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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
The Right to Happiness by Helen Schary Motro is a collection of short stories, all revolving around survivors of the Holocaust, with each story ranging in length, tone, and tenor. In Three Hundred Zlotys, Ola returns to the ruins of Warsaw after the war, seeking aid but finding none. Jews reappear, as does her childhood friend Rega, who gives her money. They part, still wary despite newfound peace and an uncertain future. In German Lessons, Mordechai, a student in a German class in Tel Aviv, feels isolated from his younger classmates. He appreciates the class's camaraderie but is disheartened by what he finds at a film screening. In the story The Right to Happiness, Hilda reflects on her childhood in Berlin and fleeing to Cuba. In New York, she retains German-Jewish traditions, paying close attention to the Israeli-Egypt conflict while her son is preoccupied with preparing for his own simpler life.
Helen Schary Motro does well in showing us a variety of experiences and emotions in The Right to Happiness, and each story concludes with room for readers to consider the deeper themes within them. They are all distinct and read independently so it is impossible to distinguish any voice as similar to the voice of another story in the collection. The standout story to me is The Parade, following a girl who feels like she doesn't belong anywhere, disconnected from her observant community and yearning for American experiences like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As a mother, this really resonated with me. I felt it acutely and it is a testament to the power of Motro's compilation. I appreciate that, as reflections of life as it happens, and the impact of both first-hand and generational trauma, not every story has a happy ending. Still, they are satisfying, and the type you will return to reread many times. Very highly recommended.
