jaded618's review
3.0
This book started by introducing us to the two main character, Katja and her older sister Hilde. Katja is a piano player who has dreams of playing famously. They are German girls living with their mother alone since their father died in the war. It is now 1945 and the war is coming to an end, that doesn't stop Soviet soldiers from coming to their house, raiding their things and then kicking them out. Their mother has a plan and gets them to pack a bag each and they will travel to a dear friend of hers from childhood. She tells the girls it is their Aunt Ilse and Uncle Otto's place. During their travel tragedy unfolds leaving the girls alone. After weeks of traveling the war is over and they make it to Aunt Ilse's.
Throughout the book the girls are working to make themselves valuable to their Aunt and Uncle, as well as dealing with the Soviet soldiers that remain occupying the town. Katja is a brave girl who does not see herself that way, she tends to act before thinking and gets into trouble that not only risks her life, but the life of her family. The piano playing by Katja throughout this book bring such beauty to a dark time; as if there is still hope and she is not giving up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although some of the violent scenes made me wonder about it being targeted as a young adult book.
The story was well told and the characters were interesting and I felt connected to them while reading.
Thank you @netgally and @AnnickPress for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Throughout the book the girls are working to make themselves valuable to their Aunt and Uncle, as well as dealing with the Soviet soldiers that remain occupying the town. Katja is a brave girl who does not see herself that way, she tends to act before thinking and gets into trouble that not only risks her life, but the life of her family. The piano playing by Katja throughout this book bring such beauty to a dark time; as if there is still hope and she is not giving up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although some of the violent scenes made me wonder about it being targeted as a young adult book.
The story was well told and the characters were interesting and I felt connected to them while reading.
Thank you @netgally and @AnnickPress for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jennywithaz's review
4.0
Over the last few years I've been seeing more YA books based around experiences of WWII that are outside of the norm of what we usually read and learn about regarding that period of history, and this book fits in line with that theme. It takes place in Soviet occupied post-WWII Germany and tells the story of 16 year old Katja, a musical talent with dreams of being a concert pianist, and her older sister Hilde, who are displaced from their home and travel with their mother to seek refuge at a friend's home on the other side of the country. When tragedy suddenly befalls their small family unit at the hands of Soviet soldiers, Katja and Hilde are forced to continue on their own, fending for themselves and using their wits to earn their keep at their mother's friend's house and survive.
The story picks up speed when they arrive at their destination and settle in as best they can, getting jobs on a farm to earn their keep and trying to stay out of the crosshairs of the Soviet soldiers who lurk around town, attempting to restore a civic structure and hunting for former Nazis. But Katja, the more impulsive of the two, can't stop herself from acting rashly out of grief and anger, and her actions have terrible consequences and reverberations throughout the story. I found the last half of this story to be especially gripping and sped through it to see how everything would turn out. While I don't think the execution was perfect and was bothered by some of the liberties the author took, which she acknowledges in her author's note, I still found this to be a captivating story with characters whom you root for despite their flaws and foibles.
Especially poignant is Katja's reckoning with her own role in the events of the war throughout the story. She starts off innocent and naive, seemingly unaware of the tragedies that took place, this despite the fact that she took secret piano lessons from a Jewish man in their small town before he and his family disappeared one day. But the more she learns as facts begin to emerge about the death camps in the aftermath of the war, the more she struggles with the implications of her own willful ignorance and denial of what had been happening all along -- though she was young and shielded from much of the truth while the war was happening, she realizes that by doing nothing though she knew something was wrong she was complicit as a bystander, powerless as she was to stop it.
There's a lot of food for thought and discussion here, and though it is not a perfect, there is merit in discussing that too. War is complex, and this is yet another facet to the story that we don't often learn or read about. I'd pair this on my shelf with other rarely told WWII stories, including Rachel DeWoskin's [b:Someday We Will Fly|39993884|Someday We Will Fly|Rachel DeWoskin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1530135391l/39993884._SX50_.jpg|61932150], which tells the story of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII, Vesper Stamper's [b:What the Night Sings|35618351|What the Night Sings|Vesper Stamper|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1499452966l/35618351._SX50_.jpg|48066352], about a Jewish girl's experience in a displaced persons camp following her liberation from Bergen-Belsen, and [b:Max|15774122|Max|Sarah Cohen-Scali|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371851575l/15774122._SY75_.jpg|21484487] by Sarah Cohen-Scali, an utterly unique take on the Lebensborn program in Germany during the war.
The story picks up speed when they arrive at their destination and settle in as best they can, getting jobs on a farm to earn their keep and trying to stay out of the crosshairs of the Soviet soldiers who lurk around town, attempting to restore a civic structure and hunting for former Nazis. But Katja, the more impulsive of the two, can't stop herself from acting rashly out of grief and anger, and her actions have terrible consequences and reverberations throughout the story. I found the last half of this story to be especially gripping and sped through it to see how everything would turn out. While I don't think the execution was perfect and was bothered by some of the liberties the author took, which she acknowledges in her author's note, I still found this to be a captivating story with characters whom you root for despite their flaws and foibles.
Especially poignant is Katja's reckoning with her own role in the events of the war throughout the story. She starts off innocent and naive, seemingly unaware of the tragedies that took place, this despite the fact that she took secret piano lessons from a Jewish man in their small town before he and his family disappeared one day. But the more she learns as facts begin to emerge about the death camps in the aftermath of the war, the more she struggles with the implications of her own willful ignorance and denial of what had been happening all along -- though she was young and shielded from much of the truth while the war was happening, she realizes that by doing nothing though she knew something was wrong she was complicit as a bystander, powerless as she was to stop it.
There's a lot of food for thought and discussion here, and though it is not a perfect, there is merit in discussing that too. War is complex, and this is yet another facet to the story that we don't often learn or read about. I'd pair this on my shelf with other rarely told WWII stories, including Rachel DeWoskin's [b:Someday We Will Fly|39993884|Someday We Will Fly|Rachel DeWoskin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1530135391l/39993884._SX50_.jpg|61932150], which tells the story of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII, Vesper Stamper's [b:What the Night Sings|35618351|What the Night Sings|Vesper Stamper|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1499452966l/35618351._SX50_.jpg|48066352], about a Jewish girl's experience in a displaced persons camp following her liberation from Bergen-Belsen, and [b:Max|15774122|Max|Sarah Cohen-Scali|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371851575l/15774122._SY75_.jpg|21484487] by Sarah Cohen-Scali, an utterly unique take on the Lebensborn program in Germany during the war.
rknuttel's review
3.0
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for a review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
Oh man. This book takes you on an emotional journey. But I have to say, in these uncertain times, it really helps to put things into perspective. Things are weird and scary right now, but they are nothing - NOTHING - compared to events like WWII and the Holocaust. This book is pretty heavy. It does not mince words or hide the truth. But it also taught me a lot about a time period I didn’t know much about. I have read my fair share of WWII books, but none have ever focused on German citizens during the Soviet occupation post-war. Katja, the heroine, is very feisty. The often acts before she thinks and then pays dearly. But she is also passionate, caring, and critical if the people around her who are not living up to their potential. Sometimes I felt like her sister, ready to kill her for continually making “wrong” choices. But other times I applaud her courage and her morals, even when they are risky. The best part of this book is the second half. It starts a bit slow, but really ramps up and the stakes get higher and higher. I did think the ending felt a bit rushed. But I loved the way Katja starts to question everything at the end as she starts to understand the impact Germany had on the world. This is a great addition to high school WWII books clubs or reading list, offering a rarely seen perspective on an important event in history.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
Oh man. This book takes you on an emotional journey. But I have to say, in these uncertain times, it really helps to put things into perspective. Things are weird and scary right now, but they are nothing - NOTHING - compared to events like WWII and the Holocaust. This book is pretty heavy. It does not mince words or hide the truth. But it also taught me a lot about a time period I didn’t know much about. I have read my fair share of WWII books, but none have ever focused on German citizens during the Soviet occupation post-war. Katja, the heroine, is very feisty. The often acts before she thinks and then pays dearly. But she is also passionate, caring, and critical if the people around her who are not living up to their potential. Sometimes I felt like her sister, ready to kill her for continually making “wrong” choices. But other times I applaud her courage and her morals, even when they are risky. The best part of this book is the second half. It starts a bit slow, but really ramps up and the stakes get higher and higher. I did think the ending felt a bit rushed. But I loved the way Katja starts to question everything at the end as she starts to understand the impact Germany had on the world. This is a great addition to high school WWII books clubs or reading list, offering a rarely seen perspective on an important event in history.
missreaderaddict's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Rape
bronsonmh's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I thought this was a very powerful book about the end of the war and the aftermath that happened and how it was still hard for people to pick up the pieces and some areas were still under control of Soviet forces. Katja was an interesting character. She is a young girl who is driven out of her home with her mother and sister. Then tragedy happens and Katja and her sister Hilda make it to a small village where relatives live and see if they will take them in. While living there the hardship is real and survival is also real, but at what cost. Katja must choose between right and wrong. The only peace she can get is playing this old piano she finds in the streets. In her mind music always makes things better.
campreadkarin's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cat_cactus's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
arrrgh_schooling's review
4.0
What is the cost of doing nothing?
World War II stories are some of my favorite historical fiction to read, but I've read very little about the aftermath of the war. This young adult novel focuses on two sisters, Katja and Hilde, who are fleeing their German village after Russia invaded and took control at the end of the war. Katja is a very impulsive and naive girl who makes rash decisions that often end up causing more trouble than she anticipated. This story is about her coming to terms with her impulsiveness, as well as coming to terms with the guilt many Germans experienced as they realized the atrocities that the Nazis had committed.
This story is about survival, guilt, and responsibility. The characters felt very real, and the situations they found themselves in, as well as the ways that they each dealt with them, were very realistic and a great exploration of humanity. Some people will look for scapegoats, some will completely ignore the tragedy around them while focusing on their own survival, and others will do what they can to help. I really appreciate reading from different perspectives, and seeing the way that ordinary Germans viewed what was happening. I also greatly appreciate that the author didn't try to make the Germans out to be sympathetic victims - they may not all have participated in the Nazis crimes, but they all had to learn to live with the knowledge that they looked the other way rather than fight against what they saw happening. The author did a fantastic job of exploring that.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
World War II stories are some of my favorite historical fiction to read, but I've read very little about the aftermath of the war. This young adult novel focuses on two sisters, Katja and Hilde, who are fleeing their German village after Russia invaded and took control at the end of the war. Katja is a very impulsive and naive girl who makes rash decisions that often end up causing more trouble than she anticipated. This story is about her coming to terms with her impulsiveness, as well as coming to terms with the guilt many Germans experienced as they realized the atrocities that the Nazis had committed.
This story is about survival, guilt, and responsibility. The characters felt very real, and the situations they found themselves in, as well as the ways that they each dealt with them, were very realistic and a great exploration of humanity. Some people will look for scapegoats, some will completely ignore the tragedy around them while focusing on their own survival, and others will do what they can to help. I really appreciate reading from different perspectives, and seeing the way that ordinary Germans viewed what was happening. I also greatly appreciate that the author didn't try to make the Germans out to be sympathetic victims - they may not all have participated in the Nazis crimes, but they all had to learn to live with the knowledge that they looked the other way rather than fight against what they saw happening. The author did a fantastic job of exploring that.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
emysue1324's review
3.0
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I truly am conflicted. WWII is one of my favorite things to study, so naturally, it is one of my favorite subjects to read about in historical fiction. So, seeing this book was available, I thought it would scratch that itch for WWII fiction that I've had for a while.
That being said, I liked this book, but "like" is as far as I am willing to go with it. It is written for young adults, but something about the writing makes it feel like it is aimed for a younger audience. Some of the content -- what you would expect from post-War Europe -- however, was distinctively adult. I felt that there were moments where Katja was your typical teenager, rash and impulsive, but there were other times she stepped up to the plate and held her own.
I truly am conflicted. WWII is one of my favorite things to study, so naturally, it is one of my favorite subjects to read about in historical fiction. So, seeing this book was available, I thought it would scratch that itch for WWII fiction that I've had for a while.
That being said, I liked this book, but "like" is as far as I am willing to go with it. It is written for young adults, but something about the writing makes it feel like it is aimed for a younger audience. Some of the content -- what you would expect from post-War Europe -- however, was distinctively adult. I felt that there were moments where Katja was your typical teenager, rash and impulsive, but there were other times she stepped up to the plate and held her own.
kateteaching7and8's review
4.0
@Kidlitexchange
Thank you to the publisher, @annick_press, for sharing an advance copy of My Long List of Impossible Things by Michelle Barker with the #Kidlitexchange network. This book will be released March 10, 2020. All opinions are my own.
WWII is over and Katja, her mother, and her sister, Hilde, are living in the aftermath. The Soviets have invaded and German society is in collapse. One day soldiers appear at their door and give them only a few minutes to pack their things and leave. Katja's mom is sure that if they reach a distant friend, Katja's "Auntie" Isle, things will go better for them. They journey is long and devastating and causes Katja to question everything she knows about herself and the country she thought she knew.
My Long List of Impossible Things is a YA historical fiction novel about the aftermath of WWII. I enjoyed that I learned about a point in history that I didn't know about and that not many MG and YA historical fiction books are written about: the period immediately following the war when Soviet soldiers invaded Germany. During this time, they were attempting to establish control and an organizational system, but not all soldiers wanted to be there and many acted on their own seeking revenge for the way the Nazis treated Russians during the war.
"So many words had been turned upside down over the past six years of war. To me it seemed like the bravest act in the world to refuse to do something if it was wrong." -- My Long List of Impossible Things (p. 18), Michelle Barker.
This book is less about a physical journey and more about an emotional/mental journey. It focuses on the following question: how do you choose between survival and doing the right thing? It is this focus that is one of my favorite things about the book. Katja struggles throughout the book with doing the right thing versus the safe and/or expected thing. Katja's story is full of what may be considered mistakes. She looks back on them and questions if she could have done better. Another question raised, is how much responsibility do citizens bear for the actions of their government? It is easy to look back on a historical event and say, "I would have done this." Her journey reminds the reader that we do have a choice, but also that not all choices are easy to make. It also reminds us about our collective responsibility to stand up when we see something isn't right.
I enjoyed My Long List of Impossible Things by Michelle Barker. It is an eye-opening and heartbreaking novel. I liked that the story was told from the POV of a German girl as it's a perspective not often seen. Katja's perspective is what makes the delivery of the theme so powerful. I will admit that this book does move a bit slowly, and it did take a while for me to get into it. It also includes violence, rape, and murder making it less appropriate for younger readers (specifically MG).
Thank you to the publisher, @annick_press, for sharing an advance copy of My Long List of Impossible Things by Michelle Barker with the #Kidlitexchange network. This book will be released March 10, 2020. All opinions are my own.
WWII is over and Katja, her mother, and her sister, Hilde, are living in the aftermath. The Soviets have invaded and German society is in collapse. One day soldiers appear at their door and give them only a few minutes to pack their things and leave. Katja's mom is sure that if they reach a distant friend, Katja's "Auntie" Isle, things will go better for them. They journey is long and devastating and causes Katja to question everything she knows about herself and the country she thought she knew.
My Long List of Impossible Things is a YA historical fiction novel about the aftermath of WWII. I enjoyed that I learned about a point in history that I didn't know about and that not many MG and YA historical fiction books are written about: the period immediately following the war when Soviet soldiers invaded Germany. During this time, they were attempting to establish control and an organizational system, but not all soldiers wanted to be there and many acted on their own seeking revenge for the way the Nazis treated Russians during the war.
"So many words had been turned upside down over the past six years of war. To me it seemed like the bravest act in the world to refuse to do something if it was wrong." -- My Long List of Impossible Things (p. 18), Michelle Barker.
This book is less about a physical journey and more about an emotional/mental journey. It focuses on the following question: how do you choose between survival and doing the right thing? It is this focus that is one of my favorite things about the book. Katja struggles throughout the book with doing the right thing versus the safe and/or expected thing. Katja's story is full of what may be considered mistakes. She looks back on them and questions if she could have done better. Another question raised, is how much responsibility do citizens bear for the actions of their government? It is easy to look back on a historical event and say, "I would have done this." Her journey reminds the reader that we do have a choice, but also that not all choices are easy to make. It also reminds us about our collective responsibility to stand up when we see something isn't right.
I enjoyed My Long List of Impossible Things by Michelle Barker. It is an eye-opening and heartbreaking novel. I liked that the story was told from the POV of a German girl as it's a perspective not often seen. Katja's perspective is what makes the delivery of the theme so powerful. I will admit that this book does move a bit slowly, and it did take a while for me to get into it. It also includes violence, rape, and murder making it less appropriate for younger readers (specifically MG).