Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Book Review: Prudence

Prudence by David Treuer -- A good writer can show you a picture of what's happening, show you the surroundings and you can feel what the characters feel, all without the language shouting at you. That is what happened in this book. It is beautifully written. Reading good writing warms my heart and soul.

Set in northern Minnesota, characters include a POW camp for German soldiers during WWII, a Chicago-area couple who own a summer resort across the river from the camp, their son, some of his friends, both Indian and white, and various local residents.

The story comes around and loops into its many threads, kind of like real life does. People are affected by a tragic accident; it stays with them for the rest of their days; Nazi atrocities even make a quiet visit to this remote town several years after the end of the war. Humans have a way of loving, living, and hurting each other, and this book shows it all from the inside out. Great book.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This book sounds very interesting! I know there were 15 POW branch camps in Minnesota and my hometown was one of the sites(before my time, of course). I never really heard much about it, just knew it and the Germans and Italians were there to help with the labor shortage. I will have to put this book on my "to read" list.

Anonymous said...

I found a website that lists the 15 MN POW camps, if your interested: http://campalgonapowmuseumgermanpows.weebly.com/camp-algona-branch-camps.html There are 34 listed at the link, but they are not all MN. The MN camps are numbers 1-14, 16.

Carol E. said...

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.