A review by kim_j_dare
The War Outside by Monica Hesse

5.0

I had no idea until I read this captivating novel (and Hesse's note on historical accuracy) that our country's World War II internment camps were as widespread as they were. Hesse does a masterful job of bringing a little-known piece of history to light in a compelling way. German-American Margot and Japanese-American Haruko form an unlikely but utterly believable friendship in the Crystal City camp, the only one where both German-Americans and Japanese-Americans were housed together. Through their eyes, we experience the day to day life in this camp, the injustices, the rampant prejudices, and the highs and lows of relationships that are doomed from the beginning.

Hand this to fans of Elizabeth Wein and Ruta Sepetys-- all of these authors have a remarkable ability to discover and tease out the moments in our past that have not made it into the history books, and that are essential for us to be familiar with, especially in this time of political divisiveness.