Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein, Disney-Hyperion, 2013.

The Review…

 

photo from parnassusbooks.net

In late summer of 1944, American pilot Rose Justice has recently arrived in England as a part of the Air Transport Auxiliary. Anxious to be a part of any real action, she is allowed to pilot her uncle to Paris, shortly after it has been freed from Nazi occupation. Suddenly, friends and family lose all communication with her. Six months later, Rose arrives in back in Paris and begins to recount her unimaginable experience in a concentration camp. Weaving in actual events at the Ravensbruck concentration camp, Wein’s devastatingly beautiful story is not simply that of the unthinkable acts of concentration camps, but that of the hope, loyalty and family among prisoners. Even as Rose struggles to acclimate back to civilian life, her heaviest concern is for finding those with whom she escaped. Recommended for ages 14 and up, this highly anticipated companion to award-winning Code Name Verity is certain to surpass expectations.   

The Opinion…

Holy moly, the tears. And tears. And tears. And dreams. Yes, dreams. Some may think its weird that one could love a book that makes you weep and have nightmares so damn much, but those people are just doing it wrong.

I think this is the first time in my life I’ve had concentration camp nightmares. But I’m not even mad about it.

I listened to Code Name Verity last winter on a road trip and love.love.loved it. So when I heard they were giving out the ARC of a companion at ALA, I’m pretty sure I walked away from a friend midsentence. I hustled myself over to the Disney-Hyperion booth and snatched that thing up like it was the last book in the place. It wasn’t. 

Rose Under Fire isn't actually out yet. But don't worry your pretty little head. It'll be out next month. 

And, oh man…

I’ve previously mentioned that I love WWII novels, so it really isn’t shocking that I would get into this one. But I just didn’t know how much I would love it. Every page was just so moving and horrible and perfect. Horrible because you know these stories you’re reading are real and that people lived and died through this. And you want to stop reading because you want to believe that it never happened, but you can’t. You can’t stop reading. Because it did happen. And these stories must be told. And these stories must be read.

I honestly don’t even know how to describe this book and these characters and this story. It really is something you just have to experience.

All I can say is thank you. Thank you, Elizabeth Wein, for telling the world. 

Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

Hero on a Bicycle. By Shirley Hughes. Candlewick Press, 2013

photo from barnesandnoble.com

The Review…

In her first novel, picture book author Shirley Hughes presents a World War II tale of a simple family trying to remain unnoticed by both the Gestapo and the Italian resistance. When Mrs. Crivelli agrees to house a prisoner of war for just one night, each member of the family must play a part in protecting their secret. Thirteen-year-old Paolo dreams of becoming a hero for the Partisans, but quickly learns that his ideals of war are not accurate. Set in Nazi-occupied Italy, Hughes’ story gives the reader an exciting portrayal of the average family’s struggle during wartime. Don’t be fooled by the less than intriguing title. Hero on a Bicycle has depth, tension, action and hope. It is recommended for readers ages 10-14, especially those who love historical fiction, specifically that which is based in the WWII era.

The Opinion…

Fact: I am a sucker for WWII novels. Dating back to Number the Stars and the American Girl Molly, as a nine-year-old I was already infatuated with the era. In recent years, Mal Peet’s Tamar, as well as last year’s Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein and Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin, have continuously wrapped me up in fascinating storyline after fascinating storyline. The fact that Bomb is non-fiction is just that much more exciting. I just can’t seem to get enough WWII story.

Hero on a Bicycle caught my attention only because I really dislike the title. I stared at the cover for a good week before I even picked it up because I had no interest in reading it. Discovering that it was a WWII novel, I grabbed the audiobook for a roadtrip. And I’m glad I did. This novel was an interesting to me because, unlike the ones I’m used to, it is set in not just a Nazi-occupied country, but a Nazi-friendly country. I really enjoyed seeing this new perspective of a family trying to help the anti-Nazi movement, while many of their close friends and neighbors were Nazi sympathizers.

Overall, I’d give it a high five.