This book is not a genuine continuation of Wiesel's renowned memoir Night.

I consider this to be the most disappointing aspect of this book. When I approached it with extremely high expectations, eager to learn about how Wiesel's life unfolded after the unfathomable horror and the experience of living in concentration camps, it was quite a letdown to discover that this is a work of fiction.

Moreover, it focuses on only a very few days of an imaginary character. I truly felt cheated.

However, setting that part aside, I will now move on to highlight some truly excellent points that I liked about the book.

This novel is very concise and is written extremely well. It is very much in Wiesel's style. His writing is highly unique and captivating.

He perhaps dwells a bit too much on God, but I think he magnificently captured the dark thoughts and what is going on inside the head of a killer.

A killer who acts in the name of a nation, in the name of honor, and of so-called self-defense. A young boy, brainwashed, who attempts to hate the victim, tries to justify the terrible act that is about to occur, yet cannot truly find it within himself.

I give it "almost 4 stars" due to the powerful ending, which left me deeply disturbed and shaken.

I firmly believe that any book that evokes strong emotions in the reader should be read and is worthy of the time we invest in it.

He who has killed one man alone is a killer for life. He may choose another occupation; hide himself under another identity, but the executioner or at least the executioner's mask will always be with him.

Jan 24, 1130am

Before I embarked on reading, I was completely unaware that this second installment in the Night Trilogy was a novel.

The story is set in a time when the British were still in control of Palestine and the future Israelis were striving to break free from British rule.

Published in 1960, the preface to this particular edition was penned in 2006. Wiesel remarks, "This novel, my first, may be astonishing for its unexpected pertinence to our current era. Doesn't it pertain to hostage-taking, violence, and covert rebellion?"

The main character engages in a great deal of self-reflection, facing profound moral quandaries and philosophical inquiries that require deep thought.

It is truly disheartening that in 2025, there still exists "hostage-taking, violence, and clandestine rebellion."

It seems that we humans are perpetually trapped in a cycle of not maturing.

As usual, Wiesel's writing is a powerful and poignant exploration of the darkness that exists within the human experience.

He has a remarkable ability to describe the most inhumane actions with a sense of beauty and humanity, making his work both deeply moving and thought-provoking.

The sadness and tragedy that pervade his writing are palpable, yet there is also a certain beauty and quietness that emerge from his words.

Wiesel's work serves as a reminder of the atrocities that have been committed throughout history and the importance of never forgetting.

It forces us to confront the darker side of our nature and to strive for a more just and peaceful world.

His writing is a testament to the power of the human spirit to endure and to find meaning in even the most difficult of circumstances.

Overall, Wiesel's work is a literary masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers today.

A short and spare book delves into the thoughts of a 19-year-old Jewish man who enlisted in the Zionist effort to put an end to the British occupation of Palestine in the years following World War II. The young man finds himself burdened with a difficult task. If one of the Jewish freedom fighters is hanged, he is to kill a British Captain. This is an excellent and deeply sad story that has the power to resonate even today. It offers a glimpse into a tumultuous period in history, filled with conflict, sacrifice, and moral dilemmas. The young man's struggle to come to terms with his assignment and the implications it holds is a poignant exploration of the human condition. As we read this story, we are forced to confront the harsh realities of war and occupation, and to question the lengths to which people are willing to go in the name of freedom and justice.

This book came to me by accident.

One day, I was visiting the library at Anatolia High School in Thessaloniki. As is occasionally the case, there was a pile of books on a table outside the door - books that had been purged from the collection, free for the taking. I am usually wary of such books, as they are often not worth the trouble. Either they are falling apart or they are lousy books. But this one caught my eye because I had heard of one of Elie Wiesel's other books, "Night", due to it becoming one of Oprah's book club selections. Not that I follow her book club religiously, but I read just about any article I come across that recommends good reading material.

I initially thought that "Dawn" might be some sort of sequel to "Night", but it isn't. "Night" is an autobiography, the harrowing story of Wiesel's internment in the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944 and 1945. However, "Dawn" is a novel. It is considered to be part of a trilogy, along with "Night" and "Day", which draws on Wiesel's Holocaust experiences.

"Dawn" is very short; my edition was only 102 small pages with large print. It is listed as a novel but is really more of a novella. It is told in the first person by a teenage survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald who has been recruited in Paris and then trained in Israel in terrorist tactics against the English. This eighteen-year-old, Elisha, has been ordered to execute a captive British officer at dawn, and the story focuses on his personal anguish at being given this task. It takes place during the night before the execution, with flashbacks to earlier times. There is also a fantasy element, as ghosts from Elisha's past show up to keep vigil and converse with him, including his father, his mother, the rabbi who was his teacher, some other friends and acquaintances, and a small boy who represents a younger version of himself. Elisha realizes that the execution will change him forever, that he will become a murderer after he has committed this deed, but nevertheless he feels compelled to follow through with it.

This book is not to be read for entertainment. It is devastating, heartbreaking, and depressing. It shows a man at the mercy of a dark destiny that he cannot change, and it portrays war as an evil in which there are no winning sides. It is told succinctly, in direct, spare, and poetic prose. There is no excess or fluff. It is lean and abrupt, like a bullet in the brain. It is a parable that could apply to any war in any age, in which men who have no personal animosity towards one another nevertheless confront one another as enemies.

I recommend this book, but as I said, do not approach it lightly. It is the type of literary experience that has the power to change people, to knock the silliness out of them, to sober them up, and to cause them to confront their humanity. If you are up for this kind of profound and life-altering experience, give it a try.

The young soldier had narrowly escaped the horrors of the holocaust death camps.

Now, he found himself in a situation that was equally harrowing. He had been ordered to carry out the death sentence of a British officer.

The very thought of taking a man's life weighed heavily on his conscience. He wrestled with the decision in his mind, constantly tormented by the implications of the deed he had to do.

It brought about vivid nightmares, where he saw the faces of those he had left behind in the camps, and the ghosts of his past seemed to haunt him. Extreme guilt consumed him, as he questioned whether he could go through with it.

But, at the appointed hour, he mustered the courage to do his deed. And as he did, the ghosts seemed to fade away.

When it was all over, he looked in the mirror and saw his own face, forever changed by the events that had unfolded.

He knew that he would have to live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life.

I have already read a book by this author and I really enjoyed it. So much so that I was eager to read another one of their works. However, unfortunately, I didn't realize that this particular book was fiction.

I don't know the exact reason, but for some reason, I just don't enjoy fictional accounts about the Holocaust or its survivors. The true story of the Holocaust is already horrific enough on its own.

Anyway, despite the fact that this book is well written, I just couldn't seem to get into it. Maybe it's because my mind is so focused on the real events and the real people who suffered during that time.

I'm sure there are many people who will enjoy this book, but for me, it just didn't hit the mark. I think I'll stick to reading non-fiction when it comes to topics like the Holocaust.

This book is truly distinct from any other that I have perused.

It serves as the sequel to Elie Wiesel's renowned memoir Night. However, this time around, the narrative is fictional.

Given its fictional nature, it is immediately more palatable than Night.

The story centers on the morals and thought processes of a Holocaust survivor. After he becomes a part of the Jewish Resistance in Palestine, he is commanded to execute a British soldier.

This raises profound questions such as: Can the victim ever transform into the murderer? Do the misdeeds of others justify one in committing the same crimes against them?

The main character grapples with these moral conundrums.

It compelled me to contemplate matters that had never crossed my mind previously.

It offers a unique perspective on the complex themes of morality, vengeance, and the human psyche in the face of extreme circumstances.

Overall, it is a thought-provoking and engaging read that challenges the reader's preconceived notions.

From a literary perspective, among the two, Dawn stands out as a superior work of fiction compared to Day.

Dawn is characterized by its tighter structure, clearer narrative, and captivating prose. It manages to sustain tension throughout while delving into the subtleties of its theme. In contrast, Day gives the impression of being nebulous and cluttered, more like a stream-of-consciousness than a精心策划的 piece of fiction.

However, the significance of both books extends far beyond the realm of literature alone. Their purpose is of such magnitude that it cannot be fully grasped by those who have not endured experiences similar to those of the author.

For me, both books powerfully evoked the poetry of Paul Celan (Poems of Paul Celan, The Early Poetry of Paul Celan: \\"In the Beginning Was the Word\\"). His writing and life were constantly at the forefront of my mind as I immersed myself in these novellas.

It is as if the essence of Celan's work intertwined with the themes and emotions presented in Wiesel's books, creating a profound and lasting impact on my literary experience.

This connection between the two authors adds an extra layer of depth and complexity to the reading, making it a truly remarkable and unforgettable journey.

Unlike Night, which details Elie Wiesel's real experiences during the Second World War, this novel is a work of fiction. However, as Elie states in the Preface, the main character cannot be separated from him because the character is a survivor of a concentration camp. This experience has a profound impact on his writing of this character.

In the story, the character joins the Jewish resistance movement after being liberated. They have chosen him to execute a hostage, but this is what troubles him. Should he become a murderer? This moral dilemma is at the heart of the story and makes it a very thought-provoking short novel.

The author explores the complex emotions and decisions that a survivor of a concentration camp might face when trying to come to terms with their past and find a way to move forward. The character's struggle to decide whether to take a life in the name of resistance forces the reader to question their own beliefs and values.

Overall, this novel offers a unique perspective on the Holocaust and the human condition. It shows that even in the darkest of times, there is still room for hope, redemption, and the power of the human spirit.

Unfortunately,

the situation is still timely. This implies that despite the passage of time, the circumstances remain relevant or pressing. It could suggest that a particular issue or event has not lost its significance or urgency. Perhaps it is a problem that continues to persist or a matter that requires immediate attention. The use of "unfortunately" indicates a sense of disappointment or regret that the situation has not changed as one might have hoped. It serves as a reminder that we cannot afford to ignore or overlook the matter at hand. We must take action and address it promptly to avoid further consequences.

Timeliness is crucial in many aspects of life, whether it is in business, politics, or personal relationships. It allows us to make informed decisions, seize opportunities, and solve problems effectively. Therefore, it is essential to stay vigilant and be aware of the timely nature of the situation.

The Executioner, the Victim, and Death

It is not easy to look through the eyes and memories of someone who has survived the Death Camps. These are things that go beyond human comprehension, signs of the unclear battle between logic and metaphysics, the eternally wandering demons of creation and comfort. All these are things that are difficult to understand even after reading hundreds of books on the subject. "Night" was a test for the sensitive, and "Dawn" ("MY BOOK", 2021, translated by Kaloyan Pramatarov) is a test for the mind. To recognize a person like Eli Wiesel is like going through many transformations and constantly encountering death. And not because it is his only theme, but because he has already recognized it and is not afraid to meet it. Here, death does not come from Nazi gunpowder or certain poison, but from the post-war realities that question the eighteen-year-old boy in the Zionist group, determined at all costs to protect his values and ideals. This is a new test for Elisha and a reason to consider both sides of the coin - the executioner and the victim. But in this memoir, there is more. If you reason about the perishable and the imperishable, you are the philosopher of humanity. Your theses and solutions become the weekly part of life and death, and they carve clear paths for your descendants. Thus, Eli Wiesel becomes a symbol, whose reward is the Nobel Peace Prize.

(Continued in the blog: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/202...)