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At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf
“At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf is a thrilling novel, not just as a splendid read but as a deeply resonant work of art driven by the central yearning in the greatest literary narratives: the yearning for a self, for an identity, for a place in the world. Tara Ison has always been a writer I’ve ardently admired. Here she is at the height of her estimable powers.”—Robert Olen Butler
“A suspenseful and disturbing psychological story of an adolescent Jewish girl, relocated from Paris to a small village in Vichy during WWII and hiding with a Catholic family, who becomes increasingly and dangerously aligned with her invented identity. Written in exquisite prose, Tara Ison’s novel of persona, identity and survival in collaborationist France is chilling and profoundly moving.”—Janet Fitch
“Told from the perspective of a young Jewish girl grappling with identity, Ison’s timely book considers that moment between dusk and night, the almost imperceptible shift into darkness, both political and personal, as it exposes the high cost of accommodation of evil and bigotry. Provocative, vivid, and affecting, this novel will inspire important conversations that we all need to be having now.”—EJ Levy, author, The Cape Doctor
When Danielle Marton’s father is killed during the early days of the German occupation of France, her mother sends her to live in a quiet farming town. Now called Marie-Jean Chantier, Danielle struggles to balance the truth of what’s happened to her family and her country with the lies she must tell to keep herself safe. At first, she’s bitter about being left behind by her mother, and horrified at having to milk the cows and memorize Catholic prayers for church. But as the years pass, Danielle finds it easier to suppress her former life entirely, and Marie-Jean becomes less and less of an act. By the time she’s fifteen and there is talk amongst the now divided town of an Allied invasion, Danielle has transformed into a strict Catholic, a fervent disciple of fascism, as well as a German collaborator.
“A suspenseful and disturbing psychological story of an adolescent Jewish girl, relocated from Paris to a small village in Vichy during WWII and hiding with a Catholic family, who becomes increasingly and dangerously aligned with her invented identity. Written in exquisite prose, Tara Ison’s novel of persona, identity and survival in collaborationist France is chilling and profoundly moving.”—Janet Fitch
“Told from the perspective of a young Jewish girl grappling with identity, Ison’s timely book considers that moment between dusk and night, the almost imperceptible shift into darkness, both political and personal, as it exposes the high cost of accommodation of evil and bigotry. Provocative, vivid, and affecting, this novel will inspire important conversations that we all need to be having now.”—EJ Levy, author, The Cape Doctor
When Danielle Marton’s father is killed during the early days of the German occupation of France, her mother sends her to live in a quiet farming town. Now called Marie-Jean Chantier, Danielle struggles to balance the truth of what’s happened to her family and her country with the lies she must tell to keep herself safe. At first, she’s bitter about being left behind by her mother, and horrified at having to milk the cows and memorize Catholic prayers for church. But as the years pass, Danielle finds it easier to suppress her former life entirely, and Marie-Jean becomes less and less of an act. By the time she’s fifteen and there is talk amongst the now divided town of an Allied invasion, Danielle has transformed into a strict Catholic, a fervent disciple of fascism, as well as a German collaborator.
296 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2023
108 people are currently reading
1828 people want to read
About the author
Tara Ison
14 books65 followersTara Ison is the author of the short story collection BALL, the novels THE LIST, ROCKAWAY, and A CHILD OUT OF ALCATRAZ, a Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Awards. Her essay collection REELING THROUGH LIFE was the winner of the 2015 PEN Southwest Award for Creative Nonfiction.
Her novel of WWII Vichy France, AT THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF, will be published in February 2023.
Her short fiction, essays, poetry and book reviews have appeared in Tin House, BOMB, Salon, O, the Oprah Magazine, The Kenyon Review, Nerve.com, Black Clock, Publisher's Weekly, The Week magazine, The Mississippi Review, LA Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, the San Jose Mercury News, and numerous anthologies. She is also the co-writer of the movie Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead.
She is the recipient of a 2008 NEA Creative Writing Fellowship and a 2008 COLA Individual Artist Grant, as well as multiple Yaddo fellowships and Pushcart Prize nominations, a Rotary Foundation Scholarship for International Study, a Brandeis National Women's Committee Award, a Thurber House Fiction Writer-in-Residence Fellowship, the Simon Blattner Fellowship from Northwestern University, and a California Arts Council Artists' Fellowship Award.
Ison received her MFA in Fiction & Literature from Bennington College. She has taught creative writing at Washington University in St. Louis, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Goddard College, Antioch University Los Angeles, and UC Riverside Palm Desert's MFA in Creative Writing program. She is currently Assistant Professor of Fiction at Arizona State University."
Her novel of WWII Vichy France, AT THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF, will be published in February 2023.
Her short fiction, essays, poetry and book reviews have appeared in Tin House, BOMB, Salon, O, the Oprah Magazine, The Kenyon Review, Nerve.com, Black Clock, Publisher's Weekly, The Week magazine, The Mississippi Review, LA Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, the San Jose Mercury News, and numerous anthologies. She is also the co-writer of the movie Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead.
She is the recipient of a 2008 NEA Creative Writing Fellowship and a 2008 COLA Individual Artist Grant, as well as multiple Yaddo fellowships and Pushcart Prize nominations, a Rotary Foundation Scholarship for International Study, a Brandeis National Women's Committee Award, a Thurber House Fiction Writer-in-Residence Fellowship, the Simon Blattner Fellowship from Northwestern University, and a California Arts Council Artists' Fellowship Award.
Ison received her MFA in Fiction & Literature from Bennington College. She has taught creative writing at Washington University in St. Louis, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Goddard College, Antioch University Los Angeles, and UC Riverside Palm Desert's MFA in Creative Writing program. She is currently Assistant Professor of Fiction at Arizona State University."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 11, 2023
A suspenseful and disturbing psychological story of an adolescent Jewish girl, relocated from Paris to a small village in Vichy during WWII. Hidden with a Catholic family, posing as their cousin, she becomes increasingly--and dangerously--aligned with her invented identity. Written in exquisite prose, Tara Ison’s novel of persona, identity and survival in collaborationist France is chilling and profoundly moving.
February 20, 2023
This is a beautiful, frightening, subtle novel about the formation of identity. Unlike many works of historical fiction, its concerns are unbound by time. Ison's work is unsparing, yet somehow filled with mercy. I plan to continue reading everything she writes to discover how she does it.
June 2, 2023
Too disturbing for me and it ended too abruptly. I really didn't know how to rate it.
March 12, 2023
Many books have been written about fascist ideology, but this novel explores the process of surrendering one's identity in the name of survival. It should be read in schools.
April 19, 2023
Wow…WOW. I’m going to have to sit with this one for a while. What a beautiful and raw depiction of identity, grief, and religion. Not to mention, how people convince themselves to do awful things in the name of what they believe is the “right” thing to do.
Yes, I saw some reviews that said the story was slow. I would say the journey it takes you on is SO worth it. There are so many things in this book that we still encounter today! I just…I CANT TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE WITHOUT GIVING SPOILERS…but trust me, it’s a book you’ll want to talk about.
Yes, I saw some reviews that said the story was slow. I would say the journey it takes you on is SO worth it. There are so many things in this book that we still encounter today! I just…I CANT TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE WITHOUT GIVING SPOILERS…but trust me, it’s a book you’ll want to talk about.
September 6, 2023
I thought the first third of At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf was very good. A solid lesson to be learned from this story - Do not live the gimmick! You'll get lost and your true identity will become muddy.
The second third was pretty solid with Marie-Jean's desperation to maintain safety endangering everyone else she came in contact with.
The final third moved a tad too fast. I wasn't terribly keen on Luke's sudden face turn at the end. He had been a solid dbag French fascist the entire time. To suddenly reveal that persona had been a lie (and then to promptly leave) was a little lackluster.
The end was a solid cliffhanger with Marie-Jean's true fate unclear. I prefer finality at a stories conclusion with the various characters and lose ends wrapped up and their ultimate fates explained but that's a relatively selfish expectation.
The reason why I didn't rate this higher was that while the prose is top notch, I had a hard time believing a 12-14 year old to have such emotional maturity and depth. There are some interactions that take place in the book where I thought "yeah, this is an intelligent adult speaking not a traumatized teenager".
I did become very fascinated with the history of Vichy France thanks to this novel. This Marshall Petain character seems quite controversial!
The second third was pretty solid with Marie-Jean's desperation to maintain safety endangering everyone else she came in contact with.
The final third moved a tad too fast. I wasn't terribly keen on Luke's sudden face turn at the end. He had been a solid dbag French fascist the entire time. To suddenly reveal that persona had been a lie (and then to promptly leave) was a little lackluster.
The end was a solid cliffhanger with Marie-Jean's true fate unclear. I prefer finality at a stories conclusion with the various characters and lose ends wrapped up and their ultimate fates explained but that's a relatively selfish expectation.
The reason why I didn't rate this higher was that while the prose is top notch, I had a hard time believing a 12-14 year old to have such emotional maturity and depth. There are some interactions that take place in the book where I thought "yeah, this is an intelligent adult speaking not a traumatized teenager".
I did become very fascinated with the history of Vichy France thanks to this novel. This Marshall Petain character seems quite controversial!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2023
The first third was interesting, the second third was a bit boring (too much Catholicism), and the final third was spellbinding. Overall, a haunting novel about the insidious and cascading effects of indoctrination and fear on the individual, family, community, and society. The prose does not spare readers' sentiments in its depictions of violence; I happened to know about a specific atrocity that is described at the end of the book and could brace myself, but this was an emotionally challenging work.
June 13, 2023
I loved it so much I am reading it again! Incredibly written and powerful. The historical and contextual detail was really impressive. The plot was Upsetting and made me think a lot, as well as I really enjoyed the story and characters and was surprised by the tender ending. Truly a work of art!
March 22, 2023
fascinating, heartbreaking look at one girl’s assimilation into the fascist Nazi regime in her French town, torn from her Jewish household and hidden for safety. at first it is just a mask she can wear, but then it becomes her whole world and has negative consequences for those around her. amazingly written
April 19, 2024
Read this book as part of ASU's book club.
This story is a great examination on how we all make justifications of what is right and wrong just to survive.
With hindsight, it may feel obvious, but in the moment, faced with possible death, it is hard to stand up and dissent. It is much easier to placate and feed into the propaganda.
Our FMC makes some heartbreaking choices in this story and makes you want to scream at her. While I hate her actions, I can see what made her feel they were appropriate at the time - although she is a child and can not understand the consequences of her actions until it is too late.
This story is a great examination on how we all make justifications of what is right and wrong just to survive.
With hindsight, it may feel obvious, but in the moment, faced with possible death, it is hard to stand up and dissent. It is much easier to placate and feed into the propaganda.
Our FMC makes some heartbreaking choices in this story and makes you want to scream at her. While I hate her actions, I can see what made her feel they were appropriate at the time - although she is a child and can not understand the consequences of her actions until it is too late.
July 20, 2024
Danielle is sent to live with a Catholic family, as her father was killed, and her mother feels she cannot keep her safe, as a Jewish child in the increasingly fervently anti-Jewish, occupied Paris. As she becomes more deeply entrenched, her Jewish identity is almost subsumed by the need to be seen as a good Christian, Catholic girl. I can’t say I enjoyed this, in the true fashion of enjoying a book, but it’s a compelling read.
July 21, 2023
Well written. Sad . And a very strange last 100 pages. Certainly not predictable.
July 3, 2024
Author’s comma privileges need to be revoked
March 30, 2024
I wanted to love this book, truly. It’s a great premise. Unfortunately, it was one run-on sentence after the next with endless chapters. There was very little actual story about the Holocaust itself, being almost completely centered around Marie-Jeanne and her ridiculous identity crisis. It felt, to me, as a Jew, as if the author had a painstaking knowledge of Catholicism and knew absolutely nothing of Judaism, which isn’t a good place to come from when writing a Holocaust book. There were a couple mentions of the first few words of Hebrew prayer and a fleetingly mention of lighting a candle on Friday night, and that was all there was to being a Jew. Yet somehow, Marie-Jeanne (Danielle) accumulated a massive and specific knowledge of Catholic prayers, saints, and stories, and was abruptly and wholly able to become vehemently disgusted by Jews, knowing she WAS one. She also had no conscience about turning in her loved ones or becoming close to a Nazi, and wholly rejected her mother when the woman returned for her, only to be enlightened what? A day later? That she needed to run away with her mother after all. This made her feel extremely one-dimensional. Between the run-ons (which were not limited to streams of consciousness whatsoever) and the Hail Marys, Our Fathers, pleas to the Holy Ghost, and trips to church at every turn of the page, I wanted to throw this book at the wall several times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2023
I actually did the audiobook and it is so good!
May 1, 2023
Whoa. So many emotions here and so much to process. I was fortunate to attend a discussion session at the Tuscon Book Fair this past Spring and to hear the author, Tara Ison, speak about the writing of this book. The hour between dog and wolf -- the slow and silent movement from dusk to darkness -- is a perfect metaphor for this WWII character study. The story takes us through the chilling transition of a frightened Jewish girl, given a new name and identity by the Catholic family who takes her in. This book gave me a new understanding of the ways in which people in power can twist the truth and how we can be blind to what makes us uncomfortable. I am a devoted reader of historical fiction, and this is one of the best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2024
A sad and moving story about the shades of grey in human nature. The protagonist is a Jewish girl named Danielle, in occupied France. She lives a fictional life to avoid the attention of the Nazis, with a false name, false family, and false Catholic beliefs. At the beginning of the story she is 12, but as the years go by her two identities start to blend together.
Meanwhile, the people around her also reveal themselves to be more complicated than she originally thought. It becomes harder and harder for Danielle to determine who she should help, and who she should hide from.
Meanwhile, the people around her also reveal themselves to be more complicated than she originally thought. It becomes harder and harder for Danielle to determine who she should help, and who she should hide from.
June 25, 2023
Wonderful historic fiction! Starts off a little slow, but SO worth sticking with. Educational, emotional, heart-warming AND wrenching, intriguing, so we’ll-written.
October 12, 2023
Deeply upsetting, incredibly thought-provoking.
I think I'll be re-reading this one.
I think I'll be re-reading this one.
December 30, 2023
This one had me on the edge of my seat many times. The tone is so sad and dark but beautifully written. It played out perfectly in my mind like a movie, as all the best books do.
May 26, 2023
A stunning work by a brilliant story teller, this book creates a realistic historical scenario with rich detail and description.
February 14, 2023
Having read many stories of the Holocaust and Jewish children in hiding, I expected "At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf" to be similar in nature and more of the same. Instead, I discovered a story that took me on a mesmerizing and unexpected journey unlike any book of this genre I have read before.
The author weaves a disturbing tale underscored by moral ambiguity. Through the protagonist’s voice, you see how one could be drawn towards beliefs and actions that are repugnant. To say this novel is frighteningly timely is an understatement, and I will be thinking about "At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf" for a long time.
The author weaves a disturbing tale underscored by moral ambiguity. Through the protagonist’s voice, you see how one could be drawn towards beliefs and actions that are repugnant. To say this novel is frighteningly timely is an understatement, and I will be thinking about "At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf" for a long time.
February 17, 2023
a beautiful, beautiful book. absolutely harrowing, but beautiful.
the way this book engages with the past and its refractions – through memory and motif, gradually muted echo – is stunning and masterful. I read this back in october, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.
it's out next week. do yourself a favor and hunt down a copy.
the way this book engages with the past and its refractions – through memory and motif, gradually muted echo – is stunning and masterful. I read this back in october, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.
it's out next week. do yourself a favor and hunt down a copy.
February 23, 2023
A gorgeous and gut-wrenching book about the mass tolerance of evil, the conflation of propaganda and belief, and a harrowing journey through the loss of identity. Danielle is a character you cling to, even when it makes you sick. A crucial book for our times—a reminder of how easily we can convince ourselves that evil is in fact good. This book is a warning, and it will shake you.
April 1, 2023
An interesting story about how we look at ourselves and who we think we are compared to "others". This tale lets you see how unwittingly we can rationalize truth into fiction...pretty timely, in my opinion, despite the Vichy era setting.
April 26, 2023
I had a really hard time getting into this at first and read it in short bursts but then suddenly I couldnt put it down. I avoid WWII fiction because there is so much of it and I have read so much of it plus sometimes they are written to appeal to people who enjoy reading about suffering (which I dont and I think those types of books are a bit perverted)
Anyway, I really got into this book and now I want someone to read it so we can talk about it.
Spoiler questions:
This would make a really good book club book if the club was okay with deep political discussions. I think the Goodreads summary doesnt really do it justice although that is what got me interested in reading it. The story is even more interesting & complicated than it sounds. I think this should be required reading but it would be hard for a lot of people to really get into because so much of it is internal. I would love to see a second book or short story about how Danielle reacclimates to life after the war.
Anyway, I really got into this book and now I want someone to read it so we can talk about it.
Spoiler questions:
This would make a really good book club book if the club was okay with deep political discussions. I think the Goodreads summary doesnt really do it justice although that is what got me interested in reading it. The story is even more interesting & complicated than it sounds. I think this should be required reading but it would be hard for a lot of people to really get into because so much of it is internal. I would love to see a second book or short story about how Danielle reacclimates to life after the war.
June 4, 2023
Danielle is 12 when her mother takes her from occupied Paris to live with family friends in the unoccupied zone because it is no longer safe for Jews in the city. Forced to adopt the Catholic faith, she lives a conflicted life trying to be good for her adoptive parents but unable to forget her mother and father and the Jewish legacy of her birth.
Her life in a small farming community is hard at first with chores, loneliness, and the lie she lives to become Marie-Jeanne. Along with her life in the city she has had to give up pretty dresses and shoes, the stores, and everything that mattered to a young girl. These things are replaced by milking the cows, learning to knit and sew, going hungry, wearing scratchy woolen hand-me-down clothes, and hand made shoes with wooden soles. As she matures, the Catholic pretense becomes more real than the life she left behind and her beliefs are compromised when she admits a secret to a German soldier. This creates a frightening and guilt ridden situation that makes Marie-Jeanne try even harder to find safety in her new world.
Both frightening and heartbreaking, this story will touch any reader.
Her life in a small farming community is hard at first with chores, loneliness, and the lie she lives to become Marie-Jeanne. Along with her life in the city she has had to give up pretty dresses and shoes, the stores, and everything that mattered to a young girl. These things are replaced by milking the cows, learning to knit and sew, going hungry, wearing scratchy woolen hand-me-down clothes, and hand made shoes with wooden soles. As she matures, the Catholic pretense becomes more real than the life she left behind and her beliefs are compromised when she admits a secret to a German soldier. This creates a frightening and guilt ridden situation that makes Marie-Jeanne try even harder to find safety in her new world.
Both frightening and heartbreaking, this story will touch any reader.
October 2, 2023
It's a question I don't think a person can answer until they're in the situation. This book gives you a deep insight into how one character addresses her bad actions. Is it the natural consequence of being a child living in Nazi-occupied France? Or is she a bad person?
The writing in this book is gorgeous. Some scenes and details, particularly those that deal with women and how we exist in this world, just blew me away. I don't want to write any spoilers, but I'll say the scene where the main character, her aunt, and their friend with the baby is an incredible insight into the ways we manage our grief and faith. It's a favorite of mine.
As are the ones with the Vichy officer. They made my skin crawl as only a good book can do.
The writing in this book is gorgeous. Some scenes and details, particularly those that deal with women and how we exist in this world, just blew me away. I don't want to write any spoilers, but I'll say the scene where the main character, her aunt, and their friend with the baby is an incredible insight into the ways we manage our grief and faith. It's a favorite of mine.
As are the ones with the Vichy officer. They made my skin crawl as only a good book can do.
January 18, 2024
The title comes from the French phrase, "entre chien et loup", indicating the time of day when the light is such that it is difficult to distinguish between a dog and a wolf. The darker meaning is that it is difficult to know the difference between a friend and a foe.
This is the case for Danielle, a young Jewish girl, who is forced to hide her true identity and take on the persona of Marie-Jeanne, a young Catholic girl who comes to La Perrine to live with her tante Berthe, tonton Claude, and cousin Luc when her parents are tragically killed in a car accident in Paris. Can she trust them to keep her secret and keep her safe during the impending German occupation? Can she convince her new school friends Hortense, Simone, and Genevieve that she truly is who she says she is? Is Fr. Tournel really the man of God he appears to be? Can she embrace the Catholic religion whole-heartedly and convincingly? Most importantly, is M. Bonnard friend or foe?
This is the case for Danielle, a young Jewish girl, who is forced to hide her true identity and take on the persona of Marie-Jeanne, a young Catholic girl who comes to La Perrine to live with her tante Berthe, tonton Claude, and cousin Luc when her parents are tragically killed in a car accident in Paris. Can she trust them to keep her secret and keep her safe during the impending German occupation? Can she convince her new school friends Hortense, Simone, and Genevieve that she truly is who she says she is? Is Fr. Tournel really the man of God he appears to be? Can she embrace the Catholic religion whole-heartedly and convincingly? Most importantly, is M. Bonnard friend or foe?
February 24, 2023
I completely enjoyed this novel, devouring it way too quickly. The plotting, pace, characters and historical detail were all riveting. Politically it had clear parallels and relevance for our current political era, vividly showing the danger (and incredible power) of propaganda and partisanship (though here, the "Partisans" were the good guys...). The main character Danielle was complex and fascinating, she'll stay with me a long while. One of those books you can't put down and can't forget.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews