Things We Didn't Say

by Amy Lynn Green

Overview

Headstrong Johanna Berglund, a linguistics student at the University of Minnesota, has very definite plans for her future . . . plans that do not include returning to her hometown and the secrets and heartaches she left behind there. But the US Army wants her to work as a translator at a nearby camp for German POWs.

Johanna arrives to find the once-sleepy town exploding with hostility. Most patriotic citizens want nothing to do with German soldiers laboring in their fields, and they're not afraid to criticize those who work at the camp as well. When Johanna describes the trouble to her friend Peter Ito, a language instructor at a school for military intelligence officers, he encourages her to give the town that rejected her a second chance.

As Johanna interacts with the men of the camp and censors their letters home, she begins to see the prisoners in a more sympathetic light. But advocating for better treatment makes her enemies in the community, especially when charismatic German spokesman Stefan Werner begins to show interest in Johanna and her work. The longer Johanna wages her home-front battle, the more the lines between compassion and treason become blurred—and it's no longer clear whom she can trust.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764237164
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	259,229
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Amy Lynn Green is a publicist by day and a freelance writer on nights and weekends. She was the 2014 winner of the Family Fiction short story contest, and her articles have been featured in Crosswalk, Focus on the Family magazines, and other faith-based publications over the past 10 years. This is her first novel. Learn more at www.amygreenbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/01/2020

DEBUT Johanna Berglund is accused of helping two German prisoners of war escape during World War II and faces charges of treason. In her defense, she assembles a collection of letters, telegrams, and newspaper articles that detail her relationships and actions over the past year as a translator and censor for Camp Ironside in rural Minnesota. The brilliant and socially awkward Johanna at first thinks her military assignment is an unnecessary detour, but she soon develops a rapport with the Germans. Her most frequent correspondent, Nisei language instructor Peter Ito, warns her it could be dangerous to get too close to the enemy. However, Peter's descriptions of his treatment at the hands of the U.S. Army while his family is in internment camps only strengthens Johanna's resolve to advocate for the prisoners. The entire story is creatively told through letters, which heightens the mystery of who the real traitor is. VERDICT Green's debut is a memorable and moving exploration of prejudice and friendship across ethnic and gender lines. For readers who enjoy tales of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary historical situations à la Susan Meissner and Lisa Wingate.—Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA

Library Journal