Review of The Guardian's Son
Posted: 06 Aug 2021, 11:18
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Guardian's Son" by Anita Tiemeyer.]
The Guardian’s Son by Anita Tiemeyer is a historical fiction set in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II. When Major Grayson Pierce, an army doctor from America, inspected the Buchenwald concentration camp, the last thing he expected was to find a malnourished, flea-bitten child hiding under the sleeping quarters. He adopts the child and brings him home, asking his family to accept Joseph as their own. However, introducing a German-speaking Jewish child to an English-speaking family of devout Catholics raises intense cultural and religious conflict. Although Grayson insists on raising Joe as a Jew, his mother and sister want to convert him into a Christian. A civil war ensues inside the Pierce household, catching Joe in the crossfires. Will he have to leave the only safe refuge he had known ever since the war began?
Like most books from this period, this novel also had vivid, gruesome descriptions of the concentration camps that chilled me to the core. Joe’s unembellished accounts of the appalling incidents horrified me. An innocent child’s perspective made the fact even more dreadful that a group of fanatics had so callously squandered precious human lives.
In Tiemeyer’s competent hands, Joe’s character reached the pinnacle of perfection. As a survivor of the Buchenwald camp, severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder plagued his days, manifesting as night terrors and frequent bedwetting incidents. He refused to trust even the kindest gestures, fearing punishments for every misstep. The sight of a kitchen knife or a BB gun invoked his trauma, making him frightened and inconsolable. At the same time, his language barrier and communication gap to the Pierce family frustrated him. With a higher-than-average level of intelligence, this sensitive and aware child could perceive everything going on in the family. However, the years under extreme brutality skewed his perceptions. The title itself alluded to this. While Grayson accepted him as his son, Joe viewed him as his guardian. While reading, my heart went out to the poor child; I wanted to hug and soothe him.
Characterization was the strongest suit of this novel. Grayson’s natural compassion, along with the terrible scenes he had witnessed in the camp, generated a rare empathy. He was extremely patient with Joe, guiding him through his new life with loving care. Even with Joe as his charge, he never neglected his daughter, Irene, who was often resentful of the intrusion in her family. Mildred, Grayson’s sister, had a caring nature, too. However, her stern demeanor kept it obscure. On the other hand, Tiemeyer made Grayson’s mother so despicable that I couldn’t help hating the matriarch’s dogmatic and prejudiced views.
Religious and cultural differences played a prominent role in the story. The Pierce ladies were reluctant to accept anything that did not conform to their idea of civilized behavior. They stubbornly refused to let Joe use the German-to-English dictionary yet demanded he talked in English. They even concocted devious plans to convert Joe to Christianity against Grayson’s will. Their insensitive, uptight personalities infuriated me. I would credit Tiemeyer for creating these negative characters who could evoke such strong reactions in the reader.
I didn’t have any complaints at all. From a technical aspect, there were very few errors. Therefore, I rate this book a thoroughly deserved 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves character-driven historical fiction, especially those based on World War II. However, the concentration camp scenes were graphic, so I would urge the readers to exercise caution. Consequently, this book would require a mature audience.
******
The Guardian's Son
View: on Bookshelves
The Guardian’s Son by Anita Tiemeyer is a historical fiction set in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II. When Major Grayson Pierce, an army doctor from America, inspected the Buchenwald concentration camp, the last thing he expected was to find a malnourished, flea-bitten child hiding under the sleeping quarters. He adopts the child and brings him home, asking his family to accept Joseph as their own. However, introducing a German-speaking Jewish child to an English-speaking family of devout Catholics raises intense cultural and religious conflict. Although Grayson insists on raising Joe as a Jew, his mother and sister want to convert him into a Christian. A civil war ensues inside the Pierce household, catching Joe in the crossfires. Will he have to leave the only safe refuge he had known ever since the war began?
Like most books from this period, this novel also had vivid, gruesome descriptions of the concentration camps that chilled me to the core. Joe’s unembellished accounts of the appalling incidents horrified me. An innocent child’s perspective made the fact even more dreadful that a group of fanatics had so callously squandered precious human lives.
In Tiemeyer’s competent hands, Joe’s character reached the pinnacle of perfection. As a survivor of the Buchenwald camp, severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder plagued his days, manifesting as night terrors and frequent bedwetting incidents. He refused to trust even the kindest gestures, fearing punishments for every misstep. The sight of a kitchen knife or a BB gun invoked his trauma, making him frightened and inconsolable. At the same time, his language barrier and communication gap to the Pierce family frustrated him. With a higher-than-average level of intelligence, this sensitive and aware child could perceive everything going on in the family. However, the years under extreme brutality skewed his perceptions. The title itself alluded to this. While Grayson accepted him as his son, Joe viewed him as his guardian. While reading, my heart went out to the poor child; I wanted to hug and soothe him.
Characterization was the strongest suit of this novel. Grayson’s natural compassion, along with the terrible scenes he had witnessed in the camp, generated a rare empathy. He was extremely patient with Joe, guiding him through his new life with loving care. Even with Joe as his charge, he never neglected his daughter, Irene, who was often resentful of the intrusion in her family. Mildred, Grayson’s sister, had a caring nature, too. However, her stern demeanor kept it obscure. On the other hand, Tiemeyer made Grayson’s mother so despicable that I couldn’t help hating the matriarch’s dogmatic and prejudiced views.
Religious and cultural differences played a prominent role in the story. The Pierce ladies were reluctant to accept anything that did not conform to their idea of civilized behavior. They stubbornly refused to let Joe use the German-to-English dictionary yet demanded he talked in English. They even concocted devious plans to convert Joe to Christianity against Grayson’s will. Their insensitive, uptight personalities infuriated me. I would credit Tiemeyer for creating these negative characters who could evoke such strong reactions in the reader.
I didn’t have any complaints at all. From a technical aspect, there were very few errors. Therefore, I rate this book a thoroughly deserved 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves character-driven historical fiction, especially those based on World War II. However, the concentration camp scenes were graphic, so I would urge the readers to exercise caution. Consequently, this book would require a mature audience.
******
The Guardian's Son
View: on Bookshelves