Intriguing, disturbing, and historically compelling, best for older YA readers.
Atwood’s YA historical novel follows two young Belgian women who defied occupying German forces, the first during World War I and the second during World War II.
It is May of 1942, and the Germans are occupying Belgium for the second time in fewer than three decades. Julienne Gobert and her father, Maurice, are leaving their small town of L’ Elpe and moving to Brussels to live with Maurice’s sister, Cecile. (Life has become sad since the recent tragic death of Julienne’s mother.) When they arrive in Brussels, Cecile greets her brother with warm enthusiasm. She is colder toward her niece, reflecting, Julienne thinks, the acrimonious relationship Cecile had with Julienne’s French-born mother. The next day, while Julienne is working in Cecile’s grocery shop, she helps an elderly Jewish woman and her granddaughter, who are being harassed by a Nazi officer. By coming to the Jewish women’s aid, Julienne incurs Cecile’s wrath. That evening, walking through Brussels, Julienne comes upon a statue of Gabrielle Petit, a resistance heroine from World War I (“the shopgirl who died for Belgium”). She will learn that she has a profound connection with Gabrielle, a real-life historical figure whose heroics (she bravely defied the Germans until she was caught and executed) were the inspiration for Atwood’s novel. Like Gabrielle, Julienne gradually and courageously immerses herself in the Belgian resistance against the Nazi occupiers. Atwood’s narrative deftly alternates between the women’s parallel tales, toggling back and forth between the two World Wars while sprinkling breadcrumbs of connections between the two. (A vibrant cast of significant secondary characters from Gabrielle’s story—survivors of the first war—reappears in Julienne’s saga to support her in her mission.) The novel is packed with chilling historical details about German atrocities against civilians, Belgian Nazi sympathizers, and the valiant acts of the resistors as they waited for the Allies to turn the tide. Scenes of adventure, frightening close calls, and great losses keep the fluidly scribed pages turning.
Intriguing, disturbing, and historically compelling, best for older YA readers.Pub Date: May 8, 2025
ISBN: 9798218650889
Page Count: 278
Publisher: SmallPub
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage.
Adrian, the youngest of the Montague siblings, sails into tumultuous waters in search of answers about himself, the sudden death of his mother, and her mysterious, cracked spyglass.
On the summer solstice less than a year ago, Caroline Montague fell off a cliff in Aberdeen into the sea. When the Scottish hostel where she was staying sends a box of her left-behind belongings to London, Adrian—an anxious, White nobleman on the cusp of joining Parliament—discovers one of his mother’s most treasured possessions, an antique spyglass. She acquired it when she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck many years earlier. His mother always carried that spyglass with her, but on the day of her death, she had left it behind in her room. Although he never knew its full significance, Adrian is haunted by new questions and is certain the spyglass will lead him to the truth. Once again, Lee crafts an absorbing adventure with dangerous stakes, dynamic character growth, sharp social and political commentary, and a storm of emotion. Inseparable from his external search for answers about his mother, Adrian seeks a solution for himself, an end to his struggle with mental illness—a journey handled with hopeful, gentle honesty that validates the experiences of both good and bad days. Characters from the first two books play significant secondary roles, and the resolution ties up their loose ends. Humorous antics provide a well-measured balance with the heavier themes.
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-291601-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
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