Back to Wheel of Books
Cover of We Were the Lucky Ones

We Were the Lucky Ones

by Georgia Hunter

Fiction Historical FictionBook ClubWorld War IiHistoricalHolocaustAudiobook

Book Description

Amidst the chaos of World War II, a family is torn apart by fate, each member embarking on a harrowing journey for survival. Fear, courage, and sheer willpower collide as they face unimaginable challenges and unbreakable bonds are tested. Their struggle unfolds across continents and years, weaving together heart-wrenching losses and fleeting moments of hope. With every decision that could mean life or death, their fate hangs in the balance. Can love truly prevail against the darkest of times? Will the ties that bind them remain unbroken as they search for a way back to each other?

Quick Summary

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter is a powerful historical novel inspired by the true story of her own family’s survival during the Holocaust. As war engulfs Europe, the Polish-Jewish Kurc family is split apart and forced on perilous journeys through a continent rife with danger. Each family member—parents, siblings, children—faces personal trials, from forced labor camps to life in hiding or desperate flights to distant lands. Despite staggering odds, their faith, resilience, and determination to reunite drives them onward. The narrative alternates perspectives, highlighting the courage and resourcefulness exhibited in humanity's darkest hour. With sensitive storytelling, Hunter crafts a moving tapestry of hope, heartbreak, and the enduring strength of familial bonds against the backdrop of World War II.

Summary of Key Ideas

Family Bonds Amid Adversity

The Kurc family, rooted in Radom, Poland, leads a vibrant life before World War II erupts and shatters their existence. As Nazi oppression begins to target Poland’s Jewish population, the family’s unity is threatened. Matriarch and patriarch Sol and Nechuma struggle to maintain hope as their adult children are scattered by circumstance—each embarking on their own path sundered by war. The reality of occupation sets in, and the Kurcs grapple with the terror of persecution, the loss of freedoms, and the urgency of survival.

Survival and Resilience during the Holocaust

Individually, each family member confronts life-altering choices. Some, like Genek and Herta, are deported to Siberian labor camps, while others, such as Addy, flee across borders, risking everything to escape. Mila and Halina, remaining in Poland, face starvation, grief, and the constant fear of detection. Through alternating chapters, the novel vividly conveys the harrowing dangers and relentless challenges inflicted by shifting fronts, antisemitic policies, and the ever-present risk of betrayal.

Hope in Times of Darkness

Despite these hardships, unwavering resilience emerges as the family’s defining feature. The Kurcs rely on ingenuity, quick thinking, and acts of compassion—both from strangers and within their ranks—to adapt and survive. Risk-taking becomes necessity as each member fights for their life and clings to the hope of reunion, illustrating the critical role of courage, resourcefulness, and faith even as despair seems inescapable.

The Impact of War on Identity and Belonging

Throughout their dangerous journeys, the Kurcs find solace and strength in their memories and in fleeting moments of human kindness. The devastating losses they endure—of loved ones, homes, and dreams—test their endurance, yet moments of hope and reunion underscore the novel’s emotional core. The disparate threads of their experiences eventually interweave as, against all odds, the family strives to be whole once more.

The Strength of Love and Reunion

We Were the Lucky Ones offers a deeply human portrait of survival against the tide of history. Georgia Hunter’s narrative honors the immense costs paid by individuals and families during the Holocaust while emphasizing the power of love and the enduring bonds that uphold us in even the darkest moments. The Kurcs’ story, though marked by suffering, ultimately affirms hope and the strength of the human spirit.