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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Rating - ☆☆☆
Review:
I wasn't too sure on this one as it was historical fiction and it's not my kind of thing, but I actually enjoyed it.
Gretchen Muller is a normal little girl who does normal things, her brother is awful to her and tries to get her into trouble as every opportunity.
She is brought up inside the National Society Party and her favourite person in the whole world is her uncle Dolf.
Unfortunately for Gretchen uncle Dolf is no other than Adolf Hitler!
Gretchens father was shot while protecting Hitler at a rally for the NSP but after speaking to a young Jewish boy she finds out all is not as it seems.
This was an interesting read as it is before Hitler really came into power and the man we know today, and also how he manipulated people into his way of thinking.
Review:
I wasn't too sure on this one as it was historical fiction and it's not my kind of thing, but I actually enjoyed it.
Gretchen Muller is a normal little girl who does normal things, her brother is awful to her and tries to get her into trouble as every opportunity.
She is brought up inside the National Society Party and her favourite person in the whole world is her uncle Dolf.
Unfortunately for Gretchen uncle Dolf is no other than Adolf Hitler!
Gretchens father was shot while protecting Hitler at a rally for the NSP but after speaking to a young Jewish boy she finds out all is not as it seems.
This was an interesting read as it is before Hitler really came into power and the man we know today, and also how he manipulated people into his way of thinking.
I have to give this a 4 because I gave Tsarina a 4. Now I wish I'd given both of them a 3.
well that was definitely interesting!
prisoner of night and fog is about gretchen, a girl who just so happens to be hitler's "niece" and favorite. as in, hitler calls her "my sunshine." but then! gretchen finds herself falling in love with intrepid jewish reporter daniel. and of course, in typical YA fashion, drama ensues.
this book definitely provided an interesting perspective. this was the first book i've ever read in which the main character was in hitler's close circle, and it was really fascinating to read about! gretchen's transition from believing every word hitler says to completely hating him was interesting to witness. i have to say, gretchen got a bit too melodramatic sometimes and annoyed me, but for the most part, i really enjoyed this book and i'll definitely be continuing on with this series!
prisoner of night and fog is about gretchen, a girl who just so happens to be hitler's "niece" and favorite. as in, hitler calls her "my sunshine." but then! gretchen finds herself falling in love with intrepid jewish reporter daniel. and of course, in typical YA fashion, drama ensues.
this book definitely provided an interesting perspective. this was the first book i've ever read in which the main character was in hitler's close circle, and it was really fascinating to read about! gretchen's transition from believing every word hitler says to completely hating him was interesting to witness. i have to say, gretchen got a bit too melodramatic sometimes and annoyed me, but for the most part, i really enjoyed this book and i'll definitely be continuing on with this series!
Well, that was predictable.
This book took me longer than I should have to finish it. Unfortunately, I didn't really get sucked into the story. The book was well-researched though.
This book took me longer than I should have to finish it. Unfortunately, I didn't really get sucked into the story. The book was well-researched though.
From the very beginning of the book, you’re pulled into the story and it never lets you go! Gretchen is a young lady who’s family is very close to Adolf Hitler. Her father served with him in the war and was killed protecting Adolf. Or so that’s the story she’s been told. When she meets Daniel, a Jew and a reporter, he has information that that may not be true. The entire story is Gretchen trying to figure out what is the truth. I admire Gretchen for trying to figure out what’s happening and who she can trust. Highly recommend as this isn’t your typical 1930’s on the brink of WWII story.
http://librarianosnark.blogspot.com/2014/04/release-day-review-prisoner-of-night.html
✨book #53 for the every country challenge: read a book set in germany
It's been almost a century since a man called Adolf Hitler came into power, yet his name is still synonymous with monster to people throughout the world. But to Gretchen Muller, a 17-year old girl living in the years when Hitler was still campaigning for chancellor, he is no more than Uncle Dolf, protector, substitute father, and someday, the best leader Germany had ever seen. If he wasn’t, why would Gretchen’s own father jump in front of a bullet to protect him? Why would this somewhat strange Austrian take Gretchen’s entire family under his wing?
We must keep in mind that this book portrays Germany in 1931, a time before the Third Reich, before Jews were unwillfully branded, and much before Jews were being sent to concentration camps to die. This was a time when Hitler's intentions were still hidden behind useless rhetoric, only those closest to him knowing the true monster inside him. The beating of Jews and the assasinations of opposing political figures were done in absolute secrecy, and this young, naieve girl, had no one to shape her opinions of the world but a trusted family friend.
And with this in mind, we must also acknowlege Anne Blankman's truly expansive prowess on the matter in which she is writing. Anyone who thinks research for a book is a waste of either time or effort, they are certainly proven wrong as Blankman crafts a brilliantly compelling and an incredibly authentic story entwined with real historical events and figures that are given a second breath of life. This is a story of one girl's desperate search for the truth among a sea of liars known as the National Socialist Party.
Underneath this all, Prisoner of Night and Fog is simply a gripping account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power- and how tepid waters soon began to boil. The plot introduces many real-life characters who were an integral part of the Nazi regime in some way. Naturally, fictional characters are also thrown into the mix to initiate an engaging mystery that, however fictional, is entangled with real historical events. I many not be a history buff, but it is clear from the very beginning that endless research was thrown to this- from the putsch that would kill the main character's father to the very smells of 1930's Germany.
In that vain, the novel is also highly atmospheric; Munich as well as the energy of its residence came to life right before my eyes. The mixture of adoration and fear towards Hitler and his perverted sense of nationalism was, as expected, deeply unsettling, yet makes for a deeply interesting character study. The way he manipulates those closest with mere words, the way he utilizes his dark charm to make others carry out his psychotic will; it's all morbidly fascinating. Some of the facts entangled in this web may not be new to some, but the story does bring in a multitude of characters who give us an interesting perspective on Hitler's person. The author's note at the end of the novel is also worth a read as it separates facts from fiction- what characters and events really happened, and which were imagined by the author?
With that said, don't get the idea that this is a tedious historical novel full of dull, recounted facts from our history. These details are woven in with an interesting and mysterious plot with such skill that I was constantly craving the next page. This is deftly achieved with the help of a protagonist who is so determined and resillent that you can't help but fall in love with her. Even with a corrupt family life- a murdered father, submissive mother, and a psychotic brother whose heart mirrors pure evil- she still manages to keep on hunting for the truth, and through this, we discover the root of her cynicism, as well as why her fixation on what really happened- not just with her father, but with "Uncle Dolf" as well- is so strong. In the meantime, there's also a light sprinkling of romance between her and a Jew that shows Gretchen how wrong Hitler's views really are and it changes her carefully crafted views and everything she was taught to believe. It results in a wonderful forbidden romance that really takes the cake.
The writing is excellent, the characters are all fascinating in their own rights, and the plot has a constant undercurrent of mystery and menace that will propel any reader to the very end.
A masterpiece, I say!
It's been almost a century since a man called Adolf Hitler came into power, yet his name is still synonymous with monster to people throughout the world. But to Gretchen Muller, a 17-year old girl living in the years when Hitler was still campaigning for chancellor, he is no more than Uncle Dolf, protector, substitute father, and someday, the best leader Germany had ever seen. If he wasn’t, why would Gretchen’s own father jump in front of a bullet to protect him? Why would this somewhat strange Austrian take Gretchen’s entire family under his wing?
We must keep in mind that this book portrays Germany in 1931, a time before the Third Reich, before Jews were unwillfully branded, and much before Jews were being sent to concentration camps to die. This was a time when Hitler's intentions were still hidden behind useless rhetoric, only those closest to him knowing the true monster inside him. The beating of Jews and the assasinations of opposing political figures were done in absolute secrecy, and this young, naieve girl, had no one to shape her opinions of the world but a trusted family friend.
And with this in mind, we must also acknowlege Anne Blankman's truly expansive prowess on the matter in which she is writing. Anyone who thinks research for a book is a waste of either time or effort, they are certainly proven wrong as Blankman crafts a brilliantly compelling and an incredibly authentic story entwined with real historical events and figures that are given a second breath of life. This is a story of one girl's desperate search for the truth among a sea of liars known as the National Socialist Party.
Underneath this all, Prisoner of Night and Fog is simply a gripping account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power- and how tepid waters soon began to boil. The plot introduces many real-life characters who were an integral part of the Nazi regime in some way. Naturally, fictional characters are also thrown into the mix to initiate an engaging mystery that, however fictional, is entangled with real historical events. I many not be a history buff, but it is clear from the very beginning that endless research was thrown to this- from the putsch that would kill the main character's father to the very smells of 1930's Germany.
In that vain, the novel is also highly atmospheric; Munich as well as the energy of its residence came to life right before my eyes. The mixture of adoration and fear towards Hitler and his perverted sense of nationalism was, as expected, deeply unsettling, yet makes for a deeply interesting character study. The way he manipulates those closest with mere words, the way he utilizes his dark charm to make others carry out his psychotic will; it's all morbidly fascinating. Some of the facts entangled in this web may not be new to some, but the story does bring in a multitude of characters who give us an interesting perspective on Hitler's person. The author's note at the end of the novel is also worth a read as it separates facts from fiction- what characters and events really happened, and which were imagined by the author?
With that said, don't get the idea that this is a tedious historical novel full of dull, recounted facts from our history. These details are woven in with an interesting and mysterious plot with such skill that I was constantly craving the next page. This is deftly achieved with the help of a protagonist who is so determined and resillent that you can't help but fall in love with her. Even with a corrupt family life- a murdered father, submissive mother, and a psychotic brother whose heart mirrors pure evil- she still manages to keep on hunting for the truth, and through this, we discover the root of her cynicism, as well as why her fixation on what really happened- not just with her father, but with "Uncle Dolf" as well- is so strong. In the meantime, there's also a light sprinkling of romance between her and a Jew that shows Gretchen how wrong Hitler's views really are and it changes her carefully crafted views and everything she was taught to believe. It results in a wonderful forbidden romance that really takes the cake.
The writing is excellent, the characters are all fascinating in their own rights, and the plot has a constant undercurrent of mystery and menace that will propel any reader to the very end.
A masterpiece, I say!
First Thoughts: 4.5 stars. Very creepy, but also extremely fascinating. I really liked it!
REVIEW:
(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
In the past, I’ve found myself feeling not-so-positive about novels that have characters or situations that scare me. In fact, even real life stories about the world wars and revolutions scare me. And yet, there’s something infinitely fascinating about studying human actions in the past, trying to see how and why these things that are so drastic and terrible occurred in real life.
What does this have to do with Prisoner of Night and Fog? Well, author Anne Blankman offers a fresh perspective on a historical period both terrifying and fascinating, showing readers what it was like for Nazis and non-Nazis.
But even more interesting is the portrayal of Hitler, which ranges from a doting uncle & family friend, to a man prone to indulging his whims, to the terrifyingly prejudiced mind behind a whole movement. Even though it scared me, reading about him in this novel was definitely interesting!
Gretchen, the main character, is a great choice to narrate this story. As a teenager, she is caught between the naïve trust of a child and the stubbornness of an adult’s personal opinions. She’s known all her life that her father died to save Hitler, and “Uncle Adolf” has always been kind to their family as a result of that heroism. While she’s not comfortable with some of the things that happen to Jews, she often feels powerless to stop it without risking her family and her life. Putting a person whose mind and beliefs are still being solidified in such a tricky place is definitely a potent mix for a story. Observing her growth, especially as she discovers truths about Hitler, her family and herself, is another compelling part of Prisoner of Night and Fog.
She teams up with a boy named Daniel, a reporter who is determined to uncover the truth about things (including the death of her father and the other men “for” Hitler). He’s an interesting fellow, with many connections and an attitude that made me like him immediately. Though he often wound up in risky situations (and took Gretchen with him), he genuinely wanted to know the truth and do the right thing by it.
Prisoner of Night and Fog combines history + a teenager growing up + a bit of a mystery into one pretty neat package. While there were certainly things I found disturbing and scary (well, mostly just Hitler, who happens to be a terrifying human being in my eyes), it was just so absorbing that I couldn’t tear my eyes away. If you’re into historical fiction, this is definitely a prime example of it in YA.
REVIEW:
(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
In the past, I’ve found myself feeling not-so-positive about novels that have characters or situations that scare me. In fact, even real life stories about the world wars and revolutions scare me. And yet, there’s something infinitely fascinating about studying human actions in the past, trying to see how and why these things that are so drastic and terrible occurred in real life.
What does this have to do with Prisoner of Night and Fog? Well, author Anne Blankman offers a fresh perspective on a historical period both terrifying and fascinating, showing readers what it was like for Nazis and non-Nazis.
But even more interesting is the portrayal of Hitler, which ranges from a doting uncle & family friend, to a man prone to indulging his whims, to the terrifyingly prejudiced mind behind a whole movement. Even though it scared me, reading about him in this novel was definitely interesting!
Gretchen, the main character, is a great choice to narrate this story. As a teenager, she is caught between the naïve trust of a child and the stubbornness of an adult’s personal opinions. She’s known all her life that her father died to save Hitler, and “Uncle Adolf” has always been kind to their family as a result of that heroism. While she’s not comfortable with some of the things that happen to Jews, she often feels powerless to stop it without risking her family and her life. Putting a person whose mind and beliefs are still being solidified in such a tricky place is definitely a potent mix for a story. Observing her growth, especially as she discovers truths about Hitler, her family and herself, is another compelling part of Prisoner of Night and Fog.
She teams up with a boy named Daniel, a reporter who is determined to uncover the truth about things (including the death of her father and the other men “for” Hitler). He’s an interesting fellow, with many connections and an attitude that made me like him immediately. Though he often wound up in risky situations (and took Gretchen with him), he genuinely wanted to know the truth and do the right thing by it.
Prisoner of Night and Fog combines history + a teenager growing up + a bit of a mystery into one pretty neat package. While there were certainly things I found disturbing and scary (well, mostly just Hitler, who happens to be a terrifying human being in my eyes), it was just so absorbing that I couldn’t tear my eyes away. If you’re into historical fiction, this is definitely a prime example of it in YA.
It was going to take a lot for a book about Hitler's close friends and family to win me over. it was an interesting look into the politics of the time from a perspective I hadn't read about. I appreciated that but I have to say, (spoilers ahead!) I did not appreciate the fact that the majority of the mystery that Gretchen solved was made up. There is enough awfulness and terror that I found making up a mystery to be distracting. Now I'm not sure what's real and what isn't in terms of history, though the author really explained it well in the author's note. But I know that what will stick with me more is the story and that wasn't entirely true.