By Lucille Abendanon
Mendota Heights, MN: Jolly Fish Press, 2024. Fiction. 307 pages.
At one point, all 11-year-old Emmy dreamed of was studying singing at the Marlborough School in England. But when her acceptance letter arrives, she is desperate to hide it from her father -- she doesn't want to leave her home in Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. Since her mother died, Emmy wants to cling to the familiar -- to her home with Papa and her friendship with Bakti, the son of her Japanese housekeeper. But it's 1942 and change is coming one way or another. With the Japanese invasion of Batavia imminent, Papa secures passage for himself and Emmy back to their native Europe, but Emmy sabotages the evacuation because she's sure there's no danger in Batavia. But the Dutch army surrenders to Japan, and the Japanese army invades. Emmy and Papa are separated and Emmy is sent to Tjideng, a prison camp run by a cruel military leader. In Tjideng, the living conditions are harsh and Emmy dreams of escape, but must first find strength to survive.
Inspired by experiences from the author's grandmother, this historical fiction novel is a vivid and engaging read. From beginning to end, readers will be captivated by Emmy and the other characters in her world. Bakti's character introduces complex issues about colonialism and racism when he tells Emmy that the Japanese troops are not coming to invade a Dutch colony, they are coming to liberate the Japanese people. This perspective is interesting and will hopefully lead young readers to consider the impact of colonialism on indigenous people globally. The characters, pacing, plot, and high-stakes writing will be enough to pull readers in on its own, but the Batavian setting, now called Jakarta, Indonesia, makes for an interesting backdrop. An unusual and vivid historical fiction novel for young readers.
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