Not Your Typical WW2 Novel

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Susan' Meissner's most recent novel The Last Year of the War is a heart-wrenching story told by the main character Elise Dove who is nearing the end of her life. Her story depicts the little known story of German-Americans who were place in internment camps during World War II. Elise's story is unique as she becomes best friends with a Japanese-American girl who is also in the internment camp. The impeccably researched story tells Elise's life as she leaves the internment camp and then lives the remainder of her life. A twist in this story is that the main character has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she has given a name to the disease which she describes as thief stealing her memories.

The Last Year of the War stands out among the many novels set during World War II due to the unique vantage point from which the story is told. We often think of the internment camps as focusing solely on Japanese-Americans. Meissner brings another aspect of these camps and the horrendous civil rights abuses of this time period to the forefront.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book The Last Year of the War via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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