70. Lines of Courage

Lines of Courage. Jennifer A. Nielsen. 2022. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Deep inside, Felix knew something was wrong.

Premise/plot: Lines of Courage is historical fiction (middle grade audience) set during the first world war. The novel opens on June 28, 1914 and concludes on November 11, 1918. The novel doesn't only span the entire war, it also spans Europe. There are FIVE protagonists--five protagonists from five different countries, from both sides of the war. The protagonists are Felix (from Austria-Hungary), Elsa (from Germany), Kara (from Britain), Juliette (from France) and Dimitri (from Russia). (At first I was skeptical as to how these separate stories could come together cohesively. But by the end, I saw.)

My thoughts: At first I was skeptical about having FIVE protagonists. That is a LOT of narrators for readers to have to get to know, to come to care for, to become engaged with. It is a big undertaking. For better or worse--my opinion better--the chapters do not alternate. The book is divided into five sections. Each narrator has his or her own section, and narrates a portion of the war. At the end, readers revisit all five protagonists on Armistice day (November 11).

My expectations were different coming into this one. I expected ONE narrator, one story. But by the end, I'd come around to HOW this story is told. I think it works. It may not have had me at hello, but, slowly but surely I came to care for this story. The war is bigger than one person's story. 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews