After - Morris Gleitzman (#4)

**This is the fourth book in the Once series by Morris Gleitzman featuring Once (review), Then (review) and Now (review). However, Gleitzman says, and I agree, that they don't need to read in order to understand the story**

When I finished Now, I thought I was done with Felix's story. I moved on as did Felix and I was safe in the knowledge that Felix turned out just fine and didn't die during the Holocaust. 

I think so did Morris Gleitzman, as he says in his Author's Note. 

When I discovered that After was being released, I had a mixture of anticipation and dread. Here was an amazing trilogy that I loved, although ended not so well, and now an extra book, an after thought, was being added on the end. This book wouldn't be good. Nah ah. Yet I still wanted to read it. 

So when an anonymous commenter asked if I could get a copy of this, read it and post a review, I thought it was time to enter Felix's crazy and dangerous world one last time.

Synopsis: Set in 1945 between Then and Now, Felix faces some of his greatest and challenging adventures of the Second World War. The Nazis have taken his parents, have killed Zelda and those he loved, and now, they have ruined his 13th birthday. Felix struggles to find hope when he loses mostly everything in the last most dangerous agonising stages of war. Soon, he meets Yuli, a young woman helping Felix find his way, hoping that neither of them disappear before the end of the war. 

Review: After is simply beautiful. Through Felix's innocent naive narration, we discover a world where everything is not quite what it seems and danger is lurking at every corner, all read with a poignant under layer where you, as a reader, know that some of the events are utterly true.

This is certainly not a comfortable read. Any reader cannot help feeling this sinking feeling as the book progresses, the Holocaust comes alive through the eyes of thirteen year-old Felix. For those that are loyal readers of the Once series, we were first introduced to him at aged 6, running away from a Catholic orphanage his parents left him in (so he would not be taken to a concentration camp). What I have loved about this series is seeing Felix get older, I mean it's hardly a desirable childhood. 

In my review for Now, I wrote that I didn't think Felix would be the type of person to fight violently against the Nazis. But in this book, that completely changed. This portrayal of Felix shows his grown-up side and I left reading this book with a smile on my face because it's now a teenager!

Gleitzman's writing is neither too intellectual or patronising. It has the right balance of being childlike but not annoyingly so. I would say this is an easy read, due to the length, but as I hope I've displayed so far, it isn't. Felix's childlike narrative and naivety makes this book all together more emotional and shocking while describing some of the horrors that happened during WWII.

There is nothing more I can really say about this book that hasn't already been said in my previous reviews for the Once series. These books DO NOT need to be read in order, although of course, some things in After may reveal events from Once and Then.

This story has captured mine, and many other reader's, imagination of the young Jewish boy from Poland - Felix. This novel manages a perfect mix of shock, horror and danger with the lovely childlike narration from Felix. It's fair to say his chats with Dom (a horse) in this book definitely made it less intense to death/killing scenes a few pages previously.

Any reader will close this book with Felix in their mind for a while longer. This series is one of the most harrowing books I have ever had the pleasure to read and I think all the credit for that goes to the fantastic and desperately suffering character of Felix. I'm so glad Felix was alright in the end. And that the series ended superbly this way.

I give it a 5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/
Pages: 209
Publisher: Puffin
Challenges: Historical Fiction

Other Books in the series:
Once #1
Then #2
Now #3

Related Books (set during Second World War):

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
Chocolate Cake with Hitler - Emma Craigie
Annexed - Sharon Dogar
Auslander - Paul Dowswell
A Song for Summer - Eva Ibbotson
The Morning Gift - Eva Ibbotson

Now - Morris Gleitzman (#3)

*There may be SPOILERS for those who have not read Once or Then*

Now is the final book in this phenomenal trilogy. After reading Once and Then in quick succession, I didn't think Now would be easy to find as it's not the book in this series I see the most. So when I walked into my local library and found it SITTING ON THE FRONT DESK, I knew I should get it out to read. Which I did.
For all you Morris Gleitzman fans or fans of this series so far, this is very different to any of the other books in this series.

Synopsis: ONCE I didn't know about my grandfather Felix's scary childhood. THEN I found out what the Nazis did to his best friend Zelda. NOW I understand why Felix does the things he does. At least he's got me. My name is Zelda too. This is our story.
(From the blurb of the book)

Review: 
Okay, this is incredibly hard to write so this is going to just be a low-down really. 
When I first read the blurb of this book, I thought what Felix was 'doing' was fighting against the Nazis violently like we see him doing at the end of Then. Although, thinking back now, I realise that this is so unlike the Felix we have got to know over this trilogy.

Now is the last instalment in this series and also acts as a shocking reminder that the events we describe as disgusting and  morally wrong are still happening today and will be around for future generations. The event this book focuses on is the fires in the Australian outback in February 2009 as well as modern day bullying.

Gleitzman makes you feel so many emotions - fear, anger, joy, pity - it is a roller-coaster of a ride to read and could leave you feeling anything, depending on how you read it. This book for me wasn't up to the mark as it's predecessors' but it still had Gleitzman's excellent writing and wonderful characters, mostly new.
The story is told from twelve-year-old Zelda, the granddaughter of Felix, the young boy in the previous books. It is set in modern day Australia. Zelda was named in honour of Felix's best friend during the Holocaust when he was a similar age to his granddaughter. Her legend lives on through the generations in Felix's family and of course, the locket which is still present in this book.

Felix is the Felix I love - however, he is eighty years-old.  However, there are still traits of the wonderful Zelda who we know was killed in the previous book. We learn about what happened to Felix after Then although nothing is ever revealed about Zelda's grandmother which I thought a little weird. It may not be relevant  to this story but I would have liked to know about her.

As Morris Gleitzman writes at the end, you don't have to read this books in order although I would recommend it as you get a total feel for young Felix's journey.
The descriptions in this are far different the rest of the trilogy which I preferred. Zelda started off to annoy me and I wanted Felix's voice again, although she grew on me. The ending is the best I could possibly think of for this series and really highlights what life is about: surviving. I have learned so much from this series of books as they give you a high powered glimpse into this period of time that we wish humanity could forget. However, the horrible things that the Nazis did so mercilessly to Jewish people is still rife today. The bullying described by Zelda that she experiences, and some I have experienced myself, is still harsh and disgusting. Although, bullying in this sense is not as bad as what the Nazis horrifically did to the Jews, the book shows that bullying is strong in all past, present and certainly future. Perhaps it is a humane thing to do.

This book I know will always stay with me in the future and although Felix is not a true character, those that were very much like him and risking their lives at such an age will always be heroes to us.
Verdict: This has been an amazing series. If you haven't read it yet, don't fret, start with Once and prepare a box of tissues.

I give it a 4 out of 5

Review for Once
Review for Then
Review for After

Author's Website: http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/
Pages: 167
Publisher: Puffin from Penguin
Challenges: BBC

Then - Morris Gleitzman (#2)

*SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ ONCE*

When I finished the review for the first book in this series, Once, I said that I would look out for the rest of the books in the series. However, after going to my nearest town - no HIGH STREET (I never go there because it is so small and has a crap selection of books in the library), I would this one, waiting for me.
WOW, didn't realise I would find it THAT quickly. So...I picked it up.

Synopsis: The book starts where the previous one left off after they have escaped. They are two runaway kids in the middle of Nazi-occupied Poland who would shoot them straight away, no questions asked. Soon, they find shelter with a nice, older woman and start to build a family and change their lives. But then, the Nazis come.

Review: When I say it starts where Once left off, I mean it. I starts literally seconds afterwards and is a nice bridge from the old one. If you have not read Once, you could read this one, although they do ever so often refer to past events. I think it's better if you did though, you have a total understanding of the pain and suffering they went through, and the back story of how they met one another.
Felix is Jewish, and was sent to an orphanage by his parents so to protect him from being killed. Zelda's parents, although were Nazi loyalists, were shot dead by them and tried to burn the house down to kill Zelda. However, Felix saved her and she stayed with him.

This is a harrowing, sad, depressing book, that always keep you guessing and wondering. Once was like this but also had comical and happy moments mixed in. Whenever things start to look up for Felix, his whole world gets destroyed all over again. There are twists and turns like a roller coaster and some of the best literature is displayed in this book, it should of won so many more prizes. You never expect anything that happens.

Felix was, once again, a delightful protagonist and I really felt for him, especially latterly. He seems to start having a good time and then, everything is crumbled down. He's a good guy and just wants to protect everyone but himself. I know, the events are not true for just one person in this time, but it makes you really think, through Felix, the horrible, vile times Jewish people had under Nazi rule. Morris Gleitzman makes you think over and over again in your mind, the simple question: Why? WHY? Just, why.
Something we may never know.
I said in my review for Once that Zelda annoyed me. A lot, especially with her constant 'Don't you know anything?' ERM, NO WE DON'T. Anyway, that lovely line was in this book too, BUT not as much and I actually started really connecting with Zelda too, especially when she became a different person - Violetta (I really like that name actually). Zelda is also only six years-old when Felix is ten. It's strange how she seems so grown up and honestly, I thought she was the same age as Felix until said. It's disgraceful how much she had been through just at that age, and many other real people too.

Once again, Gleitzman has started each chapter with the name of the book and ended it the same way - which is so original. At the end, Felix is suddenly so overcome by emotions that he does something completely out of character and quite frightening. However, once he is reminded of his past, he goes back to his old self again.
This book is very different to Once. Instead of kind of setting the scene and introducing characters, it focuses more on other aspects of life in Poland at that time. We see rationing, the Hitler Youth, the SS killing squads and many other social and cultural details. I think I preferred this book to the first and definitely enjoyed it more because of this.

This book is very harrowing and makes you feel very uncomfortable frequently. You are constantly on the edge waiting and knowing what may happen. Events happen sometimes so quickly, you don't realise that you've just read around 10 pages. This is worth a read for anyone that read either Once or just loves this period of history. It may be about younger children, but this book is for any age - but warning, you may cry.
Verdict: A definite read, but I would read Once first before you move onto this. If you didn't like Once, keep going - it's worth it.

I give it 5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/
Pages: 183
Publisher: Penguin
Challenges: BBC, Historical Fiction

Related Posts:
Book #1: Once
Book #3: Now
Book #4: After

Once - Morris Gleitzman

This book is one of those books I see everywhere but for some reason never attempt to pick up despite how short the book is and the time period its set in that I find interesting.
So, when I was at the library last month with my friend, who was going away for the whole of August, shoved this in my hand to borrow, I didn't complain but meekly say 'Okay then.' and walk over to the new weird too much technology of a computer which the libraries have decided to replace real people stamping a book. Now, you can go around a library and ironically not talk to anyone at all.
Sorry, anyway. The book.

Synopsis: The story follows Felix, a Jewish boy with a wild imagination and inclination to tell wonderful stories, at the height of the Second World War in Poland, where he escapes a convent to try and find his parents to warn them that the Nazis are 'book haters' after he witnesses soldiers burning books in the convent library. Along the way, he meets Zelda, a orphaned girl who has no idea of what it happening to the world around her. Soon, they find their way to the cellar of a print house in a Warsaw ghetto where, with others, they are fighting to save their lives.

Review: Once is a short story, much like a possible story Felix would tell himself. The story itself is sad, poignant and all together too real. We all know the story of how Hitler came to power, how the Nazis got support, what they did to innocent people and especially, their hatred and killing of the Jews before and during the Holocaust. We have studied it, analysed every tactic used and maybe even shed a tear over it - I know I could write a couple of essays on that period of German history, good and, mostly, bad points. It's something we know so much about, especially it happening just over 70 years ago, yet why do some things still get to us and surprise us?

This is one of those books that could make you feel a lot of things - sad, happy, depressed, surprised, confusion. There is a whirlwind of emotions that you feel throughout this book. This is mostly down to Felix's nativity of what is happening, he is no idea what every event means and why people are being so bitter. It is so heart breaking to think that a little Jewish harmless boy could have been through something very similar to the one told in this book, you want to tell him what is happening. Tell him to stop making excuses of what is happening. It is stressful really. But, although by now, you may be thinking that this book probably isn't the best option for the summer holidays (and it probably isn't really), the ending make me so happy and made everything I felt beforehand in the book worthwhile. There are glimmers of sadness in the last paragraphs, but for Felix, it is a happy one and I guess for the unlucky others too. The ending really does round the book off and make it a happy, rewarding book really.

Felix is an interesting protagonist. He has suffered a lot, although he doesn't particularly think so and tries to help others who are worst off than him. Even as a boy, he never thinks of himself. The motto on my copy of the book is 'Everybody deserves to have something good in their life. At least Once' which to be honest, I didn't pay much attention to but after reading, I sort of understand more what it means. You will too, if you read it.
Like I said, Felix is an interesting choice. He is at the age where he knows what is happening around him, but doesn't completely understand until told. We get both sad and hilarious alternative views of events throughout the story, that really show you how children of that age think. I liked Felix as a narrator, he was interesting and heart warming. I wanted to know him personally.
Zelda, on the other hand, is completely different. I really did not like her at all. Okay, so her parents are dead and she has no idea what is going on or who Felix is. And she keeps getting ill, but why the meanness, girl? She continuous kept saying to Felix 'Don't you know anything?' which if I was Felix, I would have punched her right from the first time she said that. I'm sorry, but hey, I've just been knocked unconscious and just woken up, of course I have no idea who this weird, strange but kind man is, Zelda? Get a little perspective! Okay, so she was nice in some parts, but not much. Did. Not. Like. Her. At. All.
Right, my rant in done. That is kind of the only thing I really didn't like with this book.

The book is a great and original portrayal of what life was like for a young Jewish boy like Felix and also, of life in the Polish ghettos. Throughout the book, there is a constant sense of fear, anticipation of the Nazis to be around the corner, brain washing and ultimately, hate. It is not a book you would read to feel how great you life is, but to look around at yourself and appreciate life as it comes, good and bad like Felix does. I have a feeling Felix and his story will stay on for a long time now.
Verdict: READ IT! But it isn't perfect, and have tissues ready.

I give it 4 out of 5

This is the first in the Once trilogy, the second and third being, Then and Now. I might have a look out for them at the library just to see the rest of Felix's story.

Author's Website: http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/
Pages: 150
Publisher: Penguin
Challenges: BBC, Historical Fiction

Related Posts:
Book #2: Then
Book #3: Now
Book #4: After

Other Books set during the Nazis:
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
Chocolate Cake with Hitler - Emma Craigie
Annexed - Sharon Dogar
Auslander - Paul Dowswell