Three Books: WWII

In my reading lately, WWII has been a recurring subject. I've never been much a fan of history - this is one of my character flaws, as I know there is a lot that can be learned from history, and it seems that a well-rounded person would have a decent knowledge of the world's past. My one redeeming interest is that I am fascinated - and maybe a little obsessed - with human behavior, so if you take the politics and the details of the battles out and focus on the conduct of the people - what they believed, how they were influenced by their surroundings, and how those things affected their actions, I'm suddenly ready to study and learn.

I often ponder how I would have fared in the heart of WWII - not that I would wish it upon myself - but I wonder whether I would have been heroic or cowardly. How would I have behaved if I had grown up in Nazi Germany? Would I, with blond hair and blue eyes, have been blinded and deceived by Hitler? Or would I have been able to recognize him for the devil that he was? And if I did know of the wrongness of his rule would I have done anything about it, or would I have silently disagreed and bided my time to save my own life?

I also wonder what my fight for life would have been like in a concentration camp. How would fear, starvation, illness, and abuse affect me? I can't even begin to imagine what it was like.

While curious, I am so thankful to not really know. Nothing I have experienced in my life can answer those questions. Nothing even comes close in comparison.

Thank Heaven.

This is where my thoughts always turn when I read anything that takes place in that era. Here is a rundown of the three most recent books I have read taking place in WWII:

Rose Under Fire is a young adult book written by Elizabeth Wein. It is a sequel (though, more of a companion, really) to Code Name Verity. The story is about Rose Justice, an ATA pilot who is captured by Nazis and thrown into Ravensbruck concentration camp. Rose uses poetry as motivation to survive and helps others to continue their fight to survive through words. She befriends a group of women known as "the rabbits," as they have been brutally experimented on by the Nazis. She promises to spread the truth about the rabbits if she survives the camp and commits to memorizing their names - living and dead - to seek justice.

Rose is a friend and fellow pilot of Maddie from Code Name Verity. While Maddie plays a role in Rose Under Fire, she takes a backseat in the story, so you can read Rose Under Fire without having read Code Name Verity...if you want. There are small references to things that happened in Code Name Verity, but since the things that happened in that book are confidential, Maddie can't really talk specifics with Rose.

Rose Under Fire shows the power that words have on the human spirit and the importance of identity. It is not a fluffy or light read, and it contains some brief instances of strong profanity (which is the sugar-coated way of saying it has the 'F' word).

I rated this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

The Plum Tree book by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a slowly-unfolding story beginning with Christine at age 17 when she falls in love with Isaac, a wealthy Jewish boy. As the war deepens, Christine is no longer allowed to see Isaac, and eventually, Isaac and his family are taken from their home.

Over the years, the war brings continuous devastation and horror to Christine's life, but her love for Isaac remains strongly rooted.

I was particularly interested by the way this book handled revenge. There are some similarities between Christine's experience and Rose's experience in Rose Under Fire, but the characters handled things differently.

If your WWII fiction needs a love story, this is your book!

I gave The Plum Tree 4 stars on Goodreads.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys takes us away from Nazi Germany and introduces Lina, a Lithuanian teenager whose family is captured and sent to a labor camp in Siberia during WWII. Lina, her mother, and her brother do everything they can to stay together and help those around them stay alive. I particularly love Lina's mother, Elena, who is strong and determined and takes the lead in trying circumstances.

As Rose found solace in poetry, Lina amplifies her will to live through art.

There may also be a love story in there somewhere (but don't confuse this book with any other "Shades of Grey).

I'm just sayin'.

I gave Between Shades of Gray 4 stars on Goodreads.