BOOK: Postcards From No Man's Land - Aidan Chambers

Title: Postcards From No Man's Land
Author: Aidan Chambers
Genre: Teens, History (WWII)
Publisher: Definitions (2007), 1999
Pages: paperback, 331
Language: English
Rating: 8/10
Summary: On request of his grandmother English teen Jacob Todd travels on his own to The Netherlands for the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem where his grandfather fought in WorldWar II. Jacob has his own mission too; he wants to visit the Anne Frank house. In between staying with old friends of his grandmother he gets lost in Amsterdam.
Intermixed with Jacob's adventures elderly Dutch woman Geertrui tells her story of love and betrayal in times of war, linking Jacob with her family in a way he never suspected. It makes him question his place in the world.

Spoilerfree review
It's both weird and interesting to read an outsider point of view of your own country. Jacob experiences a strong feeling of alienation because he doesn't understand the language. Of course I had no problem with the Dutch messages he receives and thus missed a bit of the intended mystery. I did enjoy his journey though, and could relate to the overwhelming sense of awe when traveling in an unknown place. The people Jacob meets along the way are all very intriguing.

It was strange to hear Geertrui's history in English; at first I felt like translating it back to Dutch. But it didn't take long for me to get engrossed by her words. I really felt as if I was living with her in that period of time.
Switching between Jacob's journey in the present time and Geertrui's life during the war was also something I had to get used to. But it's a well handled device to discover similarities (and differences) between their experiences.
As usual Aidan Chambers does not shy away from the more intimate issues in life.It was a revelation to realize teens in the forties struggled with the same feelings as today's youth.
Despite my initial doubts about yet another war-related history lesson, I ended up getting very emotionally involved with both Jacob and Geertrui. Recommended!