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Nov 28, 2016TheresaAJ rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Hanneke Bakker, a Dutch teenager in 1943 Amsterdam, supports her family by selling goods on the black market while working in a funeral home. When one of her customers reveals that the Jewish girl she was hiding has disappeared, Hanneke is drawn into the Dutch resistance by the older brother of her now deceased boyfriend. Over the next 5 days, Hanneke experiences enough fear and terror to last a lifetime. The author does a good job of portraying a society under German occupation and its diverse attitudes towards the occupiers. Hesse also doesn't let you forget that Hanneke is a teenager with all her brash confidence, thoughtlessness, and impetuous decisions. This story would be good fodder for book clubs for both teenagers and adults.