A Night Divided was a book which had been on my radar for a very long time, even before its release. I don’t know what it was exactly about this book that called out to me, but I just knew that I had to pick it up as soon as I could. Actually, the gorgeous cover probably played a large role in making me so enthused but my shallow motivations aside, I picked this book up excited and left it completely contented.

Middle grade is a tough field to tackle. A lot of authors struggle to understand that their target audience does not have to affect how their storylines play out and make the mistake of either having a writing style which is too juvenile or over-simplifying the plotline. I understand that readers who enjoy middle grade stories tend to be younger than young adult readers by definition but most authors (from my personal experience) do tend to take this too far. Luckily Nielsen is not one of those authors! Somehow she manages to completely capture the spirit and personality of twelve-year-old Greta without making her seem overly childish or obviously written by an adult. She also managed to flawlessly integrate some very difficult topics into the novel - without avoiding too many punches - and approach these topics in a way people of all ages can appreciate and take something away from.

Being critical, the story was a little slow to start. There were a few too many info-heavy sections during the first quarter and I can see why a lot of readers may struggle to get into the story. I, personally, could see why the author choose to do this - keeping in mind the fact fact that this is likely a lot of readers first introduction to the Berlin Wall/East Germany communism etc. - and thought that while it was a little too much at times, it was without a doubt still necessary.

What really made this story for me was the atmosphere. You could tell that Nielsen had done a lot of research into the era and she effortlessly weaved so many little tidbits into the story. The terror that Greta lived with everyday was tangible. It coated every decision she made and was practically palpable to us readers. The threat that she may be shot or her family thrown in prison (etc.) for nothing more than living next to a particular person - let alone any of Greta’s other actions - really brought this story to life. As awful as it sounds, I loved that Greta’s fear was so central to the story. I hear a lot of people in history classes ask why the Germans “let” these awful situations happen to their country and I think this book did a fantastic job in showing how little control the people of East Germany had in their lives during this period. The government’s influence in every aspect of society was obvious and very, very well done.

The characters also really brought this story to life. For a book where the plotline is as straightforward - and often repetitive - as A Night Divided’s plot, having a strong cast of characters is crucial. Luckily, Nielsen did a fantastic job with Greta and Fritz! Like I said before, Greta was a complex and three-dimensional protagonist. Her childish naivety was perfectly balanced with the strength she had to adopt to deal with her situation. She was cleverly developed across the story and we got to see how she adapted to all the obstacles thrown her way. I loved seeing her relationship with Fritz as well. They had some hilarious moments but it was their support of each other that really made my heart melt.

Overall?

For a middle grade novel and Nielsen’s first historical fiction, I’m so pleased with this story. If you think this book sounds likes something you’d enjoy or you would enjoy a different perspective of what it was like for ordinary citizens in East Berlin during this time, I would undeniably recommend A Night Divided. The writing style was perfect for the story and truly capture the era’s atmosphere. The characters were complex and Greta definitely left an impression of me. I think I need to continue on with this mini Nielsen marathon!