By Jennifer A Nielsen

Here we have yet another WWI novel, but this time, it doesn’t just discuss one character and their story. The cool thing about this book is that instead of just focusing on one character, it explores multiple different perspectives. Felix, Kara, Elsa, Dmitri, and Juliette are all suffering from the effects of the war. But though the future is not bright, they all still have hopes and dreams, from surviving the war to becoming a Red Cross nurse. Not all of what they wish will come to pass, but they all may still end up with a happy ending.

What I liked about this book was that you could see so many different parts of the war in one book alone. Where usually you might have to read a two books to get to learn about a British nurse and a Russian soldier, here, you can get both. It was slightly confusing at times, but overall a pretty decent book.

Why should you read this book?

If you’re interested in learning a lot about WWI or getting a general overview of a lot of the different aspects, then this is the book for you. It’s less of an in depth dive on one aspect and touches more on a lot of the important parts. And if you generally like Jennifer A Nielsen’s books, I think you will like this one.

Who should read this book?

As with most books by Nielsen, this one deals with hard concepts in a way that is very appropriate for middle grade readers. Yes, it’s about WWI, and terrible things happened. But you won’t finish this story and feel disturbed or like you’ve read something that you didn’t want to read. It’s very accessible to all middle schoolers.

General Stats:

• Genre: historical fiction – WWI
• Standalone
• Age: 6th grade and above
• My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆