Amanda McCrina’s Traitor is a tightly woven YA thrill ride exploring political conflict, deep-seated prejudice, and the terror of living in a world where betrayal is a matter of life or death.“Alive with detail and vivid with insight, Traitor is an effortlessly immersive account of a shocking and little-known moment in the turbulent history of Poland and Ukraine—and ironically, a piercing and … Ukraine—and ironically, a piercing and bittersweet story of unflinching loyalty. I think Tolya has left my heart a little damaged forever.” —Elizabeth Wein, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Code Name Verity and The Enigma Game
Poland, 1944. After the Soviet liberation of Lwów from Germany, the city remains a battleground between resistance fighters and insurgent armies, its loyalties torn between Poland and Ukraine.
Seventeen-year-old Tolya Korolenko is half Ukrainian, half Polish, and he joined the Soviet Red Army to keep himself alive and fed. When he not-quite-accidentally shoots his unit’s political officer in the street, he’s rescued by a squad of Ukrainian freedom fighters. They might have saved him, but Tolya doesn’t trust them. He especially doesn’t trust Solovey, the squad’s war-scarred young leader, who has plenty of secrets of his own.
Then a betrayal sends them both on the run. And in a city where loyalty comes second to self-preservation, a traitor can be an enemy or a savior—or sometimes both.
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Traitor by Amanda McCrina is an excellent historical fiction novel set in WWII that had me gripping the edge of seat from beginning to end.
This book is a dual timeline novel that weaves seamlessly between 1941 and 1944. The two stories are voiced by different young men. Both take place in the hotbed location of Poland. I have to confess that while I did know quite a bit about how the country was divided up between the Soviets and Germans and that many atrocities occurred to the citizens during and after the war, I did not realize that there were so many opposing groups that were a part of this equation. Here I was able to see a glimpse of the constant battles between the NKVD (the Soviet police), the Nazis, the Polish resistance, and the Ukraine Nationalists (and among them a multitude of subgroups including the UPA).
The author does an excellent job painting a picture of instability, fear, darkness, death, harrowing escapes, treachery, and allowing the reader to see all the difficult decisions that existed for the Polish people, the Ukrainians, the Jewish people, and many other groups. Compromises were made, sides changed, sacrifices made, and lives were lost in order for people to just be able to eat, save their loved ones, and just to be able to live until tomorrow. It was so hard to read all of the horrific things that these characters (and of course in reality as well) went through. No one can ever question decisions made in the heat of the moment, because who knows what one might do when placed in these catastrophic circumstances.
I was impressed how the author was able tp weave a tale that kept me interested, held true to historical events, and gave me a thought-provoking ending. Despite all the darkness, I was still surprisingly satisfied with the ending. The best part was the multitude of resources added: the maps, the author’s note of historical reference, and a list of groups depicted in the novel. It really helped me flow along.
An excellent, gritty, real, and fascinating novel.
5/5 stars enthusiastically
Thank you to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
World War Two.
Four different nationalities have been battling for power in the war-ridden city of Lwów. Seventeen-year-old orphan Tolya is half Ukrainian, half Polish, and has seen no other option but to join the Soviet Red Army to stay alive. When he shoots his political officer, he’s pretty much doomed. But then he’s rescued by a group of Ukrainian freedom fighters led by Solovey. Solovey claims the group needs Tolya’s sniper skills. But Toyla doesn’t trust him, and being half Polish, he certainly doesn’t trust the Ukrainians will let him live once he’s executed the group’s mission.
Despite the title, this is a story about friendship and loyalty.
Amanda McCrina writes about young men who are forced to make impossible choices under heart wrenching circumstances, and she does so in a sober manner. Her prose is tight but full of subtext. Her voice is somber, but profound emotions stir beneath the surface.
The complexity of the historical situation makes Traitor an intricate story. I recommend reading the historical notes first, to get a sense of the situation. But I wholeheartedly recommend this novel for everyone who enjoys stories from World War Two.
Bestselling author Elizabeth Wein describes Traitor as a piercing and bittersweet story of unflinching loyalty, and that is precisely what it is.
Take your time. Enjoy the read. This novel is so worth it.