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A review by mamadaughterbookclub
Right Back at You by Carolyn Mackler
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ahead of publication date. I really enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to the conclusion. It was even better than the first - enthralling, captivating, and unputdownable.
I can't think of a better character than 13 year old Max. A Jewish teenager who escaped from Germany, only to return to his home country as a spy for the British? This book had it all. It was action packed, tense, and nerve racking. Max was in so much danger every step of the way, at any time he could be discovered not only as being Jewish, but also being a spy. There were so many moments where my heart was pounding and I was terrified for Max.
Gidwitz does a fantastic job in showing what Nazi led Germany was in the early 1940s. How could a nation of 70 million believe the lies and propaganda from Hitler and the Nazi party? How could everyday Germans stand by and watch was happening to the Jewish people, the Romany, the disabled, the gay, and other marginalized groups? How could it have happened in modern times?
The horrors and tragedies of genocide were also portrayed, and done so in a way that was suitable for middle grade readers while still showing the depravity and evilness of German concentration camps. I can't stress how important it is to have books like this for kids today. We must never forget the past and the darkest moments of history.
Recommended for readers 10+ due to mature themes.
I can't think of a better character than 13 year old Max. A Jewish teenager who escaped from Germany, only to return to his home country as a spy for the British? This book had it all. It was action packed, tense, and nerve racking. Max was in so much danger every step of the way, at any time he could be discovered not only as being Jewish, but also being a spy. There were so many moments where my heart was pounding and I was terrified for Max.
Gidwitz does a fantastic job in showing what Nazi led Germany was in the early 1940s. How could a nation of 70 million believe the lies and propaganda from Hitler and the Nazi party? How could everyday Germans stand by and watch was happening to the Jewish people, the Romany, the disabled, the gay, and other marginalized groups? How could it have happened in modern times?
The horrors and tragedies of genocide were also portrayed, and done so in a way that was suitable for middle grade readers while still showing the depravity and evilness of German concentration camps. I can't stress how important it is to have books like this for kids today. We must never forget the past and the darkest moments of history.
Recommended for readers 10+ due to mature themes.