A Night Divided

Summary: 12 year old Gerta’s family is divided overnight by the Berlin Wall. With her father and middle brother stuck on the west side, her family feels broken. As Gerta struggles with life on the east side of the wall, the side controlled by the Soviets, she sees her father pantomiming a dance on a viewing platform. Along with a drawing she receives, Gerta determines that her father wants her and her older brother Fritz to dig a tunnel beneath the wall. Thousands have been killed trying to do this very thing. Can Gerta succeed without being caught?

My Review: This was the first book I read by Jennifer A. Nielsen, and now she is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. This book is great! Not only does this book have a fast paced, exciting plot, but Gerta and her family are memorable and deep. 

My Takeaway: This is an exciting book about a girl trying to escape the oppressive cruelty of her world. Parents might want to be aware that there are mentions of the hundreds of deaths of the people attempting to escape, and there are some intense scenes with mild violence. 

Romance: Very light, mentions of her brother dating someone.

Nudity: None.

Language: Mention of swearing, maybe some mild language from the soviet soldiers.

Violence: Mild, talk of the people dying trying to escape the Berlin wall.

Darkness: Mild, the fact that they are stuck behind the Berlin wall and are being oppressed.

Alcohol/drugs/smoking: None.

Bad Messages: None.

Good Messages: Power of family, courage, perseverance.

Stars: 4