I just finished reading the book Ashes by Kathryn Lasky.

This historical fiction novel is set in 1932 Berlin as we witness Hitler’s rise to power through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Gaby Schramm. Unlike many books set in this time period, this book focuses mainly on the initial slow shifts in the public perception towards the Jews and the Nazi Party, but does not take us into the horrors of the war and the Holocaust.
The most interesting device used in the book is the way the author weaves actual characters from history through the characters’ lives. We get to meet Albert Einstein as a family friend of the Schramm family, as Gaby’s father works alongside Professor Einstein as an astrophysics professor and colleague. We see Nazi leaders woven into the mix, such as the infamous Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joesph Goebbels. There are also many characters in the book who are based on real people from history, such as their family friends Baba and Uncle Hessie, who were based on colorful and socially connected people in history.
The ashes referred to in the title do not, thankfully, refer directly to the Holocaust, but rather to the burning books in the town square that were found to be objectionable. This included Einstein’s books of “Jewish physics” and other books written by Jewish authors or otherwise found to be controversial.
Sometimes it is the quiet acceptance of evil that is more powerful than the overtly hateful actions. We know the actions of the SA officers who are driven by anti-Semitism and how they affected history, but what about the house maid who quietly nods in agreement along with the hateful propaganda on the radio?
Although the details can be a bit slow at the start, this story of a family fighting against the grain is rich with detail and slowly leads to the historical horrors that are just around the bend.
Sharon Long
Teen Services Librarian