Name: Ĉeňdoł's review of Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Item: Lines of Courage
Rating: 4
Author: Ĉeňdoł

Jennifer A. Nielsen

Jennifer A. Nielsen, award-winning author of A Night Divided and Rescue, artfully weaves together the stories of five kids living through World War I, each of whom holds the key to the others' futures... if they are lucky -- and brave -- enough to find each other. World War I stretches its cruel fingers across Europe, where five young people, each from different backgrounds and nations, face the terror of battle, the deprivations of hunger, and all the awful challenges of war. Felix, from Austria-Hungary, longs for the bravery to resist Jewish deportations before his own family can be taken. Kara, from Britain, dreams of someday earning her Red Cross pin and working as a nurse -- or even a doctor. Juliette, of France, hopes her family can remain knitted together, despite her father's imprisonment, as the war's longest battle stretches on and on. Elsa, from Germany, hopes her homing pigeon might one day bring her a friend from out of the chaos. And Dimitri, of Russia, wants only to survive the front, where he's been sent with no weapon. None of them will find exactly what they want. But the winds of fate may cross their paths to give each of them just what they need. And in this remarkable exploration of World War I by critically acclaimed author Jennifer A. Nielsen, they will discover that friendship and courage can light the way through the most frightening of nights. "A powerful, absorbing story that shines a light on an often overlooked chapter in human history." -- Alan Gratz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

Lines of Courage

Hannah DCamp

Jennifer A. Nielsen, award-winning author of A Night Divided and Rescue, artfully weaves together the stories of five kids living through World War I, each of whom holds the key to the others' futures... if they are lucky -- and brave -- enough to find each other. World War I stretches its cruel fingers across Europe, where five young people, each from different backgrounds and nations, face the terror of battle, the deprivations of hunger, and all the awful challenges of war. Felix, from Austria-Hungary, longs for the bravery to resist Jewish deportations before his own family can be taken. Kara, from Britain, dreams of someday earning her Red Cross pin and working as a nurse -- or even a doctor. Juliette, of France, hopes her family can remain knitted together, despite her father's imprisonment, as the war's longest battle stretches on and on. Elsa, from Germany, hopes her homing pigeon might one day bring her a friend from out of the chaos. And Dimitri, of Russia, wants only to survive the front, where he's been sent with no weapon. None of them will find exactly what they want. But the winds of fate may cross their paths to give each of them just what they need. And in this remarkable exploration of World War I by critically acclaimed author Jennifer A. Nielsen, they will discover that friendship and courage can light the way through the most frightening of nights. A powerful, absorbing story that shines a light on an often overlooked chapter in human history. -- Alan Gratz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

Ĉeňdoł

I enjoyed this book, and the pace was well done. I especially enjoyed how the author would change perspective from one character to the next.

The book, although fictional, has linked some reality to the story based on WWI, as far as how the war starts, economic situations of countries, and how it ends. That's where the realism ends.

The story follows 5 youngsters, each in their early teens through the war, their courage, and how each of their stories intertwine. Although it is a great concept, the coincidences and perfect alignment of events to work in each characters favors by meeting another, even across countries, is a bit much. 

The story is also glossed over with generals and commanders easily having a change of heart and being so kind-hearted, even towards enemies.

The author rules out nearly all factors of pain, patriotism, anguish, and hatred of an enemy that has ravished hometowns for hearts that are easily swayed by a simple gesture. The story tries to cover its tracks by stating the pain is still there, but we shouldn't hold in anger and move on.

Finally, the next and final part that makes the entire story unbelievable is the fact that not one of the main characters nor their families lose members in the entire war. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, only two family members from all the main characters' families are injured. None of the kids that were in the war got much more than the butt of a gun to their head.

My final point which is a positive, despite the fact that the character development is very obviously fiction, the author does well in describing the war scenes and creating a sense of urgency to the readers, and describing the landscapes in a way that show how war destroys everything in its path.

I just wish the characters were developed more, and although it was commendable to try to show that everyone on all sides of the war are normal people, the way it went about it was almost fairytale like, especially toward the end it felt like the end of a Disney movie...

Overall, it's a quick read, and I still do recommend it. Just don't expect much realism when it comes to characters.

Hannah DCamp &
Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen

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Hannah DCamp &Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen

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Hannah DCamp &
Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen