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A review by jazzyjan94
Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin
4.0
15-year-old Lillia is living in Warsaw, Poland in 1940 which has become occupied by the Nazis. Her and her family about to flee Poland, but mere days before they do, her mother, Alenka disappears. However, they realize they need to follow through with their plan and hope that Alenka joins them eventually. Lillia and the rest of her family travel a long way to Shanghai, the only place that will allow Jewish refugees in without requiring a visa. However, when they arrive in Shanghai, they realize that life there is not going to be easy, especially with the presence of Japanese soldiers throughout the city. They find a home in the shelter, however tragedy strikes and Lillia must do what she can to take care of her family, while still holding on to the hope that her mother will join them.
Someday We Will Fly is an interesting story that covers a part of World War II history that might necessarily be known to a lot of people. This is a novel about survival and resiliency, even in the darks of times. We see this especially when both Lillia's father and her baby sister are sick and she does what she can to earn money, even if it means working in a brothel of sorts.
There is also an exploration of what it means to be human and how even those who might be misjudged as our enemies can be our greatest allies. For example, Mr. Takati, who is a Japanese businessman who befriends Lillia at the brothel and he treats her with decency. Later when the Japanese take over Shanghai he and his wife help Lillia by writing a letter to officials in Kobe, Japan -where her mother is stranded- to help her mother get the papers she needs in order to join her family in Shanghai.
This is also a story of hope and how something as simple as a puppet made out of trash can be used to bring a glimmer of hope to those in a very tough situation. However, the novel also does not shy away from showing the harsh realities that took place during World War II in the Pacific Theater, even the fact that the Japanese also put Americans in internment camps, which is something that isn't often talked about.
Overall, Someday We Will Fly is a reminder about the complexities of World War II and that is a lot that most people don't know because there is a lot that took place. But it is also a reminder of hope and compassion. 4/5 Stars.
Someday We Will Fly is an interesting story that covers a part of World War II history that might necessarily be known to a lot of people. This is a novel about survival and resiliency, even in the darks of times. We see this especially when both Lillia's father and her baby sister are sick and she does what she can to earn money, even if it means working in a brothel of sorts.
There is also an exploration of what it means to be human and how even those who might be misjudged as our enemies can be our greatest allies. For example, Mr. Takati, who is a Japanese businessman who befriends Lillia at the brothel and he treats her with decency. Later when the Japanese take over Shanghai he and his wife help Lillia by writing a letter to officials in Kobe, Japan -where her mother is stranded- to help her mother get the papers she needs in order to join her family in Shanghai.
This is also a story of hope and how something as simple as a puppet made out of trash can be used to bring a glimmer of hope to those in a very tough situation. However, the novel also does not shy away from showing the harsh realities that took place during World War II in the Pacific Theater, even the fact that the Japanese also put Americans in internment camps, which is something that isn't often talked about.
Overall, Someday We Will Fly is a reminder about the complexities of World War II and that is a lot that most people don't know because there is a lot that took place. But it is also a reminder of hope and compassion. 4/5 Stars.