Following on from the first book of the series, Front Lines, this alternate history story continues the adventures of Rio Richlin, a small-town girl from California; Frangi Marr, a black girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Rainy Schulterman, a Jewish girl from New York City as they fight in World War II for the American army.
Whilst the first book follows how each joined and trained in the army along with going into battle for the first time, Silver Stars follows these girls as experienced soldiers as they take on the war’s next challenges.
Grant ups the stakes in this book as each character takes on missions which would be fairly branded as suicidal. Rainy, in particular, has a hard time of it, though this doesn’t mean the other characters have things easy. While this book is very much fictional, Grant clearly illustrates the horrifying nature of war and its effects through his characters – both the physical and psychological.
Grant uses his extensive research into World War II to create a world that is vivid and feels real. I loved the characters and their arcs throughout the two books make for an engaging read.
This book is as exciting and enjoyable as its previous, and I highly recommend for those who like stories with an epic historical backdrop.
See my review for the first book in the series, Front Lines by Michael Grant.
MARK KIELTY 