The Letter Carrier by Laurie L.C. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Michelle Naget is a young girl whose life has been one of happiness, family and fun, she lives with her parents and four brothers of which, she is the middle child, in the small village of Braquis, they are close and life is good, but when news starts arriving about the Nazi invasion, Michelle has no idea just how much her life is going to change.

It was a slow change at first, there were rumblings of fighting breaking out, but it wasn’t near to their village, but slowly, more and more people were seen walking through the town with only what they could carry and it was a shock to Michelle and her younger brothers when they joined them. They packed only the essentials and fled their home, this journey was full of danger and reality soon descends on the Naget family as events cause their worst fears to come to pass, a troop of Nazi soldiers find them, but one of the family has split off and they do not know what has happened to them as they are escorted back to their home, but it is not as it was left, their belongings are strewn in the road, as are those of their neighbours. That is not the worst of it, they now find that because they have space in their home, it has been requisitioned by the Nazi’s for their officers and now the Naget family have to serve their oppressors and become almost slaves in their own home.

This becomes their life four the next four years as the Nazi’s invasion continues, they are treated like slaves, food is scarce and school and work are the only things they are allowed to do, apart from attending the local church, this becomes a lifeline for Michelle as she desperately hangs onto her faith. Amid tensions with the other villagers, who question their loyalty and the threat of harm constantly hovering over their heads the Naget family take their family motto to heart “We do what must be done” and keep it there as they pray for the Allies to come and set them free, the only thing which keeps them sane are the letters they receive, for Michelle that is from a young man they met while fleeing from their home, Légère.

As tensions increase and the line between life and death becomes akin to a knife’s edge, can Michelle keep herself and her family safe, or will one of them make the wrong move and end it all? This is an emotionally stirring tale of the effects occupation can have from the perspective of a young person who is coming of age and how war and stress can become a part of life. It will leave you feeling like you have been through the ringer with the characters, as you struggle to put down this engaging rollercoaster of a book.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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