| Author: Jennifer A Nielsen Book Review By: Sunaina Das Class: 8 |
A Night Divided
I read this fascinating book called A Night Divided by Jennifer A Nielsen. It is a historical fiction about a twelve-year-old girl named Gerta who lives with her oldest brother, Fritz Lowe, who works as bricklayer, her second oldest brother, Dominic Lowe, her mother, and her father. The family lives in Berlin.
I really enjoyed reading this book because it included a historical event – the building of the Berlin Wall. It gives readers a perspective of what it might have been like living during that period.
In the book, Gerta’s brother Fritz and their father go to the West to search for work and don’t return home for two nights. Gerta woke up on Sunday morning, August 13, 1961, to find a fence being built separating her part of the city from the West. Slowly, it was converted into a wall.
During those days, a lot of hate grew between the West and East, and Berlin was caught in the middle of a cold war. Gerta, her mother, and Dominic lived in the East, which was controlled by the Soviets. The East had a food shortage, and people had to bow to Russia’s flag. Many people tried escaping to the West but were caught and punished to death in front of their neighbours. Yet many still tried. No one was allowed to look past the fence or greet others on the opposite side, or they’d face deadly punishment. Overnight, Gerta’s family had been divided in half.
One day, Gerta was passing the fence when she saw a man who looked like her dad standing on the opposite side. He was dancing oddly, and it confused her. Just as she was about to walk to the fence to get a closer look, a Soviet soldier blocked her and asked what was up. By now, the father had disappeared, and she had to make an excuse for admiring the fence. After heading home, she figured out the dance her father was doing. He told her to dig a tunnel beneath the wall and out of Berlin. But Gerta knows she will face a deadly punishment if she’s caught. Will she be able to escape with her family?
Read the book to find out what happens. You will want to learn about the many people who tried to find a way out during this troubled time in history.
I see a parallel between Gerta’s experience and the big event in my life, COVID-19. The news showed us how the entire world had to change and adjust; still, many people were affected. There was so much fear, food shortages, and chaos. Sure, the culprit was not war among nations but a virus. Nonetheless, it devastated countries around the world. Reading this book made me think that one day, other children would read about us and how we had to manage COVID.
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