This is a powerful book. At times I wished for more in depth insights into Simone’s character and life, sometimes it felt a bit rushed from one event to the next. However the book as a whole is a triumph. It shows the absolute horror of World War Two. It shows the absurdity of two girls on the same bus, one who is allowed to pass and the other carried off, simply for a difference of religion.
The characters are not all fully rounded and as above I feel more could have been done around individual characters, but overall this did not detract from the message.
The final part is the most powerful, showing how Simone carries on with life, as you must, showing how even atrocities can be temporarily forgotten. It shows the power of remembrance and to belief that life must go on.
The characters are not all fully rounded and as above I feel more could have been done around individual characters, but overall this did not detract from the message.
The final part is the most powerful, showing how Simone carries on with life, as you must, showing how even atrocities can be temporarily forgotten. It shows the power of remembrance and to belief that life must go on.