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Yecheskel Rubin
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What We Lost in the Shadows: A Historical Family Saga (The Shadow Chronicles Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Yecheskel Rubin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
They thought they left the pains of war and hatred behind them. But the wounds of the past do not fade easily.

Poland, 1945. Joseph Tauber may have survived the atrocities of war, but he does not feel grateful for his new chance in life. After his father was killed in a concentration camp, and his brother died in his arms during a death march, Joseph has nowhere to go. Left with no other choice, he enlists in the Polish army, but after being framed for a heinous crime, Joseph is forced flee.

Czechoslovakia, 1945. Adele Pletzker is finally free to come out of hiding and embrace her Jewish identity. But as antisemitism still runs rampant in her village, it is far from safe for her to simply exist. She finds comfort in Leo, a young Jewish man suffering from the same situation, but as the threat to their lives becomes violently real, the two must run before it’s too late.

Jerusalem, 1990s. After Joe is injured in a terrorist attack in a synagogue trying to save a woman from gunfire, he meets Adele, a kind caretaker sent to help him recover. As they get to know each other and discover similar scars from the terrible war, they form a deep connection only survivors can understand. But the more they will uncover about each other, the more they will learn they are bound by secrets they are not ready to face.

What We Lost in the Shadows is a poignant and heartbreaking post-war family saga that explores how the traumas of the past continue to haunt future generations and how the power of love might heal the worst wounds.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Shadow Chronicles
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    May 4, 2025
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The book explores the theme of how the traumatic experiences of WWII survivors influence their descendants. It explores how survival-driven choices, made under chaotic and desperate circumstances, shaped family dynamics and societal structures, often leading to challenges for subsequent generations. The narrative delves into these inherited struggles through fictionalized accounts rooted in historical reality, addressing the enduring question: How long will these old "seams"—symbolizing the scars of the past—continue to unravel and affect future generations? I needed to deeply reflect on these issues, which were heavily inspired by my own personal experiences as a second-generation Holocaust survivor.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DFTV947Z
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 4, 2025
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The Shadow Chronicles
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

About the author

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Yecheskel Rubin

Yecheskel Rubin

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Yecheskel Rubin was born in Poland to a family of Holocaust survivors. He emigrated to Israel in 1950, surrounded by survivors who could not overcome the horrors of the Holocaust. As an IDF soldier, Rubin served as an operating room orderly in the Medical Corps. His first novel, Biafra, was written after his experience during the 1968 humanitarian aid delegation to Nigeria.

Rubin dedicated his second novel, After the Darkest Hour, to the victims of the Holocaust. He firmly believes that only by facing the trauma can one regain normalcy in life.

Rubin has been married for over fifty years and has three children and nine grandchildren. He is actively involved in several volunteer organizations and writes extensively about the struggles and survival of others.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
35 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Sharon Coleman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Learned a lot about the holocaust that i didn't know. Very strong characters. Well written and is very good with going to the past and back to the present
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Joe,Adele,Henry Adam
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Victims of horrible atrocities yet they survived. Reluctant to tell their stories yet seeking to find answers. Their lives were intertwined and continuously followed paths seeking truth. Heart breaking and yet a love story.
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  • Liesl
    5.0 out of 5 stars The lingering effects of unspoken histories and generational trauma.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2025
    A poignant historical family saga about love, loss, and survival after World War II. With emotional depth and haunting humanity, Rubin explores the lasting scars of history on a family’s future. With emotional precision and unflinching humanity, readers are offered a haunting meditation on identity and the shadows cast by the past.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Hampus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply moving, fantastic read.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2025
    I really enjoyed reading what we lost in the shadows. Yecheskel does a great job in telling a very complex story of generational bonds filled with hardship and the importance of family. The story is deeply moving and filled with sections that will have you really appreciate family and the strong bonds that make us come out stronger even in the toughest battles.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Isabella
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Legacy of Silence, A Family’s Reckoning
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025
    The authors deeply affecting historical saga follows a family’s journey through displacement, memory, and survival across generations. An unearthing buried history with lyrical precision, revealing how even the faintest echoes of the past can shape the present.
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  • Shannon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Generations of Tenacity
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025
    Generations of tenacity, temerity and resilience abound in this beautifully written novel. This is a multi-generational glimpse into a family that has had more than its share of heartbreak. From 1945 to the 1990s, we encounter the brutality of history and the effect on the everyday person. This novel was written with attention to character development. I found myself rooting for them and often left with disbelief at the atrocities of mankind. An excellent read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • SpeedyGrandma
    1.0 out of 5 stars Confusing, unbelievable, negative and depressing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Reading WHAT WE LOST IN THE SHADOWS by Yecheskel Rubin was like working a jigsaw puzzle with lots of pieces missing--frustrating. Three main characters have experienced trauma of all kind during WWII in Poland and Czechoslovakia which haunt them into the modern day. They did not know each other at all then, but now their paths cross in a very profound way. There was just wayyyy too much coincidence to be believable. It kept hopping around all over the place, and I was constantly searching back to figure out if that person was the same one I thought they were. The writing felt so proper and stilted both in the narration and dialogue that it also detracted from realism but, in fairness, perhaps translation caused that. And the overall story was so negative and depressing; every story should have some happiness included for relief purpose. It was less than 300 pages, but felt like 3,000. Just not a book for this reader, nor would I recommend it. But if you love sad, "gripping" books (as publishers so love to tout), grab your tissues and dive in.
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  • Mené
    5.0 out of 5 stars Echoes of the past
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025
    This sweeping family saga blends history and emotion in a way that feels both personal and profound. Rubin crafts a compelling story that spans generations, capturing the heartache, resilience, and quiet strength of those shaped by shadowed times.
    One person found this helpful
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