Author: Anne Blankman
Genre: Young Adult, Historical
Source: Hachette Australia via NetGalley
Goodreads | The Reading Room
Munich, 1931 - Hitler is on the rise. A compelling coming-of-age tale for fans of Elizabeth Wein, author of CODE NAME VERITY and ROSE UNDER FIRE.Review by Nara
Gretchen Muller has, as best she can, dealt with the horrors of her family's past. Her father, a senior Nazi officer, died trying to save the life of their leader, Adolf Hitler. And now Germany has the chance to be great once more. Swept up in the excitement and passion of life in Munich in 1931, seventeen-year-old Gretchen has embraced the life laid out for her by that leader, her 'Uncle Dolf'.
But the secrets of the past cannot be silenced forever. When Gretchen receives a letter from an anonymous sender claiming to have more information about her father's death, she becomes swept up in a desperate and dangerous search for the truth. With the full might of the ever-powerful Nazi party on her tail, it is a race that will risk everything she has and change her life forever...
I haven't read too many Young Adult historical novels, but I think I can safely say that this is within my top three. Prisoner of Night and Fog offered a unique view on World War II, from the perspective of "the bad guys", with fiction so well weaved with fact that the story could almost be taken as true.
Blankman has obviously done a tremendous amount of research into the time period. It seemed like the majority of the characters were based on the actual people from history. Adolf Hitler, Geli Raubal and Eva Braun were some of the ones I recognised, and I'm sure there were many more characters based on real people that I didn't pick up on due to my rather poor knowledge of history. I assume that many of the events that took place in the book were also based on actual events.
Woooow the characters and the romance. I'd read a couple of reviews which said the romance was great, but I had no idea it would be THIS great. It's slow-burning and pushed firmly to the background- not once does it interfere with the more major plotlines (which is the way I like it, but I suppose it might not be the style everyone likes). Gretchen and Daniel (our love interest) are both wonderfully well developed, making for an incredibly shippable couple.
I do feel like there was a certain something missing from the story, which was why I didn't give the book an Incredible. I suppose it might've been that the plot was slow at times, or that some sections did seem slightly unrealistic or unnecessary. Well, barring that, it was still a fantastic novel and my god, the ending. Someone gimme the sequel, because I need more Gretchen and Daniel. I JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE OKAY D:
Really liked it
Ratings
Overall: 9/10
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
