Title: Prisoner
of Night and Fog
Series: Prisoner
of Night and Fog, #1
Author: Anne
Blankman
Publisher: Balzer
+ Bray
Publication Date: April
22, 2014
Genres: YA,
Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Angie
Edwards
Source: From
publisher for review
My rating: 4/5
SUMMARY
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark
corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who
grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle"
Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded
his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.
And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.
And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.
REVIEW
One
thing that is crystal clear right from the start is that tremendous amounts of
research, time, and effort went into creating this novel. Most of the ideas
Hitler expresses in this book are based on things he said in real life. Certain
themes he discussed in speeches early in his career are also touched upon in
one of his talks. Most notably, the very apt title of the book is derived from
the infamous “Night and Fog” decree of 1941, as well as the famous literary
ballad by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Originality is this novel’s forte, and
the author deserves a standing ovation for creating such a spectacular work of
fiction while staying true to the facts.
I found
Gretchen and Daniel’s story terribly hard-hitting because of the true
historical background it is set against. The terror of Hitler’s rise to power,
and the inevitable horrors suffered by the Jews, remained at the forefront of
my mind the entire time I was reading this. At its core, this is a love-story
between two people from completely different worlds and opposite political
views. Their love just shouldn’t be. Yet, they brave the odds and take
impossible risks to be together. I was afraid that the romance element might be
the main focus of this story, but surprisingly it wasn’t. Gretchen and Daniel
fall in love slowly and gradually, and amazingly the romance is more a sideline
to the plot than the main theme. I was incredibly relieved to find that the
author balanced the romance with the rest of the happenings in the book instead
of using it as a backbone for the novel. The reason I wanted to read Prisoner of Night and Fog in the first
place was to experience what it must’ve been like to be a youth during Hitler’s
rise to power.
Geli Rauban
(Hitler’s half-niece) and Eva Braun (who eventually became Hitler’s mistress)
are included in this expertly written tale, and both feature a great deal in
Gretchen’s life. Geli’s eventual suicide is also included. What I enjoyed most
about this novel is how Gretchen and Daniel’s lives are intertwined with these
historical characters and several historical events. The downside for me was
that I didn’t really connect with the fictional characters, but the historical
figures really stood out for me. For example, Geli is portrayed as lively,
friendly, caring, and fun, while Gretchen seemed dull in comparison. The only
fictional character that came to life for me – and not in a good way – is
Gretchen’s psychopathic brother, Reinhard. He was simply terrifying, and his
character added to the suspense in leaps and bounds.
In the
first half of the book, Adolf Hitler is a bit of a gray character, meaning he
seemed very flat. But a little more than halfway into the story, when the
pacing picks up, he comes to life as the well-known narcissistic, hate-filled
Fuhrer. Kudos to Blankman for sketching this Austria-born madman in a light
where readers have to make up their own minds as to what drove him to do the
things he did. The most memorable scene for me near the end was the epic and
adrenaline-fueling showdown between Gretchen and Hitler when she confronts him
with the truth. The last twenty-five percent or so of the book had me clinging
to the edge of my seat.
Overall,
this is a terrific read. I strongly advise readers to read the Author’s Note
after finishing this excellent read (it contains spoilers), as it is quite
insightful as to how she put all of this together. I can’t wait to read the
next book, and if it’s as choc-full of historical figures, facts, and events as
this first book, it will definitely be at the top of my book wishlist!
PURCHASE LINKS
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Anne Blankman may
have been meant to be a writer because her parents named her for Anne of Green
Gables. She grew up in an old house with gables (gray, unfortunately) in
upstate New York. When she wasn't writing or reading, she was rowing on the
crew team, taking ballet lessons, fencing and swimming. She graduated from
Union College with degrees in English and history, which comes in handy when
she writes historical fiction.
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