Tag Archives: World War II

Review: The Voyage of the Sandpiper by Jessica Glasner

Book Review and Content, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
The Voyage of the Sandpiper by Jessica Glasner

The Voyage of the Sandpiper
Jessica Glasner
Hope House Press
Published July 17, 2019

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About The Voyage of the Sandpiper

“Your life will never be exciting if you’re afraid to risk becoming cold and wet. You and I, we throw caution to the wind! We swim to the greatest depths! We face the sea!”

Summer, 1939. When fifteen-year-old Agatha’s mother falls gravely ill, she is shipped off to the coast of Maine to live with her aunt, Edith Philipa Gordan, an eccentric writer who hasn’t finished a novel in decades and paints birds obsessively. What begins as a dull summer immediately takes a turn towards adventure with the arrival of Edie’s old beau, Horatio Macleay, and his handsome nephew.

With WWII looming on the horizon, Agatha and her new group of friends s race against time and across continents to complete their mission before it is too late. Along the way, Agatha learns the importance of trusting in the perfect timing of God and discovers the power of hope.

Write caption…

My Review

I think my favorite thing about this book is the time at which the story is set. If you read historical fiction at all, you’ve probably read at least one book about WWII– there are tons of books that focus on that time period, and it’s easy to understand why.

I liked that THE VOYAGE OF THE SANDPIPER showed events leading up to the war. There were a couple of moments where things came up that I had never thought about, known, or realized before. (For instance, when Germany adopted laws stripping Jewish citizens of certain rights, one character speaks against it, and another responds pointing out that she’s an American and making a comparison between the German laws against Jews and the Jim Crow laws against Black Americans. I can’t believe I’ve never thought of those two things side by side before– both horribly wrong. I just hadn’t considered them both in the same breath.)

Another thing I liked was the slow burn romance. There’s some tension and attraction, but so many other thing are happening. It wouldn’t have felt authentic at all if the characters stopped in the midst of a crisis to explore their feelings for one another. I think it would have been more satisfying if there had been a more active resolution to that part of the story, though.

I do wish that Agatha (who’s called Piper in the book) had more of an active role in the story. In terms of the active, heroic role, the story belongs more to her aunt Edie, and Agatha functions more as a sort of sidekick. I found myself wishing that it had been Agatha in the driver’s seat for some of the big intense moments in the story, instead of Agatha waiting to hear how her aunt manages to save the day.

I thought the spiritual elements were well-integrated into the story and felt natural to the characters. And I enjoyed the evolution of the characters and their relationships with one another. Overall, I think this is a nice read for historical fiction fans, and does a great job exploring some events leading up to WWII.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Representation
Some characters are Jewish. All are European or American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some attraction between Agatha and a boy.

Spiritual Content
Agatha and her aunt depend on their faith and take courage from reading the Bible to face their fears. A couple times, the story shows Agatha reading the Bible and how the scriptures specifically apply to situations she faces.

Violent Content
A brief description of a concentration camp. Situations of peril or urgency.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE VOYAGE OF THE SANDPIPER in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

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Salt to the Sea
Ruta Sepetys
Philomel Books
February 2, 2016

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About SALT TO THE SEA

World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety.

Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people—adults and children alike—aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

My Review

Okay, so not that you’ve been clocking my reading lists the last few years, but SALT TO THE SEA has been on my list since 2016. I’ve heard amazing things about Ruta Sepetys, but this is the first book of hers that I’ve finally read.

The writing is super compelling. Each character is distinct, down to their priorities, and how they behave. For instance, one refugee is a former shoe maker. He views every problem in the world as one of shoes. Whatever problem you’re facing, having the right shoes will make a huge difference. It may seem silly, but in the context of the story, it creates several powerful moments, and he shows so much compassion for others through the way he looks after their shoes.

The story can be pretty brutal. Lots of the brutality happens in passing, which means it’s not long descriptions, but they still tend to be sometimes horrifying. War brings out the best and the worst in humanity, and SALT TO THE SEA shows both.

I think in some ways, that brutality makes the point that war is horrifying. That we sometimes look back at history remembering the glorious victories, but we do not want to remember the civilians who were brutalized by advancing soldiers or who starved or froze to death. Or in this case, the tragic death of more than nine thousand people.

Readers interested in World War II history will find this little-explored event compelling and detailed. Sensitive readers may find some descriptions too brutal. See below for further content details.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Characters are mainly German or Eastern European.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity used.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Sensitive readers, beware. References to some super dark things. Characters hear rumors of horrors committed by the Russian army as they advance through Germany. References to rape. Some scenes show the events leading up to an assault. Some brief descriptions of the desperate things people do to escape the Russians: murder/suicide of an entire family, desperate people ultimately killing their small children trying to save them.

When the ship sinks, some people make sacrifices so others may live. Other people refuse to help those around them, even harming them in their desperation.

Drug Content 
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links which cost you nothing but which help support this blog.

Review: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Wolf by Wolf
Ryan Graudin
Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Published October 20, 2015

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About Wolf by Wolf

Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless.

My Review

Wow! This book was an incredible look at what the world might have been like had Hitler and Hirohito succeeded in conquering the Eastern Hemisphere. It had a lot of emotional depth while still being full of action. One of the things I appreciate most about this book is that while it didn’t gloss over the horrors of the Holocaust, it didn’t overwhelm the reader with graphic details either. Instead, Wolf by Wolf focused more on how those horrible events affected Yael personally–physically, emotionally, and mentally.

The narrative switches every chapter or so between the present and Yael’s past. While some readers might find this transition distracting, I felt like it was pretty seamless as a whole. I enjoyed learning more about Yael’s backstory and motivation as the story progressed, and this style managed to keep me informed while avoiding any info-dumps.

I loved how sensitive Yael was as a character as well. It’s something you don’t see very often in YA these days, where characters are all too willing to kill and murder “for the greater good.” Instead, Yael felt each death deeply. Even after going through such atrocities, and witnessing the despicable acts committed by the Third Reich, she was not numb to violence. I really appreciated her character in that respect.

My one criticism is that I would have liked to see more of what was going on in the Western Hemisphere (specifically the Americas) during this time. They were only mentioned in passing. Being an American myself, I am very curious to see how the author would have pictured American culture in such a time period. Perhaps in the sequel we will learn more.

I’m rating Wolf by Wolf 5 out of 5 stars. It is such a well-rounded novel, and I highly recommend reading it. Fans of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer who are looking for a revolution story with more of a historical bent will love this book, as will fans of WWII fiction wondering what the world would be like had Fascism won the day.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
The main characters are from Germania, and some of the secondary characters are from Japan. One main character is of Jewish descent. Some of the side characters are from other cultures (Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Soviet Russian, etc). Those of Aryan race (pale skin, blue eyes, blond hair) are given special status under the Third Reich. Non-Aryans are often considered less than human.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Frequent cursing in German.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two kisses, not described in depth. One rumor of an attack, possibly sexual in nature. One older character hints at desire for another, much younger character. Mention of the Lebensborn–the Third Reich’s human breeding program. 

Spiritual Content
One character prays in Yiddish to God. Memories of observing the Passover. Mentions of Norse mythology. God’s name is used for emphasis in phrases (“God knows,” “act of God,” “For God’s sake,” etc).

Violent Content
Many of the racers fight dirty, and attempt to attack, drug, injure/incapacitate other racers. Death plays a big part in this story–an assassination (fairly graphic), deaths in concentration camps, and another racer’s death all affect Yael. Disturbing medical procedures are also performed, and their aftereffects are not pleasant.

Drug Content
Characters attempt to drug each other (not lethally.) Some characters smoke, though this is presented in a negative light.


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Review: The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy

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The Disappearances
Emily Bain Murphy
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published July 4, 2017

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About The Disappearances
Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together–scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream–vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible–and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind.

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone’s secrets for long before it starts giving them up.

My Review
I loved the sort of ethereal, powerful descriptions that filled this story. Aila won me over right away, as did most of the other characters in the book. I liked that though it had a historical setting, it’s not a historical novel. It definitely has a fantasy/mystery feel to it.

The story unravels slowly, but picks up steam as it goes. There are a lot of elements to set up before the big push that sets off the major conflict. I liked trying to piece together the connections between the families from Sterling and Aila’s family and the mysterious man whose story we also follow through the novel.

Another great element to this tale is the way works of Shakespeare tie into the mystery. I liked the way the author used those familiar stories in a fresh and different way here to add an unusual flare to The Disappearances.

While I wouldn’t at all describe this as a dystopian tale, I feel like it would appeal to readers who like old-school, classic dystopian novels, like The Giver. Something about the remote, aloof town made me think of Jonas’s world. This might make a great book for kids aging out of middle grade and into young adult literature. While there are a couple of creepy scenes, it’s a pretty clean story overall. See below for more specific content information.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Takes place in a small town in America during World War II.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing, some feelings of attraction between a girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
A curse hangs over three towns. Every seven years, something disappears and all the people from the towns become unable to experience it. For instance, in the town, no one can see any reflections on windows, water surfaces, or in mirrors.

Violent Content
One character (an adult) takes an interest in a dark science experiment. Initially he tests his theories on mice, and at first feels badly about the suffering he causes them. Gradually, he stops feeling any remorse for them, and when it’s time to test his experiment on humans, he has no qualms about testing on an unwilling participant. The descriptions are more dark than violent, but definitely creepy. It’s not a major part of the story, but it creates a strong impression.

Drug Content
Inventors have found some substances (ground roots, etc.) which seem to temporarily reverse the effects of the Disappearances or to enhance natural human abilities. For instance, one substance allows you to run fast enough to run across the surface of water.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: The Baker’s Daughter by D. P. Cornelius

Book Review and Content, Historical, , , , , ,

The Baker’s Daughter
D. P. Cornelius
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Published February 1, 2017

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About The Baker’s Daughter
While chaos reigns over WW II Berlin, seventeen-year-old Liddy returns to her family’s bakery only to be confronted by a new customer — Keppler, a Nazi officer. Marek, a young man with a secretive past, labors just a few paces away in the kitchen, but where do his loyalties lie? With the Nazis? With Liddy?

Liddy’s father, Klaus, secures a night job as a prison guard where anti-Nazi dissident, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is being held. Klaus smuggles out the pastor’s letters, but tensions rise as Keppler establishes a tenuous relationship with Liddy’s young brother, Willy. Does the Nazi officer wish to recruit Willy, or is Keppler there to spy on Liddy’s family?

From air raids to the Hitler Youth, Liddy becomes enmeshed in a world of spies intent on betrayal. When Liddy makes a critical mistake that endangers a loved one, she faces a decision that puts her own faith on the line and her family’s safety in jeopardy.

My Review
I generally love World War II stories, possibly because when I was little, my mom read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom aloud to us, and then in my early teens I discovered the Zion Covenant by Bodie and Brock Thoene.

I liked that The Baker’s Daughter referenced some real life people. Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes a brief appearance, and Liddy’s family discusses some of the principles he teaches. Also, Betsie Ten Boom, Corrie’s sister speaks with Marek’s mother in a scene set in a concentration camp. It was cool to see them in the pages of this story.

One of the other things I liked was the tenuous friendship between Liddy and the Nazi officer Keppler. I liked that he wasn’t portrayed as simply an evil man. When Liddy looks past his cold exterior, she finds he nurses some wounds that have festered into deep bitterness, and she continues to reach out to him and to challenge him to love others and to question his actions from the perspective of what God would want him to do.

While I enjoyed some things about the story, I struggled with other elements. Adults make up most of the viewpoints in the story– Herr Keppler, Liddy’s mother, Marek’s mother. Some of the pivotal scenes happen in these adult points-of-view. I would classify this as general or adult fiction, not young adult fiction. Even the younger viewpoints don’t really read like YA.

Another thing I found frustrating was the fact that so many of the most interesting parts of the story happen off-scene. What does Marek’s role in the resistance look like? What dangers does he face on a regular basis? Why was his heritage and the danger it placed him in revealed so late in the story? It seemed to me a missed opportunity for tension. At one point, the story jumps ahead a year, and Liddy recaps some of the missed events in a letter to her grandmother. Some of those sounded exciting. In particular, the arrest of some of Marek’s resistance compatriots. Were the Nazis closing in on him? Was he worried?

The ending of the story left a lot of things vague. It also has more of a recap tone, which missed any strong sense of emotions on how Liddy felt about the events that took place just before.

On the whole, I thought there were some cool elements to the story. I liked that The Baker’s Daughter followed a typical German family in Berlin in Nazi Germany, and I liked the cameo appearances by well-known real-life heroes. The Christian world-view and themes are strong and well-represented. Readers looking for overtly Christian books will like the clear message of God’s redemptive love and forgiveness.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
German and Jewish characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Liddy and Marek seem to feel some attraction for each other, but their relationship doesn’t develop physically.

Spiritual Content
Marek spent a lot of time in a Catholic church. Liddy and her family are Christians and pray together as well as talk about spiritual precepts. Liddy begins to challenge the Nazi soldier who frequents her family’s bakery, asking him why he’s so critical and encouraging him to show love and kindness toward others. Later, she speaks to him about forgiveness and how God’s love is unconditional.

Violent Content
A bomb injures a boy and young woman.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Review: The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry

Book Review and Content, Historical, Sci-Fi, , , , ,

The Methuselah Project
Rick Barry
Kregel Publications
Published September 27, 2015

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After he’s shot down in 1943 Nazi Germany, American pilot Roger Greene endures a medical experiment at the hands of a German doctor. When a bomb destroys the facility, research, and all other participants, Roger finds himself swept away to a secret Nazi compound. There he survives while his captors try to recreate the data from the original experiment, an experiment which leaves Roger able to heal miraculously fast and removes the effects of his body aging.

In 2015, all Katherine Mueller has ever wanted to do is please her guardian and uncle. Lately, though, her uncle’s wishes push Katherine further into the ranks of a mysterious, closed society which begins to feel way too much like a cult for Katherine’s liking. As she wrestles with when and how to break away, the group offers her a deal: an easy assignment that would ensure Katherine’s promotion and her uncle’s pride. All she has to do is track down a young American man who thinks he’s a World War II pilot.

This isn’t my usual genre, since it’s really too old to be considered YA, but it’s a book that a trusted friend has recommended to me several times over the years, so I figured it was about time for me to actually sit down and read it!

Truth is, I really like historical fiction, especially stories that feature World War II. (I blame Bodie Thoene.) So it wasn’t hard to convince me to pick this one up as soon as I knew what it was about.

I liked Roger’s frank but often optimistic nature. He continually tried to see the best in people even when it wasn’t easy. I liked that he was more brain than brawn, but he wasn’t afraid of a fight, either. He doesn’t become a superhero after the experiment, but he does continue to fight for good as a normal human guy. I liked that, too.

Katherine hooked me with her sort of hodge-podge life. She’s trying to make it as a freelance editor, which is her passion, but doesn’t quite pay the bills. She moonlights as a taxi driver to pay her bills, and refuses her wealthy uncle’s aid in everything except membership to a secret society. Her bond with him felt natural and complex. She definitely came across like a girl still in that becoming-an-adult moment.

She also really, really wants a boyfriend, a desire I found both realistic and also sometimes made her seem shallow. I think I wanted her to have bigger aspirations than finding a man, and that being the big Point B she was looking for, if that makes sense. Honestly, though, it’s not unrealistic, and it doesn’t dominate the story. She’s also not looking for just a pretty face– she really wants someone whose strengths compliment her own.

The Methuselah Project definitely puts an interesting spin on a World War II story—it’s part Captain America and part spy novel. I liked the blend and found the characters really interesting. I think anyone who likes historical fiction and light romance, especially fans of The Zion Covenant series by Bodie Thoene and Brock Thoene will find The Methuselah Project to be a great read.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
All major characters are white and either American or German (or both).

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
At one point a woman approaches Roger and seems interested in sleeping with him. He misinterprets her advance and is confused more than anything else. Katherine longs for a boyfriend and spends a great deal of time trying to figure out how to find the right one. At one point a man pressures her to let him come to her apartment to have sex. She refuses, but feels horrible when he says cruel things to her afterward. Later, a man and woman briefly kiss.

Spiritual Content
Roger frequently remembers a woman who cared for him as a child telling him to pray. When trouble finds him, he does just that. While imprisoned, he asks for and receives a Bible and spends a great deal of time reading and studying it.

Violent Content
Roger shoots down enemy planes as a pilot during World War II. He briefly fights his captors. An ally attacks a man and leaves him tied up. An attacker shoots a woman and child who witness something secret. Gunfire is exchanged between Roger, his allies, and opponents a couple other times. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.