Annexed {Review}

There are many many many books written about the Holocaust. One of the best known, of course, is The Diary of Anne Frank. And her words have spawned so many others, a whole collection of books and discourse about her diary.

But Annexed, by Sharon Dogar, is a little different than others that I've read. It's Peter's story - a relatively fictional account based only on what we know from Anne's own words. And what happened to Peter afterwards? We don't really know, so Sharon Dogar writes a powerful tale of what might have happened.

I think what is most interesting about this book is the reminder that Anne's diary is just that - her story. There were other people in the Secret Annex, and I'm sure she must have left out most of their stories and feelings. Peter is just one of the other people, and this book, written in a first-person narrative, gives the reminder that every story has, as part of it, another story untold.

I appreciated the author's final note indicating what is "real" and what is imagined in the book. This is particularly helpful for those of us who haven't read Anne's words in a long time...

The book is well-written, interesting in its style and I really couldn't put it down. It's billed as a "young adult" novel, grades 8-12, and I think that's just about right. There are disturbing scenes, in particular when Peter ends up in a concentration camp, and there are some sexual references that won't be appropriate for younger readers. I highly recommend this book, go and find yourself a copy to read!

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher. I will not be giving it away but instead putting it in our synagogue library. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and check it out! Oh, and if you're a publisher looking to send me books, keep it up! I love this stuff.