Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A fairly quick read. Anna's father disappears when the Nazi's occupy Poland and she ends up traveling with the mysterious Swallow Man.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was ok and as it progressed it got more interesting and questions started to form. But I have to say that the ending was very unsatisfactory because NONE of the questions were answered and even more questions were brought up
I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narration truly brought the story to life. It is a beautifully written story about a young girl and two men trying to survive in the midst of World War II while also attempting to preserve their humanity.
This is a sad book of loss. Of course it is, since it's a Holocaust book. Survival is hard. Would I read this with my students? Probably not. I prefer to read Holocaust books that are nonfiction with them. However, I would still recommend this book to them.
Well written story about a young girl who finds herself alone in Poland during WWII. Anna meets up with the Swallow Man and, thus, begins her travels across Poland and Gemany. Their wanderings tell how tragic war is for the innocent citizens of the countries warring. The book was very heartfelt and revealing.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
After losing her father in the Nazi’s purge of intellectuals, 7-year-old Anna finds refuge with a mysterious stranger known to her as the “Swallow Man.” For years, they traverse war-torn Poland on foot, relying on stealth and detachment for their survival. When Anna meets Reb Hirschl, a Jew who has escaped the Lubliner ghetto, she is endeared by his affability--the opposite of her Swallow Man’s cool remoteness--and worries that such a sincere man cannot survive on his own. Reb Hirschl’s addition to the traveling party seems to soften the found family dynamic, until a conflict over what actions are acceptable in the horrors of war drives them apart.
The third-person narration captures the tragic naivete of a child who knows only war, while also providing historical context beyond the characters’ immediate awareness. The language is at times verbose, but seems to mirror the protagonist’s precociousness, which fades with age. Unresolved plot lines and a vague ending are likely to frustrate some readers, but this ambiguity does not detract from the emotional effect of this highly contemplative novel. With a fable-like quality, the story seeks to encourage, rather than answer, questions that are sure to stay with the reader past the final page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Abandonment