Season of My Enemy

April 11, 2022
In this misfiring installment in the Heroines of WWII series, Musch (Song for the Hunter) follows a young woman willing to do whatever it takes to keep her family’s farm afloat—including working with German prisoners of war. Fannie O’Brien has taken over her family’s Wisconsin farm following the death of her father. But the work proves too much for Fannie and her teenage siblings, so at the behest of her mother, Fannie contracts German POWs from a nearby prison camp to help out. Though initially resistant to the idea, Fannie comes to appreciate the Germans’ hard work. She catches the eye of the God-fearing Capt. Wolfgang Kloninger, who she’s drawn to in spite of herself. Then, after a fire damages the crops and a gun goes missing, Fannie must decide which of the Germans can be trusted. Musch stretches credulity with her rose-colored portrayal of the German POWs, who are “glad their part in the war is over” and conveniently “had not committed the atrocities of war.” Readers will struggle to believe this simplistic depiction of homefront life during WWII.

May 1, 2022

Since all available men are fighting for the Allies overseas; Fannie O'Brien bears the weight of her Wisconsin family farm on her shoulders. Her mother enlists the only help she can--German Prisoners of War shipped to the Heartland from the front lines. Fannie cannot imagine working alongside men who might have been shooting at her brothers and killing her friends. Days of doing hard manual labor side by side, however, cause her to realize the gap between her and the prisoners isn't as wide as she thought. When the newsreels come out about the Nazi death camps, however, both Americans and Germans have to reckon with the atrocities of war and find a way to move forward in forgiveness and freedom. VERDICT Avid readers will snap up this World War II homefront tale, which contains timely messages of overcoming prejudice. Musch (Song for the Hunter) weaves moral lessons with a gentle touch and strong background research. The unlikely friendships are reminiscent of classic stories like Bette Greene's Summer of My German Soldier and Jack Cavanaugh's Dear Enemy.--Christine Barth

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