The Last Checkmate A Novel
The Last Checkmate A Novel by Gabriella Saab, published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2021, is a historical fiction work that spans 408 pages. Set during World War II, the narrative follows Maria Florkowska, a young Polish resistance fighter who finds herself imprisoned in Auschwitz. As a political prisoner, Maria uses her chess skills to negotiate her survival while seeking justice for her family, who have been tragically lost to the horrors of war.
Readers will discover a gripping tale of resilience and strategy as Maria navigates the brutal realities of life in the concentration camp. Befriended by a Catholic priest, she grapples with her grief and formulates a plan to confront her captor, Karl Fritzsch, who exploits her talent for his own amusement. The story delves into themes of family life, political struggle, and the psychological toll of war, culminating in a high-stakes chess match that symbolizes her fight for justice and survival.
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A PopSugar Best Book of the Year!
Readers of Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz and watchers of The Queen’s Gambit won’t want to miss this amazing debut set during World War II. A young Polish resistance worker, imprisoned in Auschwitz as a political prisoner, plays chess in exchange for her life, and in doing so fights to bring the man who destroyed her family to justice.
Maria Florkowska is many things: daughter, avid chess player, and, as a member of the Polish underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, a young woman brave beyond her years. Captured by the Gestapo, she is imprisoned in Auschwitz, but while her family is sent to their deaths, she is spared. Realizing her ability to play chess, the sadistic camp deputy, Karl Fritzsch, decides to use her as a chess opponent to entertain the camp guards. However, once he tires of exploiting her skills, he has every intention of killing her.
Befriended by a Catholic priest, Maria attempts to overcome her grief, vows to avenge the murder of her family, and plays for her life. For four grueling years, her strategy is simple: Live. Fight. Survive. By cleverly provoking Fritzsch’s volatile nature in front of his superiors, Maria intends to orchestrate his downfall. Only then will she have a chance to evade the fate awaiting her and see him punished for his wickedness.
As she carries out her plan and the war nears its end, she challenges her former nemesis to one final game, certain to end in life or death, in failure or justice. If Maria can bear to face Fritzsch–and her past–one last time.
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