During the closing months of World War II, a fifteen-year-old German girl must decide whether or not to help an escaped Russian prisoner of war, despite the serious consequences if she does so.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume 3, Issue 4
Related: Europe, Germany, Historical Fiction, Young Adult (ages 14-18)
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As the last book under the theme of “Change is Inevitable,” Traitor is an excellent choice for showing how people can change their perspectives on others through more knowledge, more experience, or more openness to questioning. Sixteen year old Anna always questioned the Nazi ideals, but when she meets and then hides a Russian POW, she comes to know what she really believes. As a young German, she finds herself in a quandary about her decision to hide the Russian and the stress over who she can trust with this knowledge is overwhelming. The days grow colder and longer, and Anna risks more and more to keep the Russian alive. Her family’s life and livelihood are at stake, but through her willingness to save a life, she comes to know her father’s heart, his love of Russia and Russian literature, and her own status as her father’s daughter. This is most keenly felt since her father committed suicide years earlier.
There is a “hold your breath” quality to this book that readers will enjoy and dread, especially in respect to Anna’s younger brother Felix, who has accepted the Nazi rhetoric and proudly wears his Hitler Youth uniform. Envisioning himself a hero who will find and turn in the escaped Russian, he becomes suspicious of Anna’s behavior. The book is a great companion for The Book Thief, as both portray German citizens caught up in the horrific events of World War II even as they maintain their humanity and question the insanity of their government.