Also, the fate of the Jewish citizens in Poland is certainly alluded to, and described pretty graphically in one scene, but it is not a major concern of any of the characters, so the book does not center on it. So, although it is a novel about WWII Poland/Ukraine, it is not a Holocaust narrative. I definitely think Traitor will resonate in this current climate we’re in, not just on the surface political level, but [because] there’s always a need for stories about people trying to do the right thing, even when their circumstances are horrendous. [As] I was researching Traitor, I realized even though this history is super dark, super bleak, super depressing, I kept coming across story after story of people who stood up to do the right thing, [who] defied expectations. [No] matter how dark and bleak our circumstances are, there are always people who are willing to stand up and do the right thing. Readers will learn a great deal about World War II, particularly about conditions in Eastern Europe as both the German and then the Russian Army invade and occupy. Historical details about what happened to the Poles, Ukrainians, ethnic Germans, and how the various factions worked: the Russians and the NKVD, the Ukrainian nationalists, the pro-German Ukrainian Nachtigallen, the UPA, the Polish Resistance, and more. And I’m glad I did! It was such an amazing book full of twists and turns. I really fell in love with the characters. They had a lot of “thinking” they had to do for themselves. There were a lot of twists & turns throughout the book. There are also a lot of twists in the novel, however, each twist is important, and I think it helps develop the story as a whole, rather than detracting from it. I was invested in the characters, and the twists that occurred made me even more curious about what would happen next. I think the dual POV really worked well too, which kept up the tension and my developing interest in the story.

Traitor - Macmillan

I would very much like to think Solovey and Tolya existed in some shape or form, somewhere in the past, that they breathed and lived and loved, that they led lives they were proud of in a time when life wasn’t precious or even really life. It was just survival. You do, eventually. Sort of. In that, it's a satisfying resolution, but one that grapples with the complexities of our identities -- for example, Tolya is half-Polish and half-Ukrainian and fought for the Russians. Whose side is he really on? Whose side does he *want* to be on, when every side is so flawed?The worlds of two teenage soldiers collide in surprising fashion in this masterful young adult novel of lies, spies, and survival, set on the Eastern Front of World War II. Poland, 1944. After the Soviet liberation of Lwów from Germany, the city remains a battleground between resistance fighters and insurgent armies, its loyalties torn between Poland and Ukraine. Seventeen-year-old Tolya Korolenko is half Ukrainian, half Polish, and he joined the Soviet Red Army to keep himself alive and fed. When he not-quite-accidentally shoots his unit's political officer in the street, he's rescued by a squad of Ukrainian freedom fighters. They might have saved him, but Tolya doesn't trust them. He especially doesn't trust Solovey, the squad's war-scarred young leader, who has plenty of secrets of his own. Secondly, the pacing was. Strange. It felt like the climax happened way too early (or at least the most exciting part did), and by the end I felt surprised when it had ended without any other real action. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close Poland, 1944. After the Soviet liberation of Lwow from Germany, the city remains a battleground between resistance fighters and insurgent armies, its loyalties torn between Poland and Ukraine. Seventeen-year-old Tolya Korolenko is half Ukrainian, half Polish, and he joined the Soviet Red Army to keep himself alive and fed. When he not-quite-accidentally shoots his unit’s political officer in the street, he’s rescued by a squad of Ukrainian freedom fighters. They might have saved him, but Tolya doesn’t trust them. He especially doesn’t trust Solovey, the squad’s war-scarred young leader, who has plenty of secrets of his own.Then a betrayal sends them both on the run. And in a city where loyalty comes second to self-preservation, a traitor can be an enemy or a savior–or sometimes both. Traitor by Amanda McCrina – eBook Details

Traitor by Amanda McCrina book reviews | Goodreads Traitor by Amanda McCrina book reviews | Goodreads

This may sound self-congratulatory (in which case, you should know better than to think I would ever compliment myself genuinely), or like a worse way of quoting Walt Whitman (which is likely accurate), but it’s true. Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) What do you want readers to walk away with from Traitor? Are there ways that you feel this historical novel resonates today? Engrossing and exciting . . . Amanda McCrina's war-torn, historical thriller PUSHES YOU OFF THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT as alliances twist and surprises loom.”

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Traitor: A Novel of World War II eBook : McCrina, Amanda

People die from bullet wounds, starvation, grenade explosions, and other injuries. One character dies by suicide (gunshot). Child abuse and a rape are mentioned. Torture and ethnic cleansing is also described and discussed. Evidence of mass deaths.

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Occasional strong language includes "bastard," "bitch," "whore," "s--t," etc. Ethnic slurs and anti-Polish, anti-Ukrainian, anti-Russian, anti-German, and anti-Semitic language. Finally, the book is crying out for a sequel! It doesn't end on an awful cliffhanger, but I really wanted to know what would happen next. Then a betrayal sends them both on the run. And in a city where loyalty comes second to self-preservation, a traitor can be an enemy or a savior—or sometimes both. Four different nationalities have been battling for power in the war-ridden city of Lwów. Seventeen-year-old orphan Tolya is half Ukrainian, half Polish, and has seen no other option but to join the Soviet Red Army to stay alive. When he shoots his political officer, he’s pretty much doomed. But then he’s rescued by a group of Ukrainian freedom fighters led by Solovey. Solovey claims the group needs Tolya’s sniper skills. But Toyla doesn’t trust him, and being half Polish, he certainly doesn’t trust the Ukrainians will let him live once he’s executed the group’s mission. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close