Resistance, by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Wow. Wow! This is one powerful story! So powerful I emailed Nielsen about 50 pages in and told her I thought this was her best book so far! Resistance is the story of the resistance movements that formed in Europe in response to Hitler and the Nazis in World War 2. The main character is a Polish girl, Chaya, although the other young people she befriends along the way become equally important and powerful in the story. Chaya passes as Polish, even though she is also Jewish, so escapes the most immediate effects of looking Jewish and the Nazis work to exterminate Jews from the world. She becomes part of the resistance movement in her home country, a very dangerous, painful, scary and brave choice indeed. Nielsen writes that she felt compelled to tell the story of these heroic young people, and I'm glad she did. It is very powerful, one of the best books I've read this year, and one of the strongest book of this historical era I have ever read! The lives these people led, the things they endured to try to lessen and end the Nazi occupation of their country, the lives they were able to impact in a positive way, albeit temporarily in many instances, was extremely moving. If you enjoy historical fiction, you have to read this! If you are not a fan of historical fiction, you still need to read this - one important story in world history that will make you wonder how it could have ever come to be and at the same time make you wonder if something like Nazi Germany could ever happen again. Recent events in our own country make me fearful that influential people who ignore rules of government for their own personal gains at the expense of most everyone are more dangerous even than they may appear at the moment. Read this book, be inspired and alerted. 5 paws!