Review: The Other Girl by Pam Jenoff
Author: Pam Jenoff
Published: September 2014, Harlequin MIRA
Format: E-book, 21 pages
Source: Netgalley
One woman's determination to protect a child from the dangers of war will force her to face those lurking closer to home…
Life in rural Poland during WWII brings a new set of challenges to Maria, estranged from her own family and left alone with her in-laws after her husband is sent to the front. For a young, newly pregnant wife, the days are especially cold, the nights unexpectedly lonely. The discovery of a girl hiding in the barn changes everything—Hannah is fleeing the German police who are taking Jews like her to special camps. Ignoring the risk to her own life and that of her unborn child, Maria is compelled to help. But in these dark days, no one can be trusted, and soon Maria finds her courage tested in ways she never expected and herself facing truths about her own family that the quiet village has kept buried for years…
From the international bestselling author of The Kommandant's Girl comes a searing historical companion novella to The Winter Guest
My thoughts: This is a very short novella that complements Pam Jenoff's newest release, The Winter Guest. I have not have the pleasure of reading this new book yet, but after reading this, I am definitely moving it up on my list.
I love reading stories about how civilians are affected during the wars. In this novella, we get a snapshot of an incident involving two young girls during the Nazi occupation. Because of the length of the book, there really isn't that much character development, just enough so we understand some of the motivations for the two main characters. The story is pretty tightly focused on this one incident and so there isn't much else going on.
I do wonder if this storyline is picked up in any way in The Winter Guest or if it was just a superfluous character sketch that Pam Jenoff had created and wanted to share with her readers? I guess I will find out when I pick up The Winter Guest. Either way, I'm excited to read the full-length novel and did enjoy this companion novel. It has certainly whetted my appetite for more of her writing. Have you read this or The Winter Guest yet?
