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desiree930 's review for:
Prisoner of Night and Fog
by Anne Blankman
I primarily listened to the audiobook for this story. I wasn't quite sure what to expect picking this book up. I love WWII historical fiction, but I'd never read a story where the main character was a close family friend of Adolf Hitler. It seemed like a story that could either be really good or really bad. Fortunately, this fell into the former category for me, as I ended up really enjoying this story.
What I liked:
1. The concept and the setting. Again, I love stories that take place around the time of WWII. This book is actually set in the early thirties, just as Hitler was coming into power. Our main character is Gretchen. Gretchen's father was killed several years before protecting Hitler from an attack. This has made him a martyr and Gretchen's family close personal friends of Adolf Hitler. I haven't read many historical fictions from this perspective, and thought it was interesting.
2. The characters. I liked Gretchen, although I did think it took her a long time to come to terms with the fact that this person she's idolized her whole life is a legit monster. I get that when you are taught something from a young age it sticks with you and in this case it was very much a brainwashing type of situation, but she keeps going back to him far longer than she should.
I wish Daniel had been a bit more fleshed out. The story is told in third person, but solely from Gretchen's perspective, with the exception of one small passage. I wish we could've had both of their perspectives as they go around doing all of these things and getting to know each other.
3. The audiobook. I thought the narrator did a wonderful job with this book. She uses a German accent, which sounded pretty good to my admittedly untrained ear. Also, her characters (especially all her female characters) had distinct voices. I hate when I listen to an audiobook with a lot of dialogue and you can't tell who is speaking because the voices all sound the same.
What I didn't like:
1. There were times that dragged a bit for me, where the pacing seemed a little off. There isn't really much of a plot in this book. Gretchen and Daniel are trying to figure out exactly what happened to her father the day he was killed, and trying to stay safe as Gretchen begins to see the flaws in Hitler's views...within that there were some events that seemed to get a bit repetitive.
2. Reinhard and his ability to show up everywhere Gretchen was. Especially the last couple scenes they have together. It just didn't feel plausible, which is kind of important in a story like this, if you ask me.
I will definitely be picking up the sequel to PONAF soon. I need to know what happens next!
What I liked:
1. The concept and the setting. Again, I love stories that take place around the time of WWII. This book is actually set in the early thirties, just as Hitler was coming into power. Our main character is Gretchen. Gretchen's father was killed several years before protecting Hitler from an attack. This has made him a martyr and Gretchen's family close personal friends of Adolf Hitler. I haven't read many historical fictions from this perspective, and thought it was interesting.
2. The characters. I liked Gretchen, although I did think it took her a long time to come to terms with the fact that this person she's idolized her whole life is a legit monster. I get that when you are taught something from a young age it sticks with you and in this case it was very much a brainwashing type of situation, but she keeps going back to him far longer than she should.
I wish Daniel had been a bit more fleshed out. The story is told in third person, but solely from Gretchen's perspective, with the exception of one small passage. I wish we could've had both of their perspectives as they go around doing all of these things and getting to know each other.
3. The audiobook. I thought the narrator did a wonderful job with this book. She uses a German accent, which sounded pretty good to my admittedly untrained ear. Also, her characters (especially all her female characters) had distinct voices. I hate when I listen to an audiobook with a lot of dialogue and you can't tell who is speaking because the voices all sound the same.
What I didn't like:
1. There were times that dragged a bit for me, where the pacing seemed a little off. There isn't really much of a plot in this book. Gretchen and Daniel are trying to figure out exactly what happened to her father the day he was killed, and trying to stay safe as Gretchen begins to see the flaws in Hitler's views...within that there were some events that seemed to get a bit repetitive.
2. Reinhard and his ability to show up everywhere Gretchen was. Especially the last couple scenes they have together. It just didn't feel plausible, which is kind of important in a story like this, if you ask me.
I will definitely be picking up the sequel to PONAF soon. I need to know what happens next!