Joint Discussion: A night divided by Jennifer A Nielsen

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "A Night Divided" by Jennifer A. Nielsen.I am in red and C in purple. 

Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Narrator: Kate Simses

Title: A Night Divided

Genre: Historical Fiction, MG, & YA

Pages: Audiobook

Published: August 25th 2015

Where I Got It: Audiosync

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.

But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

Our audiosync book! Which reminds me that I have to Dl this week's free ones!

I can’t remember what this week’s freebie is! I’ll have to look after this ;)

They sounded good! And now onwards! So this one was MG, and yes I did like it. But I did feel that it could have had a bigger impact as YA. A deeper, scarier one. Or maybe I just want people to suffer 0_0

I can agree with that. If it had been a YA or even a fiction it would’ve been sadder and been able to show more of the darkness of their situation. It did fine as an MG and it was light (comparatively). I liked it a lot though. But I doooo wish it was a touch darker.

Exactly. Now it was hopeful and I knew nothing bad would happen, well, well yea you know. Anyway, it was lighter than it should have been considering what they were doing. I really want to read a novel set in East Berlin now with a little more despair, death and madness. Just to really feel what it was like. Now I did not get that feeling of how they really felt.

It was a good intro to East Berlin. I’ll admit that I haven’t really watched or read any fiction about it. Just generic history books and etc. I would like to read a more adult story about it now! GIVE ME DESPAIR AND SADNESS! MWUAHAHAHA *coughs* sorry. ;)

That woman she came across and later saw where she lived. That woman must have had one hell of a story! I would read her story. Ohh maybe with a man on the other side, so we can have some longing too.

Yesss I am more curious about that lady. Who was she? What has she done? Where was she off to? So many questions! Now - there was one really sad moment near the end there. I was SO mad, but I think the author did it on purpose to not make the journey just as perfect as it seemed it was going to be. But whyyyyy?! I feel so bad.

The more I think of it I feel it was a evil shall be punished thing. I can’t say more to spoil things for others but you know what I mean. Evil = punished. But it wasn’t that black and white! This was the world of grey. Evil was not evil. And I wanted happy.

Maybe it was a redemption thing too? IDK. But I just felt really bad. And yes...I do feel this book really did show that nothing isn’t black and white. It is a world of grey. Some are evil. Some are good. However, not all evil is truly evil. Some are good but have some bad and darkness. This is a really good book for the kiddies in school. Lots of lessons for sure.

Lots of grey. And I totally know about the grey around here that she talks about her. New buildings built after wwII were so freaking grey! Blergh. What a horrible world to live in. The propaganda and no way to get a better life if you have been put down as a potential enemy. And I have not even thought about families torn asunder cos of that wall. Really sad. Stupid Soviets,

Yessss stupid Soviets. That wall was horrible. Glad it got torn down. Can you imagine being locked in???? I would lose it! I would for sure try to escape. Would you?

I would sure want to! The question is, would I have the courage? But it would be so horrible feeling fenced in, looking at that wall. Having people spying on you. Doing the right things, saying the right things. My soul would wither and die.

Yesss. The courage would be hard to get, but I know myself...I would die staying there because I would be too dumb and say the wrong thing to the wrong person. I tend to ramble and dig myself a hole. Hahaha. So might as well die trying to escape instead of my own stupidity.

And maybe not wait until the actual wall was up. I would have hoped I would have gone for it before that.

I would like to think my family and I would be gone WAY before the wall goes up. But you never know? One always has hopes things will stay the same or get better.

Talking about East Berlin. The only movies I have watched are those spy ones. They really should make more about the actual humans instead. Or we should find that great book then ;) But yes the great escape. Who wants to live in a world of grey. I really liked this heroine, she had more courage than me for sure.

Yess I really liked her too even though she was so young! She was brave and smart. She was for sure her father’s child. Thanks to her she gave her family hope! I am curious to see her father’s and brother’s POV on the other side of the wall. That would be a fun novella or short story or something.

Your wife and two kids stuck on the other side. Poor dad, what must he have felt? Their pov would have been interesting.

I can’t imagine what he must have felt. Probably a lot of guilt. I know I would’ve!

So much guilt. Like why did he not try harder. Why did he go then when he got trapped on the wrong (right) side. I did google later on how many people actually got away. In the weirdest ways too.

I thought this idea was nuts! But I am honestly not surprised. Desperate people do desperate things to get somewhere just for the chance at a better life! Can’t fault them that! I would’ve tried anything myself.

I read about nuttier, lol. But all in all, it was a good book, an interesting book. A horrible city filled with scary people. But done in a way not to make it too dark. So kids should read it and see what it was all about.

Yes, this is a pretty good book. I would for sure encourage kiddies who are learning about history or just about mankind to read this or listen to it like we did! OOOO! Which! How did you like the narrator before we wrap it up? I liked her. She had a good kid voice. I think she had a good change for different characters and telling the story and making it come alive.

Ha, yes I totally forgot about the narrator! But she was great, I liked her kid voice too. Some just sounds too old, but she did a good job, and with everyone else too. I did feel she made the book better for me. To read, eh, maybe it would have been too grey and not a lot happening. But when listening it is a whole other business. Also the last 20 min were intense! I had to listen to the end, I could not stop.

Yes she did really help with the book. I think it would’ve been a touch boring if we read it until near the end. It was a slow-burn for sure, but I think we needed that build-up for the crazy intense ending there! So good! I was on the edge of my seat!

That is a Listen then. And not read recommendation ;) I also want to add that everyone should check out Audiobook sync http://www.audiobooksync.com/ To get 2 free audio books every week! The bad thing is, you have to remember to grab them ;)

Yessss, don’t be like me and be forgetful. LOLL

Also, next week’s sound good. A love story in Saudi Arabia, might end really badly, we should read it.

I am curious about that one….maybe I’ll download it :D

I will try and remind you ;)

Hehehe yes! Please do! Well. The end? I think it was overall a good listen and a good pick! We needed this one!

The end

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.