The unbelievable hate and brutality of the Holocaust can make reading a personal account of that time feel too depressing to undertake. And Rena's Promise is suffused with soul-wrenching sadness. But, ultimately, Rena Kornreich Gelissen's memoir of her years in Auschwitz and Birkenau will leave you staggered and uplifted by the power of love, hope, and courage. The details of daily life in the concentration camps with her sister are heartbreakingly vivid, but the small kindnesses that are shared shine with a beautiful intensity. You'll be profoundly moved by Rena's brave heart and graceful character - her story is one to be remembered.