Thursday, August 28, 2014

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein


Rose Justice is an American pilot who is working with the ATA (a British organization) as World War II is coming to an end. D-day has already happened and the Allies are taking back France, but when Rose is ferrying a fighter plane from Paris back to England she does something maybe a little bit brave, but definitely a bit reckless that gets her caught by German forces. From there she is taken to Ravensbrück, a women's concentration camp. Here she faces horrors of death, brutality, and starvation; she meets first hand those who were operated and experimented on, also known as the Rabbits. However, these women find ways to get things they need (though never enough), hide prisoners whose numbers have been called, and come away with bits of hope in their rebellions (no matter how small) and camaraderie. While the reader knows that Rose makes it out alive her situation is no less bleak or tense and many of those she comes to think of as family do not make it to the allies liberation.

Rose Under Fire is a powerful book that shows the horrors that people can commit on one another, but also the resilience that people can have. At times it can be a difficult book to read, but still one that you don't want to put down.

Especially recommended for those who enjoyed Code Name Verity.

Other readalikes:
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Annexed by Sharon Dogar
The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb

Lisa

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