Prisoner of Night and Fog

by Anne Blankman

[bookishzelda]

I actually don’t generally read books that are set in the WWI or WWII era. I’m not sure why but maybe because it’s a sad thing. So reading The Prisoner of Night and Fog was set out of the norm for me but I have to say it was a good book to do that with. I think the author did a wonderful job of taking fiction and then weaving it into fact. Plus there is great Authors note that explains what things were changed and added. I admit I felt dumb because there is one of the characters that totally went over my head until the end of the book because I was saying the name wrong.

Gretchen really changes throughout the book. She starts off with the ideals that are ingrained in from childhood. On how to think like a National Socialist Party Member but there is also something in her that whispers doubts about it. She repeats it to herself like her life depends on it and in a way it does. It isn’t until she has some eye opening experiences that really make her begin to finally think for herself. Gretchen is actually quite clever and intelligent but it’s almost like she refusing to see what was in front of her because she knew it would change her world forever. Once she crosses those lines though she becomes a different and free Gretchen. I really liked the way her character develops through the book.

I also really like Daniel as well. Of course it’s still a fiction novel but their interactions at first seem more realistic to me. They are both suspicious of one another and there are times when Daniel is not sympathetic. He gets mad at how she acts and calls her out on it. He doesn’t take her naivety as an excuse and encourages her to think for herself. I think he is an important part to the growth of her character and grows a bit himself because of it. I felt like it’s hard not to like him. Plus once you have his loyalty you can tell it’s an all in thing with him.

I have to tell you from the get go Reinhard is one really scary dude. I mean really scary, through the whole book you feel like he’s going to pop out of the cracks in the sidewalk. Kind of put me on edge.

The plot is a rough one, it’s so sad to see people treated they way they are just because of their religious beliefs. It’s an interesting approach to Hitler and some of the reasoning of why he targeted Jews. I think it made me sad reading because I know what comes next for the world of Hitler and you want someone to beat the snot out of him in the book. You just think, why are people listening to this. Besides the Hitler portion there is also a bit of murder mystery. Although I liked the intrigue I didn’t feel myself absorbed in at as much as maybe I should have been. I’m not sure why but it just didn’t give me that I need to know what happened right now feeling. I think because there are so many things going on in this book that you have plenty of things to focus on. I mean just things like the mistreatment of those of Jewish faith, mistreatment of women, mental illness and just the whole who do you trust thing. I didn’t feel overwhelmed I thought it was all threaded into the story nicely.

I liked the ending it was fast paced and stressful. Just how like a book like this but satsifying where it left off. I was definitely good with it.

So this isn’t going to be your people dancing in flower fields type of book. I felt there was an intenseness to it because of the subject matter. I really enjoyed it though and for me who is not strongly interested in this era, it definitely sparked something. Plus a great Author’s Note at the end that I recommend reading.