Official Review: Chameleons by Martin Wyatt

Fazzier · Post by **Fazzier** » 08 Jun 2020, 10:31

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Chameleons" by Martin Wyatt.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Grandpappy Harran, an entomologist in his seventies, has realized a looming evil in the future of his kinsmen–the Jewish people. Rumors of a threat by Germans to obliterate all Jews from the face of the earth has started spreading ferociously in the Polish ghetto, Kraków. He understands the implications of the threat and is, therefore, tremendously concerned for his people. He has to prepare them for the tribulations ahead.

Among the people he has to prepare is one of his twin granddaughters, Brygida. He feels obligated to teach her some skills and lessons that would increase her odds of surviving hostile times rapidly approaching. But how will he make this young girl learn all the skills required of her? Is he giving her information too much for her to retain? Time is running out, and so, Brygida has to learn the skills, fast.

This gripping historical fiction, Chameleons by Martin Wyatt, transports us back in history to the Nazi's invasion era in Poland. Using this book, Wyatt reconstructs the extent of torture the Jews experienced in the hands of Germans who were determined to exterminate and obliterate them from the face of the earth. The author, through Brygida and her twin sister, Mysz, depicts how it might have been for the Jews experiencing the Nazi's brutality first-hand. I really enjoyed reading this novel and gained a lot of insights into this aspect of Polish history.

I also liked how well the author executed this novel. One of its remarkable features is its descriptive nature. The author's illustrative skill is top-notch and has the ability to create long-lasting mental pictures in the minds of readers. The author is a very gifted story-teller as evidenced by how aptly he immerses readers into the characters’ inner emotions and the gruesome experiences they had in the hands of the Nazi's SS guards. I also liked the novel's organization. It has short, engrossing captioned chapters that enhanced its flow, and hence, my reading experience. That, together with lovely, realistic dialogues, made me enjoy this book more as it was hard to put down.

Moreover, I liked the author's outstanding depiction of how the Nazi's concentration camps were during the German invasion of Poland. I couldn't help but surmise the amount of research and work the author poured into it. He enlivens the era in such an exceptional way, and therefore, history enthusiasts will definitely get a true reflection of how Nazism gruesomely ripped the Jewish Poles during the WWII era. After reading this poignant historical novel, I really learned a lot about the Nazi's invasion of Poland, most of which I never knew before.

My favorite aspect of this novel was the author's development of diverse, relatable, and interesting characters. Their roles and purposes were also expertly allotted, and they were easy to bond or, at times, empathize with. In particular, I liked Grandpappy Harran and his favorite twin granddaughter, Brygida. I found the amount of wisdom the septuagenarian had, their personalities, and the kind of relationship the duo shared to be so impacting. As a result, I couldn't help but bond with them naturally. This, in turn, enhanced my enjoyment of this terrific novel.

All in all, I didn't find anything to dislike about this book. I believe it was professionally edited since I found just a few non-distracting errors. The errors could not influence my final rating, and I'm, therefore, glad to award Chameleons by Martin Wyatt 4 out 4 stars. I was impressed by its wonderful execution and the author's stunning depiction of how Nazism affected the Jewish Poles.

For fans of character-driven historical fictions incorporating elements of romance, I highly recommend this. However, readers should note that there is a graphic depiction of torture and execution and should skip this if they might be affected. There is also a vivid depiction of nudity that is, in a way, erotic. That, together with an instance of profanity I identified, makes me caution children against picking this. Moreover, there were references to the Old Testament scriptures, making it most suitable for members of the Abrahamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) or any other person who may not be affected by such.

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Chameleons
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Munachimso_Nwaogazie · Post by **Munachimso_Nwaogazie** » 10 Jun 2020, 07:44

I'm interested in the process of training Brygida went through and how she handled dangerous and hostile situations, i.e if they actually came up.
Engaging review!

cj_mcrich · Post by **cj_mcrich** » 10 Jun 2020, 08:02

Wow! An insight to the nasty brutality of the Germans to Jews sounds interesting. Although I can already picture gruesome scenes, still, I'd love to read the book for I am much curious about how and why the Germans maltreated the Jews. Thanks for such great review!

Mrunalpatki · Post by **Mrunalpatki** » 10 Jun 2020, 11:44

This seems like a disheartening book to read. Reading about the Nazi camps and the torture the Jews faced... Not sure I am ready for that kind of reading. Great review though.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 10 Jun 2020, 17:29

Hmmm... I wonder why Grandpappy Harran chose Brygida instead of Mysz. I may just have to find out for myself. Excellent review!

LinaJan · Post by **LinaJan** » 10 Jun 2020, 19:49

This sounds like a heavy, yet valuable, read. Thank you for such a thorough and inviting review! This is going onto my shelf!

Pendrick reckon · Post by **Pendrick reckon** » 13 Jun 2020, 10:23

I'm so excited to read this book because it touch my heart and I'M like to read more about the story. Excellent job author.

Topsey · Post by **Topsey** » 05 Jul 2020, 17:45

This sounds like a gripping read even if some areas are hard to stomach. Thanks for the intriguing review.

TCG · Post by **TCG** » 25 Jul 2020, 08:50

There are just a few exceptional historical novels like this. It reveals an aspect of history I don't like to remember, but I have to face the fact that Germans were brutalists toward the Jews. Amazing review!

Dominik_G · Post by **Dominik_G** » 25 Jul 2020, 08:52

There's no easy way to write about the terror and devastation Nazism brought to the Jews and I have respect for the author for not trying to evade or sugarcoat what happened. Chameleons sounds like a heartbreaking, tough but worthy read. Thank you for your excellent review!

Post by **Theresa Moffitt** » 25 Jul 2020, 08:56

This sounds like an interesting historical novel about the horrors of nazism.

Gabrielle Sigaki · Post by **Gabrielle Sigaki** » 25 Jul 2020, 09:01

This book has an interesting cover and title. I'm really into historical fiction. This one talks about a dense topic that is nazism and the acts of extreme violence commited in that time. It sounds interesting. Also, I really enjoy when we are able to see that the author researched the theme a lot. It makes the story even more realistic in my opinion. Thanks for the informative review! Great job.

Priyanka2304 · Post by **Priyanka2304** » 25 Jul 2020, 09:02

That was a wonderful review. I was trying to connect the title of the book with the story. The cruelty depicted would make it a difficult read for sure. Jews really had a tough time under Nazism.
Congratulations on BOTD.

Munachimso_Nwaogazie · Post by **Munachimso_Nwaogazie** » 25 Jul 2020, 09:02

I'm interested in the process of training Brygida went through and how she handled dangerous and hostile situations, i.e if they actually came up.
Engaging review!

rahilshajahan · Post by **rahilshajahan** » 25 Jul 2020, 09:06

Having read multiple historical fictions regarding WW2, I thought this book would fall into the same category of the lead character being a Jewish German. I have never read a book about how it affected the Poles. Awesome review!