Escaping the Whale by Ruth Rotkowitz

Escaping the Whale. The Holocaust is over. But is it ever over for the next generation? by Ruth Rotkowitz

Release: April 11th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Source: Random Things Tours
Find it at: Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, Book Depository

To everyone who knows her, 28-year-old Marcia Gold leads the perfect life. A high school guidance counselor in 1980 Brooklyn, New York who specializes in helping pregnant teens, Marcia thrives in her work. She also has a handsome, successful boyfriend who has won the approval of her Jewish, Holocaust-survivor family – no easy feat.

However, beneath the shiny surface lurks another reality. She carries the stigma of her family’s wartime frightening and debilitating panic attacks .The Iranian hostage crisis in the news adds fuel to the fire. Marcia becomes convinced that “demons” are occupying her closet and her mind. Determined to keep her terrifying secret life a secret, Marcia is pushed closer and closer to a breaking point.

A series of crises finally forces the explosion Marcia can no longer contain. She concots a plan to rid herself of her “demons,” and become a new person. Unfortunately, she discovers that her plan creates its own problems. Can she find another path out of her psychic pain, one that will lead her to true normalcy?

About the Author:

Ruth Rotkowitz is a second-generation child – the daughter of Holocaust survivors from Austria. This has informed much of her research and writing. She has published fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in a variety of anthologies and literary journals. Ruth was a staff writer and member of the editorial board of the (now-defunct) Woman’s Newspaper of Princeton, winning awards for many of her feature articles. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in English .Also she taught English on both the college and high school levels. She currently leads book talks in the Phoenix, Arizona area, where she lives with her husband.

Website | Goodreads

Escaping the Whale Review:

Escaping the Whale is haunting and atmospheric, yet emotional and vulnerable story, that creeps on you and leaves a mark.

I recently read an article about the post-traumatic stress that Holocaust survivors endure which fascinated me. Similarly, this book accurately depicts the psychological turmoil that Marcia faces that sends her life on a downward spiral.

There was one particular dialogue that Jason tells Marcia over their conversation, which is: “Sometimes you have to not let things get to you, Marcia. Otherwise, life just stops. You get nowhere.” There are many such passages in the story that beautifully summarizes my take on the story. Although WWII is over, humans as a species continue to fight and attack one another for the greater power. As a result, many become victims amidst all this and find it difficult to cope with reality. The story realistically depicts how a person like Marcia would suffers with mental health issues as the repercussion.

Speaking of Marcia, I thought she was wonderful as the main character. You know there is something different about her as soon as the author introduces her. At times, you just want to step into the pages and be by her side to help her. Moreover, even the supporting cast like Jason, Cheryl and Rochelle add well to the story.

However, the only minor criticism I have towards the novel is how it tends to get lengthy in certain places. For instance, the author provides counselling to various students like Lucy, Polly and Corrine, but they felt repetitive and redundant. Apart from that, this was a compelling read. Overall, I liked how the story dwells into the mind of next generation Holocaust Survivor.