Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz

Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi by David Chotjewitz

Author Background:

The author of Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi is David Chotjewitz. He is a German-born author who lives in Hamburg, Germany. He is previously known for writing entirely German books, so he would know about his countries involvement in World War II and Nazism.

Synopsis:

The year is 1933; Hitler is beginning his rise to power. Daniel was a normal Arian boy, like any other German child. He lived a happy life, he was wealthy, he played sports, he was normally successful in the things he did. Daniel’s best friend was Armin. They sometimes found themselves in trouble, but Armin and Daniel were otherwise very normal German boys. Both boys had a dream to become a high-ranking official in the Nazi army. Daniel was determined to join the army, even against his parents wished, when he got the news that changed his entire life. He was half Jewish.

In the times of Nazi Germany, being a half-Jew was considered to be a crime. Daniel is now faced with a choice, run away and desert his family, or stay with them and try to blend in as best as he can. The book fast-forwards to the year 1938. Daniel and his family are now considered outcasts to his country, even though his father was once a highly respected war veteran. Daniel’s friendship with Armin, who has became an entry-level soldier in Hitler’s army, has started to deteriorate. Yet, Armin still cares for his friend. Daniel has now been forced into hiding, along with his cousin. After they believe to be safe, Daniel and his family plan to leave for America in the year 1940. Daniel and his family are now able to escape to America and are finally safe. In a final chapter, the book fast-forwards 8 years. Daniel is now an adult in the Allied army. He is determining the fate of several Nazi soldiers when he happens across Armin. Armin has been promoted to an SS soldier and tried to hide his past. Daniel still has harsh feelings about his friend betraying him and joining the army, so he decides to mark Armin down as guilty. They talk for a little longer as the book finally comes to a close.

Pace:

            Daniel Half Human’s pace begins slowly, but gradually picks up as he becomes discovered as a Jew. Overall the book’s pace fits the plot and increases the reader’s interest in the book. Though it is not a book that left me craving for more, it was good enough that I was genuinely interested in the plot.

Characters:

            Generally, the characters fit the era of 1930’s Nazi Germany with a few slight exceptions. The characters are well developed and come to life as you are reading the book. Daniel especially becomes a fantastic character as we learn more about his passion for family and his drive to survive. The supporting characters are also well created, but none of them are built to the level of Daniel.

Writing Style:

            The writing style of this book is a flashback type book. We are going forward and backward in time as we learn more about Daniel’s past. This writing style makes Daniel seem much more believable, so it fits the book. This book is a perfect example of a high-school level book. The reader must have at least some prior knowledge of World War II going in, or they will be slightly confused. Daniel Half Human is an average high-school level book.

Praises/Criticisms:

            The book’s use of Nazi Germany to drive the plot was outstanding. The time period was perfectly depicted and it gave the readers insight into how things were. The setting was excellently created and was the driving force base behind the novel. Chotjewitz’s inclusion of a closing scene was fantastic. The scene in which Daniel eventually chooses Armin’s fate was outstanding. The final chapter really closes the book nicely and makes the book feel complete. Overall these two things stood out to me as I read this book.

5 Star Rating/Recommendations:

            Overall, I would give the book 3.5 stars out of 5. As it was a good read, it was also boring at some times, and the climax never really felt like a true climax. I would recommend this to someone who is interested in World War II or someone looking for a quick, decent read.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Rewiewed by:  Johnny Crandall

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

In June of 1941, a fifteen-year-old girl, Lina, her brother, and her mother are in their house when they hear hard knocks and screaming at the door. Being confused and full of shock, Lina and her family are taken in the night and are joined by others. Through painting and drawing, Lina is determined to find her way to her father and then back home. But where is she being taken?

            Throughout her journey, Lina overcomes obstacles that no other fifteen-year-old should ever have to endure. Constantly fighting for her life, Lina meets new people, some meaning more to her than others. Love comes about in the most tragic of times, but maybe it was a miracle she found it. Can she make it back alive?

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by:  Rylie Smith

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, is a historical fiction novel set during Nazi Germany. Markus Zusak, the author, is known for other books, such as I Am The Messenger. He has been writing for fourteen years and gets most of his ideas from his own mind, when he stops and thinks about things. He got his inspiration for The Book Thief from his grandmother’s stories from when she lived in Nazi Germany.

            The Book Thief is about a young girl who was brought to Nazi Germany just prior to World War II. The girl, Liesel, is given to some foster parents, named the Hubermanns, in Molching. There she meets some kids who also live in Molching, and they play around and go to school, the average kid’s life. Liesel learns to steal books and reads them and it becomes her guilty pleasure. Then, WWII hits Germany, and a Jew seeks refuge in the Hubermanns house. The story develops from there and becomes very interesting.

            The characters are very engaging and believable. Liesel, for example, perfectly describes a child trapped in Nazi Germany during WWII. Her confusion, sense of hopelessness and loss, all contribute to the real feeling of this book. The characters are also very well described in their features and personalities. When reading this book, a person understands Liesel’s personality and reads along, understanding how Liesel feels according to certain things.

            This book has very great imagery and is historically accurate. It also has very believable characters, which makes for a very great story and it just sucks you in. It gets people thinking about WWII and the things that happened there, and leaves you with a genuine feeling. High and low points of the war come out in this book, which makes it a great read.

            I would rate this book four stars out of five, since it was very engaging and interesting, yet I have read better. People who enjoy WWII novels or people who enjoy a long, interesting read would probably love this book and should pick it up. I would totally recommend it to a friend.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Alex Mulford

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Tamar by Mal Peet

Tamar by Mal Peet

I just finished reading the historical fiction novel Tamar.  The author of Tamar is Mal Peet.   Peet is best known for writing young-adult fiction books such as Keeper, The Penalty, and Exposure.  Peet is somewhat suited to write a tumultuous story such as Tamar because his family was also not emotionally stable like the characters of Tamar.

In 1945, two men named Tamar and Dart are inside World War II Holland.  They are trying to free Holland from its Nazi oppressors. Tamar gives readers an inside look on the physical and emotional turmoil that millions of men and women had to bear during World War II.   Tamar also describes the journey of a young girl also named Tamar who tries to put together the pieces of her grandfather’s past.   Armed with only the clues her grandfather leaves behind, Tamar has to try to put the pieces of her grandfather’s elaborate puzzle together or risk never knowing her grandfather’s last message. 

The book was written at a pace where at first is was slow and you didn’t care if you finished it, but as the plot advanced, the pace quickened to the point where at the end you couldn’t put it down.  The beginning set the scene with the characters and gave a lot of elaborate explanations.   The scene setting made the book boring but once the scene was set, the action started to happen and the book became interesting.   

One great thing about the book is the historical background it integrates into the plot.  The characters fit the time period and actual events such as the Rauter shooting are blended in to give a backbone to the plot.  Another great thing about Tamar is that the people are relatable even though they are from a different time period.  Their circumstances obviously make them a lot different from people in times of peace, but their core emotions such as anger, fear, passions, and distrust make them seem real.  The characters are not just empty figures that perform actions.  The book actually takes us into the thoughts of the people so that we can better understand their actions. 

I would give Tamar two and a half stars out of five because there were several good parts of the book, but it was difficult to understand at times.  If the person I am recommending a book to has a good deal of patience and a pretty high level of reading comprehension, I might recommend this book to them. The reason I would recommend it is because it has a good historical base that makes it interesting and the mystery of Tamar’s grandfather is very interesting.  If I were trying to recommend a book to a person who was just looking for a book to casually read and not think very hard about, this wouldn’t be a book I would recommend.   The reason I wouldn’t recommend this book to a casual reader is because it has a lot of plot twists and details that a reader has to remember for the book to make sense and a casual reader may not be able to make much sense of the book. 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Reviewed by:  Tanner Smith

Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Tamar by Mal Peet

Tamar by Mal Peet  

Tamar is about two America spies, named Tamar and Dart, that are dropped into England in 1945 as undercover agents. Then the story switches to 1995 where a fifteen-year-old girl also named Tamar discovers a secret that her grandfather left behind. It switches back to 1945 where Tamar and Dart are having fights and eventually split up. Then the Tamar in 1995 follows the clues in the briefcase she finds and leads her and a friend of hers named Yoyo on a trip to America that will change her life forever.
          I like this book because it seems to catch my attention and make me want to read more.The transitions between the times keep readers in suspense of what will happen next from where they left off.Also the personalities of the characters always have tensions and arguing between themselves.
           I would give this book a four out of five, mainly because the ending was unclear that there was a transition between the times without you noticing. Other than that the book was great, had a good plot, a great climax, and a twisted resolution at the end. I’m looking forward to reading his other books.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII
Reviewed by:  Matthew Sutherland
Teacher:  Mara Pufko

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

The story starts off when a couple comes to the door of sixteen-year-old Griet, asking for her to work as a maid in the Vermeer household. Johannes Vermeer is a famous painter, and Griet’s specific task is to clean his studio without moving any of his artwork. Griet soon catches the eye of the master of the household, Vermeer. He is intrigued by her perceptive nature and fascination with his artwork. She becomes a crucial piece of Vermeer’s art, and with that, their relationship strengthens. Vermeer’s wife doesn’t know that her husband has been painting their maid, and so they keep that hidden. However, soon enough their level of intimacy is seen and gossip is spread through the town about their relationship. Griet doesn’t actually have the type of relationship with Vermeer that the town folk of Delft assumes she does. Actually, the butcher’s son, Prieter catches Griet’s eye. Through out the story, Griet is seen as a dynamic character with her change in perspective due to the short amount of time spent with the genius, Johannes Vermeer.

There are several things about this book that I enjoyed, but in specific the way the author includes facts about the time period enhances the understanding of what’s happening in the novel. For example, Tracy Chevalier includes historical events such as the plague as it spread to the town of Delft in the Dutch Golden Age. Also, the way the people speak to each other isn’t modern, and you can see that it was set in an older time period. Furthermore, the author gives physical descriptions of what people were wearing at the time, to display their wealth and place in the social structure. The novel include ideas of the Catholic Church since the Catholics and Protestants were separate groups back in the Dutch Golden Age. By reading this historical fiction, you see the importance of religion and social structure in the seventeenth century. Since history is my favorite subject, the facts and details about the time period truly add to the book. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, or is interested in art. It’s a rather easy read, and quite fascinating.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Reviewed by :  Stephanie Pekic

Teacher:  Mara Pufko



Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

In the life of Lina Vilkas, a fifteen-year-old teenager, she lives through her adolescent years contently. Before, she aesthetically expressed her love of art through artwork, giggled over boys with her cousin, Joana, and lived a life like any other Lithuanian teenage girl. However, Lina’s life falls apart when the NKVD come banging on their door to deport her along with her mother, Elena, and her younger brother, Jonas to a labor camp in Altai. From there on, Lina along many others will face multiple hardships, such as extreme labor and temperatures. Throughout her brave, unwilling journey, Lina meets Andrius, who will provide comfort to her life that was unwillingly taken from her. Not only does Lina have to face hardships, but she also has to risk her life, passing along messages and experiences through her art, hoping that someone out there will rescue them. 

I loved everything. I loved the relationship between Lina and Andrius, the sarcastic bald old man, Mr. Stalas, and Nikolai Kretzsky. I’d recommend this book for those who are a sucker for historical-fiction novels. Also, seeing how Between Shades of Grey isn’t centered on the Holocaust, it’s something new and different. That being said, I’m not surprised this is a well-known historical fiction novel.

Genre: Historical-Fiction

Reviewed by:  Nhi Nguyen, 9th, Mrs. Pufko