This book was a moving account of a part of WWII that I had not heard about before. We have all heard how the Nazis treated people, and how the Americans were treated by the Japanese, but I did not realise how many Americans were put into camps by the Nazis.

Overall this was a very interesting read, and it is one I will remember and think about for a long time to come.

4 stars out of 5 ⭐️

This story about WWII provides a different perspective from other historical fiction books I’ve read. It’s about a young American man who leaves his small hometown, and the girl he loves, to go fight in the war. When his plane is shot down, he’s taken as a prisoner and sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Although he does survive, the atrocities he experiences are hard to imagine. When he finally returns home he’s encouraged, even forced, to forget everything that happened to him. Eventually he realizes that’s not possible…

This was really well done and worked with the World War 2 elements going on. It showed the horror of this and was engaged with what was happening. It had that element that I was looking for from a historical fiction novel. Christopher Bensinger has a strong writing style and am excited for more.

As someone fascinated by WWII history, I was immediately intrigued by this story. It explores the harrowing experiences of Jewish American soldiers at Stalag IX-B, who were wrongly identified and sent to the brutal Berga II labor camp—regardless of their actual faith.

It’s chilling and heartbreaking to learn how these soldiers were later told to keep it all a secret, to "just forget about it." The writing is powerful and immersive, making you feel every emotion Charlie experiences.

While parts of the story were incredibly difficult to read, the beautifully written ending brought everything full circle. Seeing Charlie finally find liberation was both emotional and rewarding.