Review of Chameleons

[Lauren Victoria]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Chameleons" by Martin Wyatt.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Chameleons by Martin Wyatt is a fast-paced historical fiction read with science fiction elements weaved into it. This book hits the ground running. There is no scene setting or gradual incline for the readers, only a thrust into the story and all the hardships that come with it. I appreciate this because Wyatt touches on the deplorable atrocities that happened during World War II. 

The book's title is fitting because, as you read, you'll see that to survive, it was crucial to blend in and become like a chameleon. The fine line between protection and destruction is a line that gets crossed and blurred throughout the story. It hit me hard to read neighbors and friends turning on each other, like when Brygida was thrown out of the bread line because her friend from kindergarten told the German officers that she was Jewish. 

Even though, from the blurb of this book, we know the twins do end up in Auschwitz, it's hard not to root for them. Wyatt does such a good job with character development that I still hoped that they could chameleon their way out of it. I was devastated when that didn't happen, and they ended up in Mengele's clutches because they were twins. This book shows so much hardship and suffering. I suggest going into this book knowing the story isn't butterflies and rainbows. 

The struggles of the war in these pages are real. What the prisoners at Auschwitz had to do to survive is devastating as much as it is eye-opening. Will Brygida and her twin Mysz survive the hunger, pain, and experimentation they are put under? Will they be able to move forward in their lives after the war, or will the atrocities that happened to them win? With the Berlin Wall separating East and West Germany, will the twins ever escape that feeling of being gated at a concentration camp? You'll have to read to find out. 

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, especially during World War Two. There is nothing about this book I would change. There were no errors in my readthrough due to exceptional editing. For all the reasons I stated, I give this book five out of five stars. 

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Chameleons
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