Ludwig (Lale) Eisenberg

Lale is the novel’s protagonist, and the majority of the novel follows his story. He comes from a well-to-do family in Krompachy, Slovakia. He is close with his mother, has a complex relationship with his abusive father, and has two beloved siblings: an older brother named Max, who has two young sons, and a younger sister named Goldie. Lale is confidant, educated, and goes by the motto: “always dress to impress” (3).

The novel opens when he arrives at Auschwitz at 25 years old. He volunteered to work for the Germans to keep his family safe and has no idea what is in store for him. He tries to remain calm and comforts the other young Jewish men that he is travelling with. He is given the number 32407 and is lodged in Block 7. He is intelligent and resourceful, and speaks Slovak, German, Russian, French, Hungarian, and a...