The War Outside

Author: Monica Hesse
Genre: Historical Fiction / Young Adult
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018
Pages: 336
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado—until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan.

Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis.

With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone—even each other?

Review: Marketed toward those in the 12-17 year old range, this is written in a style more suited to older children, but the plot would be more compelling to those on the younger side of that range. It's an odd mix. 

I like young adult historical fiction, and factually speaking, I did learn something from this novel. I knew Japanese-Americans had been sent to concentration camps following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but I was unaware that Germans were also imprisoned. Since that was all I took away from this novel, you can skip it since I just told you everything I learned. 

The plot wasn't exciting or compelling. Some of the supporting characters were unexplained and seemed out of place. This isn't one that I'd try to convince my own (nearly) 12 year old that she should read.