Tamar

A thrilling novel!

Tamar is a thrilling novel all the way to the end. I think one of the main themes is the humanity of war. I think the author¿s purpose was to show how war actually affects people: what decision¿s you make, the thoughts you have, the mental and emotional effect on those involved.

The year is 1945. World War II is coming to a close. Tamar is a Dutch spy fighting for the British to free his homeland, Holland. He is accompanied by another Dutch soldier, Dart. They are stationed in a small isolated farm, to lower their visibility from the Germans. Tamar falls in love with a young woman living on the farm, Marijke. Unfortunately, Dart is also in love with her, and becomes jealous when Tamar and Marijke begin to have a relationship.

Meanwhile, in 1995, a young woman by the name of Tamar is living in England. Her grandfather recently committed suicide and leaves behind a box filled with unusual contents. She begins to discover the meaning of the items left behind, and with it discovers the truth behind her grandfather.

"We tell ourselves we're different from them. But this morning, I watched them while they murdered a hundred and sixteen people. So I wanted to kill them. The sickness in those men, those Germans? It's in me, too." That is the quote behind which my thesis is based. I find that it explains how war plays games with your head and makes you think differently.

I think this book achieves its goals and the author¿s purpose. It does show how the war affected the characters in this story. Some of the damage was permanent, some wasn¿t.

I think the author does in fact show how war actually affects your head: what decision¿s you make, the thoughts you have, the mental and emotional effect on those involved. War is a tough battle, and it affects everyone.

Tamar is a very good novel, and I would recommend it to those old enough to understand it. It is very deep and thrilling, and the ending will surprise you.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An Amazing Read

This book was wonderfully written. Mal Peet weaves an intricate plot around the lives of two men during the war that has consquences on his grandaugter 50 years later. It grabs your attention right away and doesn't let it go until the last word. At first I thought this novel may turn out to be boring but by the end I felt as though i was part of the experience they were having. I started reading it as an English Assignment but finished it as a book I sincerely enjoyed reading.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

I thought this book was wonderfully written. The story¿s plot is so intricate and descriptive you feel as if you are actually going through the experience and emotions with the characters. I started it as reading for an English assignment but finished it as a book I sincerely enjoyed reading.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow, blew me away

Tamar is one of the best works of storytelling I have read this year, maybe in my entire life. Its an intricate blend of relationships, war, betrayal, and modern life. I was extremely suprised at how good a book it was, and it met my high expectations. The ending was very shocking, and somehow ruined it for me :0 but I still love it anyways. This story will definitely stick with me!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of my favorites now!!

My dad and I were shopping and he saw this book on a shelf. I was reluctant to get this book, but I bought it anyway. I really loved this book from beginning to the very end. I would very much reccommend this book to anyone: it has everything that a good story needs, romance a thrilling plot and interesting twists.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow....

Wow, this book was very entertaining that I read it all in one day. This story about Tamar is just... insiteful and very interesting. It really brings the past forward into a story you don't quite expect and one that surprises you at the end. You should read this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Must read

I was wandering the shelves of the books store, and this caught my eye. I read a few pages, and I wasn¿t entirely sure. It seemed too expensive and I was afraid that it would ramble too much. But, I bought it anyway. I finished the book that night and when I reached the page, and if you have read the book you might know which one I was talking about, I literally screamed. The author has woven a net of perfection inside me and made me fall in love with all the characters of the book. It was amazing and so inspiring that I have no words that can describe my feeling for it. It is a wonderfully written story that deserves to be read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very good book!

I loved this book. It really makes you think and is just amazing!! I read it in a day.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Thrilling Pageturner

I started reading Tamar in a Barnes and Nobles bookstore and I couldn't put it down I spent the next 4 hours sitting on the floor reading it.The story was written in such detail that you feel as if you experience every emotion the characters go through. The story is divided into two time periods, 1945 and 1995. Perhaps the Tamar of 1995, wasn't given enough character development, but I didn't really connect with her character. However, the story was still wonderful. When I was reading, it was as if I were watching the scenes unfold before my eyes. Even after I finished reading it, I kept on thinking about the story all day. I can see this book becoming an award winning movie. Tamar will become a favourite with anyone who reads it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

fabulous

I don't usually put much stock in subtitles to books. However, with this book, I have to admit that the subtitle really tells you everything you need to know. Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal really is just that. In other words, it's an exciting and suspenseful read with quite a few mysterious twists thrown in along the way (to be fair I should point out that I had guessed one of the major twists about thirty pages in, but that only made me want to read faster to see if I was right and, perhaps, made the ending slightly less shocking--you'll have to see for yourself though).

Tamar is actually two stories. What I am going to call the main story (because it takes up more of the novel) occurs between 1944 and 1945 first in England and later (and mostly) in Holland. World War II is well under way, but as time passes, it becomes clear that the Nazis will not win. The main question, then, becomes whether the Germans will have the chance to leave their occupied countries behind intact or in a state of burning rubble. In order to prevent the latter, England's Special Operations Executive (SOE)--a covert military group--have trained and dispatched operatives to go undercover in the Netherlands and undermine the German authority. These operatives, as far as the government are concerned, have no names being known only by an alias. The two SOE operatives at the center of Tamar are named for rivers in England: Tamar and Dart. Working from in Holland, Tamar's job is to consolidate the resistance movement into a more coherent group. Dart accompanies Tamar as his wireless operator. Many other memorable, and important, characters make appearances here. The last of the main characters are rounded out with Marijke, a young woman who lives with her grandmother on the farm Tamar will call his home while undercover.

The other, smaller, part of the story is set in England. The year is 1995 and the narrator is a fifteen-year-old girl named Tamar--the granddaughter of one of the resistance fighters. Tamar's life seems to be falling into chaos. Her father has disappeared, her grandmother Marijke is ill, and her grandfather William Hyde is dead. Inheriting a mysterious box from her grandfather inspires Tamar to follow his clues to understand his death and, although she doesn't know it yet, to uncover one of her family's oldest secrets as well.

I really liked this book. The story is a real page turner but at the same time Peet also offers a very clear examination of the human condition. World War II is a huge event for, basically, everyone. But as time passes, the immediacy of the War also seems to diminish. One of the great things about Peet's writing is how eloquently he conveys the fear these men and women felt during the War--even as they chose to put their lives at risk to fight for what they thought was right. Nothing is black and white in this novel, even as characters make mistakes and stumble down their roads paved with good intentions, Peets offers them a chance for redemption and, maybe more importantly, forgiveness. That is why, I think, the Carnegie Medal committee gave Tamar its award and, write that the book "ultimately offers a sense of optimism."

By comparison, the 1995 sections fall flat. These parts of the novel, serve as a nice counterpoint to the novel, but don't really feel vital until the end.

Danger. Love. Betrayal. Such a great book.

"Tamar" was such a GREAT book! I couldn't stop reading it. I loved that it gave you an inside look into the operations of resistance groups during WWII and the perils of working underground. It was very complicated and dangerous work. I also appreciated that it gave a glimpse into what it was like for ordinary citizens living under occupation (the hunger, the fear, curfew, check points, reprisals, etc.). More than anything I loved the story that developed between Tamar, Dart and Marijke. It is a heartbreaking story of love, resistance, danger, betrayal and secrets. As the story unraveled I found myself gasping for air. By the end of the novel I was floored by the revelations that had been wrapped in mystery earlier in the novel. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Amazing!

So good! Suspenseful and shocking!

Superb Storytelling & Brilliant Tie-Ins Between Two Time Periods

Tamar by Mal Peet depicts the character of the same name, who, following the death of her World War II Dutch resistance grandfather, is bequeathed a box fill with secrets that will alter her life forever; as she cracks the codes and solves the clues, more secrets of lust, tragedy and passion are revealed that in conjunction with Peet's excellent writing and usage of sensory details, creates a complex, fulfilling story that will evoke confusion, grief and exhilaration out of the reader.

Tamar is a great read for history buffs, mystery novel enthusiasts, and romantics alike, and is easy to follow along with. In the book, the plot switches back and forth between the 1970's-1990's and 1940's World War II era. However, transitions are not strenuous as Peet does an outstanding job making the shifts in time periods cohesive by making sections of the story finite, allowing for one to finish with one part of the book and move to the next. A dislike I had was that although the dialogue was key in establishing subtle pieces of characterization and revealing pieces of the characters' personalities, it sometimes lost momentum and ran a little dry, and one would be left waiting for the dialogue to end so the plot can continue.

In the story Tamar, a 'bright eyed and smart' 15 year old British-Dutch girl is a bit brittle due to the deaths of her grandfather and father but has an acute eye for detail, begins to hold her past dear to herself as she investigates the mystery. She is motivated by intrigue, and she herself is confused by the mysteries of the box, wondering if her journey is truly simply for 'sentimental reasons'. Tamar is an admirable character however, navigating through obstacles such as the loss of loved ones through her own perseverance, and uses her adventure as a way of maturing into adulthood.
A theme found in the story, especially in the World War II sequences, is the questioning of one self's humanity, such as the dialogue plays out:
"We tell ourselves we're different from them.But this morning, I watched them while they murdered a hundred and sixteen people. So I wanted to kill them. The sickness in those men, those Germans? It's in me, too."
The character is questioning between what he perceives as right and what the reality possibly may be. He is a soldier, but becomes concerned about what he is actually fighting for. Since he is questioning his own morality, it is a nod towards the primal state of man, and the line between good and evil that becomes distorted by violence - a sentiment that still exists today when we witness violence unfold.
Tamar is a Best Seller and Carnegie Medal Winner because it uses strong storytelling technique, timeless global themes, and at way of showing a young adult's transition into adulthood that is fluid. It contains subject matter that we - regardless of age- can all learn from.

Another (excellent) look at WWII

I will admit, I have a weakness for WWII novels. That aside, this one was excellent. The characters could have easily been overdone, but they were believable. Compelling story. I recommend this to anyone.

Love IT!!

I love this book and I had a hard time understanding it at first but my book club and I became highly intrigued. I love this book and I plan to reread it with my school.

More than just another war story

In 1995, Tamar, one of the main characters, receives a box from her grandfather after his death. At first, she is unwilling to open the box; but when she does, she finds remnants of her grandfather's past. She knew that her grandfather was part of the Dutch resistance during WWII, but she was never told anything else about the subject. When the items in the box strike Tamar's curiosity, she goes on an adventurous journey with her cousin to help answer her questions.

The book was enjoyable because the descriptions of every scene allow the reader to feel as if he or she is actually in the story. Despite the story toggling back-and-forth between the years 1944-5 and 1995, the story transitions smoothly. Another aspect of the book that I like is that the book has two different stories- one that takes place during WWII and one that takes place in 1995- and they're both connected to each other. Both stories combine to make a book that I'd recommend to anybody who is capable of reading.

Truly Amazing

Even though when I got to the end, I was so unbearably sad that I couldn't cry, I have to say this is an extremely well-written book, and being a gullible reader, I never guessed a thing. Once I finished it, I thought, "I so should have been able to guess that," but no, I didn't. I can't honestly say that I enjoyed the book. I will never forget it, but I would never pick it up to have a good time. All I could think about was Tamar, Marijke, and Dart and what happened to them. The book isn't boasting unnecessarily when it says Tamar is a story of romance, espionage, and jealousy. Lots of jealousy. I hated Dart. With a passion. I could not believe a person could be so blinded by jealousy that they couldn't even see their friend. The plot is so complex, I was always interested in the book. I got to a point where the flashback thing didn't really bug me. I loved both Tamars in a way that only readers can love, and I respect Marijke for being strong and determined. I suppose, ultimately, the book is about the hardest thing in life to give - forgiveness - especially if you have to forgive all of THAT.

Liked the book

I really liked reading about Holland during the Hunger Winter. The different perspectives made the book interesting. It was a part of World War II that I had never read before. I liked the message of forgiveness in the end.

Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com

In 1944, two spies are sent deep within Nazi-occupied Holland. Their mission - to help those involved with the Dutch resistance movement. Both men are trained to send, receive, and translate coded messages. These messages contain valuable information concerning the movements of the Nazi army. Even though these men face death at every turn, they are committed to stopping the evil that is associated with the Nazi regime.

In 1995, Tamar is dealing with the suicide of her grandfather. He has left Tamar a box full of clues that she cannot decipher. She decides that it is one of his elaborate puzzles; one that Tamar may not be able to solve. After enlisting the help of her cousin, Yoyo, Tamar sets off on a journey to discover why her grandfather left her these treasures, and what they mean to her family.

Mal Peet has created a novel that intertwines the story of a young girl's journey of self-discovery and a young soldier's fight to stay alive. It is a beautifully written novel that contains secrets within secrets. Peet leads the reader on an adventure that is both intriguing and frightening. Readers may be left speechless once the truth unfolds.

A definite must-read for those who love historical fiction.

A reviewer

Tamar had everything a good book should have: adventure, suspense, romance, humor. There was nothing missing from this book! I've read more books than i could possibly count but this is definitely one I'll recommend to anyone I meet! I strongly suggest reading this!