with an appreciation for the strength and courage that emerges in the face of adversity. Rating: 5

- Literary Titan

Like Embers in the Night by Andrew Goliszek is a powerful and deeply emotional journey through one of history’s darkest periods. Set against the backdrop of Stalin’s brutal reign and World War II, the novel follows Janek, a Polish soldier, and his wife, Wanda, as they endure Soviet labor camps, Siberian gulags, and the horrors fo war. After years of separation, they are finally reunited, but survival doesn’t mean escaping the trauma of the past.

Author Goliszek’s ability to immerse readers in history is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The descriptions of war-torn Poland and the unimaginable conditions of the gulags are gripping and painfully realistic. It’s clear that the author has done meticulous research, making the historical backdrop feel authentic and visceral. The writing is vivid, and at times, unflinchingly raw, bringing the struggles fo Janek and Wanda to life in a way that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

What truly stands out, however, is the emotional depth of the story. Janek and Wanda are not just victims of war, they are complex individuals with fears, hopes, and a determination to survive. The novel doesn’t just focus on their suffering but also on their resilience and the emotional toll of trying to build a future after enduring so much. Wanda’s struggles with memory loss in her later years add another layer of poignancy, highlighting the lingering effects of trauma.

That said, the novel can be heavy on historical detail, which, while impressive, occasionally slows the pacing. Some moments could have been more condensed to maintain the flow of the story, especially in the middle sections. However, this doesn’t take away from the book’s impact.

For fans of historical fiction that doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of war but also explore the strength of the human spirit, Like Embers in the Night is a compelling read. It’s a story of survival, love, and the lasting scars of history.

- Reading Bud Reviews

Published by Wild Rose Press, New York; ISBN (print): 978-1-5092-5929-8; ISBN (digital): 978-5092-5930-4; 342 pages