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A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen is quite likely one of the best books we have ever read together. Definitely in my top five! Tonight as I sat down to read to Charlie, I knew we were nearing the end of this book but I also knew it was at least twice as much as we normally read a night. I got to the end of where I would normally stop and go read to Maggie and the kids looked up at me with very obvious desire to just finish it. Maggie even said, “You don’t have to read my stories tonight, let’s finish this.” So, we finished it. {So happy that was what they wanted because I probably would have had to read it to myself to finish it tonight.}
This book was just a page turner with so much suspense that you just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next and every page had you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what would happen. There were so many things thrown in and so much risk involved but we felt that we were a part of the story from the start. It had been on my list of books to read to the kids and I’m so glad we finally got to it!!! This book is pretty intense, so keep that in mind when deciding if it’s right for your family to read right now. Below you can read the back of the book to know what it is about.
With the rise of the Berlin Wall, Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, yet she can’t help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.But one day on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Gerta concludes that her father wants her and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?
Each week we feature a book we love. Usually something we’ve finished reading and I love when I come across a book that I love this much!
If you have read this, I’d love to hear what you read next. Bonus for historical fiction. If you haven’t, let me know below a book you’ve read and loved.
