Michael Grant is a great author. I read the first book in this series, which I did enjoy but not enough to continue with the series. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

An ingenious novel packed with fact, fiction and important themes. The three main viewpoint characters are incredibly detailed as is the plot which somehow seems to cover a hell of a lot in a short space of time in an exciting and engaging prose.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a bit of a shot in the dark for me. All too often when an author tries to address questions of gender politics in an alternate historical setting, either the characterisation or the narrative, or even the rest of the historucal accuracy, is affected. No such problems here. Grant's one twist is that women enlisted in the army proper in WWII (from America - it was a bit of a different set up in the UK although royal proclaimation would not allow women in roles where they engaged the enemy with weapons - unlike Russia who sensibly grabbed all the able bodied people they could get regardless of gender) and he pulls it off splendidly.

The book is replete with historical detail and Grant evokes the feel of the time very well indeed. Rio, Frangie and Rainy are great characters, each giving you a different POV on why they enlisted and on different parts of the military - soldier, medic, spy.

Grant does not pull punches when it comes to gore either. It's not gratuitous but it is authentic - being a girl doesn't make you magically blade and bullet proof, something which other (particularly male) authors sometimes fall into the trap of doing.

Altogether this was a very compelling read. I quite liked the rathet bizarre Gone series, but Grant blows his previous works out of the water here in my opinion.

I love micheal grant ive read his other books i pertically loved his gone series. i think hes got an amazing imagination the things this man can twist from his amazing mind into a best seller book is phenominal what an amazing writer i loved this story well done .