Review: A.G. Russo's Our Wild and Precious Lives

[DiDonovan]

First off, the title captivates. It made me want to dive in and find out what this book was all about: turns out, it's about Army brat siblings and their struggles both within their family and in Europe, where times are changing.

A novel set in 1960 Cold War Germany doesn't sound like an auspicious beginning for a young adult read; nor do the protagonists, who are teenage Army brats used to relying on one another for support and companionship. But an adult-sounding setting and circumstances is exactly what sets Our Wild and Precious Lives apart from other young adult reads and makes it a vivid and different story that will reach into adult circles even as it remains firmly rooted in the perceptions, experiences, and reactions of teenagers.

Tom and Melly worry about adjusting to a strange foreign country and entering yet another new school, but they also face problems at home with an abusive, controlling war veteran father and his domination over their lives.

It's rare to see a supportive, genuine love between brother and sister depicted against the backdrop of military life with all its challenges. It's also rare to find the events and feel of post-World War II woven into a story line that brings to life not only key moments in the international world of the 1960s, but the involvements of military families stationed abroad.

Creating a novel filled with such political and family insights is a dance. Of necessity it must move deftly, logically and precisely between two very different atmospheres that don't necessarily sync up easily: that of a military family's interactions and psychology, and the bigger picture of world events.

The real strength of a good novel lies in its ability to view the world through others' eyes. As the siblings mature (and as events concurrently mature in Europe) readers receive insights not just on the young adult perspective, but (through a series of flashbacks) the forces that shaped their father's psyche and set the stage for the fall of the Berlin Wall.

But the ultimate power of Our Wild and Precious Lives lies in the evolution of the army brat protagonists into passionate people influenced by their parents' decisions, but ultimately leading their own battles and undertaking their own life journeys, fueled by separate beliefs, passions, and family connections.