The Uniform


Fiction - Thriller - General
188 Pages
Reviewed on 06/03/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

Author Biography

It's been a steady climb for G Gruen's writing life. First, as a creator of ads and commercials for the country's most prestigious advertising agencies. Before long, his original screenplays found homes inside a major movie studio and on assignment for several less major purveyors of the cinematic arts. With the publication of "The Uniform," he's become author of his own fiction and of the exciting next chapter in his writing career.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Joshua Olokodana for Readers' Favorite

In a place where most people, even his friend Herman, preferred the cold comfort of death to life, David Korda’s survival instincts refused to succumb. When Leibig offered David’s services to Frau Hausler in G. Gruen’s The Uniform, David suddenly found himself on a two-hour vacation. But when he saw the uniformed corpse of a Gestapo officer, visions of a life beyond the reach of the Reich flashed before him, and an impossible feat was set in motion. However, it was not to be, as Sturmbannführer Leibig caught up to him despite his disguise, and by the time he knew it, he was on the way to Ebensee prison camp. What a crime it was to be a Jew! Nevertheless, a mistimed honk, an overconfident Leibig, and a few injections of morphine were all it took to ensure that David was the one dropping off a feeble-minded “Jew” at Ebensee. But David’s "Old Testament" revenge barely lasted long enough to get him through the gates of Ebensee before the Germans discovered his trick. He’s lucky enough to be traveling the rugged terrain to Switzerland atop an Olympian horse, but can David outrun the Wehrmacht?

The Uniform by G. Gruen is the heart-rending narration of David Korda’s experience of what it meant to be a Jew during the Third Reich. It depicts the brutality meted out to Jews and the complicity of people who took advantage of it to elevate their social status. The plot was poignant and loaded with unabashedly grim scenes. I never thought a story could truly convey horror and humor simultaneously, but Mr. Gruen’s expert portrayal of David as a person who wore his sense of humor like a badge did the trick. His writing was flawless! Yet, I couldn’t keep my heart from pounding as I saw David’s chances improve and diminish throughout the book. It was a breathtaking rollercoaster, and knowing that it was inspired by actual events made it even more unnerving. Although the novel was narrated in the third person, I'm pleased it didn’t overlook the tendency of the Nazi officers to do anything for survival or promotion. I'm convinced that The Uniform’s frankness and polished writing, with its colorful touches of humor, ensure its status as one of the best Holocaust-themed books.

Olga

Great book. Unusual and brutal twists and turns took me with the protagonist as he endured and or outwitted Nazi sadism with his clever grips on survival.