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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Probably more of a 3.5 or 3.75. I had a really hard time rating this.
Overall, I found this novel to be very enjoyable. It had a lot of aspects that really interested me, and I thought the story was altogether fairly interesting. However, I did have some problems with this novel. For one, I found everything to be waaaay too convenient. Gretchen just happened to find a bike laying on the ground to help her out of a tough situation or she happened to stumble across something very important on the first look. It was things like this that made the story much less believable to me. I also felt as though every single little thing was spelled out for the reader, and I didn't think that was necessary. Many parts of the story were very predictable because of this, which took away from the mystery and intrigue of the story.
Despite its flaws, however, I did enjoy this book and would recommend picking it up if you think the synopsis sounds intriguing.
Overall, I found this novel to be very enjoyable. It had a lot of aspects that really interested me, and I thought the story was altogether fairly interesting. However, I did have some problems with this novel. For one, I found everything to be waaaay too convenient. Gretchen just happened to find a bike laying on the ground to help her out of a tough situation or she happened to stumble across something very important on the first look. It was things like this that made the story much less believable to me. I also felt as though every single little thing was spelled out for the reader, and I didn't think that was necessary. Many parts of the story were very predictable because of this, which took away from the mystery and intrigue of the story.
Despite its flaws, however, I did enjoy this book and would recommend picking it up if you think the synopsis sounds intriguing.
Prisoner of Night and Fog sets a very interesting plotline and takes a deeper dive into the specific true events in its time period. I enjoyed the build-up and the complexity of the plot, and for the most part, I felt the want to root for the main characters. These components make me reflect on my empathy and the "what would I do if that were me" sort of thoughts. One major thing I did not like, though, was the romance. I didn't think that it was completely necessary, and if it were to remain, I would prefer it to be slower and less dramatic. To say the least, I usually cringed at the romantic scenes, partly for how unrealistic and unnecessary it is, and partly for the style that it's written in. I was fine with the style for most parts of the book, but I was also not thoroughly impressed. I think what brought me to finish the book was mainly the plot, to be honest. I really liked the perspective that it took, and the characters were pretty interesting too.
I don't read too many historical fictions. So when I picked up this book, I didn't know what to expect. Would it recount terrors I'm glad I never lived through? What I didn't expect was a mysterious murder, psychoanalysis, and forbidden romance.
Everything in Gretchen's life is turned upside down when she saves a Jew from a beating. As a favorite child of her Uncle Dolf (guess who he is), she doesn't want the National Socialist party (Nazi is so discriminatory) to get a bad reputation. At least, that's what she tells herself. But when she looked into that Jew's eyes, she could see the humanity she never knew existed.
The plot thickens as she finds out the Jew she saved works for the newspaper. And his newest story is the death of her father. He finds evidence to prove that everything Gretchen thought was true is not all as it seems. Eventually, Gretchen finds herself trusting Daniel more than anyone else in her life.
And that isn't even going into her troubles at home. Gretchen's brother has no mercy and he knows something is up. As a devoted follower of Uncle Dolf, Gretchen's brother has no pity for the Jews nor will tolerate his sister doing anything out of line with the National Socialist party if she gets caught. But when it comes to her brother, it is less of a matter of if, but a matter of when.
This book kept me in suspense from the very first chapter. Usually, the third person can be hard to get into, but the main character was so relatable and her viewpoint pre-WWII is something not very explored. How the German population becomes brainwashed by the tales of Uncle Dolf. Aka Hitler. Gretchen struggles with the past she has always accepted as truth and the new truths Daniel brings to light. She is resourceful, brave at times, submissive at others, and generally a likeable well-rounded character. The other characters are interesting too, her family and love interest especially. To any mystery fan, forbidden romance fanatic, or World War II buff, give prisoner of night and fog a read.
Everything in Gretchen's life is turned upside down when she saves a Jew from a beating. As a favorite child of her Uncle Dolf (guess who he is), she doesn't want the National Socialist party (Nazi is so discriminatory) to get a bad reputation. At least, that's what she tells herself. But when she looked into that Jew's eyes, she could see the humanity she never knew existed.
The plot thickens as she finds out the Jew she saved works for the newspaper. And his newest story is the death of her father. He finds evidence to prove that everything Gretchen thought was true is not all as it seems. Eventually, Gretchen finds herself trusting Daniel more than anyone else in her life.
And that isn't even going into her troubles at home. Gretchen's brother has no mercy and he knows something is up. As a devoted follower of Uncle Dolf, Gretchen's brother has no pity for the Jews nor will tolerate his sister doing anything out of line with the National Socialist party if she gets caught. But when it comes to her brother, it is less of a matter of if, but a matter of when.
This book kept me in suspense from the very first chapter. Usually, the third person can be hard to get into, but the main character was so relatable and her viewpoint pre-WWII is something not very explored. How the German population becomes brainwashed by the tales of Uncle Dolf. Aka Hitler. Gretchen struggles with the past she has always accepted as truth and the new truths Daniel brings to light. She is resourceful, brave at times, submissive at others, and generally a likeable well-rounded character. The other characters are interesting too, her family and love interest especially. To any mystery fan, forbidden romance fanatic, or World War II buff, give prisoner of night and fog a read.
Nice mix of historical w/ added fictional characters and situations. The psychoanalytical aspect () was pretty interesting. Seemed well researched. A bit slow at times, but I enjoyed the light romance element and suspense.
Spoiler
with regards to Gretchen's brother and Hitler's mental state
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My favorite part of this novel is the setting...Munich in 1931. I know enough about WWII to carry on a conversation, but I know next to nothing about the time between the wars, as Hitler built his alliances and his vision. Seeing it close up here was scary.
His mental unbalance was probably diagnosed at the end of WWI, and truly, that probably helped him in his quest...also scary.
i have read a nonfiction about children of Nazi leaders, and had known that Hitler had a thing for kids...not in a creepy way, I HOPE, but he loved kids and loved to feel like he was close to them.
So, the premise of this book, that a young girl and her family had been taken under the wing of 'Uncle Dolf' was plausible. I didn't feel as supportive of the character of Gretchen...of her swift change of allegiances, of her independence and willingness to risk everything...all alone. So that didn't ring as true to me as did the setting...time and place.
I will be interested in the next book in the series, and learning more about the game of cut-throat chess Hitler played in the 30's to finally solidify his power.
His mental unbalance was probably diagnosed at the end of WWI, and truly, that probably helped him in his quest...also scary.
i have read a nonfiction about children of Nazi leaders, and had known that Hitler had a thing for kids...not in a creepy way, I HOPE, but he loved kids and loved to feel like he was close to them.
So, the premise of this book, that a young girl and her family had been taken under the wing of 'Uncle Dolf' was plausible. I didn't feel as supportive of the character of Gretchen...of her swift change of allegiances, of her independence and willingness to risk everything...all alone. So that didn't ring as true to me as did the setting...time and place.
I will be interested in the next book in the series, and learning more about the game of cut-throat chess Hitler played in the 30's to finally solidify his power.
Just didn't connect with this one. Maybe too many details, maybe an issue with Gretchen. The writing was ok and parts of it grabbed me but the whole didn't.
This was a brilliantly written historical fiction novel about a girl who starts out in Hitler's inner circle but begins to see him for who he really is: a monster. Not only is it an interesting view to start the book with, but the growth, understanding, and fight in the main character was beautiful to watch as the story progressed. The book is also very well researched, fitting in a lot of educational historical facts and events. It was fascinating to see 1930s Germany and the Nazi party before WWII and this book even spurred me to research some history on my own which is a guaranteed sign of a good book! I highly recommend this to both historical fiction lovers and those who don't often like history because this book offers something different. This book is beautifully told and engaging with action, mystery, romance, and even educational information thrown in and neatly presented in a book you can't put down!