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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
This book was good! At times it was a little unbelievable and I got frustrated with the protagonist a lot. It was weird to read a book portraying Hitler like this one did during the first half. I like how it was based around historical events! Didn't give it five stars because I wasn't very fond of the Authors writing style, but it was still worth the read!
I liked the parallels drawn between Reinhard and Hitler. It shows that a psychopath can come in all shapes and sizes. Hitler is also slightly portrayed as a pervert that likes young girls, which may or may not be true because I haven't researched it yet.
I like when a book makes me want to research more into the events that happened in it. Reading A Prisoner of Night and Fog was like a breath of fresh air because not many books are about Hitler's rise to power, and even fewer are about a German girl in his inner circle.
Gretchen's mother also frustrated me, though I know the love she has for her children is very strong. The mother creates an environment that rotates around her psychopath son and often forgets that her daughter is equally as important. The author tries to show how people move around known psychopaths, and how easy it is for one to rise to a position of power when people are willing to cater to them.
The love between her and the Jew, Daniel, also puts things into perspective. I just feel like she crumbled to fast in pushing away her old beliefs. When something has been drilled into you for so long, you don't easily give it up in a span of five minutes. Though the author uses Gretchen's initial belief about what a Jew really is, and throws it into stark contrast beside who Daniel is to show the readers how the Nazi's thought about non-Aryans.
If you are a fan of WWII era events, and want to dive into a horrific world of brain-washed people, then this book is one for you!
I liked the parallels drawn between Reinhard and Hitler. It shows that a psychopath can come in all shapes and sizes. Hitler is also slightly portrayed as a pervert that likes young girls, which may or may not be true because I haven't researched it yet.
I like when a book makes me want to research more into the events that happened in it. Reading A Prisoner of Night and Fog was like a breath of fresh air because not many books are about Hitler's rise to power, and even fewer are about a German girl in his inner circle.
Gretchen's mother also frustrated me, though I know the love she has for her children is very strong. The mother creates an environment that rotates around her psychopath son and often forgets that her daughter is equally as important. The author tries to show how people move around known psychopaths, and how easy it is for one to rise to a position of power when people are willing to cater to them.
The love between her and the Jew, Daniel, also puts things into perspective. I just feel like she crumbled to fast in pushing away her old beliefs. When something has been drilled into you for so long, you don't easily give it up in a span of five minutes. Though the author uses Gretchen's initial belief about what a Jew really is, and throws it into stark contrast beside who Daniel is to show the readers how the Nazi's thought about non-Aryans.
If you are a fan of WWII era events, and want to dive into a horrific world of brain-washed people, then this book is one for you!
This is a book I am sad I read so early because I have no-one to discuss it with. I really liked that it is a very different point of view than what is usually approached in WWII fiction. There were a couple of times early on that I wanted to shake Gretchen but that's because obviously the reader knows something that Gretchen doesn't. We know what is going to happen next. One of the questions that has always haunted me is "how did it happen?" and this book delves into that at least in part. Gretchen's realization of what Hitler plans to do is slow but realistic.
Anyway this book made me cry in parts.
Anyway this book made me cry in parts.
A pretty good, enjoyable read. It was accurate and honest. It kind of felt like some scenes were brushed aside, as well as some characters. Possible recommendation.
You can't really complain for lack of writing skill or mastery of plot-creation, here. The story flowed well, the writing was magnificent, and the plot was original, in its own right.
However, an emotional connection was lost in all that history. I never really felt connected to the characters—whether that's the author's fault or mine is irrelevant. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
However, an emotional connection was lost in all that history. I never really felt connected to the characters—whether that's the author's fault or mine is irrelevant. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
There are some important things you should know before reading this review.
First of all, Prisoner of Night and Fog was my most highly anticipated release in 2014, which I think we can all say really means something in the world of book blogging.
Second of all, I had doubts that the author could live up to my expectations that I have found in other books set in this time period. Most notably, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.
And finally going into this novel I was in a major reading slump. (Major as in, in the past few weeks I read next to nothing!)
Somehow Prisoner of Night and Fog managed to surpass my expectations and become one of my favorite books of the year as well as one of my all time favorite books set in the pre to post World War Two era.
It is a tale of romance and adventure and of hope in a dark time and it is one that I won't be forgetting any time soon.
Going in I didn't realize that the book was set prior to the outbreak of WW2 when Hitler was still gaining power. And truthfully I was sort of glad about that. I thought that I might not like the main character if she could be so oblivious and ignore the mass slaughtering of Jews. What was happening was bad enough and from the first page I could tell that I was going to like Gretchen.
Within the first few pages I love how the author showed Gretchen as someone who wouldn't just take what was happening because she was scared. Gretchen stood up to her brother, even though she knew that he would hate it and that small act of rebellion is where I first really began to look forward to her character growth.
Another important aspect of the novel was the romance. (I mean duh, there is always a romance) And as much as I hate saying it, the romance was one of my favorite parts of the book. The author did a great job in making sure that the romance aided with other aspects of the book. It wasn't just a romance thrown in because, hey all other YA has it. The romance aided in Gretchen's character growth and gave the reader an idea of exactly how much she had changed from nearly the first page to the last.
The romance was also just kind of perfect and personally I enjoyed it. Normally I really do hate it when the romance it my favorite part of the book, I mean, there are so many other things that should shine through besides the romance. But here I felt like it was extremely well done and perfectly incorporated into the story. It made me laugh and smile and just grin like an idiot and I loved that.
I also liked the "mystery" of the book. I mean it's obvious to the reader what happened. Not the specifics but the general idea of who killed Gretchen's father, but watching Gretchen come to the same realization definitely made me sympathize and better understand her situation. I loved the incorporation of the history into that mystery that made it all the more realistic.
That's another of the amazing aspects about the book. The history. This was clearly not a story that the author just threw together using the basic facts. It was carefully researched and yet the author still put her own twists and turns into the book. Learning about Hitler and his life beyond the evil figure we now see today added a complexity to the story. It showed that there are different views on the same person.
Another reason I loved the story was the fact that the author also examined Hitler's followers and Hitler's personality. Looking back we all question, How could this have happened? Why did everyone go along with it? Why couldn't he be stopped? Within the book several different types of his followers are analyzed. Some may be scared, and some show the same charismatic traits Hitlers showed. I think the author choosing to take that route and her effort to show the reader why Hitler had the following he did, only made me love the book even more.
One of the other biggest things in the book for me was the writing style and POV. If you know me at all, you might know that I'm not a big fan of third person POV. For some reason, that POV feels almost forced to me instead of it flowing easily. SO when I flipped to the first page I was slightly hesitant. Thankfully though, the author's beautiful writing style and easy voice made me fall right into the story with absolutely no problems.
And finally I would like to end my review with this:
"Just because I'm Jewish doesn't mean I'm rich."
Throughout the book there were little parts that made me smile. When I came to this point in the story I was already deeply in love with all the characters and I immediately began to laugh at this. This may seem like some small inconsequential part, and truthfully it is. But the other day in my chem class, a student got in a massive argument with my teacher about the fact that clearly all Jewish people were rich. Coming upon this part made me laugh just because it really showed how well thought out the entire book was. There were several moment where I saw things that other readers wouldn't have and I think that really shows a lot about the author and how she managed to interweave so many different things into the book that then allowed each reader to come out with a different, and perhaps more personal experience with her book.
There is a lot more I could say about Prisoner of Night and Fog. I could say it's gorgeous. It's beautiful. It's thought provoking. It's amazing. But at this point I am convinced you should find out for yourself. The author manages to take one of the most hated people the world has ever known and turn him into a figure that you could meet on the street. She made something so impossible seem possible. And in this time of mayhem she managed to write a beautiful story of a girl realizing who she is and what her values are. Gretchen is a character that will stick with me for a long time. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series and I can't wait to see what else the author does!
One last thing I have to say about the book. As amazing as it is, it has made me want to curl up in a ball in bed and stick to my introverted ways. I mean who knows what people are really like beneath the surface.
Easily five stars. A book I shall read over and over again and recommend to as many people as possible.
First of all, Prisoner of Night and Fog was my most highly anticipated release in 2014, which I think we can all say really means something in the world of book blogging.
Second of all, I had doubts that the author could live up to my expectations that I have found in other books set in this time period. Most notably, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.
And finally going into this novel I was in a major reading slump. (Major as in, in the past few weeks I read next to nothing!)
Somehow Prisoner of Night and Fog managed to surpass my expectations and become one of my favorite books of the year as well as one of my all time favorite books set in the pre to post World War Two era.
It is a tale of romance and adventure and of hope in a dark time and it is one that I won't be forgetting any time soon.
Going in I didn't realize that the book was set prior to the outbreak of WW2 when Hitler was still gaining power. And truthfully I was sort of glad about that. I thought that I might not like the main character if she could be so oblivious and ignore the mass slaughtering of Jews. What was happening was bad enough and from the first page I could tell that I was going to like Gretchen.
Within the first few pages I love how the author showed Gretchen as someone who wouldn't just take what was happening because she was scared. Gretchen stood up to her brother, even though she knew that he would hate it and that small act of rebellion is where I first really began to look forward to her character growth.
Another important aspect of the novel was the romance. (I mean duh, there is always a romance) And as much as I hate saying it, the romance was one of my favorite parts of the book. The author did a great job in making sure that the romance aided with other aspects of the book. It wasn't just a romance thrown in because, hey all other YA has it. The romance aided in Gretchen's character growth and gave the reader an idea of exactly how much she had changed from nearly the first page to the last.
The romance was also just kind of perfect and personally I enjoyed it. Normally I really do hate it when the romance it my favorite part of the book, I mean, there are so many other things that should shine through besides the romance. But here I felt like it was extremely well done and perfectly incorporated into the story. It made me laugh and smile and just grin like an idiot and I loved that.
I also liked the "mystery" of the book. I mean it's obvious to the reader what happened. Not the specifics but the general idea of who killed Gretchen's father, but watching Gretchen come to the same realization definitely made me sympathize and better understand her situation. I loved the incorporation of the history into that mystery that made it all the more realistic.
That's another of the amazing aspects about the book. The history. This was clearly not a story that the author just threw together using the basic facts. It was carefully researched and yet the author still put her own twists and turns into the book. Learning about Hitler and his life beyond the evil figure we now see today added a complexity to the story. It showed that there are different views on the same person.
Another reason I loved the story was the fact that the author also examined Hitler's followers and Hitler's personality. Looking back we all question, How could this have happened? Why did everyone go along with it? Why couldn't he be stopped? Within the book several different types of his followers are analyzed. Some may be scared, and some show the same charismatic traits Hitlers showed. I think the author choosing to take that route and her effort to show the reader why Hitler had the following he did, only made me love the book even more.
One of the other biggest things in the book for me was the writing style and POV. If you know me at all, you might know that I'm not a big fan of third person POV. For some reason, that POV feels almost forced to me instead of it flowing easily. SO when I flipped to the first page I was slightly hesitant. Thankfully though, the author's beautiful writing style and easy voice made me fall right into the story with absolutely no problems.
And finally I would like to end my review with this:
"Just because I'm Jewish doesn't mean I'm rich."
Throughout the book there were little parts that made me smile. When I came to this point in the story I was already deeply in love with all the characters and I immediately began to laugh at this. This may seem like some small inconsequential part, and truthfully it is. But the other day in my chem class, a student got in a massive argument with my teacher about the fact that clearly all Jewish people were rich. Coming upon this part made me laugh just because it really showed how well thought out the entire book was. There were several moment where I saw things that other readers wouldn't have and I think that really shows a lot about the author and how she managed to interweave so many different things into the book that then allowed each reader to come out with a different, and perhaps more personal experience with her book.
There is a lot more I could say about Prisoner of Night and Fog. I could say it's gorgeous. It's beautiful. It's thought provoking. It's amazing. But at this point I am convinced you should find out for yourself. The author manages to take one of the most hated people the world has ever known and turn him into a figure that you could meet on the street. She made something so impossible seem possible. And in this time of mayhem she managed to write a beautiful story of a girl realizing who she is and what her values are. Gretchen is a character that will stick with me for a long time. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series and I can't wait to see what else the author does!
One last thing I have to say about the book. As amazing as it is, it has made me want to curl up in a ball in bed and stick to my introverted ways. I mean who knows what people are really like beneath the surface.
Easily five stars. A book I shall read over and over again and recommend to as many people as possible.
I'm a lover of historical fiction, but I can be really picky about it. I found this book really tedious and predictable. Things that were obvious from the start, characters took chapters and chapters to figure out. And some of the "surprising" plot twists were historical facts?
I only just recently did a project on Hitler's life and rise to power, so of course I knew Eva Braun would marry him.
The mystery premise was interesting but the characters were frustratingly slow at catching on. I mean; doctor says hitler could be a psychopath. Father heard something strange about Hitler's at hospital. Father gets worried. Someone shoots father.
BUT WAIT NO IT COULDN'T BE; HITLER IS A PSYCHOPATH AND KILLED FATHER??? *gasps*
Also, throughout the book Gretchen interviews so many characters and learns nothing from half of them despite devoting entire chapters to finding them all? I forgot half their names, and it didn't matter because despite lengthy character development they never appeared again later in the book.
Also; All it takes for Gretchen to leave behind her entire belief system and prejudices is her cat dying?
Finally: the romance. Ugh. A mix of annoying instalove and frustrating denial. We know you love him. It's obvious and cheesy so just make out and let's get over this. No character development for Daniel and no depth to their relationship.
Overall, I was frustrated and disappointed.
I only just recently did a project on Hitler's life and rise to power, so of course I knew Eva Braun would marry him.
The mystery premise was interesting but the characters were frustratingly slow at catching on. I mean; doctor says hitler could be a psychopath. Father heard something strange about Hitler's at hospital. Father gets worried. Someone shoots father.
BUT WAIT NO IT COULDN'T BE; HITLER IS A PSYCHOPATH AND KILLED FATHER??? *gasps*
Also, throughout the book Gretchen interviews so many characters and learns nothing from half of them despite devoting entire chapters to finding them all? I forgot half their names, and it didn't matter because despite lengthy character development they never appeared again later in the book.
Also; All it takes for Gretchen to leave behind her entire belief system and prejudices is her cat dying?
Finally: the romance. Ugh. A mix of annoying instalove and frustrating denial. We know you love him. It's obvious and cheesy so just make out and let's get over this. No character development for Daniel and no depth to their relationship.
Overall, I was frustrated and disappointed.
It was alright. Not the greatest World War 2 book I've read but I like the new perspective on Hitler coming from the different characters in the story. It enlightened me a bit on how Hitler's followers in Germany started out without realizing he was a complete psychopath, of course you should definitely take this story with a grain of salt or at least research before you believe everything it says since it is in fact a work of fiction.