Sunday, April 26, 2015

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron is the latest novel by this author.  In present day California Sera marries her great love, William Hanover, who from all appearances lives the charmed life and Sera has just fallen into a Cinderella life.  But because even in fairy tails dreams don't always come true neither does Sera's.  Before the ceremony is even over William is being arrested for selling artwork that they say isn't his to sell.  Time step back into 1940s---In Prague Kaja and her sister has barely escaped Nazi occupation and has settled into London not as a reporter as was her plan but rather as a secretary to the editor.    Somehow a paper containing information that the Nazi concentration camps are killing Jews (she is half Jew by her father) by the thousands.  Her parents are still hiding in Prague and though Kaja is falling in love with Liam she feels she must go back and get her parents out to safety.  Instead Kaja and her parents are arrested and sent to Terezin, a concentration camp.   This is the story of their fight to live and treat each other with love as all around everyone is being mistreated and starved to death.  This is the story of a Nazi soldier trying his best to do what he can to treat the Jews with humanity while following orders he cannot avoid.  This is the story of how WWII still affects families today.

I loved reading this story though it was at times difficult to read.  I have an interest in World War II since hearing the was stories from family members.  This story doesn't dress up war but it is not the most difficult concentration camp book I have read.  I wouldn't have children under middle school age read this book and I would be choosy about the middle school readers.  It does mention school children though none of them are graphically murdered and none are raped.  It is a good read and we should all know of the atrocities that happened in Nazi occupied Europe in the 1940s.
I received this book from Booklook for this review.

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