Thursday, May 29, 2014

Book Review: The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb

Title: The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi
Author: Neal Bascomb
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 256
Genre: Non-fiction, History, Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Netgalley

The book blurb:

“A thrilling spy mission, a moving Holocaust story, and a first-class work of narrative nonfiction.

In 1945, at the end of World War II, Adolf Eichmann, the head of operations for the Nazis' Final Solution, walked into the mountains of Germany and vanished from view. Sixteen years later, an elite team of spies captured him at a bus stop in Argentina and smuggled him to Israel, resulting in one of the century's most important trials -- one that cemented the Holocaust in the public imagination.

THE NAZI HUNTERS is the thrilling and fascinating story of what happened between these two events. Survivor Simon Wiesenthal opened Eichmann's case; a blind Argentinean and his teenage daughter provided crucial information. Finally, the Israeli spies -- many of whom lost family in the Holocaust -- embarked on their daring mission, recounted here in full. Based on the adult bestseller HUNTING EICHMANN, which is now in development as a major film, and illustrated with powerful photos throughout, THE NAZI HUNTERS is a can't-miss work of narrative nonfiction for middle-grade and YA readers.”

Reading ‘The Nazi Hunters’ was definitely an eye opener to the trials the Jews faced during the Holocaust. With vivid images and word descriptions, the true challenges that occurred during this time period were eloquently displayed.

This book also had a great plot and an engaging tale as well as suspenseful characters. The whole story, was entertaining to the very end. And honestly, when I first realized what details Bascomb was going to go into, I silently groaned. Like, why in the world did I choose this book? But to my pleasant surprise, every detail helped better portray the plot – everything required attention and thought. Basically, ‘The Nazi Hunters’ definitely isn’t a light read to pick up out of nowhere; you have to actually be ready to pay attention and focus on the tiniest of details.

The characters in this book were also very enjoyable. As the reader, you are introduced to each individual and their motives behind the attack as well as what they have against Eichmann. But even though the characters were good, at times I felt that Bascomb just shoved them all into your face. Yes, you learned about them, but it was just so much information to comprehend at one time. And I know there was more than one moment where I had to go back and recall who this or that character was.

All in all, ‘The Nazi Hunters’ was quite an enjoyable book. A bit out of my usual reads, it ranked quite high in my eyes. I recommend this book to people ages 12/13+, mainly because of the violence at certain parts.
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