My Brother’s Shadow is the story of Moritz, a sixteen year old German living with his mother and sister in the waning days of World War One. His father died on the front, and his brother has gone off to war, filling Moritz with a desperate pride in the Fatherland, which is complicated by the fact that his mother and sister are attending rallies of the Social Democrats, a group that hopes to end the war. When his brother returns home badly wounded and deeply bitter, Moritz realizes he has joined More...

I absolutely loved this book and I have no doubt most readers will love it as well. More, I loved Saraswatti’s Way and was looking forward to see if this book would live up to Schröder's last. It absolutely does and Schröder can be proud that not only has she written one amazing book that everyone should read, now she’s written two.

My Brother’s Shadow is historical fiction set in Germany in 1918 during the First World War. First World War, I hear you asking. Does that mean there won’t be any Na More...

I am not sure what it is about German history that I love but I enjoy reading books about it. My father was stationed there after the wall went up. He used to talk about the beauty of the country and the Black Forest. I have been real interested in anything to do with Berlin as well. This is the first book I have read that occurred before Hitler. I learned a lot. If you want to read something about German History then you need to pick up books by this author. She is able to take history and craf More...

Set in Berlin in 1918, in the final days of World War I, this new novel tells the story of sixteen-year old Moritz, whose family's existence, like that of everyone else in Germany, has been ravaged by the effects of the seemingly endless war. His father was killed on the battlefield, his older brother, Hans, is serving in the trenches on the Western front, his little sister has died of illness, and his mother spends all her time either working at an ammunition factory or attending socialist part More...

A fascinating WWI "family drama" story that gives an interesting look into the day-to-day life and struggles of the German citizens during WWI. I didn't have huge hopes for this book when I first started it, thinking that it would be nothing but a preach about how wonderful socialists are. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Author actually offered a pretty balanced view on the politics surrounding WWI, pointing out that every political faction had a bunch of smaller wings to them, a More...

My Brother’s Shadow is a realistic look at life on the home front in Berlin just as World War I is coming to a close and Germany is about to surrender, a time and place not usually explored in young adult fiction.

Moritz Schmidt, 16, lives in a small apartment with his mother Anna Schmidt, sister Hedwig and grandmother. His older brother Hans is off fighting in the trenches at the Western Front, where his father has already been killed. And a little sister has also died relatively recently. Mori More...

It is 1918 in Berlin, and 16-year-old Moritz has no clear ideas about the war that is drawing to a close except that it has been very hard on his family. His father was killed and his older brother severely wounded in the war. His mother and sister have been drawn into the socialist movement that is intent on doing away with the Kaiser and instituting a democracy. The wounded brother, embittered by his experiences as a soldier, joins an anti-semitic counterrevolution. While the family is torn ap More...

This is a YA title and, for me, read more as a novella: a bit too short. Still, a good depiction of a middle class family in Berlin at the end of WWI. Father killed at the front and one brother devastatingly wounded. At home, the mother and daughter are involved with the social democrats and the movement to end the war. The younger brother is confused, afraid of the changes coming and doesn't know where his loyalties lie. A good author's note at the end describing the real events at the end of t More...

I thought this was a pretty good book. It is told from a sixteen year old German Boy's perspective at the end of WW I. This is a time period in history in which my knowledge is definitely lacking, so I feel like I have a better understanding after having read it. The protagonist, Moritz, is dealing with having lost a father and younger sister during the war. His mother and older sister have become political activists, much to his chagrin. And his older brother is off fighting and becomes wounded More...

Thoughts on the Overall Book: Give me anything about the Germans in the First World War and I'm usually happy. It all goes back to the fact that Manfred von Richthofen is one of my favorite historical people of all time, but still, I love the Germans and since I have German roots, I'm always interested in the history. This was actually I side of the war I haven't really visited before: the home front. (Usually I like the front lines) but I enjoyed reading about what life was like back in Germany More...

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Historical fiction fascinates me. I specifically love how you can be dropped in a place and time during history and you can learn about it through a character's story. Often times it is a time and a place that is not often talked about and My Brother's Shadow is no exception. In this story, we get to see WWI from the point of view of the "enemy". It shows that you cannot generalize an entire nation of people no matter how horrible the decision More...

Review originally posted at Y.A. Love

Historical fiction is a genre that I make a conscious effort to read. I enjoy history and am a history minor, but I often pick other genres before historical fiction. I was excited when Monika asked if I'd like to read her novel, especially because I have a few boys in class that really enjoy war novels. My Brother's Shadow was a bit slow for me to start. The story takes its time introducing us to Moritz and the confused life he's living. His mother is anti-w More...

This book gets an A+ for time period and historical accuracy and really looking at the social implications of fighting a losing war in such a proud country, and how different people reacted. Germany at the end of World War I was tired and poor. They didn't have enough supplies, and the people were becoming restless and inspired by the Bolsheviks while others remained loyal to the Kaiser. So much turmoil, and though it's an often discussed period of time in history I think this is the first book More...

My Brother’s Shadow is an interesting historical fiction novel with an endearing main character. It is set in Germany during World War I. The people are tired, hungry and at odds with each other over a war that was supposed to have ended quickly. The people want a revolution but at what cost?

Moritz is the main character of the novel. He is a sixteen year old boy but he must be the man of the house after his father’s death and his brother’s enlistment in the military. He works at the local newspa More...

Although not horrible and interesting enough to keep me from skimming, I didn't really like this book for multiple reasons. Written in first-person, the writing was bland. Secondly, I did not feel I got anything from this book; morally or historically. I wish there would have been more information of the social conditions of that time period. Third, I did not like the ending. It was one of those incomplete endings. It ends with Moritz and his Jewish girlfriend seeing Moritz's brother, distributi More...

Excellent historical fiction offering a vivid portrait of the times. Great insights into the burdens the war brought upon civilians and the political upheaval that resulted.

Unusual subject and perspective...well-developed characters and much less clear-cut "good versus bad" people as typically seen in children's books! well done

4.5 Stars

Engrossing read set in Germany during WWI. I could relate to Moritz, and I found his daily struggles and triumphs compelling.

Full review soon at www.mangamaniaccafe.com

There is so little historical fiction from World War I; take notice of this one from a teen's point of view.

The nlast third of this book took a weak 3 star and turned it into a solid 4 star YA story. I read YA occasionally with the hope I can entice my daughters to read the same story and this is a rare YA story taking place in Germany near the end of World War I. It is a very well paced insight about a torn family with sons and brothers in a War that has become very unpopular (sound familiar) with those back home and how traitorous the returning soldiers think those that oppose the War are.A good his More...

This was a very nicely written book about Moritz and his family during World War I, centering around his mother and brother's political views. I won this and was glad I did...

This is good young adult historical fiction. And a good story!

This is a well-written book about what Germany experienced in it's pre-Hitler moments. I enjoyed the story and the characters and my only complaint would be in ended abruptly.

from a GoodReads ad. Sounds interesting!

Fine historical about 16YO Moritz, pressman and budding journalist, who must grow up quickly at the end of WWI at the time of the Kaiser's abdication. His mother is a political activist, his brother Hans maimed and embittered by his service in the war. Moritz finds first love with Rebecca, a Jew, and at the book's end, the younger reader will feel the ominous coming of far worse things on the horizon, while the more sophisticated reader will know these monsters' names: Adolf Hitler and Nazism. More...

I won this book through GoodReads first reads and it is a great story from another perspective. I Really connected with moritz and felt there was awesome character development with him. I really enjoyed the political views from another culture and felt they were well portrayed. 4.5 stars

An average simple book. I think the story explains historical events to simplistically. Not really much climax and suspense. Overall an okay book to read.

depressing, although i guess that's kind of fitting.