By Svara Jayasinghe
Refugee is a historical fiction book by Alan Gratz that tells the heart wrenching yet captivating tales of three children, who all have the same mission: to flee to safety.
Josef – a Jewish boy in the 1930s who lives in Berlin, Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. When Josef’s home is broken into one night by “storm troopers” and his father is arrested and taken to a concentration camp for illegally practicing law, Josef’s life is turned upside down. Six months later, Josef’s father is released, but on only one condition. He must leave the country in fourteen days. Even though Germany is their home, the Nazis made it very clear that Josef’s family was not wanted, and soon enough, the four find themselves on a ship taking them across the world.
Isabel – a Cuban girl in the 1990s who lives in Havana. The Soviet Union had been buying sugar from Cuba for more than eleven times the price and had been sending food, medicine and other helpful items for free for decades, but once the Soviet Union fell, devastation rained upon Cuba. As more time passed, more people became restless. Slowly but surely, Isabel’s hometown becomes full of riots and is swallowed by chaos. When Isabel’s father takes part in a riot and narrowly escapes getting arrested, Isabel and her family must leave as soon as they can. They set out on a small raft at night, hoping to seek refuge in America.
Mahmoud – a Syrian boy in 2015 who lives in Aleppo. Years ago, Aleppo had been the brightest and most modern city in Syria. Then, in 2011, the Arab Spring came to Syria. Revolutions swept through the Middle East, destroying governments and starting wars. Soon enough, Mahmoud and his family will be making the long journey to Europe in search of safety.
All three children go on a dangerous adventure, each facing life-threatening dangers and betrayals. Although the three children are separated by time periods and locations, in the end, their stories will tie together.
I rate Refugee a 9 out of 10. The author perfectly described what is was like for immigrant families during each time period, and it was heartbreaking yet enchanting. I extremely enjoyed reading Refugee, and highly suggest reading this book.