A review by librariandest
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

4.0

This novel takes place just before WWII. It's (tragically) hopeful about peace in Europe. There's a lot of mystery and action (in the sky!), a tiny bit of romance, and a big cast of characters from around Europe. Young readers will learn a bit about the Spanish Civil War, Mussolini, and the Gestapo. Spoiler alert:
SpoilerWhen there are Nazis involved it's not that hard to guess who will turn out to be the bad guy.


This felt like a spy thriller to me, even though there was no spying. It's about an Olympics-inspired airplane race, but the race never felt that important to me. The thrills come from a lack of trust between the teenaged contestants and the adults in charge plus the looming threat of sabotage and murder.

The title refers to people with a special kind of passport given to refugees who do not have citizenship anywhere.