Does not stand out in the crowded field of Cold War stories.
Fifteen-year-old twin brothers Rudi and Peter Möser-Fleischmann come of age in a divided Berlin.
Short, dark-haired, stocky Rudi is a loyal follower of the East German communist government. Peter, who cleverly sees through the lies and longs for freedom, is tall, slender, and blond, the golden boy of both the family and the narrative. Politics and personal lives intertwine for the brothers as their family is split by the wall and by personal conflict, ideological differences, and mental illness. The author ambitiously attempts to tackle many issues, but the result is largely unsatisfying: The plot lags in the first half, the tone is unfortunately judgmental toward those who struggle with ideological brainwashing, and none of the characters grow significantly over the course of the story. Some of the lessons are impactful, such as not believing a government’s words without the actions to back them up and that life is complex, with many gray areas. A minor but effective plotline is the twins’ father’s struggle with his past as an enthusiastic Hitler Youth member. Readers will recognize contemporary commentary in the author’s criticism of anti-fascism. Yet, while East Germany is rightly criticized, Western capitalism, a subject that would have benefited from additional context and nuance, is presented as an obvious positive. Scattered full-page black-and-white illustrations give a sense of the 1961 setting.
Does not stand out in the crowded field of Cold War stories. (historical note, map) (Historical fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-42836-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful.
January 1945: as Russians advance through East Prussia, four teens’ lives converge in hopes of escape.
Returning to the successful formula of her highly lauded debut, Between Shades of Gray (2011), Sepetys combines research (described in extensive backmatter) with well-crafted fiction to bring to life another little-known story: the sinking (from Soviet torpedoes) of the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Told in four alternating voices—Lithuanian nurse Joana, Polish Emilia, Prussian forger Florian, and German soldier Alfred—with often contemporary cadences, this stints on neither history nor fiction. The three sympathetic refugees and their motley companions (especially an orphaned boy and an elderly shoemaker) make it clear that while the Gustloff was a German ship full of German civilians and soldiers during World War II, its sinking was still a tragedy. Only Alfred, stationed on the Gustloff, lacks sympathy; almost a caricature, he is self-delusional, unlikable, a Hitler worshiper. As a vehicle for exposition, however, and a reminder of Germany’s role in the war, he serves an invaluable purpose that almost makes up for the mustache-twirling quality of his petty villainy. The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn’t change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning.
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful. (author’s note, research and sources, maps) (Historical fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-16030-1
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
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