A review by shirleytupperfreeman
Het Duitse meisje by Armando Lucas Correa

Correa brings to life a sad incident in an ocean of sad incidents with this fictional story of Hannah - one of the few survivors of the St. Louis. The ship was dispatched to Cuba with almost 900 Jewish Germans in 1939. During the two week crossing, politics in Cuba changed and the refugees were refused entry into Cuba - and the United States and Canada.The St. Louis was sent back to Europe where the vast majority of passengers ultimately died. Cuba did allow about 30 passengers to enter. Wealthy Hannah was among the lucky few. The story bounces back and forth between 1939 12-year- old Hannah and 2014 12-year-old Anna - Hannah's great niece. Anna uncovers her deceased father's origins when she and her mom visit Cuba. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this as long as they don't require tons of happiness. A good reminder of the consequences of refusing to assist refugees. To be published in October 2016.