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There are currently 37 member reviews
for The Last Year of the War
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Linda W. (Summit, NJ)
Who is Elise Sontag?
War can impose strange circumstances on people that can alter the rest of their life. The story of Elise Sontag and her family is riveting. A cascade of small events leads to the arrest of her German father and throws Elise into the role of enabler for her mother and younger brother. The family eventually ends up in an internment camp in Texas where she meets Mariko who is the same age as Elise and in the same class, but is Japanese American. They become friends but again events tear them apart when their families are sent back to their countries of origin.
Susan Meissner does a mesmerizing job of weaving historical events through the fictional life of a teenage girl raised in Iowa who is thrust into the vortex of WW2 . Her struggle with identity bounces around between economics, citizenship, family and job choice. Is she German? Is she smart? Is she pretty? I she independent? Is she creative? You have to read to the end to appreciate who she eventually becomes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its twists and turns of plot and character development. It is a wonderful read for a rainy afternoon.
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Marjorie H. (Woodstock, GA)
Outstanding Read
This exceptional book was hard to put down. The enormity of WWII could not overshadow the dreams and disappointments of two young girls in an internment camp. Interestingly, one was Japanese and one was German. This story is about living out your young life with the same dreams and confusions despite the circumstances. WWII brought such heartache to so many people. The depth the author gives the reader puts one right in the middle of these desperate lives. I would recommend this book to anyone and look forward to reading more of Susan Meissner's books.
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Becky H. (Chicago, IL)
A must read
Well-written and well-researched, this book is one that should not be missed. Mariko and Elise, both American citizens, meet at an internment camp for aliens suspected of being Nazi or Japanese sympathizers because their fathers have been wrongly accused. Although one is German and one Japanese, they forge a friendship across the divide.
The teens and their families are believable and fully developed. The atmosphere of the camp in hot, dusty Texas has a climate that reflects both the weather and the resentment and resignation of those interned. Both families are involuntarily "repatriated" to countries under siege during the final terrifying days of the war.
The interning of American citizens is clearly shown as is the fear the war wreaks upon ordinary citizens in a war zone. In light of the current debates on immigration, this book sheds light on an aspect most American never consider – what happens to ordinary people caught in untenable situations.
Book groups will find much to ponder here. Parent/child book groups might find a companion book in a YA book by Monica Hesse. THE WAR OUTSIDE covers the same camp and some of the same incidents in a manner more appropriate for middle graders.
5 of 5 stars
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Rosemary C. (Golden, CO)
A Beautifully Written War Story
I was completely absorbed by this historically accurate novel about a young German American girl's experience during World War II and after. It explores issues of injustice, the hardships of war, and feelings about "place" with an engaging story and well-developed characters. History lovers will enjoy this book and I think it would be a great book club read.
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Maribeth R. (Indianapolis, IN)
A Story from Yesterday; A Mirror of Today
Susan Meissner once again demonstrates why she is one of our finest creators of historical fiction with her beautifully crafted The Last Year of the War.
Told by Elise, now 80 and beset by "Agnes," her anthropomorphized title for Alzheimer's Disease, this narrator relates her tale from childhood to present during her quest to reconnect with her long-lost friend, Mariko. She allows us to peer into the life-changing events of her family's internment during WWII, and their repatriation to Germany. The parallels to present day immigration issues are unmistakable, and caused me to reflect upon the current plight of the Dreamers.
Meissner's talents include, but aren't limited to, her ability to make you actually feel you are on site with her characters. Perhaps they should be re-named CAREacters because when you encounter them, you will take them into your heart. Warning: when you begin this volume, ensure your next day or two are unencumbered. It is guaranteed you will not want to stop reading once you begin Meissner's tale of tragedy, hope, and reconciliation.
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Janet H. (Long Beach, CA)
The Last Year of the War
This was a truly outstanding book about a little known series of events during WWll. I couldn't put it down, and read it in 3 days. I had no idea that American citizens of German heritage were interned at the same time as those of Japanese heritage. Nor did I know that some of these American citizens were "traded" for American citizens caught behind enemy lines. This excellent novel of historical fictions explains how and why that came to pass, and what happened to two families who were repatriated to their parents' country of origin. The war's relentless bombing resulted in cities that not only lacked sufficient food and services, they were reduced to rubble, and were unrecognizable. Kudos to the author for a great story following in depth research.
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Judi R. (Jericho, NY)
Not to Be Missed
Thank you to BookBrowse for an ARC of this book. I LOVED it! We first meet Elise in 2010. She is experiencing the effects of Alzheimer's but she has one last task to bring closure to the events of the life she lived. The Last Year of the War is told in four parts through flashbacks. It is revealed from a mature perspective of Elise's younger life. We meet Elise as an ordinary school girl growing up in Iowa, then as an internee at Crystal City, later repatriated to Germany near the end of World War II and finally as she returns to the U.S. The thread is her friendship with Mariko, her best friend and fellow internee of Japanese descent. No spoilers here. We learn most of this at the beginning. I love when a book grabs me from page one, and better yet, never lets go. I first became aware of Crystal City from a non-fiction read a few years ago. Susan Meissner has brilliantly taken this dark period in America's history and made it accessible to the mainstream reader. It was a time when our government was so overcome with fear that it took it out on American citizens, simply because of the nations from which they descended. Fans of historical fiction are sure to love this exceptional novel and will add it to their favorites of the year.
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