lindasdarby's review against another edition
4.0
I want to buy copies of this book and give them out to people. This is a short book but very powerful. The author was writing a book on Hitler Youth when she came across this story. I loved the story and like the way she told it. I also loved that this young boy, who was executed by the Germans for distributing anti-nazi pamphlets, was LDS. It is a great book and one I highly recommend reading.
emmehooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Genocide, Antisemitism, and Violence
Moderate: Torture and Death
Minor: Excrement
greergreer's review against another edition
4.0
It begins with the National Socialist Party the leader Adolf Hitler rises to power to become chancellor of Germany and becomes Fuher of the Nazi party.
Germany is changing, Swastika flags start flying, books are burned that do not promote German Ideas the slander of the Jews rises. The people of Germany are slowly being brainwashed by the charismatic Nazi leader.
Helmuth and his friends do not agree with the Nazis bullying of people and the shaming and degrading way of the treatment of the Jews.
This is the beginning of the fear mongering the turning of family against family and accusations of sympathy for the enemies of the Nazi regime. The listening to foreign radio stations is even forbidden.
Helmuth has come to a dangerous idea, informing the public of the true nature of what the Nazis are doing by listening to the BBC London on contraband radio and relaying the information into a pamphlet and distributing it in secret.
This book is based on a true story of a young German boy, his moral need is to stand up for what he sees as intolerable actions. Helmuth is only sixteen years old he is still a child. In the eyes of the Nazi’s he is a treasonous enemy.
Germany is changing, Swastika flags start flying, books are burned that do not promote German Ideas the slander of the Jews rises. The people of Germany are slowly being brainwashed by the charismatic Nazi leader.
Helmuth and his friends do not agree with the Nazis bullying of people and the shaming and degrading way of the treatment of the Jews.
This is the beginning of the fear mongering the turning of family against family and accusations of sympathy for the enemies of the Nazi regime. The listening to foreign radio stations is even forbidden.
Helmuth has come to a dangerous idea, informing the public of the true nature of what the Nazis are doing by listening to the BBC London on contraband radio and relaying the information into a pamphlet and distributing it in secret.
This book is based on a true story of a young German boy, his moral need is to stand up for what he sees as intolerable actions. Helmuth is only sixteen years old he is still a child. In the eyes of the Nazi’s he is a treasonous enemy.
datoismyname's review against another edition
3.0
I read this quite awhile ago. I enjoyed it. Its always a difficult read when it deals with the Holocaust.
wombat_88's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
thisbookishcat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
What an incredible story about bravery, morality, justice and injustice. Learning that this story is based off of the events of a real life -dare I say it- hero, it astounding!
Nearly all the WW2 books I've read have been from one of two points-of-view, Jewish victims of the war, or from the troops who fought in the war. Very rarely do you see something about those who were against the war that was happening, and fighting it from within Germany itself. This was eye-opening, especially as a North American who only really gets to hear the commonwealth, or American viewpoints of how the war went.
It is a very quick read, not only because the book is not overly large, but because the tale the author has spun draws you in and makes it so that you can't focus on anything other than finding out what will happen next.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see and maybe understand the perspective of someone who was 'on the wrong side of the war' and who didn't agree with what was happening.
Nearly all the WW2 books I've read have been from one of two points-of-view, Jewish victims of the war, or from the troops who fought in the war. Very rarely do you see something about those who were against the war that was happening, and fighting it from within Germany itself. This was eye-opening, especially as a North American who only really gets to hear the commonwealth, or American viewpoints of how the war went.
Spoiler
The way the author leads you along the series of events that got the character, our hero, from the beginning of the war to his eventual perish is inspiring, frightening, and makes you hold your breath. Will the Nazis find out he's the mole? Will he make it out alive? Can he deliver his papers before it's too late?</spoilerIt is a very quick read, not only because the book is not overly large, but because the tale the author has spun draws you in and makes it so that you can't focus on anything other than finding out what will happen next.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see and maybe understand the perspective of someone who was 'on the wrong side of the war' and who didn't agree with what was happening.
scribesprite's review against another edition
4.0
Been planning to read this for a while and finally did. It is set in Hamburg, Germany during WWII. This book shows that not every German citizen was for the war even though it allowed more jobs and a better economy and some did not know what was going on because of all the laws restricting outside information. We see all of this through a boy, called Helumth.
Helmuth was a real boy growing up in WWII. And it not that the author made Helmuth such a believable character, he actually seemed real. He is real. The author based her story off of his life, though she can't know exactly how everything went down, she did her research. Bartoletti kept all his family members, his religion (Mormon), and his time in jail as accurate as possible.
The writing was good (no chapters though). The tone of this book was somber. Even though Helmuth was a boy he was very observant. The more he learns, the more anger he feels, the more his frustration builds. His anger just keeps escalating. Though this book is somber it is not as depressing as some other WWII books (i.e. [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368] or [b:All Quiet on the Western Front|355697|All Quiet on the Western Front|Erich Maria Remarque|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441227765s/355697.jpg|2662852]). I can take anger and frustration over depression and sympathy. I accredit it for doing such a great job at being realist, since it is a real story.
Helmuth was a real boy growing up in WWII. And it not that the author made Helmuth such a believable character, he actually seemed real. He is real. The author based her story off of his life, though she can't know exactly how everything went down, she did her research. Bartoletti kept all his family members, his religion (Mormon), and his time in jail as accurate as possible.
The writing was good (no chapters though). The tone of this book was somber. Even though Helmuth was a boy he was very observant. The more he learns, the more anger he feels, the more his frustration builds. His anger just keeps escalating. Though this book is somber it is not as depressing as some other WWII books (i.e. [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681s/19063.jpg|878368] or [b:All Quiet on the Western Front|355697|All Quiet on the Western Front|Erich Maria Remarque|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441227765s/355697.jpg|2662852]). I can take anger and frustration over depression and sympathy. I accredit it for doing such a great job at being realist, since it is a real story.
lumos_libros's review against another edition
5.0
This story resonates so much because it's based on a true account of a young man named Helmuth during World War II. He is a patriotic German and can see why Hitler could be good for the country. Just like many others he gets sweeped up with the hysteria of a new hope for the broken down Germany. Slowly but surely though he comes to see what the whole regime is really about.
The book flips perspectives from the present to memories Helmuth has leading up to why he is in jail. The voice of the narrator is consistent and gives you a good insight of how Helmuth changes from a little boy to a young adult who can think for himself. This storyline had a different take on this time period. There are numerous books written about this time, but I have never encountered one that had the protagonist belong to the Hitler Youth. The group intrigues him at first and you can easily see why. Hitler puts them on pedalstool, saying they are the new generation needed for the country with shiny boots and sharp uniforms to seal the deal. Through all the dazzle he comes to learn that he really can't go by with doing nothing about the wrongness of what is happening around him.
The newest piece of information that I got from this book was that there was actually LDS members in Germany in the 1930s, which I wasn't aware of till now. His faith plays a big part in the story and ultimately will be the major reason why he wants to fight the injustice he sees.
I appreciated that the author stuck close to the actual events but elaborated what she thought he would have thought or felt. Big kudo points for not inserting a love interest just for the sake of making the story interesting. Towards the back of the book the author provides pictures of Helmuth himself and of his brother and two good friends. It made the words that much more believable when I could see the real faces of these people.
After I finished reading it I was reminded about why I loved historical fiction (my first favorite genre) so much. It brings you stories like this. Filled with truth. Though some thought he was foolish to try to do something about it he kept to his beliefs. I personally think he was brave because it takes much more strength to do what you believe is right than to sit by and just watch it happen.
The book flips perspectives from the present to memories Helmuth has leading up to why he is in jail. The voice of the narrator is consistent and gives you a good insight of how Helmuth changes from a little boy to a young adult who can think for himself. This storyline had a different take on this time period. There are numerous books written about this time, but I have never encountered one that had the protagonist belong to the Hitler Youth. The group intrigues him at first and you can easily see why. Hitler puts them on pedalstool, saying they are the new generation needed for the country with shiny boots and sharp uniforms to seal the deal. Through all the dazzle he comes to learn that he really can't go by with doing nothing about the wrongness of what is happening around him.
The newest piece of information that I got from this book was that there was actually LDS members in Germany in the 1930s, which I wasn't aware of till now. His faith plays a big part in the story and ultimately will be the major reason why he wants to fight the injustice he sees.
I appreciated that the author stuck close to the actual events but elaborated what she thought he would have thought or felt. Big kudo points for not inserting a love interest just for the sake of making the story interesting. Towards the back of the book the author provides pictures of Helmuth himself and of his brother and two good friends. It made the words that much more believable when I could see the real faces of these people.
After I finished reading it I was reminded about why I loved historical fiction (my first favorite genre) so much. It brings you stories like this. Filled with truth. Though some thought he was foolish to try to do something about it he kept to his beliefs. I personally think he was brave because it takes much more strength to do what you believe is right than to sit by and just watch it happen.
hazelcat13's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoy reading pretty much anything I can get my hands on that deals with WWII. This was an okay read; however, I felt like it read more of a play by play and less of a story. Its execution was slightly... underwhelming. It did pique my interest in that it was based on the life of an actual teenage German boy who lost his life trying to share the truth.
An all-around sub-par read that may incite the desire to research Helmuth and others associated with the Hitler Youth.
An all-around sub-par read that may incite the desire to research Helmuth and others associated with the Hitler Youth.