The Girl From the Train by Irma Joubert

Book Details

Author: Irma Joubert

Ages: 12+

Rating: 8/10

Number of Pages: 320

Plot: Set in Europe during and after the Second World War, the book focuses on the lives of two people and how the devastation of war brings them together. Six- year-old Gretl Schmidt, a German-Jewish girl, has faced the hardships of war first hand along with her family and now she is on a train headed for Auschwitz. Jakob Kowalski, a fighter in the Polish resistance, unaware of Gretl’s existence, is planting a bomb to the tracks. As the sole survivor of the bomb, Gretl is alone in Poland, a country hostile to her people with no one to look after her or help her survive. After Jakob finds Gretl alone and hungry he takes her to his family farm. For years, Jakob and Gretl must keep her true identity a secret amongst his Catholic family. After spending years learning and growing with Jakob and his family, Gretl becomes a key part of running the farm and also expresses a love of learning – but she cannot stay with him forever. Lying about her true inheritance, Jakob and Gretl return to Germany and Gretl is given the opportunity to travel to South Africa and find a new family. Separated by continents and the political conflicts of the time, Jakob and Gretl form an impenetrable bond that stays with them forever. In a story of history, politics and love Joubert creates a historical fiction with realistic characters and unique storyline that makes it stand out against other Nazi Germany novels.

 

Review: I was kindly given a complimentary copy of this novel from the publishers via BookLook Bloggers, and was excited to delve into the world created by Joubert. Having loved this period of history during my GCSE’s and read almost all of the young adult fiction around the subject, I thought I had quite a large knowledge around the subject – how wrong I was. This concept is not only unique, but introduced me to new parts of the period that I had not previously been aware of. One way in which I think Joubert achieved this, was through her use of two narrative voices. Through Gretl we get the Jewish perspective of the Nazi regime and the Second World War, and this is what is typically seen in ficition regarding this subject. However Joubert chooses to add a second narrative voice, in Jakob, who introduces the effects of German and Russian aggression on the Polish people. In my opinion, I think that it is this use of two interlinked narratives that makes Joubert’s work so unique in comparison to other World War II fiction.

“When you look at the moon, remember I am seeing it too.” – Jakob

It is undeniable that Joubert creates a range of realistic characters that fit the expected characteristics and beliefs of the groups at the time. However, I felt that at times I wanted to know more. There were a few moments in which I was left wanting more, especially in regards to Jakob and his struggles in Poland whilst Gretl was in South Africa. Although Joubert quickly remedies this near the end, I felt that, at times, the characters didn’t have the same exposure that the reader craves. At times I was left wondering what has happened to Jakob. This may have been to emphasise their distance, but, for me, it felt as if a huge chunk of the narrative had been discarded.

Despite this, I thought Joubert captured 20^th century Europe and its inhabitants in a realistic way that other writers have failed to convey. The depictions of the hardships of the war and the conflicts between communism and capitalism were vivid and memorable, so much so that it is, in my opinion, one of the best fictions set in the Second World War time for the young adult readership. I loved the characters, especially the development of Jakob’s characters as I feel Joubert really managed to capture the disastrous effects of war on the individual. Despite at points wanting more, I feel that, overall, Joubert captured these lives so beautifully that I think Gretl and Jakob will stay in my mind for a long time after reading the book. I would recommend this to anyone who loved The Book Thief or John Boyne’s work as Joubert deals with the same themes whilst introducing the reader to characters that you can’t easily forget.

Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Book Details:

Author: Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Ages: 12+

Rating: 8/10

Number of Pages: 486

Plot: Veronica Welling’s life is not what it seems. Behind her popular cheerleader exterior, Veronica is forced to deal with an absent father, an unfaithful boyfriend and an unloving mother alone. On top of all of this, Veronica is now seeing a blonde boy in a kilt everywhere she turns and she is the only one who can see him. So when her best friend Mackenna Reid offers to whisk her away to Scotland for the summer, she cannot refuse. Unknown to them, they face a summer full of fantasy and adventure. Through old mystic possessions of Mackenna’s aunt, the girls discover the fantasy world of Doon – a magical kingdom that promises to fulfil the girls’ dreams. In addition to this new magical world, Veronica’s mystery stranger is not only there but a prince preparing to ascend the throne. Whilst Veronica tries to decipher whether she is destined to be with the prince, Mackenna must decide if she should follow her Broadway dreams or follow her heart and pursue a relationship with another prince. In a tale of friendship, fantasy and love, Veronica and Mackenna must work together to save their beloved new world and those they love.

Review: I was kindly given a complimentary copy of this novel from the publishers via BookLook Bloggers, and I was so excited to explore a whole new fantasy world. Corp and Langdon have created a magical fantasy world that is unique and loveable characters that are unlike any other. I loved how the authors chose to use Scotland as their backdrop as it was a lovely change from reading books that solely revolve around the US. As well as this, Corp and Langdon managed to depict the setting beautifully and created a memorable kingdom that could put other worlds to shame. Although I have never been to Scotland, the authors created a picturesque setting that make the reader feel as if they are really there.

"When things seem difficult and we’re tempted to doubt, we need to trust in what we can’t see.” – Prince Duncan

As well as this, I thought that the characters Corp and Langdon created were imaginative and the relationships realistic. I especially loved the friendship of Mackenna and Veronica. The relationship depicted between the girls was realistic and their contrasting personas, one a popular cheerleader and the other a Broadway lover, made their friendship even more relatable. In fact, Mackenna was probably one of my favourite characters in the book. Her determination to be an award winning actress and her protective nature towards her friend, made her, in my opinion, the most relatable character of the book. At times, I found that some of the characters were a bit cliché and lacked the same realness as Mackenna, especially Prince Duncan who, despite being an interesting character, was a little cheesy at times when it came to talking to Mackenna.

However, there were some aspects of the book that I didn’t fully invest in. I understand that the book was set in Scotland for the majority of the plot, but I found the constant use of Scottish colloquialisms a little hard to read. Yes, they made the plot more life-like but the extent to which they were used made the novel, in parts, drag. In addition to this, the story seemed to be unnecessarily long, for example the interactions between Veronica and Jaime were painfully slow. Despite this, I loved this book and I think that the authors have successfully created a fantasy world that is easy to fall in love with. The characters, although at times a little cliché, each had their own characteristics that made them unique and likeable. Corp and Langdon have successfully created a series that brings the magic and action of the Harry Potter series with the mystery and fantasy of the Chronicles of Narnia series. I can’t wait to delve into the rest of the Doon series and learn about the magical kingdom and its inhabitants.