A Night Divided

I’ve had this historical fiction books on my list to read for quite a while, and don’t remember where the recommendation came from. I didn’t even realize until I was reading the book that it was written for a younger reader. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A story set during the first years of the Berlin Wall about a family separated by its borders and their efforts to reunite, it makes a great living history book. It was gripping and suspenseful, and I couldn’t put it down until it was over. I have been thus far unfamiliar with this author, but reading this book has piqued my interest in seeing what else she has written. She paints a vivid picture of the bleakness of post-war East Germany and communism. I also loved that this is a book I can share without reservation with my kids, as I think it will be equally as interesting to them, as well as age appropriate. It gives the sad reality of the time without delving into too much darkness, and I appreciated the multi-dimensional characters. The “bad guys” weren’t simply evil, nor were the “good guys” without flaws. There was a loving and supportive sibling relationship that was inspiring. Each chapter started with a relevant quote from German philosophers, historians, political leaders, poets, and more. As someone who was a teenager when the Berlin Wall came down, the story made an impact as it described living through the wall going up and living with what created a divide even in families.

This was a great read by Jennifer Nielson. I was sucked in from beginning to end. The story centers around the Berlin Wall that was erected in 1961 to divide Germany into East and West. The wall went up overnight and many families were divided. There were actual people killed in escape attempts from the East to the West during this time. This story is a fictional story about a family that was divided that night. Eight-year old Gerta, her mother, and her brother wake up one morning with a wall outside their apartment. Gerta's father and her older brother had left Berlin a few days prior on business and now were not able to cross back to their family on the East side. It was a time when neighbors spied on neighbors, friends and family turned on each other. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time could be deadly. Gerta's father had been involved as a freedom activist and therefore their apartment was bugged. Gerta's family had been separated for four years when she devises an escape plan. The story was suspenseful and really kept me on the edge of my seat. One day Gerta had a normal life and in an instant her family was split apart. It is a story of sacrifices, kindness, friendship, determination, and bravery. It shows the importance of family and surviving dark times. As a young girl I knew about the division of Germany and the Berlin Wall. My mother was German and in my youth, I would help my mother address Christmas card envelopes. I specifically remember writing 'West Germany' as the address to her family instead of just 'Germany.' Beautifully written and recommend!

One of the things that I especially enjoy about Jennifer Nielsen's books is how quickly she gets into the action. Not only do I enjoy that, but so do young readers, especially middle grade readers. If a book isn't interesting right off the bat, a lot of students won't stick with it. While this book is historical fiction, a genre that many middle grade readers aren't very interested in, it doesn't read like a boring history book at all. In fact it reads more like a thriller. One morning Gerta wakes up to discover a wall shutting her off from her father and brother. She's left in East Berlin with her mother and her older brother, Fritz. Four years later, Gerta still can't help staring at the wall and thinking about what's on the other side. And seeing her brother and then her father for the first time in four years is exciting but also dangerous when a East German soldier spots her doing it. It's also baffling. Gerta's father is dancing? Eventually Gerta figures out what her father is trying to tell her and finds the perfect place to build a tunnel. But is it worth the risk? After Gerta's friend's brother is killed trying to escape, Gerta isn't so sure. Until it becomes clear that her family has been marked by the Stasi, the East German Secret Police, and have very little to look forward to in the future. With her brother's help, Gerta works to build the tunnel. But with so many eyes on them, is it even possible to get the tunnel built? And even if they build the tunnel, they have little time remaining before Fritz must report to the military to serve. Can they keep their secret long enough to escape? And will their mother come with them if they do? Nielsen's written a real page-turner. I couldn't wait to find out how things turned out for Gerta and her family. Not only is this an exciting book to read but it's also eye-opening in the historical details it provides about living behind the Berlin Wall. Another great book from one of my favorite authors.

Jennifer Nielsen has joined the ranks of “authors Kim will read no matter what”. She hasn’t written a thing I don’t like. She writes with such emotion and I very rarely look at page numbers while reading her books. With all that established, I have to admit that this is her weakest work so far. That does not mean it is bad, it simply means that A Night Divided is not my favorite of her books. I enjoyed this book very much, the only issue is that sometimes, while the characters were dealing with their boring existence in Communist East Berlin, that monotony came out for me, the reader, as well. That is the only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I love how Donnelly showed the practical side of life under Communism; the little things that we as Americans take for granted like the freedom to listen to music, or say the things we are thinking, no matter what we’re thinking. The scenes where Gerta goes to the market and the shelves being empty of most things except cabbage was especially potent. I would suggest this book to most millennials, no matter their age. The suspense that Donnelly created, especially near the end, made me forget any boredom I was feeling near the beginning. This is another book that I would tell high school and middle school teachers to keep on their shelves. And the cover is amazing. And everyone should read it. And now I want to visit Germany. And I’m going to start writing all my reviews in this short sentence, list format. Ok, just kidding! 😊 I really liked this book and I think everyone else should read it as well!

I've read a lot of fiction and nonfiction books about World War II, but not so much about this chapter in Germany's history. I thought the story was compelling and suspenseful. It made me want to dig into doing my own research to find out what details were true, which in my opinion is always a win for historical fiction.

This book is really good. It does a good job of mixing history with fiction, and captivates the reader. It is heartwarming, and seeing the relationships in the book makes your heart happy.

4.5 stars This was such an engaging, fast paced historical fiction set in a time that a lot of historical fictions aren't. I loved that it was middle grade; it was clean, not too violent, but still taught the history and showed us as the reader what it might be like to live in East Berlin at that time. This book was so full of suspense-we are constantly reminded how dangerous what they're doing is, there's a lot of tension in whether or not they'll be caught. There were a lot of sad moments, in good ways, but the feeling of the book is hopeful and it has a very strong theme of freedom (exploring it in the context of loyalty and doing what's right). The family relationships and friendships in this are complex and beautifully portrayed. The character growth comes mostly for side characters, though the main character does learn and grow. The one thing that nagged at me as I read is that it felt a little unbelievable that they didn't actually get caught and stopped at some point. This wasn't a huge deal and it was almost believable. I still enjoyed the book for what it was. Overall, an excellent historical fiction for children or adults.

This was an outstanding book. I loved the way the author wove the story . I did not know much about the Berlin Wall of the people who lived on either side. I had compassion for the family involved and the author wrote the story in such an interesting way that I was completely engrossed in the book the entire time. great reading.

Sobre o conteúdo ainda não sei pq não li mas a qualificação é com relação ao manuseio e embalagem do livro. Não estava lacrado como se fosse novo. A sobrecapa está amassada e rasgada.

La historia y el tema de la división de Berlin por la guerra no es un tema fácil pero el libro lo aborda de una manera increible, es muy bueno mi hijo de 11 años no lo solto hasta terminar y le interesó tanto la historia que comenzó a investigar sobre el tema.

Escaping from the repressive East Berlin to the open West has not received enough attention in my opinion. This book is outstanding in the way it conveys the challenges, dangers and tension of such an escape for an East German family before the wall came down. Written in a very accessible way, it's easy to feel the tension and emotions of those involved. Will appeal to all ages 12+. Jennifer Nielson has become a favourite author of mine, this book being the first of hers I read.

The book is very interesting

This was one of the most exhilarating and heart moving books I have ever read. In my eyes it contains strong inspiration, especially for children who have views that are squashed. It shows strength and courage. I would recommend this book to anyone old enough to read it!!!!