I've started to seek out some World War II novels that tell the less-publicized stories of the war. One great example of this is Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, which explores the role of Nazi sympathizers and what people will do to survive. Another is Resistance by Owen Sheers, which focuses on what happens in a Welsh village after all the men disappear one night and the Germans occupy the village.
The Katyn Order focuses on the Warsaw Uprising and the Katyn Order, which was signed by Stalin and authorized the execution of 20,000 Polish military officers, lawyers, and other educated people. When the bodies were discovered, Russia and Germany each blamed it on the other country. The protagonist, Adam, is searching for a copy of the order to have proof that Russia was the aggressor.
I found this book hard to put down, despite the war atrocities and cruelty that occurred. The romance is a secondary story, and Jacobson brings the fear and desperation of the 1940s to life. He doesn't hesitate to let bad things happen to characters that you like.
The Katyn Order by Douglas W. Jacobson
My rating: 4 stars
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