The Night War

I saw Kimberly Brubaker Bradley had written a new book, The Night War, so I got it from the library on Kindle. The book description says, "It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale. But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri volunteers one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more."

This was a great read. I have loved Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's other books as well (The War That Saved My Life & Fighting Words), so with this book being great as well, I now know to just read everything she writes. In this book, I was engaged pretty quickly and loved the characters and the story. The description on Amazon adds that the book had a "mythical twist," which was probably the only part I didn't love, but I also see how it added value to the story. This was an exciting, page-turner kind of book, and it had a kid-friendly happy ending, which makes it a great one to recommend to sensitive readers.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)