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A review by elles_books
The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank, Otto H. Frank, Mirjam Pressler
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
How does one review something like this? A diary so personal that was never intended to be read by millions of strangers worldwide, the last recorded thoughts of a small girl living through unimaginable horrors.
Knowing that i have so much in common with Anne did me an unknown amount of psychic damage. She wanted to be a writer, a journalist. She loved Greek mythology. She liked boys and girls. She just wanted to go back to school. My heart breaks for this brave, intelligent young girl.
At the end of the day she’s just one victim in a never ending sea of injustice. There are Anne’s in hiding right now in Gaza, in Sudan, Myanmar, China and Ukraine. In America hiding from ICE. There will always be Anne Franks in the world, but we will never know their names unless we pay attention.
I don’t think i can give this a star rating but i’ll include some of my favourite quotes, both devastating and hopeful.
“Who else but me is ever going to read these letters? Who else but me can i turn to for comfort? I’m frequently in need of consolation, i often feel weak, and more often than not, i fail to meet expectations. I know this, and every day i resolve to do better.”
“I’ve reached a point where i hardly care whether i live or die. The world will keep on turning without me, and i can’t do anything to change events anyway. I’ll just let matters take their course and concentrate on studying and hope that everything will be alright in the end.”
“I can hardly wait for the day when i’ll be able to go to the public library.”
“That night I really thought i was going to die. I waited for the police and i was ready for death, like a soldier on a battlefield. I’d gladly have given my life for my country. But now, now that i’ve been spared, my first wish after the war is to become a Dutch citizen.”
“I believe that in the course of the next century the notion that it’s a woman’s duty to have children will change and make way for the respect and admiration of all women, who bear their burdens without complaint or a lot of pompous words!”
“When i look up at the sky, i somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too will end, that peace and tranquillity will return once more.”
“…the prospect of going back to school in October is making me too happy…”
Knowing that i have so much in common with Anne did me an unknown amount of psychic damage. She wanted to be a writer, a journalist. She loved Greek mythology. She liked boys and girls. She just wanted to go back to school. My heart breaks for this brave, intelligent young girl.
At the end of the day she’s just one victim in a never ending sea of injustice. There are Anne’s in hiding right now in Gaza, in Sudan, Myanmar, China and Ukraine. In America hiding from ICE. There will always be Anne Franks in the world, but we will never know their names unless we pay attention.
I don’t think i can give this a star rating but i’ll include some of my favourite quotes, both devastating and hopeful.
“Who else but me is ever going to read these letters? Who else but me can i turn to for comfort? I’m frequently in need of consolation, i often feel weak, and more often than not, i fail to meet expectations. I know this, and every day i resolve to do better.”
“I’ve reached a point where i hardly care whether i live or die. The world will keep on turning without me, and i can’t do anything to change events anyway. I’ll just let matters take their course and concentrate on studying and hope that everything will be alright in the end.”
“I can hardly wait for the day when i’ll be able to go to the public library.”
“That night I really thought i was going to die. I waited for the police and i was ready for death, like a soldier on a battlefield. I’d gladly have given my life for my country. But now, now that i’ve been spared, my first wish after the war is to become a Dutch citizen.”
“I believe that in the course of the next century the notion that it’s a woman’s duty to have children will change and make way for the respect and admiration of all women, who bear their burdens without complaint or a lot of pompous words!”
“When i look up at the sky, i somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too will end, that peace and tranquillity will return once more.”
“…the prospect of going back to school in October is making me too happy…”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Antisemitism, War
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Classism, Deportation
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail