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The Dance Sequence #5
Cartoline dalla terra di nessuno
Jacob Todd, inglese, per la prima volta all'estero da solo, arriva ad Amsterdam per la commemorazione della battaglia di Arnhem, in cui suo nonno combatté cinquant'anni prima. Geerti Wesseling, anziana signora molto malata, racconta nel suo diario una storia straordinaria di amore e tradimento. Grazie a questa storia la sua famiglia e quella di Jacob sono legate in un modo insospettabile e sorprendente. Tra cene e vagabondaggi per la città, incontri a sorpresa e pellegrinaggi letterari, la visita di Jacob ad Amsterdam si rivelerà molto più che una vacanza.
471 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
79 people are currently reading
2843 people want to read
About the author
Aidan Chambers
103 books302 followersAidan Chambers was a British author of children's and young-adult novels. He won both the British Carnegie Medal and the American Printz Award for Postcards from No Man's Land (1999). For his "lasting contribution to children's literature" he won the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
August 30, 2015
"E ho spesso pensato, leggendo romanzi, racconti e poesie, specialmente poesie, che altro non sono se non le confessioni degli autori, trasformate dalla loro arte in qualcosa che vale come confessione per noi tutti. Infatti, se guardo indietro alla passione per la lettura che ha accompagnato tutta la mia vita, la sola attività che mi ha dato la forza di andare avanti e mi ha dato il piacere più intenso e duraturo, credo che sia questa la ragione per cui vuol dire tanto per me. I libri, gli autori che più ho amato sono quelli che parlano al mio cuore e dicono al mio posto tutte quelle cose sulla vita che ho più bisogno di sentire come confessione di me stessa."
Profondamente illuminante, ma in maniera scherzosa e a volte un po' caustica. Me ne sono totalmente innamorata e non c'è citazione migliore per descrivere cosa ho provato leggendo questo meraviglioso libro. La cosa bella di Chambers è proprio questa: parla al lettore con assoluta chiarezza, trattando senza timore e con assoluto rispetto tematiche particolarmente difficili di cui tutti, almeno una volta nella vita, hanno bisogno di sentir parlare.
Esistono libri e libri e Chambers non si limita solo a scriverli. E' a un livello superiore. - Voglio leggere ogni lavoro di questo autore, sono insaziabile.
May 15, 2009
how can a book be really interesting, but so boring at the same time? I can't put the book down when the story is being told during the war, but when it comes to the present I have to push myself to keep going!
October 3, 2016
In this beautifully-constructed, multilayered young adult novel, Chambers demonstrates his deft ability to intertwine two stories from different time periods. One story covers the travels of seventeen-year old Jacob Todd who visits Amsterdam from England for a memorial service honoring his late grandfather, with the same name, who died during World War II. The other story tells of Geertrui and her family in 1944; they care for the soldier Jacob Todd during the war. As the dual stories unfold, secrets are divulged. The younger Jacob learns of his linkage to Geertrui and her family. But this book does more than exquisitely amalgamate the seesawing stories. Chambers impressively explores the self-discovery occurring through the eyes of young Jacob and the equally compelling coming-of-age romance that ignites between Jacob’s grandfather and Geertrui in the historical half of the novel. Young Jacob’s escapade throughout Amsterdam also gives Chambers the chance to detail the young man’s own intimate yearnings, both heterosexual and bisexual. Chambers’s novel does not back down from covering an array of huge themes, such as war, love, identity, infidelity, death, and the quest for truth. He makes masterful use of his ecstatic writing style to stage highly intellectual dialogue. The novel also provides its fair share of rich passages of Amsterdam, an assortment of philosophical asides, and many detailed character examinations. In its breadth and totality, Chambers navigates this mammoth work with sensitivity and grace. The unresolved openness that Chambers uses to close this fine novel is fitting. For a work that handles so much, nothing short of demanding deep reflection from the reader would be disappointing.
February 1, 2023
Although Aidan Chambers was awarded the 1999 Carnegie Medal for his young adult novel Postcards from No Man's Land, sorry, but for me personally (and both thematically and also and actually even more so with regard to writing style and narrative quality), Chambers' presented text, his featured story, it has definitely not been all that much an enjoyably engaging reading experience for neither my inner teenager nor equally so for me as an older adult.
And first and foremost (and most definitely), I should point out that I have never been (and indeed since I first started reading independently) all that much a fan of novels, of pieces of prose where alternating storylines are shown with the given, with the respective authors using different (and often conflicting) voices. And therefore and yes, that in Postcards from No-Man's Land Aidan Chambers has the details of British teenager Jacob Todd's experiences in contemporary, in late 20th century Amsterdam being recounted and presented in the third person (and in a rather removed and on the proverbial surface manner at that), while with Geertrui's experiences in Nazi occupied Holland during WWII (and this of course being the other narrative thread of Postcards from No Man's Land) Chambers is utilising an intensely personable and also quite emotionally relatable first person voice, well, this might well be textually fine and acceptable for many readers, but it totally and utterly does not at all work for me. For it mostly just leaves me frustrated and distracted, seems to indicate that Aidan Chambers obviously thinks that Geertrui's memories and her life story are considerably more important and more significant than Jacob and his experiences in modern day Amsterdam, in contemporary Holland, and as such, Chambers' narrational choices, they render Post Cards from No Man's Land into a very much tediously dragging, annoying and devoid of pleasure reading slog and chore for me, any and all thematic and contents based positives and objects, thoughts of potential interest totally notwithstanding (since yes, if I cannot stomach, handle and connect with a novel's narration and style, I will usually also not be all that well disposed to whatever has been written and is being presented, and this most certainly and definitely has been pretty much and completely the case with me regarding Postcards from No Man's Land).
Because even contents and thematics wise, I have had and am still having some serious reading issues and concerns with Postcards from No Man's Land (and that this has most definitely majorly and negatively augmented my stylistic annoyances with Postcards from No Man's Land and having as a result a totally sub-par and frustrating personal reading experience). For honestly, while Aidan Chambers' storyline of Geertrui remembering her life in WWII, her suffering under Nazi rule and her relationship with and to Jacob Todd's late grandfather has been interestingly recounted (and even if not enjoyable, enlightening and educational), how in the sections of Postcards from No Man's Land taking place in contemporary Amsterdam, everything from literature, WWII, euthanasia, sexual orientation and polyamory is being discussed and analysed, it feels more than bit like some major philosophical and cultural info-dropping by Aidan Chambers, with nothing really ever being discussed in sufficient detail, leaving a story for me that just feels ridiculously like a shopping list of modern issues and philosophies, that thematically speaking, the taking place in present-day Amsterdam story parts of Postcards from No Man's Land totally and only scratch the proverbial surface so to speak and leave me majorly textually frustrated and hugely conflicted (and indeed, both thematically and stylistically so and to the point that from a personal reading pleasure point of departure, Postcards from No Man's Land really can and does only manage to rate with two stars).
And first and foremost (and most definitely), I should point out that I have never been (and indeed since I first started reading independently) all that much a fan of novels, of pieces of prose where alternating storylines are shown with the given, with the respective authors using different (and often conflicting) voices. And therefore and yes, that in Postcards from No-Man's Land Aidan Chambers has the details of British teenager Jacob Todd's experiences in contemporary, in late 20th century Amsterdam being recounted and presented in the third person (and in a rather removed and on the proverbial surface manner at that), while with Geertrui's experiences in Nazi occupied Holland during WWII (and this of course being the other narrative thread of Postcards from No Man's Land) Chambers is utilising an intensely personable and also quite emotionally relatable first person voice, well, this might well be textually fine and acceptable for many readers, but it totally and utterly does not at all work for me. For it mostly just leaves me frustrated and distracted, seems to indicate that Aidan Chambers obviously thinks that Geertrui's memories and her life story are considerably more important and more significant than Jacob and his experiences in modern day Amsterdam, in contemporary Holland, and as such, Chambers' narrational choices, they render Post Cards from No Man's Land into a very much tediously dragging, annoying and devoid of pleasure reading slog and chore for me, any and all thematic and contents based positives and objects, thoughts of potential interest totally notwithstanding (since yes, if I cannot stomach, handle and connect with a novel's narration and style, I will usually also not be all that well disposed to whatever has been written and is being presented, and this most certainly and definitely has been pretty much and completely the case with me regarding Postcards from No Man's Land).
Because even contents and thematics wise, I have had and am still having some serious reading issues and concerns with Postcards from No Man's Land (and that this has most definitely majorly and negatively augmented my stylistic annoyances with Postcards from No Man's Land and having as a result a totally sub-par and frustrating personal reading experience). For honestly, while Aidan Chambers' storyline of Geertrui remembering her life in WWII, her suffering under Nazi rule and her relationship with and to Jacob Todd's late grandfather has been interestingly recounted (and even if not enjoyable, enlightening and educational), how in the sections of Postcards from No Man's Land taking place in contemporary Amsterdam, everything from literature, WWII, euthanasia, sexual orientation and polyamory is being discussed and analysed, it feels more than bit like some major philosophical and cultural info-dropping by Aidan Chambers, with nothing really ever being discussed in sufficient detail, leaving a story for me that just feels ridiculously like a shopping list of modern issues and philosophies, that thematically speaking, the taking place in present-day Amsterdam story parts of Postcards from No Man's Land totally and only scratch the proverbial surface so to speak and leave me majorly textually frustrated and hugely conflicted (and indeed, both thematically and stylistically so and to the point that from a personal reading pleasure point of departure, Postcards from No Man's Land really can and does only manage to rate with two stars).
February 22, 2009
Englishman Jacob Todd is seventeen when he travels to Amsterdam to attend a memorial to commemorate the veterans and victims of the Battle of Anhem, in which his grandfather and namesake fought. He plans to stay with the Dutch family who sheltered his grandfather when he was injured. Plans quickly go awry, and Jacob’s week in Amsterdam leaves him changed forever.
The development of Jacob seems inconsistent-in some areas precocious and in others, immature. Perhaps this is typical of teens his age, but this reviewer was put off by it. The same could ultimately be said about the overall character development-Alma was very well developed, yer Daan and even Geertrui remained an enigma, despite far more “screen time.” Like White Darkness, there is a protagonist with an obsession with a historical figure, in this case Anne Frank. Published in the US after winning the Carnegie award in Britain, one wonders how heavily the Printz committee values the integration of literary figures into YA novels as criteria for the award-it figured into 40% of the books selected for this project. It is likely that this book would have remained largely unnoticed if it consisted only of young Jacob’s account of his time in Amsterdam. Jacob’s contemporary (1995) account relies far too heavily on convoluted tangents. The book is carried by the far more compelling perspective of Geertrui, a young woman during the war, who reminisces on her deathbed about her time as Jacob Sr’s lover. Other characters, such as Hille, are not fully integrated-did Chambers forget about her? Whatever happened to the anorak stolen in the first scene? Was it simply a plot device to introduce Alma? Although likely to be appreciated by high school teachers looking for historical fiction about World War II, teens are likely to be turned off by the slow moving story, which had too many meandering plot lines to be able to pull this reader. It’s just this sort of book that causes YA readers to shun books with an award medal on the cover.
The development of Jacob seems inconsistent-in some areas precocious and in others, immature. Perhaps this is typical of teens his age, but this reviewer was put off by it. The same could ultimately be said about the overall character development-Alma was very well developed, yer Daan and even Geertrui remained an enigma, despite far more “screen time.” Like White Darkness, there is a protagonist with an obsession with a historical figure, in this case Anne Frank. Published in the US after winning the Carnegie award in Britain, one wonders how heavily the Printz committee values the integration of literary figures into YA novels as criteria for the award-it figured into 40% of the books selected for this project. It is likely that this book would have remained largely unnoticed if it consisted only of young Jacob’s account of his time in Amsterdam. Jacob’s contemporary (1995) account relies far too heavily on convoluted tangents. The book is carried by the far more compelling perspective of Geertrui, a young woman during the war, who reminisces on her deathbed about her time as Jacob Sr’s lover. Other characters, such as Hille, are not fully integrated-did Chambers forget about her? Whatever happened to the anorak stolen in the first scene? Was it simply a plot device to introduce Alma? Although likely to be appreciated by high school teachers looking for historical fiction about World War II, teens are likely to be turned off by the slow moving story, which had too many meandering plot lines to be able to pull this reader. It’s just this sort of book that causes YA readers to shun books with an award medal on the cover.
February 11, 2022
"Ogni volta che impariamo una lezione importante sulla vita proviamo un senso di perdita. Parlo per esperienza. Ci si guadagna. Ma non senza un costo."
August 29, 2010
I put off this one for some time, not interested with the inadequate name and the dull looking cover, but found that I really really liked it once I got into it. The title and cover do make sense at the end of the story, but neither are appealing to teens who might actually like the book. While many of my classmates found the historical WWII love story much more compelling than the modern day trip to Amsterdam, I loved both as well as the unspoken dialog between the two. The feel of Amsterdam is so perfect that it brought back great memories of visiting there myself. The book is about love and sex, especially as a rite of passage, which could make for great classroom discussions if the teacher were comfortable with it. The sex within the book seems to be at a good level for teens to understand- either the awkward experiments of youth or the expression of committed love. The book is also open to homosexual and polyamourous relationships.
May 21, 2016
Come al solito mi ritrovo qui a scrivere su Goodreads una recensione a caldo.
Questo libro è stato spettacolare.
Mi sono immersa facilmente nella storia e mi ha sconvolta in certi punti, mi ha suscitato grandi emozioni, mi sono affezionata ai personaggi... e per queste ragioni mi ritrovo qui a dargli solo 4 stelline. Io volevo di più. Molto spesso si dice che è meglio accontentarsi, ma non con questo libro. Mi ha delusa profondamente il fatto che alla fine non ci fosse un capitolo che spiegasse il dopo, come andrà la storia, cosa faranno i personaggi. Ho informazioni troppo vaghe sul futuro di questi per poter tracciare i loro futuri passi come vorrei.
Trovo che sia un libro per ragazzi davvero interessante, mai banale, che ti coinvolge, magari non dall'inizio (che ho trovato abbastanza noioso), ma sicuramente ben presto vi troverete immersi nella storia e arriverete alla fine in un sol fiato.
Questo libro è stato spettacolare.
Mi sono immersa facilmente nella storia e mi ha sconvolta in certi punti, mi ha suscitato grandi emozioni, mi sono affezionata ai personaggi... e per queste ragioni mi ritrovo qui a dargli solo 4 stelline. Io volevo di più. Molto spesso si dice che è meglio accontentarsi, ma non con questo libro. Mi ha delusa profondamente il fatto che alla fine non ci fosse un capitolo che spiegasse il dopo, come andrà la storia, cosa faranno i personaggi. Ho informazioni troppo vaghe sul futuro di questi per poter tracciare i loro futuri passi come vorrei.
Trovo che sia un libro per ragazzi davvero interessante, mai banale, che ti coinvolge, magari non dall'inizio (che ho trovato abbastanza noioso), ma sicuramente ben presto vi troverete immersi nella storia e arriverete alla fine in un sol fiato.
September 11, 2016
4.5 stars.
This book... wow. It's great. It's also difficult to review, so please bear with me.
If this book seems uninteresting at first, I can't blame you. The cover is dull, the title dry-sounding ("No Man's Land" conjures an image of the desert, and "Postcards" are relatively obsolete) and the book is BIIIIIG. It seems long and ponderous. Besides, the author was 65 when POSTCARDS was published, and it always seemed to me that older authors look down on YA/children's lit and write preachy, moralizing books. (For example, in the infamous The Last Battle (Narnia book 7) the Pevensie family goes to Narnia/heaven after dying in a train crash... except for Susan, who is "no longer a friend of Narnia" JUST BECAUSE she is interested "in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations." So I guess that because she has become superficial, that means she deserves to see her whole family die. How cruel an moralizing can you be towards your characters and your readers!? But I digress.)
POSTCARDS FROM NO MAN'S LAND is not this breed of book. Chambers remembers so vividly, so clearly, and so compassion-fully what it is like to grow up it is honestly quite breathtaking.
Instead, POSTCARDS is a meditation on Life. It most obviouslt focuses on coming-of-age with the journies undertaken by its main protagonists Jacob and Geertrui, but as their stories bloom and as they begin to experience the wider world around them, POSTCARDS goes beyond simple coming-of-age to encompass ideas about marrige, adultery, bisexuality, art, literature, and even Death. These philosphical musings are artfully incorporated into the story, and add a richness to it, even if it is not part of the central plotline.
Honestly, I don't know what to say that will do this book justice - it's not a book that you can easily convince people to read - there are no villains here, no heart-pounding action sequences, just flawed, lovable characters finding their way in the world. Despite all this, their stories are very engrossing, and, (even if this sounds cheesy) often grab your heart.
Of course, this isn't a book for everyone - sometimes the often-interesting minutae are excessive (such as in the overly-descriptive parts detailing what characters are wearing) and even when at levels that worked perfectly for this reviewer, might bore more action-oriented readers. So: if your favorite book is Divergent or some other action-y book, you can give this a try, but don't expect another favorite. But if you love a big, rewarding, character-driven story that contemplates many facets of life, then this book is for you.
This book... wow. It's great. It's also difficult to review, so please bear with me.
If this book seems uninteresting at first, I can't blame you. The cover is dull, the title dry-sounding ("No Man's Land" conjures an image of the desert, and "Postcards" are relatively obsolete) and the book is BIIIIIG. It seems long and ponderous. Besides, the author was 65 when POSTCARDS was published, and it always seemed to me that older authors look down on YA/children's lit and write preachy, moralizing books. (For example, in the infamous The Last Battle (Narnia book 7) the Pevensie family goes to Narnia/heaven after dying in a train crash... except for Susan, who is "no longer a friend of Narnia" JUST BECAUSE she is interested "in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations." So I guess that because she has become superficial, that means she deserves to see her whole family die. How cruel an moralizing can you be towards your characters and your readers!? But I digress.)
POSTCARDS FROM NO MAN'S LAND is not this breed of book. Chambers remembers so vividly, so clearly, and so compassion-fully what it is like to grow up it is honestly quite breathtaking.
Instead, POSTCARDS is a meditation on Life. It most obviouslt focuses on coming-of-age with the journies undertaken by its main protagonists Jacob and Geertrui, but as their stories bloom and as they begin to experience the wider world around them, POSTCARDS goes beyond simple coming-of-age to encompass ideas about marrige, adultery, bisexuality, art, literature, and even Death. These philosphical musings are artfully incorporated into the story, and add a richness to it, even if it is not part of the central plotline.
Honestly, I don't know what to say that will do this book justice - it's not a book that you can easily convince people to read - there are no villains here, no heart-pounding action sequences, just flawed, lovable characters finding their way in the world. Despite all this, their stories are very engrossing, and, (even if this sounds cheesy) often grab your heart.
Of course, this isn't a book for everyone - sometimes the often-interesting minutae are excessive (such as in the overly-descriptive parts detailing what characters are wearing) and even when at levels that worked perfectly for this reviewer, might bore more action-oriented readers. So: if your favorite book is Divergent or some other action-y book, you can give this a try, but don't expect another favorite. But if you love a big, rewarding, character-driven story that contemplates many facets of life, then this book is for you.
June 6, 2009
This is a very well-crafted story. Chambers constructs, piece by piece, a compelling narrative of war, love, bravery, and honoring another's memory.
There are two narrators: Jacob, a seventeen year-old from England; and Geertrui, an aged woman in Amsterdam. Jacob is sent by his grandmother to meet Geertrui, who cared for his grandfather when he was injured in the struggle to free the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. His grandfather eventually died from his injuries.
Chambers writes with a great amount of detail. Sometimes early in the book I wanted the plot to move along faster. But that didn't last: The richness of his descriptions contributed to a much deeper feeling for the characters. Along with an interesting look into Amsterdam, an intriguing city.
This is the kind of story you don't get very often, one you won't forget for a long time.
There are two narrators: Jacob, a seventeen year-old from England; and Geertrui, an aged woman in Amsterdam. Jacob is sent by his grandmother to meet Geertrui, who cared for his grandfather when he was injured in the struggle to free the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. His grandfather eventually died from his injuries.
Chambers writes with a great amount of detail. Sometimes early in the book I wanted the plot to move along faster. But that didn't last: The richness of his descriptions contributed to a much deeper feeling for the characters. Along with an interesting look into Amsterdam, an intriguing city.
This is the kind of story you don't get very often, one you won't forget for a long time.
November 22, 2023
This is book 3 of my Goodreads want to read shelf challenge (and my last for now!).
I honestly can't remember why I added this to my want to read shelf, but it survived the many cullings I did a few years ago. It was a good read, although not my favorite, and some parts of it were more compelling than others. I thought more of it would take place during WWII, and indeed those were some of the more interesting parts. Overall, a good read, although I probably would not widely recommend.
I honestly can't remember why I added this to my want to read shelf, but it survived the many cullings I did a few years ago. It was a good read, although not my favorite, and some parts of it were more compelling than others. I thought more of it would take place during WWII, and indeed those were some of the more interesting parts. Overall, a good read, although I probably would not widely recommend.
December 14, 2020
A COVID era Charity Shop buy when libraries were closed. I didn’t realise that this was Young Adult fiction. Perhaps because I am an old adult it irritated me. Character development was poor. The WW2 part of the story was the more interesting. I felt it preached a bit. Euthanasia for and against, sexual experimentation good or bad? Do modern day young people really talk like this when they barely know each other? Too much detail about Jacob finding his way round Amsterdam. The aspect of the book which did interest me was Jacob’s reaction to the Ann Frank house. I too felt uncomfortable visiting this hugely popular tourist attraction, as if I was invading a private space.
April 3, 2019
A complex exploration of identity in which questions about sex and honesty span generations: a completely believable dance of two sets of relationships as Jacob, a present-day young English man in Amsterdam, is challenged about who he is while old Geertrui narrates her war-time relationship with Jacob’s grandfather. Past secrets and present uncertainty move in counterpoint as Jacob’s family negotiate Geertrui’s imminent death and young Jacob tries to make sense of a more liberal culture than he is used to.
November 15, 2022
If I could give it 0/5, I would. You can tell that this book was written by a cishet man. And that is meant in the worst way. He oversexualizes the women in this book, and writes them as over emotional, and frankly not very smart. This book is also, to top it all off, transphobic. There are also polyamorous and other queer characters, and the MC is also heavily hinted at being queerphobic. Also, as a relatively short book, its an incredibly long and boring read. Would not reccomend.
February 9, 2021
Rep: bi mc
October 11, 2017
This isn't my stereotypical kind of read - I don't often read historical books or anything similar to this one. I read this based on:
a) the simplistic cover which was still appealing to look at, and
b) this book is recommended online to people who enjoyed The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, which is my absolute favorite book.
I gathered from the "No Man's Land" aspect of the title that this would be a novel about war, even before I had read the blurb, due to my knowledge of the World Wars from secondary school studies. Despite this, and knowing that this is not my typical kind of read, I decided to borrow this book from my local library to try something new! The only kind of historical books I've enjoyed have been the "Horrible Histories" series while I was in school, and Lili Wilkinson's Scatterheart. Historical fiction just isn't really my style, but I was feeling adventurous and decided to give this one a go!
The opening chapters were mildly confusing. At first I wasn't sure how exactly the story was being told - the book being about Jacob and learning about his Grandfather, also named Jacob, that fought in the Second World War. I was initially confused about why there were chapters about Geertui, a young girl, but this confusion was resolved quite quickly.
The book itself was enjoyable. It was decent enough for me to finish... It just wasn't entirely for me, most likely due to the genre. I really wanted to enjoy it, but it literally took me a week to read just due to a lack of interest. I wasn't all that engaged, but I was determined to finish it nonetheless!
One of the things I disliked the most was the Dutch to English translation. I understand that there would be phrases or words that are unknown, but it was irritating to read "how you would say" or "I don't know your word for this" over and over. Almost every two pages one of these phrases would pop up. At first it was cute and kind of humorous, but by the end of the book, it was more of a nuisance than anything.
I am incredibly pleased about the discussion of open relationships and open sexuality. You have Ton, Daan and Simone in an open relationship. Ton who is gay, Simone who is straight and Daan who doesn't title himself as any particular sexuality, rather a person who sleeps with whoever he wants.
You then have Jacob, the protagonist, who discovers that he, too, would like to experience an open relationship. Developing feelings for Ton and Hille in the short time he is in their country.
There is definitely not enough representation of "openness" in novels, especially young adult novels. There has thankfully been an increase in the representation of LGBTQI+ individuals, just grab almost any book and there will be someone who is gay, bisexual or transgender - don't get me wrong, I love this, not complaining or putting it down in anyway! But I feel it is important to demonstrate other relationships than the standard couple. There are other, shall I say, modes? Not only the typical couple, but open relationships that can include three or more people. Sure, they're less common, but these relationships deserve representation too!
The book was well-written. I'm not entirely sure why it was recommended to people who enjoyed "The Outsiders as they weren't similar at all, but it was tolerable. I probably wouldn't rush out to read more by Chambers, especially if it was historical fiction, but I enjoyed this one enough!
a) the simplistic cover which was still appealing to look at, and
b) this book is recommended online to people who enjoyed The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, which is my absolute favorite book.
I gathered from the "No Man's Land" aspect of the title that this would be a novel about war, even before I had read the blurb, due to my knowledge of the World Wars from secondary school studies. Despite this, and knowing that this is not my typical kind of read, I decided to borrow this book from my local library to try something new! The only kind of historical books I've enjoyed have been the "Horrible Histories" series while I was in school, and Lili Wilkinson's Scatterheart. Historical fiction just isn't really my style, but I was feeling adventurous and decided to give this one a go!
The opening chapters were mildly confusing. At first I wasn't sure how exactly the story was being told - the book being about Jacob and learning about his Grandfather, also named Jacob, that fought in the Second World War. I was initially confused about why there were chapters about Geertui, a young girl, but this confusion was resolved quite quickly.
The book itself was enjoyable. It was decent enough for me to finish... It just wasn't entirely for me, most likely due to the genre. I really wanted to enjoy it, but it literally took me a week to read just due to a lack of interest. I wasn't all that engaged, but I was determined to finish it nonetheless!
One of the things I disliked the most was the Dutch to English translation. I understand that there would be phrases or words that are unknown, but it was irritating to read "how you would say" or "I don't know your word for this" over and over. Almost every two pages one of these phrases would pop up. At first it was cute and kind of humorous, but by the end of the book, it was more of a nuisance than anything.
I am incredibly pleased about the discussion of open relationships and open sexuality. You have Ton, Daan and Simone in an open relationship. Ton who is gay, Simone who is straight and Daan who doesn't title himself as any particular sexuality, rather a person who sleeps with whoever he wants.
You then have Jacob, the protagonist, who discovers that he, too, would like to experience an open relationship. Developing feelings for Ton and Hille in the short time he is in their country.
There is definitely not enough representation of "openness" in novels, especially young adult novels. There has thankfully been an increase in the representation of LGBTQI+ individuals, just grab almost any book and there will be someone who is gay, bisexual or transgender - don't get me wrong, I love this, not complaining or putting it down in anyway! But I feel it is important to demonstrate other relationships than the standard couple. There are other, shall I say, modes? Not only the typical couple, but open relationships that can include three or more people. Sure, they're less common, but these relationships deserve representation too!
The book was well-written. I'm not entirely sure why it was recommended to people who enjoyed "The Outsiders as they weren't similar at all, but it was tolerable. I probably wouldn't rush out to read more by Chambers, especially if it was historical fiction, but I enjoyed this one enough!
August 5, 2015
Mi è piaciuto di più Danza sulla mia tomba, ma anche questo molto, molto bello.
Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...
“Cartoline dalla terra di nessuno” è il secondo romanzo di Aidan Chambers che mi capita per le mani e devo dire che mi sono innamorata del suo stile. Completamente diverso da tutto quello che ho mai letto fino ad ora, racconta storie incredibili con una facilità impressionante, che ti segnano e cambiano. Tra l’altro in questo volume Chambers mette insieme due mie passioni. Le cartoline, e io adoro mandarle e riceverle, anche se effettivamente non ci sono cartoline fisiche nella storia, e Amsterdam, una città stupenda, di cui mi sono innamorata nelle poche ore che ho trascorso passeggiando per le sue strade. Ci voglio assolutamente tornare, perché insomma è davvero spettacolare. Ma qui Chambers fa di più, prende i ricordi della seconda guerra mondiale e li unisce a un ragazzino che cerca la sua strada nel mondo, regalando una storia a più dimensioni, ricca e speciale. Un piccolo gioiellino.
Il passato non è mai completamente dimenticato, anche quando si cerca di andare avanti e dimenticare. I ricordi arrivano e ti colpiscono alle spalle, come la marea, senza sosta, con una risacca che rischia di spingerti a fondo. E sono proprio le memorie dei periodi più importanti della nostra vita, quelle che in definitiva ci plasmano che restano con noi fino alla fine. Chambers cerca di catturare l’immaterialità dei ricordi con una storia che si svolge su più piani paralleli, con una solidità di intreccio ben congeniata e la sensazione, quasi, che il passato non muoia, ma si trasformi, per giungere nel futuro, impalpabile, ma con una forza d’urto capace di spezzare qualunque cosa lungo il cammino. È una storia che ti cattura fin dalle prime pagine, prima con Jacob, poi con Gertrui in un’alternanza sorprendente.
E abbiamo Jacob che parte dall’Inghilterra per arrivare ad Amsterdam, con i suoi canali, le sue strade, le sue parole incomprensibili, quell’olandese dai suoni gutturali e affascinante. Jacob vive con la nonna, per convenienza e per sentirsi a suo agio, quando in casa è bistrattato sia dalla sorella maggiore, affezionatissima al padre, che dal fratellino minore. Jacob è il classico awkward, nella sua vita familiare e a contatto con gli altri, con quel modo imbarazzato di porsi a contatto con il mondo. catapultato in una realtà che non conosce, cerca di adattarsi con i mezzi che ha a disposizione, ma la sua sopravvivenza è più determinata dalla generosità di chi incontra che dal suo spirito di adattamento. Ma Jacob non è un tipo che si lascia scoraggiare e vive tutte le esperienze in maniera viva e senza troppi rancori.
E poi c’è Gertrui che racconta la sua storia in prima persona, gli anni della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, l’invasione tedesca, e l’arrivo degli americani giunti a liberare un’Europa stanca e distrutta dai colpi del nazismo. Gertrui era una ragazza innocente, protetta da una famiglia benestante di una Olanda borghese e artigiana. Ma a contatto con la guerra deve crescere in fretta, sfuggire al giogo della solitudine e camminare per le sterpaglie di un popolo ridotto allo stremo. Gertrui si ritrova a fare da infermiera e cuoca, prodigarsi per chi arriva nella casa dei genitori, senza preoccuparsi dell’estrazione sociale o dei formalismi. La lotta per la sopravvivenza cancella tutto, ogni più piccolo spazio di pudore. Ed è qui che compare Jacob, con il suo fascino da straniero, la sua incapacità di parlare olandese e la voglia di vivere e combattere per liberarsi. È tutto molto concentrato, filtrato dagli occhi di Gertrui che ricorda la guerra e la sofferenza di un mondo che sembra perduto. Jacob, l’altro protagonista, deve affrontare due viaggi uno nella storia, nel passato e uno dentro di sé per capire chi è e da dove viene, per arrivare lì dove vuole arrivare. Quel viaggio di formazione troppo abusato, ma incredibilmente adatto alla situazione. Tra l’altro Chambers aggiunge un corollario di personaggi secondari avvincenti e speciali, a partire da Ton, che impartiranno a Jacob più lezioni di quante avrebbe mai immaginato, aprendogli gli occhi su una realtà che è molto complessa e incredibilmente affascinante. Ma soprattutto dovrà gestire il peso di un segreto e capire se vale la pena continuare a mantenerlo o rivelarlo. Come ci si comporta con la verità?
L’unica cosa che non sono riuscita ad apprezzare è stato nella parte centrale, la ricostruzione della battaglia di Arnhem attraverso altre voci, quelle dei soldati che davvero vi hanno partecipato, che a mio avviso appesantiscono il racconto, rendendolo poco fluido. È interessante scoprire cosa è successo, perché di solito non è uno degli aspetti più narrati del secondo conflitto mondiale, ma l’alternanza degli estratti risulta confusionaria.
L’ambientazione è curatissima, Amsterdam e l’Olanda sono tratteggiate benissimo. Leggere dei canali e delle strade che si affastellano in una delle città più affascinanti del mondo è talmente realistico che sembra di stare lì, a calpestare l’acciottolato, come quando davvero sono stata lì, nella piazza, a bere un boccale di birra, a sgranocchiare dolci, a respirare un mondo affascinante e unico, troppo spesso soffocato dal rumore delle mitragliatrici e l’odore acre del fumo.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un quadro di Rembrandt…
Una storia che come un binario ti porta da Amsterdam al cuore dell’Olanda, superando spazio e tempo, una storia sulla guerra, una storia d’amore, una storia d’amicizia. Di rapporti dimenticati e poi riscoperti. Di incontri e crescita, perché in fondo non si smette mai di scoprire cose nuove, conoscere segreti e vivere, riflettere e sognare.
Buona lettura guys!
Recensione anche sul mio blog:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...
“Cartoline dalla terra di nessuno” è il secondo romanzo di Aidan Chambers che mi capita per le mani e devo dire che mi sono innamorata del suo stile. Completamente diverso da tutto quello che ho mai letto fino ad ora, racconta storie incredibili con una facilità impressionante, che ti segnano e cambiano. Tra l’altro in questo volume Chambers mette insieme due mie passioni. Le cartoline, e io adoro mandarle e riceverle, anche se effettivamente non ci sono cartoline fisiche nella storia, e Amsterdam, una città stupenda, di cui mi sono innamorata nelle poche ore che ho trascorso passeggiando per le sue strade. Ci voglio assolutamente tornare, perché insomma è davvero spettacolare. Ma qui Chambers fa di più, prende i ricordi della seconda guerra mondiale e li unisce a un ragazzino che cerca la sua strada nel mondo, regalando una storia a più dimensioni, ricca e speciale. Un piccolo gioiellino.
Il passato non è mai completamente dimenticato, anche quando si cerca di andare avanti e dimenticare. I ricordi arrivano e ti colpiscono alle spalle, come la marea, senza sosta, con una risacca che rischia di spingerti a fondo. E sono proprio le memorie dei periodi più importanti della nostra vita, quelle che in definitiva ci plasmano che restano con noi fino alla fine. Chambers cerca di catturare l’immaterialità dei ricordi con una storia che si svolge su più piani paralleli, con una solidità di intreccio ben congeniata e la sensazione, quasi, che il passato non muoia, ma si trasformi, per giungere nel futuro, impalpabile, ma con una forza d’urto capace di spezzare qualunque cosa lungo il cammino. È una storia che ti cattura fin dalle prime pagine, prima con Jacob, poi con Gertrui in un’alternanza sorprendente.
E abbiamo Jacob che parte dall’Inghilterra per arrivare ad Amsterdam, con i suoi canali, le sue strade, le sue parole incomprensibili, quell’olandese dai suoni gutturali e affascinante. Jacob vive con la nonna, per convenienza e per sentirsi a suo agio, quando in casa è bistrattato sia dalla sorella maggiore, affezionatissima al padre, che dal fratellino minore. Jacob è il classico awkward, nella sua vita familiare e a contatto con gli altri, con quel modo imbarazzato di porsi a contatto con il mondo. catapultato in una realtà che non conosce, cerca di adattarsi con i mezzi che ha a disposizione, ma la sua sopravvivenza è più determinata dalla generosità di chi incontra che dal suo spirito di adattamento. Ma Jacob non è un tipo che si lascia scoraggiare e vive tutte le esperienze in maniera viva e senza troppi rancori.
E poi c’è Gertrui che racconta la sua storia in prima persona, gli anni della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, l’invasione tedesca, e l’arrivo degli americani giunti a liberare un’Europa stanca e distrutta dai colpi del nazismo. Gertrui era una ragazza innocente, protetta da una famiglia benestante di una Olanda borghese e artigiana. Ma a contatto con la guerra deve crescere in fretta, sfuggire al giogo della solitudine e camminare per le sterpaglie di un popolo ridotto allo stremo. Gertrui si ritrova a fare da infermiera e cuoca, prodigarsi per chi arriva nella casa dei genitori, senza preoccuparsi dell’estrazione sociale o dei formalismi. La lotta per la sopravvivenza cancella tutto, ogni più piccolo spazio di pudore. Ed è qui che compare Jacob, con il suo fascino da straniero, la sua incapacità di parlare olandese e la voglia di vivere e combattere per liberarsi. È tutto molto concentrato, filtrato dagli occhi di Gertrui che ricorda la guerra e la sofferenza di un mondo che sembra perduto. Jacob, l’altro protagonista, deve affrontare due viaggi uno nella storia, nel passato e uno dentro di sé per capire chi è e da dove viene, per arrivare lì dove vuole arrivare. Quel viaggio di formazione troppo abusato, ma incredibilmente adatto alla situazione. Tra l’altro Chambers aggiunge un corollario di personaggi secondari avvincenti e speciali, a partire da Ton, che impartiranno a Jacob più lezioni di quante avrebbe mai immaginato, aprendogli gli occhi su una realtà che è molto complessa e incredibilmente affascinante. Ma soprattutto dovrà gestire il peso di un segreto e capire se vale la pena continuare a mantenerlo o rivelarlo. Come ci si comporta con la verità?
L’unica cosa che non sono riuscita ad apprezzare è stato nella parte centrale, la ricostruzione della battaglia di Arnhem attraverso altre voci, quelle dei soldati che davvero vi hanno partecipato, che a mio avviso appesantiscono il racconto, rendendolo poco fluido. È interessante scoprire cosa è successo, perché di solito non è uno degli aspetti più narrati del secondo conflitto mondiale, ma l’alternanza degli estratti risulta confusionaria.
L’ambientazione è curatissima, Amsterdam e l’Olanda sono tratteggiate benissimo. Leggere dei canali e delle strade che si affastellano in una delle città più affascinanti del mondo è talmente realistico che sembra di stare lì, a calpestare l’acciottolato, come quando davvero sono stata lì, nella piazza, a bere un boccale di birra, a sgranocchiare dolci, a respirare un mondo affascinante e unico, troppo spesso soffocato dal rumore delle mitragliatrici e l’odore acre del fumo.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Un quadro di Rembrandt…
Una storia che come un binario ti porta da Amsterdam al cuore dell’Olanda, superando spazio e tempo, una storia sulla guerra, una storia d’amore, una storia d’amicizia. Di rapporti dimenticati e poi riscoperti. Di incontri e crescita, perché in fondo non si smette mai di scoprire cose nuove, conoscere segreti e vivere, riflettere e sognare.
Buona lettura guys!
May 8, 2019
What a curious book. Told in two perspectives--Jacob's in the early 2000s and Geertrui's in the 1940s--Postcards weaves two narratives together to create a dynamic and layered story filled with ethical and moral drama in the middle of war time.
This book discusses the burden of knowledge, war-time decisions, and being a stranger in a foreign land while also transcending both time and place. Also not shying away from the loss of innocence and discussions of sexuality, it takes care to assess all sorts of view points and allows for various epiphanies.
I found the interactions between Hille and Jacob probably the most interesting, and oh man, that scene where Jacob finally gets to visit Anne Frank's house and realizes that everyone else has had the same fascination with her as he does.
However, I do have to say that its the moral and ethical dilemmas, for me, that drive this book. I don't normally enjoy historical fiction--and World War II fiction even less--so this book didn't do it for me necessarily. But when we discuss things such as Geertrui's assisted suicide and her need to confess the hidden secrets of her family--that's when it really gets interesting for me.
Overall, this book is an intriguing and important one in a very subtle way. If anything else, I highly appreciate the artistry and intertextuality that this book offers.
Review cross-listed here!
This book discusses the burden of knowledge, war-time decisions, and being a stranger in a foreign land while also transcending both time and place. Also not shying away from the loss of innocence and discussions of sexuality, it takes care to assess all sorts of view points and allows for various epiphanies.
I found the interactions between Hille and Jacob probably the most interesting, and oh man, that scene where Jacob finally gets to visit Anne Frank's house and realizes that everyone else has had the same fascination with her as he does.
However, I do have to say that its the moral and ethical dilemmas, for me, that drive this book. I don't normally enjoy historical fiction--and World War II fiction even less--so this book didn't do it for me necessarily. But when we discuss things such as Geertrui's assisted suicide and her need to confess the hidden secrets of her family--that's when it really gets interesting for me.
Overall, this book is an intriguing and important one in a very subtle way. If anything else, I highly appreciate the artistry and intertextuality that this book offers.
Review cross-listed here!
April 26, 2018
This is a dual perspective story. Jacob, a teenager British boy, travels to Holland to meet the woman who cared for his wounded grandfather during WWII. The elderly woman, Geertrui, tells her story of nursing Jacob's grandfather when she was a teen.
Often, with a dual perspective novel, I enjoy one story and one character more than the other, but in this one I enjoyed both equally. Also, I typically devour a book as quick as I can, but this one demanded that I read slowly, savoring the language.
"The books, the authors who matter the most are those who speak to me and speak for me all those things about life I most need to hear as the confession of myself."
Often, with a dual perspective novel, I enjoy one story and one character more than the other, but in this one I enjoyed both equally. Also, I typically devour a book as quick as I can, but this one demanded that I read slowly, savoring the language.
"The books, the authors who matter the most are those who speak to me and speak for me all those things about life I most need to hear as the confession of myself."
June 22, 2021
Postcards from No Man's Land tells two alternating stories in Amsterdam, one in present-day told by a seventeen-year-old Englishman named Jacob, and one during World War II told by a young Dutch woman named Geertrui.
Jacob is visiting the Netherlands to thank the woman who cared for and comforted his grandfather when he was injured as a soldier in the war.
Geertrui tells the story of her youth in Amsterdam when she met a young hurt English soldier during the last days of the occupation by Germany in the war.
The author captures the feelings and thoughts of young people beautifully in this story. The details of life during the occupation are fascinating.
Jacob is visiting the Netherlands to thank the woman who cared for and comforted his grandfather when he was injured as a soldier in the war.
Geertrui tells the story of her youth in Amsterdam when she met a young hurt English soldier during the last days of the occupation by Germany in the war.
The author captures the feelings and thoughts of young people beautifully in this story. The details of life during the occupation are fascinating.
October 15, 2025
This is an inventive story that uses parallel narratives and provoking descriptions. I preferred the older wartime narrative. The contemporary narrative felt unrealistic at times, and if it hadn't been for that, this would have been a five-star book for me!
July 10, 2017
È il primo libro che ho letto di Chambers, e l'ho adorato. Meraviglioso.
February 14, 2019
One of my very favorites!! Read it when it first came out...loved, loved it! I think it is his best book.
December 7, 2021
Marvellous. So full of things that I’ll have to read it again. Wonderful descriptions of Amsterdam and Art. Beautiful writing too.
November 15, 2022
gross, disgusting, horrible, utterly deplorable.
November 17, 2025
A good read, slightly predictable but enjoyable all the same.
October 7, 2009
A unique book, I thought. I bought the book some time ago, without knowing much about it, for my classes' 8th-grade independent reading shelves. Now that I've read it I'll probably have to remove it or risk trouble from parents.
First, the good things. I thought it did a tremendous job of illustrating the role of the past in people's lives. I've never read a book that connected the generations so powerfully. The novel also presented a very gritty and I think authentic picture of the civilian perspective in one of Europe's WWII war zones. Another strength was the absolutely delightful treatment of the cultural nuances a thoughtful, observant traveller discovers in a new place.
In spite of those strengths, Postcards from No Man's Land will have to go. The passionate (and adulterous) love affair between the English soldier and the Dutch girl is well done. The intergenerational ripple effects of the affair might illustrate the negative trade-offs of the lovers' self-indulgence to the thoughtful reader, but the passion is so powerful and appealing that those trade-offs are probably obscured to the typical teenager.
significant spoiler follows.
I think the book would be very good to read with an older teen-ager in order to facilitate a good discussion about sex.
The modern-day plot thread is the weaker component of the novel, in my estimation. Modern Amsterdam is a sexually polymorphous box of chocolates for Jacob, the modern-day co-protagonist. His uncertain sexual identity is never resolved, which certainly is realistic for the genre; but he doesn't seem to make any progress in understanding the powerful impact of sexual behavior on one's ongoing life.
I kept reading to see how Jacob would sort it all out, but the last page was a real let-down--he gets laid by a 17-year-old girl who just finished telling him he couldn't quite qualify to be her boyfriend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2015
I really liked half of this book and really disliked the other half.
In 1995, seventeen-year-old Jacob goes to Amsterdam to meet Geertrui, the woman who took care of his injured grandfather during World War II. Geertrui is too ill to spend much time talking to Jacob, so she writes him a letter that explains the secret love affair that she had with his grandfather. The chapters alternate points-of-view. Half of the book is about Jacob’s trip to Amsterdam. The other half is Geertrui’s letter.
I’m conflicted about this book because I love Geertrui’s chapters, but I was constantly tempted to skim Jacob’s. Geertrui’s chapters are about how she fell in love with a wounded British soldier who she was hiding from the Germans. In her story, there’s tension and drama and likeable characters. In Jacob’s story, there’s . . . pretty much nothing. He travels from his home in England and wanders around Amsterdam. He doesn’t spend a lot of time with Geertrui, and he doesn’t have much personality, so I got bored with him quickly. I also wish that his part of the book had more resolution. Ambiguous endings usually don’t bother me, but after slogging through that many pages, I wanted more of a conclusion.
One thing that I do love about the entire book is how sex and sexuality are handled. Sex isn’t just something that happens. The characters actually think about it and make decisions about it. Geertrui considers birth control and weighs the pros and cons of having an affair with a married soldier before she does it. Jacob’s trip to Amsterdam gives him a chance to think about his own sexuality and admit that he may be bisexual.
This isn’t my favorite Printz Award winner. The writing is a bit preachy at times, and I think I would have liked the book a lot better if we got more Geertrui and less Jacob. Actually, a whole book about Geertrui would be fabulous. She’s an interesting character.
In 1995, seventeen-year-old Jacob goes to Amsterdam to meet Geertrui, the woman who took care of his injured grandfather during World War II. Geertrui is too ill to spend much time talking to Jacob, so she writes him a letter that explains the secret love affair that she had with his grandfather. The chapters alternate points-of-view. Half of the book is about Jacob’s trip to Amsterdam. The other half is Geertrui’s letter.
I’m conflicted about this book because I love Geertrui’s chapters, but I was constantly tempted to skim Jacob’s. Geertrui’s chapters are about how she fell in love with a wounded British soldier who she was hiding from the Germans. In her story, there’s tension and drama and likeable characters. In Jacob’s story, there’s . . . pretty much nothing. He travels from his home in England and wanders around Amsterdam. He doesn’t spend a lot of time with Geertrui, and he doesn’t have much personality, so I got bored with him quickly. I also wish that his part of the book had more resolution. Ambiguous endings usually don’t bother me, but after slogging through that many pages, I wanted more of a conclusion.
One thing that I do love about the entire book is how sex and sexuality are handled. Sex isn’t just something that happens. The characters actually think about it and make decisions about it. Geertrui considers birth control and weighs the pros and cons of having an affair with a married soldier before she does it. Jacob’s trip to Amsterdam gives him a chance to think about his own sexuality and admit that he may be bisexual.
This isn’t my favorite Printz Award winner. The writing is a bit preachy at times, and I think I would have liked the book a lot better if we got more Geertrui and less Jacob. Actually, a whole book about Geertrui would be fabulous. She’s an interesting character.
June 18, 2014
This book truly blurs the lines between YA and just plain ole good literature. While the protagonist, Jacob, is 16, there are two parallel stories going on in Postcards. The second story line weaves the love story of two teens deeply in love during WWI in occupied Netherlands, but it is told in the voice of the woman in her 80s. Additionally, while some of the themes are typical YA, self discovery, 1st loves, and so on, there are many themes that reflect on more mature ruminations- growing old, living well, the bonds of family....
Part told in the present and part in the past, this book merges historical fiction and fiction beautifully. Talk about making connections with teens and helping them see themselves in their elders. The questions of love- what types, with whom, when and how, resonant with adolescents just coming to terms with these questions and with those of us in midlife and closer to death. Some of these questions have only partial answers, some of which may never be totally fulfilling. Chambers delves into them all through characters of many ages and stages of life.
It is obvious Chambers has a love and appreciation for Amsterdam as the descriptions of the city are most detailed and sometimes quite endless. While I have great appreciation for the book, I humbly suggest tighter editing- at least 50 pages could be sacrificed.
Finally, this a tremendous book to pair with Anne Frank's Diary. Jacob has profound attachment to Anne and the historical aspect of this novel will broaden students' understanding of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and the lives impacted by the events. Additionally, Anne Frank's Diary will have more meaning to students as they learn about conditions outside of Amsterdam and the British liberation efforts.
By the way, I loved Dying to Know You, also by Chambers, and the books are nothing alike.
Part told in the present and part in the past, this book merges historical fiction and fiction beautifully. Talk about making connections with teens and helping them see themselves in their elders. The questions of love- what types, with whom, when and how, resonant with adolescents just coming to terms with these questions and with those of us in midlife and closer to death. Some of these questions have only partial answers, some of which may never be totally fulfilling. Chambers delves into them all through characters of many ages and stages of life.
It is obvious Chambers has a love and appreciation for Amsterdam as the descriptions of the city are most detailed and sometimes quite endless. While I have great appreciation for the book, I humbly suggest tighter editing- at least 50 pages could be sacrificed.
Finally, this a tremendous book to pair with Anne Frank's Diary. Jacob has profound attachment to Anne and the historical aspect of this novel will broaden students' understanding of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and the lives impacted by the events. Additionally, Anne Frank's Diary will have more meaning to students as they learn about conditions outside of Amsterdam and the British liberation efforts.
By the way, I loved Dying to Know You, also by Chambers, and the books are nothing alike.
Currently reading
August 24, 2011Throughout the book it is told through two different view points. One view point is telling the story of Jacob as he goes to find more infomation about his grandfather who was in World War 2. The second view point is told through his grandmother who is back in the middle of the war and how her and her husband meet. There are many differences throughout the novel from American and Holland culture. Some of the main ones are that most of the cities in holland still have a midevil look to them as in America most of the cities are more modern with tall new buildings. Most the people in Holland know both english and dutch as in America people mostly just know english. I think that the author wrote this book to show how the war 50 years ago is still effecting the people of today. It is shown throughout the book that jacob does not know who his real grandfather is until he reads his grandmother book. The war effected Jacob by him not knowing who his real grandfather was. I think that the theme of the book is to never quit until you are done with your goal. Jacob's grandmother is a prime example of this by her helping all the wounded soldiers and her lover jacob. Geertrui throughout the novel is determined to get Jacob better, she is trying to get back to full strengh until the day he dies. This shows that you should never give up until the you have reached your goal. I would recommend this book to someone who likes World War or someone who likes alot of action. The chapters that talked about the war I thought were alot more interesting then the chapters in present day but the present chapters were also good.
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