484-1

Another stunning novel. I lavished praise upon Killeen's debut novel, Orphan Monster Spy, and this sequel hits a lot of the same notes. If you are a fan of espionage and historical thrillers, you will love this. Even if you're not, you might love this book anyway. It started off weak, hence only 4 stars, but really hooked me in by about halfway through.

The heroine - an intensely complex young woman - gets a first-hand glimpse of some of the atrocities occurring in Africa during WW2. Many details are based on fact, and I want to thank the author again for not only telling this story, but for doing his part to expose the "very real Eurocentric bias that permeates Western culture" (especially that of our history during this time period), and continually addressing white ignorance throughout the narrative.

It's dark. Incredibly dark. I believe the style and subject skirts the line of YA, so read with caution.

Content warnings: drugs, addiction, withdrawal, needles, racism, genocide, slavery, eugenics, child abuse, paedophilia (implied), rape (implied), prostitution (implied), starvation, vomiting, suicidal thoughts, trauma, war, violence, blood, gore, death, animal abuse ( )

Masquerading as the teenage Aryan Ursula Haller, Sarah Goldstein continues to spy against Nazi Germany. Set in 1940, she and the Captain travel to Africa to track down evidence that the Nazis are planning to use a biological weapon (using a highly contagious disease) to defeat the British and Americans (who have not entered WWII yet), using Japanese rocketry. Along the way, they pick up a black servant and there is a great deal made of racism and sexism throughout the book. Unfortunately, the book was way too slow, until the end when there were a few unexpected plot twists and Sarah, who has been decisive for almost the entire book, takes matters into her own hands to stop the deadly disease from being used by anyone. The battles at the end, and Killeen's afterword saved this book from the 2-stars it deserved for the first 3/4s of the novel. ( )