Krasner's Facing the Enemy presents a little known part of history in an engaging and interesting way that will appeal to reluctant readers. I learned a lot from reading this novel-in-verse and even used it as part of a presentation at a professional development.

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

I had a really hard time reading this. The premise sounded promising but the formatting was really hard to follow. Two American boys, one Jewish, the other whose parents take great pride in their German heritage. But the within the chapter it would have the name of one of the boys but the chapter wasn’t from their perspective. Really hard to follow this story and I ended up DNF-ing it.

This novel in verse was one of my most compelling reads of 2023. Even though I have lived in Northern NJ all my life, I had no idea about the history of Nazi Youth camps in the US and so close to my home. I thought the dual narrative was rich, well-researched, thought-provoking and complex.

I was interested in this book for the plot line - a unique perspective about Nazi activity in the US in the pre-war era. Two boys find their friendship torn apart when one is sent to Camp Nordland, an extremist, Nazi camp and the other, Jewish, finds himself facing a different future than he planned. Some historical details were presented through the stories, but the focus was on the changes faced by the boys and how they dealt with them. This aspect would be interesting to the target audience - early teens interested in history.

However, the formatting of the ARC was terribly distracting and made the story confusing. It was difficult to determine whose perspective was being presented at times as the shifts between perspectives were unclear.

This was somewhat written in verse, but read more like unfinished prose. It left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, I will not be recommending this to teens to read; I think they would develop more knowledge and empathy on this topic from other materials.

Thank you to Astra Publishing House, Calkins Creek, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this work.

I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately, the writing and random switches from one point of view to the next made it hard to follow at points. The story follows two friends who end up on different paths when WWII starts. One is Jewish and the other is training to become a Nazi solider. I wish I loved it more than I did.

"Facing the Enemy" proved to be a challenging read for me, as I struggled to immerse myself in the story. The multiple points of view employed throughout the narrative left me feeling disoriented and made it difficult to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Additionally, the writing style did not resonate with me, hindering my overall enjoyment of the book. The disjointed narrative and lack of coherence in the perspectives made it hard to follow and appreciate the underlying plot. Unfortunately, despite potential intriguing elements, I found it challenging to engage with the story, ultimately leaving me disconnected from the characters and the overall experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Calkins Creek Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book♥️

When your best friend becomes the enemy, the world turns upside down.
In 1930s Newark, NJ, Tommy and Benjy's inseparable bond was once a beacon of hope, a testament to the power of friendship to bridge differences. But as the dark shadow of Nazism spreads, their unbreakable bond snaps like a twig under the weight of hate. Tommy, seduced by the siren song of Camp Nordland's vitriolic propaganda, transforms into a stranger, his eyes once bright with laughter now narrowed into a cold, hard stare. Benjy, heart shattered like a dropped glass, forms a ragtag band of anti-Nazi teen vigilantes, a clarion call to resistance. As swastikas sprout like poison ivy on Newark's streets, these two former friends become combatants in a war for the soul of America. Will love and loyalty prevail, or will hate consume all in its path?

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

Facing the Enemy is written in a unique duel point of view fashion. The thoughts of two former friends, one Jewish and one being trained as a Nazi are written in poetic stanzas that share their emotions and believes.

It did seem a bit slow, but the writing fashion is so unique (at least to me) that I almost want to forgive it

This was disappointing and I ended up dnf'ing it at 30%.

I found the perspectives confusing - they switched back and forth in ways that made it hard to distinguish between them. In some chapters, they would change mid-perspective. It made it very hard to follow what was happening.

It also felt like sections were missing - there were titles at the start of each section, but also titles with a character's name and then nothing. It would just jump to the next poem/passage. It did that after every single chapter, so that I had no idea what was happening, if it was intentional or if something was wrong with my e-arc.

This has such potential, I hope that these issues were fixed and the finished copies are more coherent!

This book was sadly one I could not get into. The premise is interesting but the writing was very choppy with confusing POV.

Two American boys, who are lifelong friends, find themselves at odds with each other when one's parents become ardent supporters of Adolf Hitler's Aryan nation ideology.

I found the narrative hard to follow. The perspectives frequently changed, and there wasn't much distinction between the two characters. The story could have benefited from a deeper examination of the psychological and social ramifications. Instead, it skims the surface, making the story feel flat.

"Facing the Enemy" is a disappointing read. The promising premise is marred by an ineffective narrative style and a lack of depth in its exploration of historical themes. While the book may be of interest to readers with a specific fascination in the period, it fails to deliver a compelling and engaging story that resonates with a wider audience.

There were also numerous formatting issues, which I hope are resolved before this book goes to print.

A novel-in-verse set in New Jersey in the 1930's. Two friends, one German and one Jewish are forced apart when the German friend starts attending a Nazi Youth Camp. An interesting look at a part of US history I knew almost nothing about. However the story itself was flat - perhaps because I had an electronic Advanced Readers Copy and the formatting was wrong. I would have preferred to read about this dark part of US history in a nonfiction format.

This is a very clever way of telling a story. The words and phrases are not catchy, but they make sense, which is way more important. That pretty much describes the book: lots of substance, less style. The story this book tries to tell is very subtle, yet the technique and word use are entertaining and appealing. It is in a class of its own, in some ways a masterpiece. Definitely it will go down as one of Barbara Krasner’s finest works.

Unless you do not like verse. But I guess this book might give you tons of reasons to reconsider such a dislike. Most of the verses do not rhyme (like poems); nevertheless, they evoke a certain amount of awe. The author proves that she can tell a detailed story using only verse and phrases. Each chapter has a set of poems that leave you yearning for more. If your anticipation level is high, you can finish the book in one sitting.

I highly recommend the book to verse aficionados and yet-unwon verse aficionados. It is a book surely worth every cent – and it tackles a vital part of history.

This one was a disappointment.
For the historical premise, I would have given it more stars. Two American boys, friends all their lives, find themselves at odds with each other as teenagers. One of them is Jewish, the other has parents who take great pride in their German heritage. And who are huge advocates of Adolf Hitler’s plans for an Aryan nation…
The format was the problem for me. It made the book almost unreadable. It’s written from the POVs of the two boys, but in no form or fashion. For example, there would be the name “Benjy”, or “Thomas”, but the following paragraphs would not be in that boy’s voice. Sometimes the POV would change several times within the writing, with no explanation or indication of the change. I found it to be very confusing and frustrating to try to follow.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two teenagers in New Jersey on opposite sides politically at the beginning of WWII have to navigate the end of their childhoods and a changing world.

Written in verse from two different POVs, this book chronicles best friends Benjy and Tommy from Newark, NJ during Hitler's rise to power and the first couple years of WWII. The boys are looking forward to spending their last summer before high school playing ball, riding their bikes, getting sodas at Sol's, and hanging out at Weequahic park. Instead, Tommy's dad enrolls him in Camp Nordland, a camp for kids of German descent, to help him embrace his German roots. It turns out this camp is essentially a Nazi training camp and as Tommy gets deeper and deeper into it, his dad forbids him from hanging out with Benjy (a Jew) and their friendship fractures.

At first Benjy continually reaches out to Tommy and is rebuffed. He eventually gives up and joins the Minutemen Kids, a youth group devoted to fighting extremism and Nazi propaganda. There are lots of clashes and eventually violence on both sides. After all of this, when they really need each other, will they be able to repair their friendship?

I was completely ignorant of the actual history this book covers. I had no idea before reading this book that there were actual Nazi camps in the US during WWII. The history was enlightening and interesting. The story itself, and the writing, were not great. The format of novel-in-verse really didn't work for these two teenage boys who were not particularly intellectually inclined or into literature. The poems read like they were written by an adult, not a 14/15/16 year old boy. I recommend it for the history, not really for the story. 2.5 stars


Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I like that the book is told from two perspectives and how at first Tommy went along with everything but soon realizes what he and his fellow campers are doing is wrong. Even though he knows he will get in trouble, Tommy still stands up to his father. I liked the definitions along with the timeline of when Hitler came to power and what happened afterwards.

This was a great read in the sense that it's about something we don't talk about from our history. Before this book I didn't even think there were Americans who believed in some of the Nazi propaganda, but then again, there are people who don't believe the Holocaust happened, so I shouldn't be surprised. I think this is a very important book to get on our shelves, even though we might receive some flak for it. The book is something we can learn from as well as enjoy because the story is that good.

Facing the Enemy by Barbara Krasner is a younger YA novel in verse that tells how two young American friends, one Jewish, one German, navigate the troubled times before the outbreak of World War II. Benjy and Tommy have a solid, unshakeable friendship filled with a cherry Cokes at Sol’s lunch counter and days spent at the park or preparing for the start of high school. When Tommy’s parents send him to Camp Nordland, a German summer camp that tries to replicate the rigor and discipline of the Hitler Youth, he turns against Benjy. As the war begins to take shape, Benjy fights his own war, certain that deep inside Tommy is the friend he knows, and he works to extricate Tommy from the brainwashing that has changed him. Tommy, or Thomas as he is known at camp, resists any outreaches, and eventually Benjy gives up, but when Tommy shows up at his door after running away from camp, both Benjy and Tommy have to decide what exactly they believe and how far they are willing to go to defend their beliefs.
Krasner has created realistic characters, no easy feat in the novel-in-verse format, and they have clear convictions, real, significant problems, and the highest stakes of all: friendship, safety, and loyalty. The blank verse form allows the story’s pace to ebb and flow effectively, giving time for character development and backstory while keeping the suspense rising toward the climax. Krasner skillfully weaves in elements of German and Jewish culture and tradition to create characters rooted in their own beliefs and traditions yet open to those of others. Thematically and through character development, the author has created an outstanding story that young YA readers will connect with and learn from.
This would be an excellent addition to a unit on World War II and the Holocaust. I can imagine using this as a student-choice selection for enrichment or as a small-group independent reading project to accompany such a unit.