Shadow on the Mountain (J-Fic 2012) - Margi Preus
304 pages
Based on actual events, this story of resistance and spying during the Nazi occupation of Norway in WWII begins well with 14-year-old Espen not only trying to figure out what's happening to his peace-loving country, but also to some of his friends and family as they begin to change.
Espen's school and soccer friends are beginning to grow apart, taking interest in other activities. This is normal for kids, but in an occupied country, changes can lead to dangerous situations. Espen finds himself in the midst of several changes, some of which he's not sure how to handle. Eventually he will have to make some major changes and decisions in his own life.
The novel seems to lose something when the story moves ahead in large gaps of time. We understand that the characters and situations have changed during these intervals, but something about the transitions just didn't work. (Clearly I can't put my finger on what that something is...) I think that perhaps the problem is in trying to tell to many stories without giving us enough development of those stories.
Kids who have an interest in history will probably enjoy Shadow on the Mountain, but lovers of Rick Riordan and fast-paced adventure - probably not. Still, for those kids who love history and spy stories (and they are out there), it's worth a look.
3/5
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