Day After Night

There seems to be so much fiction that takes place during WWII. Experiences of war, concentration camps, escape and survival are told again and again. But there isn't a lot of fiction about right after the war. What happened to the Jews after they were liberated from the camps? Where did they go? What did they do? How did they go on with their lives? The extent of my knowledge ends with the death of Hitler, so it was enlightening to read Anita Diamant's new book, Day After Night, which follows four Jewish women who leave Europe after the war and head to Israel. Once they reach Israel, they are considered illegal immigrants and placed in Atlit, which was a detention center for Jewish immigrants seeking refuge in Palestine. Each woman must face the uncertainty of her future while confronting her own scars and memories. Although each woman's experience during the war has been quite different, they form a very close bond that sustains them during their time at Atlit. This was a great read, with well-developed and distinct characters, vivid descriptions of Atlit and Israel, and although their histories are quite horrific, the ending leaves the reader with a sense of hope.