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alexalovesbooks 's review for:
Prisoner of Night and Fog
by Anne Blankman
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.