Set in 1939, it’s the lives
of the characters that make this book exceptional. They are outstanding;
powerful and interesting. The history of WW2 seems to fit around them and vice
versa.
Stories and sub-stories of heroic people, flavour the melting pot of
seen and unseen heroes that fought in whatever way they could with patriotic
diligence.
Hitler, having risen from
obscure beer-hall heckler, to supreme ruler of Germany, enforces his
plan to annihilate the Untermenschen - under-people.
While Germany has been
proactive preparing for this war, Hitler’s clever strategies expose how
unprepared and defenceless France and other countries nearby are, against what
eventuates.
But the French Resistance and the decisive actions initiated by common
people are critical in sabotaging enemy plans.
Told in two points of
view, by Sasha in Australia and Dieter in Berlin, we access opposing
situations and sympathise with both. We watch the collapse of lives and
countries while hope burns fiercely in both the victors and the vanquished.
Sacha is an ordinary girl.
But her father, Louis Jullian is a famous French-Australian public speaker,
journalist and author. His talks on the futility of war take him all around the
world. Her mother is a successful business woman of Paris.
Deiter in Berlin is on
the cusp of manhood. He is preoccupied with time passing so he can join the
Hitler Youth. His birth father has been
released from jail and wants to see him. His stepfather is livid and won’t allow
it. The tension between the two, equals the secrets that Mother hides from her
son.
Detailed historical
information propels the story forward, with startling statistics relating to men
and women, planes and tanks used in this war. Descriptive paragraphs concentrate
on showcasing how people lived, suffered and survived during the war years, and
their attitudes to their invaders.
This is Book #1 in the fantastic
series, Australia’s Second World War. Sophie Masson’s excellent prose breathes
life into the stories. The excerpts from newspapers included as part of the
text, contribute enormously to the reader’s interest.
These novels can be read
in any order. I found them extremely educational. They define an important era
in the history of the world and contain significant material for younger
readers to reach for, to learn about the War years.
Title: War and Resistance
Author:
Sophie Masson
Publisher:
Scholastic, $16.99
Publication
Date: March 2020
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
9781742769219
For
ages: 9+
Type:
Historical Fiction
