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An Innocent Soldier
A naive country boy grapples with life in the army during Napoleon's disastrous campaign against Russia.Adam is a farmhand conscripted by Napoleon's army, which is gathering strength for its campaign against Russia. Sergeant Krauter makes Adam the victim of his most sadistic urges. But when an aristocratic young lieutenant spots Adam and requisitions him as his personal ...more
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published
October 1st 2005
by Scholastic Inc.
(first published 2002)
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This book was recommended to me by a friend with excellent taste, so I started reading it the moment I could. I think giving a detailed summary of the book is really unneccesary, since several others have already done that and I'm not Wikipedia in any case, so I'll just give the things I liked and disliked about it (and isn't that what reviews are for anyways?).
I was a little baffled by the beginning of the book, which had a generic play-by-play style, but quickly moved into a broad...more
I was a little baffled by the beginning of the book, which had a generic play-by-play style, but quickly moved into a broad...more
The best thing about this book is that it tells a story not often told, of those who fought under Napoleon. It starts out pretty good too, with a farmer sending his servant to war, instead of his son, who was actually the one conscripted. Unfortunately, not a lot happens after that. Oh, there is some (lots actually) gore and dead bodies, and some illness, but Adam never actually fights another soldier. It's more a tale of an unusual friendship, with an unusual background.
This book received the Mildred L. Batchelder award. This story is set back in the nineteenth century in pre-unified Germany. Adam an orphan who becomes enlisted in Napoleon’s army by the farmer under which he works. The farmer enlists him under his son’s name, Georg Bayh. Adam is a young boy only in his teens. He suffers ridicule from the sergeant under which he works. Finally, a young lieutenant needs a servant and Adam gets the position. The terrors of war are echoed throughout the book...more
This book pretty decent, in my opinion. The plot had a nice story, but one dislike that I have for the book is its lack of action. To me, it seemed like the majority of the book, Adam, the protagonist was quarreling with Sgt. Krauter. The times in the book where there was the most action were the moments when the cavalry approached Moscow.
However, I thought that Josef Holub did a fantastic job in the beginning. I was completely confused when the farmer took Adam to town and found ou...more
However, I thought that Josef Holub did a fantastic job in the beginning. I was completely confused when the farmer took Adam to town and found ou...more
This book could have been so much better if it just explored the relationship between Adam Neve and Konrad Klara more honestly.
The book has an interesting plot: a farmer's servant (Adam) gets falsely enlisted in Napoleon's army to battle the Russians (Adam is mistaken for the farmer's actual son, who is supposed to fight in the war). The unfit-for battle-Adam (because he is underage)travels with a hard-ass who physically abuses him, and then is taken under the wing of a lieutenant,...more
The book has an interesting plot: a farmer's servant (Adam) gets falsely enlisted in Napoleon's army to battle the Russians (Adam is mistaken for the farmer's actual son, who is supposed to fight in the war). The unfit-for battle-Adam (because he is underage)travels with a hard-ass who physically abuses him, and then is taken under the wing of a lieutenant,...more
Jessica
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Grades 8-11
Shelves:
historicalfiction
I found this book to be a delightful piece of historical fiction, rich in detail, history and even humor. :) As Adam begins the story in his own words, I was hooked instantly.
Here's a short *grin* summary:
The book begins in 1811 in pre-unification Germany as a farmer enlists his unwitting farmhand, Adam, in Napoleon's Grande Armée under the name of his only son, Georg Bayh. The bewildered teen, who is sure that this great mistake will eventually be rectified, trains dutifully ...more
Here's a short *grin* summary:
The book begins in 1811 in pre-unification Germany as a farmer enlists his unwitting farmhand, Adam, in Napoleon's Grande Armée under the name of his only son, Georg Bayh. The bewildered teen, who is sure that this great mistake will eventually be rectified, trains dutifully ...more
A historical fiction war novel with a decidedly anti-war stance. It stars Adam, a young farmhand conscripted into Napoleon's army in 1811. Adam becomes the servant of a noble lieutenant, and eventually befriends him as they bear the harshness of war together. There isn't any battlefield action, but death and gore abound, so those with weak stomachs should take caution. A bit slow but worth it. More of a 4.5.
This book was a good read. The book was called an innocent soldier. The book starts out when a farm boy is taken into napoleans army. he is then assigned a lieutenant. After being separated from the rest they bonded.
This book reminds me of when Ishmael Beah was forced to join the army. In a way they both had no choice.
If i had to rate this it would be a 4. I think that the best part is when adam started bonding with the lieutenant. Even though theyb were from tw...more
This book reminds me of when Ishmael Beah was forced to join the army. In a way they both had no choice.
If i had to rate this it would be a 4. I think that the best part is when adam started bonding with the lieutenant. Even though theyb were from tw...more
This was a very good book which showed how no matter how different the worlds people come from, they can always manage to become friends. This story gave me a sense of hope and made what some might find to be a boring history story of Napoleon's grand army become a great adventure. It is easy to relate to the characters although it happens in the past.
An orphaned in constripted into Napoleon's army from a small country village in the place of his master's son. A look at the grimness of war. A good historical fiction piece for teens.
Anthony
added it
well. i gave up on this book before i was finished reading it. which is the danger
of writing one of those march through the cold harsh nature parts of a plot.
of writing one of those march through the cold harsh nature parts of a plot.
It's about a boy who is conscripted into Napoleon's army in 1811 and fights in the disastrous invasion of Russia. It seems real to life. I enjoyed reading it.
Another one of my favorites. Tells the story of a young soldier who ought under the greatest emperor ever, Napoleon I.
2006 Batchelder Award Winner
Jan
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Teens who like historical fiction
Shelves:
teenbooks
A historical novel about Napoleon's abortive attempt to invade Russia in 1812. Adam works for a farmer who, in a desperate attempt to save his own son, volunteers Adam in his place. Adam is now a soldier in Napoleon's Grande Armee. He spends much of his time as a servant for a young aristocrat. The two forge a bond of friendship when Adam cares for his master when he is stricken with dysentery. The book is rich with historical detail but a bit slow in pace.
A look at the hardships of Napoleon's army's retreat from Moscow, interwoven with a story of friendship formed in unlikely circumstances. The writing style and phrasing can sometimes be peculiar -- don't know whether that is just the translation or if it also exists in the original. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it greatly -- it has become one of my winter re-reads.
this book was soooooo boring....... i got to page 82 and i just couldn't finish. As i was reading o told myself not to give up on the book, but it just got worse..... there was no way i can finish it.
This book is about a farmer who tricked this boy into going in the napolean war where he has to clean up after the horse and other jobs he has to do
The cover is terrible but have heard if you can get past that and the preface, it is a really great historical fiction.
This book was dry and I didn't finish it.
Rachel
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Josef Holub was born in Neuern, Bohemia, and lived through the Second World War in his early teens. By his own account, he has earned his living as a smuggler, a mason, a mail carrier, a postal administrator, and a village mayor. He published his first book, a memoir of his own war years, in 1997, when he was sixty-seven. Since then, he has published six more books and has won many awards, includi...more
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