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The Night War
From the two-time Newbery Honor-winning author of The War That Saved My Life and Fighting Words comes a middle grade novel set at the border between freedom and fear in World War II France, at the Chateau de Chenonceau, where a Jewish girl who has lost everything but her life must decide whether to risk even that to bring others to freedom.
“We don’t choose how we feel, but we choose how we act.”
It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale.
But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more.
In her return to the era of The War that Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley brings a new and different story, one with a mystical twist, that explores a little-known slice of World War II history, a highly unusual friendship, and the power of choosing courage even when—especially when—there are no good choices to be had.
“We don’t choose how we feel, but we choose how we act.”
It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale.
But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more.
In her return to the era of The War that Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley brings a new and different story, one with a mystical twist, that explores a little-known slice of World War II history, a highly unusual friendship, and the power of choosing courage even when—especially when—there are no good choices to be had.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
27 books2,508 followersKimberly Brubaker Bradley's next book, The Night War, will be published April 9, 2024. She is the author of nineteen previous books, including the Newbery Honor winners Fighting Words and The War that Saved My Life. The sequel to the latter, The War I Finally Won, appeared on many state-award and best-books lists and was described as “stunning” by The Washington Post and “honest” and “daring” by The New York Times. She is also the acclaimed author of She Persisted: Rosalind Franklin. Kimberly and her husband have two grown children and live with their dogs, two highly opinionated mares, and a surplus of cats on a fifty-two-acre farm in Bristol, Tennessee. Visit her at kimberlybrubakerbradley.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 26, 2024
I’ve been struggling to find the right books to read that will fit my moods but this book worked great for me. I had a hard time putting down this book and was almost always eager to pick it up when I had time to read. I read it over 3 days in only about 48 hours.
At the approximate 2/3 mark though
I did guess one thing early on, that
I did think that one thing she did was (sort of) out of character.
It does get painfully suspenseful.
I really liked Miri/Marie. I admire her bravery and kindness and intelligence and maturity and understood her guilty feelings, however misplaced.
I also really liked
I was already familiar with some of the true events that were part of this story
The ending felt rushed but I should say that I seem to feel this way about the majority of books that I read.
The author’s note at the end was perfection. I read every word, every name.
Because I love this author so much I made a point of reading this book on its own and not comparing it to other books by her that I’ve read. I might want to read every book by her. So far I’ve read The War That Saved My Life (5 stars) & its sequel The War I Finally Won (5 stars) (both books I’d love to own, and to share) and Fighting Words (5 stars) and Jefferson’s Sons (4 stars) and now this one (4 stars) – all winners. I have three others on my to read list but I probably should add all of her books to that list. The Night War is an important book and I give it 4 full stars.
At the approximate 2/3 mark though
I did guess one thing early on, that
I did think that one thing she did was (sort of) out of character.
It does get painfully suspenseful.
I really liked Miri/Marie. I admire her bravery and kindness and intelligence and maturity and understood her guilty feelings, however misplaced.
I also really liked
I was already familiar with some of the true events that were part of this story
The ending felt rushed but I should say that I seem to feel this way about the majority of books that I read.
The author’s note at the end was perfection. I read every word, every name.
Because I love this author so much I made a point of reading this book on its own and not comparing it to other books by her that I’ve read. I might want to read every book by her. So far I’ve read The War That Saved My Life (5 stars) & its sequel The War I Finally Won (5 stars) (both books I’d love to own, and to share) and Fighting Words (5 stars) and Jefferson’s Sons (4 stars) and now this one (4 stars) – all winners. I have three others on my to read list but I probably should add all of her books to that list. The Night War is an important book and I give it 4 full stars.
March 15, 2024
“We don’t choose how we feel, but we choose how we act. Choose courage.”
The Night War follows the story of twelve-year-old Mari, a Jewish girl fighting to survive the horrors of WW2. With her parents missing and the responsibility of caring for an infant, Mari’s bravery and strength is tested as she is taken into a Catholic boarding school where she must hide her identity and assimilate to a culture unknown to her.
The Night War is a tragic and heartwarming tale that sensitively handles heavy topics. It is a solid read for young children wanting to learn more about history and I particularly liked Mari and Beatrice’s characters. This book explores heavy subject matters while incorporating fantasy elements which I felt worked well considering the age of the main character and the difficulties she faced. The ending did feel a little rushed which is why I knocked off a star from this rating but overall it was a good read that enjoyed.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Night War follows the story of twelve-year-old Mari, a Jewish girl fighting to survive the horrors of WW2. With her parents missing and the responsibility of caring for an infant, Mari’s bravery and strength is tested as she is taken into a Catholic boarding school where she must hide her identity and assimilate to a culture unknown to her.
The Night War is a tragic and heartwarming tale that sensitively handles heavy topics. It is a solid read for young children wanting to learn more about history and I particularly liked Mari and Beatrice’s characters. This book explores heavy subject matters while incorporating fantasy elements which I felt worked well considering the age of the main character and the difficulties she faced. The ending did feel a little rushed which is why I knocked off a star from this rating but overall it was a good read that enjoyed.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2024
Wow! Kimberley Brubaker Bradley has knocked another one out of the park!
Young Miriam is Jewish, as are many people in her small French village. In 1942, life is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous for Jews, due to the Nazi occupation. When a roundup occurs that separates Miriam from everyone she knows and loves, she must do everything in her power to remain alive and stay brave, as her father always told her to be. Can she be brave enough to help others who are in even more danger than she is herself?…
The author’s notes at the end were excellent. This book needs to be used in classrooms today, to show young people that they can make a difference in their world.
Young Miriam is Jewish, as are many people in her small French village. In 1942, life is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous for Jews, due to the Nazi occupation. When a roundup occurs that separates Miriam from everyone she knows and loves, she must do everything in her power to remain alive and stay brave, as her father always told her to be. Can she be brave enough to help others who are in even more danger than she is herself?…
The author’s notes at the end were excellent. This book needs to be used in classrooms today, to show young people that they can make a difference in their world.
March 30, 2024
SPOILERS BELOW - I don’t know how to do a spoiler tag on mobile and the Luddite in me doesn’t want to learn anyway.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC.
First thought for about the first 25% of the book - I felt like I was a kid again reading Number the Stars. The tension, the heartbreak, the small moments of stolen joy - it was great.
And then…it kinda fell off for me.
First (and this isn’t just a problem for this book) but why do publishers keep insisting that books need to be nearly 300 pages for 10 year olds? I feel like it’s harder and harder to find shorter books for reluctant readers in this age group.
Secondly, although the Jewish faith was heavily highlighted in the beginning, part of the book felt like a dogmatic explanation of Catholicism. I know that Miri would have felt like a fish out of water, but some of it felt a little too much? I dunno.
Thirdly, did we need a paranormal element? With a historical parallel that was weak at best and problematic at worst?
Being middle grade, I am happy that there was a happy ending. But I also feel like it was too happy? I think that it would have been okay for a bit more close losses. Not that I’m rooting for people to die or anything, but I think losses are good for children to read about and process. (Looking at you bridge to Terabithia…).
Not a bad read, but also not a particularly strong one either.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC.
First thought for about the first 25% of the book - I felt like I was a kid again reading Number the Stars. The tension, the heartbreak, the small moments of stolen joy - it was great.
And then…it kinda fell off for me.
First (and this isn’t just a problem for this book) but why do publishers keep insisting that books need to be nearly 300 pages for 10 year olds? I feel like it’s harder and harder to find shorter books for reluctant readers in this age group.
Secondly, although the Jewish faith was heavily highlighted in the beginning, part of the book felt like a dogmatic explanation of Catholicism. I know that Miri would have felt like a fish out of water, but some of it felt a little too much? I dunno.
Thirdly, did we need a paranormal element? With a historical parallel that was weak at best and problematic at worst?
Being middle grade, I am happy that there was a happy ending. But I also feel like it was too happy? I think that it would have been okay for a bit more close losses. Not that I’m rooting for people to die or anything, but I think losses are good for children to read about and process. (Looking at you bridge to Terabithia…).
Not a bad read, but also not a particularly strong one either.
March 12, 2024
I am struggling to review this book. As a Jewish person with family ties to the Holocaust, I think Holocaust education is so important. I know there were many “underground railroads” to get Jews out of various countries and know this book is based on one of those.
My issue comes back to this: Holocaust books should not be written by non-Jews. Full stop. It is gross to me that non-Jews are profiting off Jewish trauma.
I decided to read this book so I could form a real opinion of this book and below are my thoughts.
I liked Miri as a character and even some of the other supporting characters. However, I feel like this book focused more on “oh look how nice these non Jews are”. Were there people to saved and cared for non-Jews? For sure. But the amount of books about people who were deemed “righteous amongst nations” outnumber the actual amount of people who helped their Jewish neighbours.
Another thing that bothered me is the Hebrew prayers written out in the book. There are certain words in Judaism so holy that they should not be written out. And they were right there on the page. A non-Jew using our holy words didn’t sit right with me.
Lastly, one of the girls refer to Jews as “dirty foreign Jews”. In a kids book, especially considering the rise in Jew hatred, I do not think this line was necessary and actually found it quite offensive, especially considering the author.
Finally, while I understand it was a kids book, the ending just did not do justice to the horror and scale of the Holocaust. It seemed too tidy considering how many stories I know and have heard.
While this story does showcase some of the history about this one part of the Holocaust, overall I do not think I can recommend this book in good conscience due to everything I mentioned above.
My issue comes back to this: Holocaust books should not be written by non-Jews. Full stop. It is gross to me that non-Jews are profiting off Jewish trauma.
I decided to read this book so I could form a real opinion of this book and below are my thoughts.
I liked Miri as a character and even some of the other supporting characters. However, I feel like this book focused more on “oh look how nice these non Jews are”. Were there people to saved and cared for non-Jews? For sure. But the amount of books about people who were deemed “righteous amongst nations” outnumber the actual amount of people who helped their Jewish neighbours.
Another thing that bothered me is the Hebrew prayers written out in the book. There are certain words in Judaism so holy that they should not be written out. And they were right there on the page. A non-Jew using our holy words didn’t sit right with me.
Lastly, one of the girls refer to Jews as “dirty foreign Jews”. In a kids book, especially considering the rise in Jew hatred, I do not think this line was necessary and actually found it quite offensive, especially considering the author.
Finally, while I understand it was a kids book, the ending just did not do justice to the horror and scale of the Holocaust. It seemed too tidy considering how many stories I know and have heard.
While this story does showcase some of the history about this one part of the Holocaust, overall I do not think I can recommend this book in good conscience due to everything I mentioned above.
April 19, 2024
Miri, a young Jewish girl hides in plan sight, right in front of the Nazis.
I am jumping between 3 and 4 stars. I’m always going to be excited by a new Bradly novel. How throughly she researches history shows on every page. The tension was well paced and the characters were genuine, although not nearly as endearing as Ada. There seemed to be an excess of exposition spent on moralizing. I loved the ghost, but couldn’t quite come to terms with her placement in the book. Did she really need to be there? I was frustrated with the ending. So tidy and underworked. Saying everyone Miri cared about survived was unrealistic and I felt it diminished the validity of parts of the book that rang true.
The backmatter destroyed me. I listened to every name.
I am jumping between 3 and 4 stars. I’m always going to be excited by a new Bradly novel. How throughly she researches history shows on every page. The tension was well paced and the characters were genuine, although not nearly as endearing as Ada. There seemed to be an excess of exposition spent on moralizing. I loved the ghost, but couldn’t quite come to terms with her placement in the book. Did she really need to be there? I was frustrated with the ending. So tidy and underworked. Saying everyone Miri cared about survived was unrealistic and I felt it diminished the validity of parts of the book that rang true.
The backmatter destroyed me. I listened to every name.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Liked, didn't love. I am very fond of Miri and her quest to protect and then be reunited with Nora (and hopefully her parents and Nora's parents) was gripping. "Madame Simone" (and the absurdly weird reveal of the reality of her situation) was the part that really didn't work for me. That element detracted from what otherwise would have been a quite powerful story of a young girl trying to do the right thing in difficult circumstances.
May 3, 2024
Another exciting read with a heroine readers will care about - WWII, a beautiful chateau, boarding school, Nazis, and secrets - you should put this on your TBR immediately.
My review: https://tinyurl.com/yb6bdeen
My review: https://tinyurl.com/yb6bdeen
March 15, 2024
I first read Kimberly Brubaker Bradley when my daughters were middle grade readers. I have read her entire body of work, and THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE remains top five historical fiction for me. It’s an incredible read for all ages. She writes for a middle grade audience with exceptional depth and candor while maintaining the sensitivity and responsibility required for this age group.
Her latest is no different. She tackles a difficult topic and executes it with grace and imparts a sense of courage and bravery to her readers.
Consider this meaningful quote: “We don't choose how we feel, but we choose how we act. Choose courage.” Simple words that pack a wallop of a punch.
I will say there is a certain subplot that seemed a little odd to me, but let’s acknowledge that I am a 54-year-old woman and not the middle grader the book is written for. 🤷🏻♀️
I paired the print version with the audio version and found the narration by Gilli Messer @gillsgonewild to be very well done.
All in all, I can confidently recommend this for all ages – but if you have a middle grade reader, this book and the author’s entire backlist are definite musts!
🌿Read if you like:
✨Middle grade fiction
✨Historical fiction
✨World War II era
✨French setting
✨Strong female main characters
Her latest is no different. She tackles a difficult topic and executes it with grace and imparts a sense of courage and bravery to her readers.
Consider this meaningful quote: “We don't choose how we feel, but we choose how we act. Choose courage.” Simple words that pack a wallop of a punch.
I will say there is a certain subplot that seemed a little odd to me, but let’s acknowledge that I am a 54-year-old woman and not the middle grader the book is written for. 🤷🏻♀️
I paired the print version with the audio version and found the narration by Gilli Messer @gillsgonewild to be very well done.
All in all, I can confidently recommend this for all ages – but if you have a middle grade reader, this book and the author’s entire backlist are definite musts!
🌿Read if you like:
✨Middle grade fiction
✨Historical fiction
✨World War II era
✨French setting
✨Strong female main characters
February 13, 2024
Very good and made my 10 year old cry and ask lots of good questions about WWII.
May 8, 2024
I cannot recommend these books enough, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley:
Fighting Words, The War that Saved My Life, The War I Finally Won, and Jefferson's Sons.
Outstanding author.
Her latest, The Night War, held by attention as a gripping historical read.
It delivers a generous serving of religious education on the Catholic and Jewish faiths, which I appreciate as part of helping young people / all people understand Jewish community and culture, part of understanding the atrocities of the Holocaust and WWII.
There is a touch of supernatural in the story, which isn't my thing and I didn't entirely care for. But it adds content that's interesting and useful to the story - on Catherine de Medici, the Huguenots, and St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. (I was inspired to do more googling afterward. What sensational lives royals of centuries ago lived, filled with scandal, drama, and violence.)
Wise words, particularly felt:
"We don't choose how we feel, but we choose how we act."
"Sometimes there are no good choices."
Favorite character:
Sister Annunciata (Sister Anchovy)
Fighting Words, The War that Saved My Life, The War I Finally Won, and Jefferson's Sons.
Outstanding author.
Her latest, The Night War, held by attention as a gripping historical read.
It delivers a generous serving of religious education on the Catholic and Jewish faiths, which I appreciate as part of helping young people / all people understand Jewish community and culture, part of understanding the atrocities of the Holocaust and WWII.
There is a touch of supernatural in the story, which isn't my thing and I didn't entirely care for. But it adds content that's interesting and useful to the story - on Catherine de Medici, the Huguenots, and St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. (I was inspired to do more googling afterward. What sensational lives royals of centuries ago lived, filled with scandal, drama, and violence.)
Wise words, particularly felt:
"We don't choose how we feel, but we choose how we act."
"Sometimes there are no good choices."
Favorite character:
Sister Annunciata (Sister Anchovy)
May 11, 2024
You wretched ancient flatulent witch about madame Simone
“We always have a choice. not in what happens to us, but what we do in response.” Habit 1
School friend dad helps her one week, next week he is rounding up her and neighbor.
A bit like Jennifer Nielsen ww2 books but less political intrigue and more heart
Spoiler: Cool that Miri/Marie figured out that madame Simone Is ghost of Catherine Medici and only her head gardeners can see her - figures it out since she never eats the veggies from kitchen garden
History usually written by winning side
Most powerful force in world is love
Excellent epilogue and author notes
“We always have a choice. not in what happens to us, but what we do in response.” Habit 1
School friend dad helps her one week, next week he is rounding up her and neighbor.
A bit like Jennifer Nielsen ww2 books but less political intrigue and more heart
Spoiler: Cool that Miri/Marie figured out that madame Simone Is ghost of Catherine Medici and only her head gardeners can see her - figures it out since she never eats the veggies from kitchen garden
History usually written by winning side
Most powerful force in world is love
Excellent epilogue and author notes
March 20, 2024
The Night War is a new middle grade story that centers around WWII. Miri is a young Jewish girl who gets separated from her family and has to live in a Catholic boarding school in order to survive.
This was a good book! It handled a lot of hard topics since it is about the holocaust and the war. I think the characters were great and easy to root for. You feel the characters heartache and sadness throughout the story. There is some hope woven through as well.
There were a few aspects that didn’t quite work for me but I don’t want to spoil anything. I feel like the ending was a bit rushed as well.
I think this is an important topic for children to learn about and it was handled well in this book. Thanks so much ti netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a good book! It handled a lot of hard topics since it is about the holocaust and the war. I think the characters were great and easy to root for. You feel the characters heartache and sadness throughout the story. There is some hope woven through as well.
There were a few aspects that didn’t quite work for me but I don’t want to spoil anything. I feel like the ending was a bit rushed as well.
I think this is an important topic for children to learn about and it was handled well in this book. Thanks so much ti netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2024
It is clear to see why Bradley is a celebrated author with some impressive awards to her name. The Night War should undoubtedly bring her more accolades. The story takes no time to become action-packed, keeping even an adult reader's attention throughout. The perspective of a Jewish girl in occupied France was a new one amongst the many WWII books out there. I was anxious to hear where Miriam would head next, and the many characters and history lessons throughout didn't disappoint. My next objective is researching more from this point of view, and the many Jews captured during that time, especially children. I found myself googling the Chenonceau Castle, as well as Catherine de Midici to see pictures and learn more. And finally on to read some more Bradley books!
April 27, 2024
It's 1942, this time in occupied Paris and 12-year-old Miriam lives with her parents in the quarters set aside by the Nazis for Jewish people. Her father has been arrested and they know very little. Miriam (Miri) is shy and doesn't like going to stand in line for the small bits of food available but she does. This one time, nearly home, a roundup has started, and Miri cannot make it home but is pushed onto a bus with her neighbor and her young child, Nora. Right before, very near to her home, she hears a loud noise, thinking it a shot, thinking it was her mother killed. Then, on the bus, the neighbor begs Miri to take Nora when they get off, and run! That is the beginning of the story, filled with tension and worry, filled with a 12-year-old who must be cautious, learn who to trust, adults and then, roommates in a Catholic boarding school run by nuns. It is summer, and not all the kids are there, but two are, and one seems to look at Miri with mistrust. She knows to be so careful. There is much more to this story, a nearby castle, with both history and a way to get across the River Cher to a safer area of France. Imagining such a life for a young one is not unrealistic for that time. Many children had to act, to help others and to save themselves. This Miriam learned about courage during this time, along with some helpers, and some magic, too. Kmberly Brubaker Bradley make an interesting choice in this story, one I liked reading yet in creating something about such a perilous and tragic time for those persecuted, I'm unsure if the magic doesn't make less of the true stories of those who continually fought and took life-threatening chances to save people, young and old.
April 27, 2024
I loved "The War That Saved My Life" and "The War I Finally Won". They were excellent books that I would not hesitate to recommend to people looking for good historical fiction for middle graders. Even as an adult who has read a plethora of World War 2 historical fiction books [some amazing, some not so much], I found these to be historically accurate, well-written, educating and both entertaining and thought-provoking. So when I saw a new book was coming out by this author, I was really excited to be able to get an ARC for it.
Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. I found much of it to be unbelievable [especially with Miri's naiveté; they escaped Germany after the Kristallnacht, and while life was better in Paris after that, Miri was old enough to know what was going on and to be ready for anything. She would not have been as naive as the writer makes her out to be. A lot of my issues with this book stems from that - I have read enough nonfiction books, memoirs from that time, and naivete was not something they had the luxury to be], and the "twist" of the story just was...I don't even know how to put it. It just didn't work for me. At all. I just felt that the author was trying to put a happy twist on a horrific time and it rang false throughout the whole book. I am very disappointed and would possibly still recommend this book, but in my opinion, there are better books out there that tell this type of story in a much better [and more believable] way.
Thank you to NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Dial Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. I found much of it to be unbelievable [especially with Miri's naiveté; they escaped Germany after the Kristallnacht, and while life was better in Paris after that, Miri was old enough to know what was going on and to be ready for anything. She would not have been as naive as the writer makes her out to be. A lot of my issues with this book stems from that - I have read enough nonfiction books, memoirs from that time, and naivete was not something they had the luxury to be], and the "twist" of the story just was...I don't even know how to put it. It just didn't work for me. At all. I just felt that the author was trying to put a happy twist on a horrific time and it rang false throughout the whole book. I am very disappointed and would possibly still recommend this book, but in my opinion, there are better books out there that tell this type of story in a much better [and more believable] way.
Thank you to NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Dial Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2024
Such an interesting book. This is the second middle-grade novel I’ve read by the author, and I felt again, as I did with the first, that it is “historical fiction with modern sensibilities/viewpoints.” That’s not necessarily a criticism, but it definitely stands out to me as an adult reader (I’m not sure if it would stand out to younger readers). I had mixed feelings about the ghost. 😅 The ending was too neat and tidy. But I also appreciated that the novel seemed to want to center the Jewish character and her faith and her agency, and not merely make her a victim to be rescued. It was a book that made me think about children’s literature and its complications. The novel pulled me along for the most part, though I felt that I could never fully enter into its world, primarily because I kept thinking about what the author was trying to do. So, I had mixed feelings, but on the whole I liked the book.
May 9, 2024
I think this just made my Top 3 for books published this year (along with The First State of Being and The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman), that is, if it replaces Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz. Both are tales of Jewish children during World War II sent away from their homes in Germany, but to share similarities beyond that would be spoiling the book. Suffice it to say, I loved Miri and her growth as a character, but I also loved learning about the Chateau de Chenonceau in France. Thank goodness for the Epilogue, because I needed to know more of Miri's story.
March 14, 2024
The Night War is a story about a young, Jewish girl in France during WWII. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley handled an incredibly difficult topic very well. She didn’t shy away from how horrific the Holocaust was, but she told this story in a way that middle grade readers could handle it. I really cared about Miri and her friends and rooted for them the whole way.. There were quite a few suspenseful moments in the story which helped move it along and kept my attention.. There was a twist in the story that I guessed, but I still loved it. I am going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC of this book.
5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC of this book.
April 18, 2024
The Night War is a new MG story that centers around WWII. Miri is a young girl who is separated from her family and is forced to live in a Catholic boarding school in order to survive. This story is well told and is filled with suspense, intrigue, and so many twists and turns. I highly recommend adding it to your library. I know it is sure to be a hit in our library.
May 2, 2024
I really enjoy Bradley's historical novels. This one tells the story of young Miri, a Jewish girl fleeing Paris. She is placed in a Catholic girl's school for safety and discovers that some of the nuns are helping smuggle people to Vichy France. Miri gets involved in the endeavor with the help of Catherine de Medici! It really makes me want to visit Chenonceau.
April 16, 2024
Excellent book! I love this author! She makes a very hard event in history “digestible” for young adults. I was very invested in the characters. The ghost was an extra special touch, which in my opinion fit very well in the grand scheme of the book.
April 12, 2024
This was fantastic. Another excellent book to teach middle grade readers about WW2. It addresses the start of the Holocaust in France and the advent of the French Resistance.
April 12, 2024
I normally don’t review, but the conversations, characters, and situations were anachronistic and hard to find believable. And that was before there was a bizarre paranormal twist.
April 24, 2024
Historical fiction with a slight fantastical twist—I enjoyed every bit of it! A new lens into World War 2 historical fiction. Another stunner from Kimberly Brubaker Bradley!
April 14, 2024
This was an amazing book the writing style, the story line, the characters, the historical setting it was all amazing. If It was a live or die situation and I had to find a flaw you could all say bye bye to me😂 I highly recommend it.
April 16, 2024
I was looking forward to this one a LOT, and I enjoyed like 75% of it a LOT, and I reaaaaaaally wish the other 25% didn’t include a weird ghost and an overly tidy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2024
A good middle grade historical novel surrounding Miriam, a 12yo Jewish girl who escapes Paris and tries to get back to her family. A great listening experience.
April 22, 2024
To say I was disappointed in this is the understatement of the year. No actual character development (for that matter, just a shell of a character in the first place). Side characters that were impossible to tell apart until the very end of the story. Multiple unnecessary digressions (one of the indistinguishable side characters liked to give history lessons to the reader - cue eyeroll). And to top it all off, deus ex machina in the form of a ghost (yes, a GHOST; and not just any ghost, but the ghost of Catherine de Medici). Utterly ridiculous. I expected more - a lot more - from the author of The War That Saved My Life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
I so enjoy this author’s writing style. This story is both horrifying and amazing - I’m drawn to this era because of the stories of courage and resilience we encounter. We must learn from such stories. It’s why history is so important.
This story centres on a Jewish girl living in France when her community is rounded up by French gendarmes. She is separated from her family and tasked with caring for her very young neighbour. A timid child with anxiety, she must choose courage. I don’t want to give away too much, but the elements of magical realism add a nice touch.
The writing is excellent, with the exception of the ending, which happened all too quickly and seemed rushed.
I would recommend this story to children aged 12+. Thanks to NetGalley, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and Penguin Group for the advance reading copy.
This story centres on a Jewish girl living in France when her community is rounded up by French gendarmes. She is separated from her family and tasked with caring for her very young neighbour. A timid child with anxiety, she must choose courage. I don’t want to give away too much, but the elements of magical realism add a nice touch.
The writing is excellent, with the exception of the ending, which happened all too quickly and seemed rushed.
I would recommend this story to children aged 12+. Thanks to NetGalley, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and Penguin Group for the advance reading copy.
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