I don’t normally read alternate history books, but given how much I enjoyed the Gone series along with Messenger of Fear, I thought I’d give Front Lines a chance, and I am really glad I did.
Out of all the Michael Grant books I have read; this is possibly the best in terms of writing and storytelling. I really think Michael Grant has stepped it up a notch when I didn’t think there were any more notches for this guy to climb.
I believe this book has the potential to capture new audiences as it is a genre which Grant is not known for; however, I think fans of Grant’s other works will enjoy this book just as much. What makes this book such a good alternate history novel is its faithfulness to actual history.
The book follows the lives of three girls as they join the American army during World War II. Where this book alternates from history is a fictional court case decision which rules that women could be conscripted into the army, or could volunteer, along with men. This has opened-up the possibility of interesting plots and storytelling.
The three main characters of this book is Rio Richlin, a small town 16-year-old from California; Frangi Marr, a black girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Rainy Schulterman, a Jewish girl from New York City. They all lead captivating lives as their stories follow how they each end up serving in the American army.
What I loved about these books is that each character felt very real. You would swear they were actual people from the past. They were all extremely likable, and it was very easy to root for them to succeed.
The amount of detail in this book is commendable. Grant certainly did his research, and while some may feel he got too detailed in places; I really enjoyed it. For me, learning things the characters learned, such as Enfilade and Defilade, made it feel like you were right there with them as they completed basic training.
One aspect where this book mirrors Grant’s other works is that Grant doesn’t shy away from gory details, so be warned. (It is a book about war, to be fair) I found the imagery to be clear and concise, which makes remembering this story all the easier.
This book is admittedly longer than Grant’s others, and longer than the average YA book with around 460ish pages, but it honestly didn’t feel like it. Despite the book being about war, Grant’s writing style means you can glide through the book with ease.
Read my original review here:
MARK KIELTY 