Rating: 
Summary: VERY WELL DONE!!!
Review: I could not put this book down due to its suspense and intrigue. This book was very well written. I did not recognize the author when I purchased this book but I didn't realize she was a new author until I just now read the reviews trying to find out if she has written anything else. I was totally surprised that this was her first book because she did so well. If you are looking for a well written, very in-depth storyline, with action, suspense, drama, and that feeling that you are right there next to the very real life characters, feeling like you want to help, to reach out to them because she writes them so 3-dimensional, also feeling like lashing out and surprised when you realize that your tears have been flowing from your eyes and are now blurring your vision but you still can't stop reading. Then this is the book for you. One night my husband tried to get me to stop reading during a very dramatic part in the book and the reading was so intense that I felt like I was actually there and when he finally was able to get my attention I felt like I was actually being torn away from that particular scene and I felt so mad. Then I realized I was just reading a book but the author gets into your mind and imagination in a way that no other author has been able to do. When this book ended the author actually writes the last 20 pages in a way that weens you off just little by little so that when it is done you feel ok with the ending. (Not frustrated or irritated, like I sometimes am with some authors who try to write lengthy novels and then at the end you feel like you were booted off a train with the ending in your face just so they can finish because they are bored now with their own story and want to finish quickly) She also writes in a way that makes you feel eager to read a sequel or whatever else she has in mind. I will be the first in line to purchase whatever she has to offer next.
Rating: 
Summary: What if Hitler had NOT invaded the UK?
Review: I do not find it hard to believe that a first novel could cover 1 200 pages. What I find hard to believe is that such a novel could be published without it being sliced down to a manageable size.It is a testament to Stroyar's skill that she succeeded with this mammoth offering. It is well researched, well written, beautifully constructed and finely paced. We keep on getting revelations that give new insights into the lives of the central characters. If I have any criticism, it is that the central premise is a trifle forced - the Underground has the very person with the right mix of skills and experience drive up to them in the few hours of safety available to him before being discovered. But that is a minor niggle. This alternate history is not just credible, it is a very finely detailed look at an alternate society, an alternate reality. And in the process, it has something to say about the human condition and ablout our own reality. I picked up this book on the off-chance that it would deal with a military history of an alternate reality, but far from being disappointed that it did not, I continued deeper and deeper into this fascinating tale. One of the best books I've read this year. A fine effort at a first novel and I look forward to seeing another!
Rating: 
Summary: Grim Picture
Review: I enjoy a good alternate history, this one is very well constructed and well researched. However, I found it very depressing. I don't think even Nazis could live in the world portrayed in this work. Its a good read but be prepared for a long ride on the dark side of mans potential.
Rating:
Summary: A Great "Alternate Future" Book
Review: I found this on a bargain book table for two dollars...my guess is that people were put off by it's daunting size. Despite it's length, it's a surprisingly quick read - I was so absorbed in it that I finished it in five days. It's a very imaginative and well-written book...a good bet for WWII history buffs or people who love alternate scenario sort of books.
Rating:
Summary: Emotional rollercoaster...well worth your time!
Review: I have to admit, I was a little daunted by the sheer volume of this book. (Over 1000 pages) But I'm also the kind of reader who feels let down when a novel I've been reading ends. Kind of like losing a new friend? You never know what you will get when you read a new author. I was pleasantly surprised by the character development and flow of this novel. Every time I had a spare moment, I would find myself reaching for this book, compelled to learn more about the story and the characters. I became totally engrossed in the story, my emotions being played to the utmost. Maybe because since this story is told based on historical events, I was forced to face my emotions. At any rate, I would recommend this book to anyone...from the history buff to the casual reader, this novel will be well worth your time. Awesome!
Rating: 
Summary: Bludgeoned to death by meaningless brutality and detail
Review: I was initially intrigued by the alternative world view of this novel, and was undaunted by the 1200 page length. HOWEVER, after page upon redundant page of "insight" into the brutal nature of the Nazis, I quickly became numbed to it. The character developement is meandering at best, and in light of the length of the novel, unrealized and inconclusive. I forced myself to resist the urge to skim through the repetition and reiterations in hope of seeing the plot develope. The plot and the characters could have been developed in 1/3 of the length of this novel, and would of been less of a chore to read. Despite the cited research and effort, and altogether unsatisfying and tedious read!
Rating:
Summary: An incredibly powerful novel
Review: In "The Children's War", J. N. Stroyar has written a novel of immense creativity, startling realism and remarkable emotion. While it functions brilliantly as an example of the "alternate-history" genre it is also much more. By imagining a Third Reich that existed into the 21st century, Stroyar provides herself with the perfect backdrop to explore the central themes of this novel: humanity, hope, compassion, revenge...I could go on, there are so many. At its core, "The Children's War" is the story of Peter Halifax a victim of unspeakable Nazi brutality. After years of humiliation, servitude and beatings, he escapes to the Polish Underground; however, his hopes of a more simple, free, life are shattered as he faces the judgement of people who barely even understand what they are fighting for. That's where the novel gets its name, the resistance is fighting for something completely intangible, they are children who have never known freedom, or Poland, or justice, as anything other than a concept. In their quest for survival they have had to make so many compromises their resistance has become almost ritualized. Furthermore, their necessary isolation has calcified many of their views to the point where they are almost as prejudiced, although not as brutal, as the Nazis. Therein lies the central dichotomy of the novel. Peter is appalled at the accommodations that the Poles have made with the Nazis in order to guarantee their survival. At the same, the Poles judge Peter for having done what he needed to do to survive, without having ever been in a similar position; always safe in their "Ivory Bunker". Ultimately, they are both right and both wrong; in a world of constant warfare, everything is shades of gray. The characters come to realize that humanity is something that you carry in your heart and your mind, not necessarily in your actions. In terms of the narrative writing and characterizations, I was blown away. The writing was among the best I have ever encountered, which is all the more remarkable since the author is a first time novelist. In particular, Stroyar avoided the pitfall that many authors fall into when writing alternate history: to much information. All to often the authors feel the need to explain in painstaking detail how they arrived at the time the are writing about. Not so Stroyar, who clearly understands that a well drawn present with sufficient, but not overt, background information is more important than the reverse. Furthermore, Stroyar has a superb grasp of politics, both international and domestic. She understands perfectly the stasis that totalitarian regimes must inevitably fall in to, and the introverted inertia that so plagues democracies at peace. The characters are brutally real, they exhibit an incredible range of emotion, and while not always sympathetic, they are always human. There were actually times when I had to stop reading this novel because it was just too gut wrenching. Of course I couldn't stay away for more than 15 minutes, but I have never been affected by a novel that way. At this point it's fairly obvious that I loved this novel. "The Children's War" is a great alternate history, it is a great spy-thriller, but mostly it's just great literature. It is a work of tremendous depth and is profoundly moving. Not only does it entertain, but it makes the reader think; both about the world today, and about what might have been.. In the end, I can't say anything more than, "READ THIS NOVEL!" you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: A Monumental Achievement
Review: In part this is the story of a young man who has escaped and been caught up in a world that he did not create nor want to participate in. A world of war where there are no winners and very many losers. The young man Peter, has no life and is made a slave in Germany. The story is in part a search for himself and a search for the meaning in the world he finds himself him. The story is also of a group of Polish Resistance to the Germany that should never have been. It is a story of a little girl and the love she sees in Peter. It is also a not so subtle reminder of the world in which we live. 21st century slavery is reality in this work of fiction that overlaps with reality in so many places it makes you uncomfortable at times....The premise is that Hitler won. The German's have control of most of Europe and very little resistance from an ignorant America. Every assumption you have about slavery and servants, war and peace, love and hatred, values and beliefs will be challenged. As you read the book, you begin to thank god that Hitler didn't win but then you have this haunting suspicion that there is still slavery and politically endorsed murder and genocide happening as you read (Kosovo, Yugoslavia, Africa, etc.)Your mind wanders to Milosevec and you realize this book is all too real. The lessons the author reveals are enormous. JN Stroyar is a passionate writer. Having spent time in Poland meeting real people as she has, I can attest to the spirit and the intensity with which she imbues her characters. This is truly a masterpiece. Children's War comes in at about 300,000 words and will take you about 40 hours to read. It may be the best time you have invested in reading in a long, long time. This book meets every expectation you could have in a dramatic sense. If it were required reading in high school...it just might change the world. Kevin Hogan, ...
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Perspective
Review: Interesting perspectinve on what Europe would be like today, if the Germans had won the war. The author seems to suggest that Germany would be much like the Soviet Union during the 1970's. A government, overcome by inertia and corruption; staffed by cynical carrerists operating with casual brutatilty.
Rating:
Summary: Tough to Put Down
Review: It's a very compelling read with a fascinating premise and strongly drawn characters. My only quibble (which is why I am giving it four instead of five stars) is that the way the characters' paths continually cross and recross strains credibility. Europe is a big place - even assuming that the war and its aftermath took a devastating toll on the populace - and yet the same people end up stumbling over one another again and again! A couple of similarly "fortuitous" occurrences (which I will not detail here in fear of spoiling the plot) also detract from the overall power and believability of this novel. Nevertheless, it was engrossing enough to turn me into an antisocial outcast during my Fourth of July holiday, and there aren't too many books that could have done that.
| 
