1. The book is set on the last day of the First World War in the Battle zone between France and Germany. The book is based around three main characters- two young British and German Soldiers and an American pilot. The story is based around these three young men in the final hours of the war, when each is battling to survive, and they turn against their armies to help each other.  The story begins in the Germans point of view, when he begins to go towards the front line. When attacked by a shell raid, we go into the British view, and finally the American's. The three characters meet when the American pilot crash lands, the German tries to help him and gets trapped, and finally, after being lost in the wood, the British soldier saves them. At this point, the American is seriously wounded and the only link between the other two (his family were German), so the three struggle to walk to the British occupied town near by. At the town, each finds help, in the first hours of peace.

I found this book interesting, as the characters were engaging, and Dowswell made it easy to relate to them by strong description and making them young I liked the way each of the three soldiers were written about in turn, and how we were told about what was happening from different sides of the battlefield at the same time. I thought the characters were engaging, but it was unnecessary to use the occasional word in anther language when in the American and German points of view. I thought the final scene in the town was the most interesting, as by this point, you had got to know and understand the characters, and you wanted each to survive as they had got so close. It was also the best part of the plot, as the built up tension was brought down to this point when the three boys had bonded and were each trying their hardest to make the others around them understand their situation. Whilst the main plot was not in itself factual, the historical setting was interesting, and I would enjoy reading more about the wars, and how they were brought to a close, and affected ordinary people from each country.

Whilst I enjoyed the book, I would not go out of my way to read other books by him, as I felt it was aimed for a slightly younger audience, due to the fact that it was quite simply written. The language is easy to understand, and the inserts of French and German words, as well as the use of colloquial terms unnecessary after a while. The plot is short, and easy to follow, with not too many twists or complexities, and whilst there is a lot of content that makes it interesting as a book, there is not so much that younger audiences would be overwhelmed. For these reasons, I would recommend this book to 11-14 year olds who are interested in the First and Second World War.

Reviewed by Eva