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Book Review

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Publisher's Note:

From the two-time Newbery Honor-winning author of The War That Saved My Life and Fighting Words comes a middle grade novel set at the border between freedom and fear in World War II France, at the Chateau de Chenonceau, where a Jewish girl who has lost everything but her life must decide whether to risk even that to bring others to freedom. “We don’t choose how we feel, but we choose how we act.” It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale. But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more. In her return to the era of The War that Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley brings a new and different story, one with a mystical twist, that explores…

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The Night War

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Reviewer: Cindy M
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 12+

Overall Book Review:

The Night War follows 12-year-old Miri, a Jewish girl whose family fled Germany to France, but instead of finding refuge there, they have found prejudice and the Nazi’s have followed to occupy France. Readers will learn about some lesser-known attitudes and events in France. Primarily historical fiction, this book also has a dash of the supernatural. Miri is afraid and brave at the same time. She is constantly questioning what is the right path to take when there aren’t great options for her. She ultimately makes some choices that are hard and feel illogical, but allow her to remain true to her heritage and promises.

The book highlights that history feels like it repeats itself. One thing the author does that is appreciated is that she takes a measured approach in passing judgment on historical characters from hundreds of years ago. Sometimes we have the tendancy to quickly judge people by limited facts found in historical accounts, assume certain motivations, and measure by modern standards without remembering that we were not there and we do not know all. There is one scene in which this is explored and it is a thoughtful discussion.

Lovers of World War II historical fiction and adventure will thoroughly enjoy this book.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy Provided by the Publisher

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: Man is punched in the face by soldiers, blood comes from nose and child is pushed to the pavement by soldiers; reference to Kristallnacht and how a family’s house burned; policeman slaps a 12-year-old across the face hard; Jews of all ages are rounded up by police and forced onto a bus and eventually it is reported they are sent to concentration camps; during round up a sound is heard that is possibly a gunshot; young character has frightening nightmares and cries out in sleep; report that a parent miscarried, no details; reference/retelling of violent events from history by individuals associated with the castle that is part of the setting; character falls and breaks leg, with bone sticking through; character is severely injured and bleeding, young character tries to stop the bleeding and gets blood all over her clothes; character tells how as a child others tried to capture her to torture and kill her; character causes a scene by falling into others and knocking them over; characters are chased with intent to capture, etc; references to WWII and some of those events.

Sex/Nudity: 12-year-old girl pretends that her period has started in order to deflect suspicion about blood on her clothes; adult provides girl with personal feminine products for her “faked” period; people are told that a young child is “illegitimate” in order to hide the fact that she is Jewish; report that a historical person was a mistress.

Mature Subject Matter:

WWII, holocaust, Nazi’s, persecution and prejudice against Jews, concentration camps.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

None

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
0
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
3
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
2
10

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About the Reviewer

Cindy M
An accountant and CPA by profession, I found myself a book reviewer for Squeaky Clean Reads by happenstance. When the opportunity came to transform that website into Compass Book Ratings, I was excited to seize it and meld my business background with my love of books. As the mother of three teenage sons, I have read a large number of children and young adult books and I believe that there is great value in a content review service. As much as we would love to read everything our children read, there just isn’t enough time. I also appreciate being able to select books for myself that are really worth my precious and limited reading time. I believe there is a book out there for everyone–they just have to find it!

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