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Summary
Summary
A gripping historical thriller set in 1930s Munich, Prisoner of Night and Fog is the evocative story of an ordinary girl faced with an extraordinary choice in Hitler's Germany. Fans of Code Name Verity will love this novel full of romance, danger, and intrigue!
Gretchen Müller grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her uncle Dolf--who has kept her family cherished and protected from that side of society ever since her father sacrificed his life for Dolf's years ago. Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.
When she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen, who claims that her father was actually murdered by an unknown comrade, Gretchen doesn't know what to believe. She soon discovers that beyond her sheltered view lies a world full of shadowy secrets and disturbing violence.
As Gretchen's investigations lead her to question the motives and loyalties of her dearest friends and her closest family, she must determine her own allegiances--even if her choices could get her and Daniel killed.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Gretchen Muller has grown up in 1920s Germany believing her father sacrificed his life to shield "Uncle Dolf" from a fusillade of police bullets during Hitler's failed 1923 attempt to overthrow the government. Because of her father's martyrdom, Gretchen's family has enjoyed favored status among the Nazis; she is now Hitler's "favorite pet," and her (terrifying) older brother works as one of his thuggish Brownshirts. Then Gretchen meets Daniel Cohen, a young reporter who has evidence that her father was not a Nazi hero, but a murder victim. Gretchen refuses to believe it, but as she undertakes her own investigation, she realizes that many things she had accepted as truth are lies. Debut novelist Blankman's account of life in Munich prior to Hitler's 1933 elevation to the chancellorship is completely engrossing. In an afterword, she separates fact from the fictional characters she created; a three-page bibliography is appended. Concocting a murder mystery featuring one of history's most well-known figures is risky, and some scenes test the limits of plausibility. But Blankman creates riveting tension for her heroine and pulls readers through with an irresistible subplot featuring forbidden love. Ages 13-up. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
After her father dies saving Adolf Hitler in 1923, seventeen-year-old Gretchen leads a protected, privileged life in 1930s Munich with "Uncle Dolf." Then a Jewish reporter uncovers shocking truths about Gretchen's father's death, placing her in mortal jeopardy. Blankman places historical figures alongside fictional characters to good effect, but an inundation of historical details slows the story's action and suspense. Bib. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
It takes moxie to feature Adolf Hitler as a lead character, but that's just what debut author Blankman does, rejecting the safer route of hiding him offstage. It's a winning gamble, providing a fictionalized portrait of a man both approachably normal and chillingly unknowable. Due to her father's death while defending Hitler from bullets, Gretchen, 17, is known as Hitler's honorary niece, and that affords certain pleasures and protections in 1931 Munich. Her life of privilege is bucked upon meeting young reporter Daniel Cohen, a Jew or, as she has been trained to think, a subhuman. Slowly, though, she warms to him and they begin to uncover the truth about her father's death. Was he, in fact, murdered by Hitler? And if Uncle Dolf is lying about that, what else is he lying about? There is much to like here: the realistic changing of Gretchen's ingrained beliefs, the icy fright of her psychotic Nazi brother, side roles for everyone from Rudolf Hess to Eva Braun, and Blankman's exhaustive research. If it feels incomplete, that's because (thankfully) more is coming.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2014 Booklist
New York Review of Books Review
It is August of 1931, and Gretchen Müller, a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Munich, has a long blond braid, hopes to be a doctor and wears a necklace with a golden swastika on it. Times are hard; Gretchen's father was killed in the putsch of 1923, and though he is considered a martyr to the now ascendant National Socialist Party, food and work are scarce, and her family depends on the generosity of her Uncle Dolph to survive. And here is the slightly dubious hook: That kind "uncle" is Adolf Hitler. The novel begins as Gretchen learns her father may not have died protecting Uncle Dolph from police gunfire but was perhaps killed by a member of his own party. Her search for the truth about his death allies her with a young Jewish reporter, Daniel Cohen. Blankman has done her research, and readers may be drawn in by the feast of boldface names, including Fritz Gerlich, Ernst Hanfstaengl and Eva Braun. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the mysteries and revelations that preoccupy Gretchen - even those touching on her Uncle Dolph - persuasive or suspenseful in such company.
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Gretchen Muller has been raised with the ideals of the National Socialist Party. Blonde, blue-eyed, and beautiful, she has become a favorite of her Uncle Dolf, who is none other than Adolf Hitler. Her father, who served with Hitler during World War I, gave his life to protect him during the Beer Hall Putsch. Although she is grateful to her Uncle and the Party, she is not blind to their policies and punishments. Living in a dysfunctional family, Gretchen has endured the torments and twisted pranks of her malicious brother while her mother turns a blind eye. As the Nazis are on the verge of gaining power in Germany, the teen is contacted by a Jewish reporter, Daniel Cohen. His investigation into the Party has led him to information about her father's death that will change her life forever. Blankman's debut is beautifully written, full of suspense and intrigue. The well-developed characters drive the novel, while the murder-mystery plot is full of vivid historical details. Gretchen's journey of self-discovery unearths certain truths about her family, Hitler, and the Party and demonstrates that it is sometimes easier to accept a lie than the truth. Her relationship with Daniel, though not the main focus, is genuine and memorable. Readers will certainly enjoy this haunting and captivating work. An author's note provides historical information while setting the stage for a sequel.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
