Friday, August 7, 2009

Review: In My Enemy's House by Carol Matas

book 4 of 5 for the War Through the Generations Challenge: WWII
genre: YA
rating: 4/5

This book gives the reader a different twist to the World War II story: a young, blond Jewish girl from Poland uses her looks to take on a new identity as a Christian Pole. The story of how Marisa gets to that point and the life she lives as a "non-Jew" is an intimate look at German society during the war.

I liked the book and yet it seemed to skim the surface. I wanted a bit more "oomph" or something. There were scenes of brutality but somehow I never got the emotion I would've expected, although the main character was believable, for the most part. Marisa was a conflicted character, the time and place felt very well researched and the book itself presents an interesting case for keeping love in your heart during extremely challenging circumstances. I think for younger teens, this is a good choice for Holocaust fiction.

4 comments:

erin sheely said...

I have this one too...is it worth me reading?

Anna said...

Do you think it might have skimmed the surface because it's a YA novel? I wanted more from Lowry's Number the Stars, but I had to keep reminding myself it was written with middle graders in mind. This still sounds like an interesting book. I'll get your review up on War Through the Generations soon.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

bermudaonion said...

It does sound like an interesting premise.

Anna said...

We posted your review on War Through the Generations.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

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