Girl at War

What's the title?

Girl at War

Who wrote it?

Sara Nović

When was it written?

2015

Would I recommend it?

If you were already thinking about picking it up, I’d encourage you to do so, but if you weren’t, this isn’t a book I'd shove it into your hands

What's it about? (non-spoilers)

Ten-year-old Ana’s world comes crashing down during the Yugoslav Wars. Ten years later, she’s trying to reconcile what she lived through, who she is, and where she belongs.

What did you think? (spoilers)

Girl at War has been on my TBR for a while, and I was pumped to finally have the opportunity to read it. So perhaps it was all that expectation that caused this read to be a bit underwhelming. I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy this novel – I did. Neither can I say this novel is poorly written – it wasn’t. I just didn’t love this novel to the extent I had hoped.

I would define Girl as a coming-of-age story, which is what piqued my interest in the first place – that and its uncommon setting of Croatia – but truly this novel is about trauma. I’d say the novel handled that subject with nuance and aplomb. We see the banality of life in wartime and then, out of nowhere, are overwhelmed by the absurd horrors of warfare. Just as jarringly, the novel will revert to a calmer time, even while the trauma still weighs so heavily. The novel does a good job of situating the reader in the same mindset as Ana. When she’s bored or uncomfortable or numb or terrified, the narrative places the reader in the same headspace.

I appreciated that none of the characters in this novel fit into any easy boxes. The people in Ana’s life are complicated and flawed, and her relationships with them equally so. Ana is a sympathetic heroine, but she is by no means a perfect one. I appreciated that Nović didn’t feel the need to make Ana some perfect victim. She’s lived a difficult life and consequently become a difficult person. She often knowingly treats people she loves poorly, but that maltreatment doesn’t come from nowhere. As readers, we are privy to why Ana does what she does, not in a way that excuses her behavior, but does explain it. And while her American family may not be in a position to call her on it, the novel allows that her friends in Croatia are.

Another aspect of the novel I appreciated was its juxtaposition of American and Croatian attitudes and cultures, as well as Ana’s position as an immigrant. It added another complexity to the novel, but never felt burdensome or preachy.

Ultimately, this was a literary and well-crafted novel that covers difficult subject matter with tact and skill. I wish I had enjoyed it more than I had.

#books #readsreels #recommendations