Review : Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : Prisoner of Night and Fog (Prisoner of Night and Fog #1)
Author : Anne Blankman
Publication Date : April 22nd 2014
Publisher : Balzer & Bray
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In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

Personal Thoughts

One of my most anticipated reads, Prisoner of Night and Fog was one of my favorite reads of 2014. Rich in its history and complex in its story-telling, this is a book that is going to appeal to many YA historical fans.

The characterization in Prisoner of Night and Fog was very strong. Anne Blankman ensured that each of her characters possessed depth and was well-developed. Gretchen, our main character, is someone we watch grow into her skin over the course of the story. In the beginning of the book, she's undoubtedly naive and completely taken by Hitler, whom she lovingly calls Uncle Dolf, and his convincing words. Watching her come to terms with the reality about Hitler and becoming a strong young woman was a thrill for me as a reader. Gretchen also finds a friend and a love interest in Daniel, a Jewish journalist. Daniel was another interesting character. He's not a guy who minces his words and is brutally honest. His introduction into Gretchen's life was quite important according to me, because he helped her see Hitler who he really was. Although I enjoyed the forbidden romance element in the book, I did think that the declarations of love came a little too fast for my liking. It might be likely given their situation, but I still thought it happened a little hastily, so I wasn't entirely sold on it.

While Gretchen and Daniel made for some great characters, it is the secondary characters in Prisoner of Night and Fog that steal the spotlight, mainly Hitler and Reinhard, Gretchen's uncle and brother respectively. Hitler's portrayal, especially,  was absolutely fascinating. At the start of the book, I was as absorbed by him as Gretchen was. He seemed to actually have a kind-hearted and sympathetic side, so I could see how Gretchen respected him so much and considered him such an important part of her life. Along with Gretchen, the reader gradually begins to see the appearance of evil in Hitler. Even though you know it's going to happen, it still managed to give me the chills. Reinhard was like a younger version of Hitler who seemed to enjoy torturing people. He was creepy and completely disturbing. Whenever he or Hitler were in a scene with the main character, my heart would be racing in fear of what might happen to Gretchen.

It's clear from reading the book that Anne Blankman has thoroughly researched her material. World War II and Hitler's reign was a terrifying and bloody period in mankind's history and Blankman managed to pour that fear into her storyline. Everything is atmospheric. I almost felt like I was part of the story too and that was not fun for my poor heart. The world-building was, of course, fantastic. In addition, you also have a plot that is intriguing and will undoubtedly keep you on the edge of your seat throughout because of how engaging and suspenseful it all was. This might be Anne Blankman's pro, but she writes like a pro. I know that things are only going to get bleaker from now on in this series, but I'm ready for the sequel.

Prisoner of Night and Fog is an intense and atmospheric YA story of Hitler's rise to power. It's fear-inducing, but completely worth the read.

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5

Thank you to Edelweiss and Balzer+Bray for the e-ARC of Prisoner of Night and Fog.