11 February 2018

Book 10: The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse


Wasn't sure if this was a Young Adult novel until I read it (it is); doesn't matter of course, except that Young Adult novels are often more readable than novels aimed at adults which I think (sometimes) feel they have to be Clever or Worthy or Literary and often just end up being Tedious as a result (some, of course, succeed brilliantly, don't get me wrong).

Anyway, this is a story of the black market and the underground movement and hiding Jews in 1943 in Amsterdam. And if that sounds familiar, yes, there's a literary precedent, but there is, of course, also history to back up the validity of this story.

Having recently been to Amsterdam, it was particularly enjoyable to follow Henneke's travels through the cobbled streets to places I'd been to or been past. And it was an interesting glimpse into the lives of the sometimes extraordinary ordinary people living through the German occupation of the Netherlands.

A very good book.

1 comment:

Sharon W. said...

Brings back memories of "Orange on Top," the story of WWII Dutch resistance. I have an ancient library discarded copy and still enjoy an occasional glance.