5 stars
Oh the tears I have cried. With each book I read set during WW II, I've yet to be ceased with amazement this war bestowed on civilians and soldiers alike. I learn something new with every book, every character and every story. And this book proved no different.
I was captivated from the very beginning and the only reason for having to stop reading was because life got in the way
.
This book is marketed as young adult, historical fiction but she holds nothing back in regards to the adult terrors of war. Though most of the characters are young, ranging from an abandoned 5 year old to a grandfather figure, they all suffered the ravages of war no one of any age should have to face.
"What a group we were. A pregnant girl in love, a kindly shoemaker, a blind girl and a giantess who complained that everyone was in her way when she herself took up most of the room. And me, a lonely girl who missed her family and begged for a second chance."
The story is set at the end of the war when Germany and Russia were fighting for final power...Stalin vs Hitler but may no mistake, these two weren't good vs evil...it was evil vs evil with neither sparing any lives to prove who is the most evil.
"No one wanted to fall into the hands of the enemy. But it was growing harder to distinguish who the enemy was"~ Joana, Latvian
"I moved from body to body, treating blisters, wounds, frostbite. But I had no treatment for what plagued people the most.
Fear.
Germany had invaded Russia in 1941. For the past 4 years, the two countries had committed unspeakable atrocities, not only against each other, but against innocent civilians in their path."~Joana, Latvian
The main characters in the story are traveling in danger as a group of refugees to get to a ship that promises to send them to safety. This part of the story is based on actual events of the war that the author researched. There was in fact a final edict for Germans to flee on a series of ships to sail to safety away from the upcoming Russian invasion. The story of the ship in the book is an actual event that happened but very little is ever mentioned when studying or discussing WW II tragedies. The characters' stories are based on those who survived this tragedy.
This book will be shelved on my "must-read" list and as one of my favorites. The writing style is obviously that of young adult fiction with a minor love story entwined. I loved every character, even those who seem unlovable. You can't help but recognize that the effects of the war from propaganda to mere experience helped mold them into the character they are...the good, the bad and the ugly.
There are elements of mild wartime gore and wartime peril. There is mild offensive language but used as emphasis as you would imagine during this time. This is not prominent throughout the book, only a handful of times. No sexual scenes but as mentioned a light love story entwined as typical of young adult fiction. You realize this element only adds to the humanity of the story.
I highly recommend this for older teens who can handle wartime tragedy and especially any adults who want to learn more of WW II set outside the stories of Americans. It will certainly bring more awareness of just how we need to always understand the worst of history, so generations to come will do their best to prevent it to never happen and fight for justice of the present evil we see happening even as I type this.
Oh the tears I have cried. With each book I read set during WW II, I've yet to be ceased with amazement this war bestowed on civilians and soldiers alike. I learn something new with every book, every character and every story. And this book proved no different.
I was captivated from the very beginning and the only reason for having to stop reading was because life got in the way
.This book is marketed as young adult, historical fiction but she holds nothing back in regards to the adult terrors of war. Though most of the characters are young, ranging from an abandoned 5 year old to a grandfather figure, they all suffered the ravages of war no one of any age should have to face.
"What a group we were. A pregnant girl in love, a kindly shoemaker, a blind girl and a giantess who complained that everyone was in her way when she herself took up most of the room. And me, a lonely girl who missed her family and begged for a second chance."
The story is set at the end of the war when Germany and Russia were fighting for final power...Stalin vs Hitler but may no mistake, these two weren't good vs evil...it was evil vs evil with neither sparing any lives to prove who is the most evil.
"No one wanted to fall into the hands of the enemy. But it was growing harder to distinguish who the enemy was"~ Joana, Latvian
"I moved from body to body, treating blisters, wounds, frostbite. But I had no treatment for what plagued people the most.
Fear.
Germany had invaded Russia in 1941. For the past 4 years, the two countries had committed unspeakable atrocities, not only against each other, but against innocent civilians in their path."~Joana, Latvian
The main characters in the story are traveling in danger as a group of refugees to get to a ship that promises to send them to safety. This part of the story is based on actual events of the war that the author researched. There was in fact a final edict for Germans to flee on a series of ships to sail to safety away from the upcoming Russian invasion. The story of the ship in the book is an actual event that happened but very little is ever mentioned when studying or discussing WW II tragedies. The characters' stories are based on those who survived this tragedy.
This book will be shelved on my "must-read" list and as one of my favorites. The writing style is obviously that of young adult fiction with a minor love story entwined. I loved every character, even those who seem unlovable. You can't help but recognize that the effects of the war from propaganda to mere experience helped mold them into the character they are...the good, the bad and the ugly.
There are elements of mild wartime gore and wartime peril. There is mild offensive language but used as emphasis as you would imagine during this time. This is not prominent throughout the book, only a handful of times. No sexual scenes but as mentioned a light love story entwined as typical of young adult fiction. You realize this element only adds to the humanity of the story.
I highly recommend this for older teens who can handle wartime tragedy and especially any adults who want to learn more of WW II set outside the stories of Americans. It will certainly bring more awareness of just how we need to always understand the worst of history, so generations to come will do their best to prevent it to never happen and fight for justice of the present evil we see happening even as I type this.
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