Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

GoodReads Summary: In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

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Publication date: 22/04/2014

Anne Blankman is a truly standout author in the YA historical fictional genre. She mixes real life events with fiction, and makes the reader look at history in a new and fascinating light.

Interestingly, the image Blankman paints of Hitler is not one we are accustomed to. We see him through the eyes of the main character, Gretchen. To her 'Uncle Dolf' is kind, gentle, and utterly charming. It's not until she encounters a Jewish reporter named Daniel, that she begins to questions everything that she's been lead to believe. Gretchen was a strong and admirable main character, I found myself easily sympathising and rooting for her.  The forbidden romance angle of the story was, in my opinion, well crafted. There's no over the top drama or insta-love. Instead the romance develops at a slow and believable pace, as Daniel opens Gretchen's eyes to the truth. The secondary characters were also well developed - from Gretchen's cold and ruthless brother, and distant mother, to her friends Eva and Geli.

The first in a planned duology, Prisoner of Night and Fog is a stunning story that I highly recommend to fans of The Book Thief. 

In profile, she saw things about his features she hadn't noticed before: the straightness of his nose, the full shape of his lips, the sharp point of his chin. Why couldn't he appear the way he was supposed to? The human shape of his face, the human smell of him-all combined to make it difficult to remember he was a subhuman.*
* Quote taken from e-arc. May be subject to change.

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