The Boy Who Dared

"Nazi resister stories risk becoming formulaic and overly pious, with the (almost always) young hero presented as wise beyond his or her years, with a heightened sensibility above that of everyone they know. While Bartoletti occasionally falls into this cliche, she also gives readers a realistic view of how Nazi propaganda and the complete clamp down on outside information would color one's perceptions. Hitler's invasion of Poland for example is presented as necessary due to "the atrocities that Poles are committing against ethnic Germans", while Nazi atrocities and the staggering losses of German soldiers in Russia were simply never mentioned. As I write this (April 2022) Russia's attacks on Ukraine are cynically using similar justifications, while Russian censorship hides similar atrocities and losses in a way that feels sadly familiar.<br/><br/>Helmuth is presented as a typical teen; smart, loyal to his friends, and rebellious against his mother and stepfather. He worships his older brother Gerhard, who gives him the secret radio he uses to listen to forbidden BBC broadcast, but is ultimately disappointed that Gerhard, along with everyone else in his family , encourages him to remain silent, loyal and obedient.<br/><br/>I was impressed with Bartoletti’s treatment of Helmuth's stepfather Hugo. Initially presented as the predictable tyrant, Nazi sympathizer, Bartoletti allows him his humanity, leading us to perhaps understand his wife's protests that "he is not a bad man". In fact, Hugo fought desperately to save his stepson’s life and later appears to have recanted his Nazism.The tragedy of a totalitarian society is that “not bad” people can end up doing very bad things, only recognizing their complicity when it’s too late.<br/><br/><br/>"

"Love this!"

"UNDERRATED GOLD, from the character development, to the imagery, to the wording, easily one of my top books, would recommend. "