What World is Left (Orca, 2008) by Monique Polak tells the story of Anneke and her family as they are forced from their comfortable home and taken to Theresienstadt concentration camp, the site of a Nazi propaganda film. In the camp, Anneke and her family face disease and despair, as they struggle to do what is right. The novel is inspired by Monique Polak's mother, whose family spent two years in Theresienstadt. Perhaps this real life connection is why Anneke feels so real, a relatable teen whose dreams and desires manage to exist in the darkest of times. I read What World is Left and was pulled into another world. My heart ached for Anneke, but her spirit inspired me.
Last year, I had the opportunity to meet Monique at the Association of Jewish Libraries Convention in Montreal. Since I had loved What World is Left, I was excited to see Monique's presentation. What an experience! Monique is charming, passionate, and dynamic. It was as if Anneke had come to share her story – an absolute highlight of the convention. I’m delighted to welcome Monique to my blog! I know you’ll love her, too.
What World is Left is based on your mother’s experiences. How did you balance your family history with the fictional aspect of the story?
My mother is now 83. When I interviewed her for the project about five years ago, she already had difficulty remembering specific facts. That is one of the reasons I decided to fictionalize her experience.
The other reason is that my mum insisted she had never -- not for a second -- questioned her father's actions. To clarify, her father (my grandfather) Jo Spier was a well known Dutch artist. When the Nazis found out who he was, they forced him to produce propaganda art. What interested me most was writing about a girl who questioned her father's actions. Even my decision to fictionalize this part of the story was difficult for my mother (and also for her brothers). But I felt this was an issue that would make the book resonate with contemporary readers. I think it's the central question in the book. What would readers do if they were faced with a similar situation? How far would any of us go to keep our families alive?
My narrator Anneke is kind of a mix of my mother and m
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