From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and As Bright as Heaven comes a novel about a German American teenager whose life changes forever when her immigrant family is sent to an internment camp during World War II. In 1943, Elise Sontag is a typical American teenager from Iowa—aware of the war but distanced from its reach. Then her father, a legal U.S. resident for nearly two … U.S. resident for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, where, behind the armed guards and barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything beloved and familiar, including her own identity.
The only thing that makes the camp bearable is meeting fellow internee Mariko Inoue, a Japanese-American teen from Los Angeles, whose friendship empowers Elise to believe the life she knew before the war will again be hers. Together in the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko hold tight the dream of being young American women with a future beyond the fences.
But when the Sontag family is exchanged for American prisoners behind enemy lines in Germany, Elise will face head-on the person the war desires to make of her. In that devastating crucible she must discover if she has the will to rise above prejudice and hatred and re-claim her own destiny, or disappear into the image others have cast upon her.
The Last Year of the War tells a little-known story of World War II with great resonance for our own times and challenges the very notion of who we are when who we’ve always been is called into question.
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I love this book! Meissner’s characters step off the page and into history.
A beautifully poignant tale, The Last Year of the War explores the complexities of love, friendship, and the fleeting truths of identity. With vividly drawn characters and ever-elegant prose, Meissner highlights a dark, often-overlooked piece of American history. This timely novel will stay with the reader long after its thoughtful, heartwarming conclusion.
Some of the best historical fiction takes on some of the darkest episodes in history, and Meissner’s new book is no exception; this powerful novel focuses on the grim reality of internment in World War II America. Meissner centers her story on two teenagers, German-American Elise Sontag and Japanese-American Mariko Inoue, then follows Elise’s story as she and her family are exchanged for American prisoners of war and forcibly “repatriated” to Germany.
The Last Year of the War is a poignant story told from a perspective not often examined in World War II history. A riveting portrayal of young lives within a Texas internment camp shed light on a very different side to what it meant to be interred. Brilliantly crafted and beautifully told, The Last Year of the War will draw out many emotions, ensuring the story, its characters, and the lessons learned during war stay with you long after the book is closed.
Two girls who meet at an Internment camp as young teens become fast and deep friends. Both are American, but the country decided that their fathers were plotting to do harm. They were both sent back to the countries where their parents originally came from. It’s a very sad thing to happen to someone who loves this country so deeply. Who only wanted a better life for their family and through no fault of their own they are sent away.
Elise and Mariko were born in the US. Families sent to internment camps and as different as night and day. Elise was a German American born in Iowa. Mariko was a Japanese American born in California.
They lost touch with each other for many years but neither forgot the other. As they go through their lives they often think about the other and wonder how she is or what she would think about what they are doing. Elise found love in a family of elite in California. Mariko had an arranged marriage in Japan.
This book will touch your heart in many ways. Some kindly and some sad. War is such an ugly thing. So many people are hurt in so many ways. It breaks my heart that these young girls had to go through this. That people in our world had to go through this kind of thing. Trusting is hard during wartime’s I’m sure. But to drag a person out of their home after they have been here for so long seems cruel. At least to me it does. This book touched on many subjects that happen during a war. Sometimes they found things to laugh about and celebrate and at other times they were terrified of being killed in an air raid. My heart broke for Elise. She went through a lot for a young girl but she did find love and security eventually. As did Mariko.
This book will touch your heart in ways that may surprise you. It sure did mine. I laughed and cried. Celebrated the good times and mourned the bad. The characters were ones you will take to your heart. I didn’t find any that I didn’t like, except maybe a couple of French soldiers up to no good. The Dove family was a wonderful fit for Elise and I like them all.
This book was told from two different timelines and from Elise’s voice. Very well written. It makes you feel like you are there with her through it all. The fears, the laughter, the sorrow, the love. All of it.
A huge 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley publishers for an ARC in exchange for my complete and honest review.
Review to come!
Elise Sontag is a German American teenager living in Iowa during World War 2. Her parents have lived in the US for twenty years but are not legal citizens. While the war in Europe is escalating, her father is arrested and charged with being a Nazi sympathizer. Rather than being seperated, the entire family is interned at a government camp in Crystal City, Texas.
Life at the camp becomes bearable when Elise befriends Mariko Inoue, a Japanese American girl from California. They become close while spending all their free time together. Together they plan for a future in New York City with a fresh start and new careers. These plans get put on hold when Elise’s family is sent to back to Germany in a prisoner exchange.
The Last Year Of The War by Susan Meissner is an emotional journey of a young girl growing up during wartime. This story is touching as Elise makes one last effort to rekindle a friendship broken by time. I really enjoyed this novel.
The Last Year of the War has an interesting premise about families interned in a camp during World War II. I like that we get to experience it from a young girl’s perspective. Elise and Mariko were both born in the United States. They enjoy the latest music, going to the movies, chatting with their girlfriends and eating Twinkies. Suddenly, their lives are forever changed. They are taken away from their homes, their friends and extended family and thrust into a new world. They live in small apartments without showering facilities, but there are shops, vegetable gardens, different types of schools, a pool and other amenities. They have everything they need except the freedom to leave. I found it intriguing to learn the details of internment camps (information not included in history class). We get to see how people’s lives changed overnight and how they had no control over their future. I found The Last Year of the War to be well-written with developed characters. I did find the pace to be on the slow side. The story alternates between 2010 and the past. Just when you get involved in the past, we jump back to the present (and vice versa). It was a little disconcerting. I would then have to remember where we left off in the past and what had happened. When I finished the story, though, I could see why the author laid it out in this manner. The author captured the time period especially with her descriptions of the devastation in Germany. I can tell that she did her research for this novel (very evident). I especially appreciated the information she included at the end of the book (author’s note). I wish there had been more emotion in the story. That is the one thing it lacked. The Last Year of the War is a good book, but it is not my favorite by this author (Lady in Waiting and The Shape of Mercy are two of my favorites). I am giving The Last Year of the War 4 out of 5 stars. Those readers who love historical fiction will find The Last Year of the War to be a compelling novel. The Last Year of the War is a story of hope, friendship, promises and staying true to ourselves.
The Last Year of the War is an exquisitely written story about the beauty of friendship and how profoundly it can change a person’s life. This book is about Elise Sontag, a fourteen years old American teenager, whose life is appended after her German-born father is arrested in 1943 on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. Her whole family is sent to an internment camp with other German and Japanese families. There, Elise meets another girl, Mariko and they become friends. This friendship will change and impact both Elise and Mariko’s lives long after they are separated by war, time and distance.
This was a very emotional story, some parts of the book made me cry because my heart was breaking for Elise and Mariko, other parts made me feel hopeful. Overall, I was very impressed with Susan’s writing and moved by Elise’s story. The Last Year of the War is a must read for historical fiction fans.
I have read and loved Susan Meissner’s other books but The Last Year of the War is her best work yet! Flashing from present day to World War II, The Last Year of the War is a beautiful, compelling story of hope and strength as the world around seems to crumble. A must read for historical fiction fans!
The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner is historical fiction based on the real stories of families who were in internment camps in the United States during World War II. Elise an American teenager with German parents and Mariko an American teenager with Japanese parents are the main characters in this story. The book depicts life through political issues, war, ideologies, disease and relationships with its many sorrows and joys. Susan Meissner has written another unique book with fascinating characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.
The year is 1943 and 14 year old Elise is living a normal teenage life in Iowa. Her parents immigrated from Germany years before but hadn’t gotten their citizenship yet. They still have family in Germany and are worried about them but their lives are far removed from the war on a day to day basis. UNTIL, Elsie’s father is arrested as a possible German spy and sent to an internment camp. Soon Elsie and her mother join him at the camp. Life behind barbed wire is difficult for the children in the camp – who have only known life as Americans – and there is a definite division in the school between the Japanese and the Germans. Elsie and Mariko (a Japanese American teenager from California) become friends and that friendship helps make life in the internment camp bearable for both of them until a forced separation makes life unbearable.
This is a wonderful, well-written, extremely well researched novel. The character of Elsie is so well written that I cried with her during parts of her story. She is not a character that I will soon forget. I love reading historical fiction and learning history that I didn’t know. I knew about the Japanese being sent to internment camps but had no idea that there were Germans sent to camps, too, and I had no idea that some of them were returned to their original country during the war. This is a fantastic book about little known situations with characters who stay in your mind. I highly recommend this new book by the wonderful Susan Meissner.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Its so sad to think of what many Americans went through during the war. Most of it really seems unfair. But its understandable what people felt they needed to do to be safe. I know it was about more then her marriage but their feelings could have been developed or shown better.
All her books are great
Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors!
5 Stars. I always enjoy Susan Meissner’s take on historical drama, where kind-hearted characters help each other overcome life’s tragedies and fight for hope. I’ve read much about the Crystal City interment camp (Train to Crystal City & other books & articles) and found this story to be well-researched. Definitely a worthwhile read for historical fiction lovers!
I’m an avid fan of WW2 historical fiction and non-fiction. Historical fiction often opens the door to new knowledge. This was the case with The Last Year of the War. I knew Internment Camps existed in the US but I never really thought about the impact on the families that had to endure the hatred and injustice. This book gives an informative yet realistic view of this sad time in history.
This is my new favorite author. Her books are all heart and humanity, and this is no exception.
Helped me to learn about German Citizens who were imprisoned during WWII. We’ve heard about the Japanese but very little about German citizens. The whole affair is disturbing because these people were denied their rights. Today it happens with Hispanic Americans.
I definitely recommend this book! Lots of twists and turns to keep your interest. It’s rewarding and hopeful!!