StoryBook Lady
Middle Grade Historical Spy Novel with a Touch of Fantasy
Max in the Land of Lies is the much awaited conclusion to last year's fantastic middle grade historical fiction, Max in the House of Spies.
In the first book, of this WWII adventure series, when twelve year old Max escapes Germany on the Kindertransport, he suddenly discovers that he has two immortal spirits on his shoulders. Only he can see and hear the Dybbuk and Kobold. These two characters provide information and context to both Max and the reader as he finds himself living in a house of spies. They also provide a lot of comic relief to a book with a serious subject. Max did not want to escape and wants to return to Germany and help save his parents. He is a genius and manages to train for a spy mission back in Germany.
It is here that the second book begins. Author Adam Gidwitz spins a yarn with a plot full of danger, twists and lots of coincidence. Gidwitz weaves historical figures into the story with such life, that they seem just as real to the reader as the fictional characters. The strength of this story is that although Max interacts with important historical characters, including Hitler himself, much of the story involves conversations with the average German citizen. The book provides insight into how a nation could follow such a leader and turn a blind eye to all the murder and injustice. This book is well researched and is educational but still provides great entertainment.
Although these books are written for a middle grade reader, it is much more serious than book 1.
The author provides an extensive afterward which discusses the real versus fiction and provides more information about the holocaust and biographies on the historic figures.
Although the main character is Jewish, this book is for all kids. In the current environment with rising antisemitism and increasing incidence of book bans, this important book might help open the eyes of many youngsters. This is a fantastic read for any historical fiction fan who is interested in that time period. It would also be a great way for teachers to introduce the topic and should be in school libraries.
I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher, but this review is entirely voluntary and I can honestly recommend this book.
