Book Description
A brilliant historical YA that asks: how do you choose between survival and doing the right thing?
The arrival of the Soviet army in Germany at the end of World War II sends sixteen-year-old Katja and her family into turmoil. The fighting has stopped, but German society is in collapse, resulting in tremendous hardship. With their father gone and few resources available to them, Katja and her sister are forced to flee their home, reassured by their mother that if they can just reach a distant friend in a town far away, things will get better. But their harrowing journey brings danger and violence, and Katja needs to summon all her strength to build a new life, just as she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about her country.
Katja’s bravery and defiance help her deal with the emotional and societal upheaval. But how can she stay true to herself and protect the people she loves when each decision has such far-reaching consequences?
Acclaimed writer Michelle Barker’s second novel explores the chaos and destruction of the Second World War from a perspective rarely examined in YA fiction—the implications of the Soviet occupation on a German population grappling with the horrors of Nazism and its aftermath.
The arrival of the Soviet army in Germany at the end of World War II sends sixteen-year-old Katja and her family into turmoil. The fighting has stopped, but German society is in collapse, resulting in tremendous hardship. With their father gone and few resources available to them, Katja and her sister are forced to flee their home, reassured by their mother that if they can just reach a distant friend in a town far away, things will get better. But their harrowing journey brings danger and violence, and Katja needs to summon all her strength to build a new life, just as she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about her country.
Katja’s bravery and defiance help her deal with the emotional and societal upheaval. But how can she stay true to herself and protect the people she loves when each decision has such far-reaching consequences?
Acclaimed writer Michelle Barker’s second novel explores the chaos and destruction of the Second World War from a perspective rarely examined in YA fiction—the implications of the Soviet occupation on a German population grappling with the horrors of Nazism and its aftermath.
Review
I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.
My Long List of Impossible Things offers a unique perspective in the World War II historical fiction genre. Our heroine, Katja, is older, a teenager, rather than an adult or a child/tween. While her family wasn't pro-Nazi, they were complacent in the sense that they did their best to stay out of the fray. The story begins after the Germans have been defeated and the Soviets are sweeping through, pillaging and seeking revenge as they restore order. Even though the war is over, Katja, along with her mother and sister, are forced to flee their home. They set off for a distant "relative"; they encounter hardship on the journey and the girls are forced to continue without their mother. They must rely on subterfuge to reach safety. Once arriving at their destination, they shroud themselves in half-truths in order to gain refuge.
In the vein of The Tatooist of Auschwitz, this book tackles the question: What would you do to survive? Some will view Katja and her sister's actions with distaste while others will see the practicality in using whatever advantage one has. Every character in this book has flaws that shape their actions. Each of them have secrets and seem to approach their relationships with an attitude of what's in it for me? Which is interesting because I tend to think this attitude has only begun to exist since the 1980s.
Katja is a pianist, who had much promise and big dreams. Barker effectively wove music through the story. I found myself pulling up the pieces she mentioned to play in the background. Katja keeps a running mental list of random, significant and insignificant things in her world. This was the other element that I enjoyed most in the book.
In the vein of The Tatooist of Auschwitz, this book tackles the question: What would you do to survive? Some will view Katja and her sister's actions with distaste while others will see the practicality in using whatever advantage one has. Every character in this book has flaws that shape their actions. Each of them have secrets and seem to approach their relationships with an attitude of what's in it for me? Which is interesting because I tend to think this attitude has only begun to exist since the 1980s.
Katja is a pianist, who had much promise and big dreams. Barker effectively wove music through the story. I found myself pulling up the pieces she mentioned to play in the background. Katja keeps a running mental list of random, significant and insignificant things in her world. This was the other element that I enjoyed most in the book.
I gave this book: ★★★★
★ = I did not like it ★★ = It was okay ★★★ = I liked it ★★★★ = I really liked it ★★★★★ = I loved it
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