The Silent Unseen

Not sure why, but this one didn't resonate with me. I didn't have super high expectations for it, but I did expect to enjoy it. I didn't hate it, but I was also pleased to be done with it. I think my main problem with this was how chaotic it was. There were so many different militias and characters and allegiances running around. None of them were distinct enough to seem remarkable, they just existed. So the entire time, I was just confused. Twists didn't feel like twists because I didn't understand their relevance. While partly due to a lack of knowledge on my part, I'd also attribute it to the messiness of the storytelling. As for the romance, it was utterly unremarkable. Somehow both instalove and nonexistent, it didn't bug me, but it definitely isn't a reason to read this. So, while not a bad book, also not a great one. I'm learning I'm not the biggest fan of YA Historical fiction, so part of that is on me. Thanks to BookishFirst for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love a good WWII historical fiction, and this presented a side of the story I wasn't familiar with before--Poland in 1944 struggling as WWII is ending but it's still caught between Soviets, the Polish Resistance, and Ukrainian nationalists. Thanks to @bookishfirst and @macmillanusa for a copy of this! This came out on April 5th. * Synopsis: 16-year Maria is trying to get home in Poland after escaping from a German labor camp in 1944. She saves the life of a Kostya held by Soviet soldiers, only to discover he is a member of a Ukrainian nationalist group that killed her parents. The two should-be enemies end up having to pair up to save her brother, a local Resistance leader who has gone missing. * I think this was a very good YA novel. It had real characters, an exciting storyline, some emotional spots, and a good way to learn more about history. Most of the things I didn't love about it were really because it was intended for a YA audience, so it feels unfair to rate it down for that, but I'll just say that I thought the story ended up being pretty simplistic and predictable. * I was also disappointed that we didn't learn more about Maria's background and the labor camp. There was one flashback to her on the train heading there, but I would have loved to have seen more of that, and gotten a better sense of who she was. * It also at times got hard to keep track of the various characters and their loyalties. It all came together at the end, but I had moments where I was really confused about why a certain character would make a particular decision. I get that was indicative of the time, not knowing who you could trust, but it was hard to follow at times. * I don't want to be too negative, because as a YA I think it was a solid book! Maybe not my favorite, but it was interesting and I'm glad I read it.

This story is set toward the end of WWII in Poland and what is now Ukraine and follows the dual perspective of two young people caught up in conflict and change. Maria is Polish and is making her way home after being kidnapped and sent to a German work camp for two and a half years. Kostya is part of the Ukrainian nationalist movement. They meet when Maria saves Kostya from being interrogated and killed by Russian soldiers. The Polish resistance and Ukrainian nationalists are enemies, but Maria needs Kostya's help when her older brother Tomek goes missing. Both are very sympathetic characters, having suffered so much terror and loss. The story is well written, interesting and fast-paced with unrelenting suspense and tension. I could not put it down. There are many nationalities and factions involved, and I was grateful that an index and character directory were provided in the back of the book, to which I referred frequently. I liked learning about a part of WWII history which gets little to no attention in fiction. It would have been helpful to have more historical context provided. The ending seemed abrupt, and I wanted the book to last a little more. The Silent Unseen is a powerful and sad, yet beautiful and hopeful story which makes the reader think about the futility and horror of war, especially given current events in this part of the world. Thank you to BookishFirst for a review copy.