Projekt 1065 takes place in the city of Berlin in 1943, the heart of Nazi Germany inhabited by Hitler, the wicked and cruel man who orchestrated World War Two. The protagonist is a thirteen-year-old boy named Micheal O’Shaunessey, he moved from Ireland to Berlin with his father, an Irish Ambassador, back when the city of Berlin was a pristine place of beauty, untouched by the bloody war that now left both the buildings and people merely a hollow shell of their previous splendor. To have any shot at a future in his wretched home, Micheal, like all the other boys his age, is forced to join the Hitler Youth, where boys were trained to be ruthless men willing to sacrifice their lives, or even the lives of their families to earn the respect of the Hitler. But Micheal and his mother and father have a pivotal role in the war unbeknownst to all, they are spies for the Allied forces, arranging meetings with important figures, obtaining coordinates to important German resources, and obtaining any information to undermine Germany’s success and allow the Allied Forces to get the upper hand. However, everything changes when the tides of the war turn in favor of the Allies, forcing Germany to take drastic measures and admit 13-year-olds into the Senior Hitler Youth, a division of the fiercest and most dedicated Nazis who partake in activities that could get Micheal closer than ever to vital intel. The war grows more dire and Micheal befriends individuals who inform him about a new German jet capable of winning the war for the Germans, Projekt 1065, forcing Micheal into dangerous situations capable of ending his operation and his life. Like numerous of the other titles produced by Alan Gratz, Projekt 1065 was an engaging novel that hooked me in with the suspense and action laced within the chapters and educated me on the horrific events of World War Two. I have always loathed history class and the monotonous and boring nature of the articles we are forced to read that seem to just drone on and on. To me, it is just a muddle of dates and historical figures who can stay in the past for all I care. But Alan Gratz’s books do something different, through the dynamic storyline, well-developed characters with a plethora of traits that the reader can relate to, and overall historical accuracy, I can learn about events in history in a way that makes me want to listen and remember and feel the vivid emotions associated with that period of time. One particular aspect that stuck out to me was the frequent portrayal of the Nazi youth as monsters. They were just kids, and yet the lies they were fed and the false promises of respect and being the “superior human race,” gave them an unquenchable bloodlust. Alan Gratz portrayed through her character development skills and vivid imagery how kids turned their back on themselves, their friends, and their families to become bloodthirsty killers hellbent on eliminating the Jews and serving Hitler. I knew that an entire generation of children was sacrificed to a fruitless cause as Germany grew more desperate, but I was naive as to how harshly the kids were manipulated and how truly abhorrent and disgusting the practices of Nazi Germany really were. This novel did something different, instead of focusing on the concentration camps and the horrendous persecution of the Jews, it showed the other, less infamous side of the story. It even has a modern world implication, a life lesson that all people should heed to ensure that such a tragic event never unfolds again. Those who weren’t devoted Nazis knew that everything they stood for was wrong and that their practices were cruel and inhumane, but nobody said anything so as to not draw attention to themselves. This perpetual silence by people who could have stood up and made a difference allowed Hitler to get away with his heinous deeds for so long. We can learn from that colossal error and strive to always stand up against social injustices no matter what risk it may pose to us. Finally, to people either looking for something enticing to read recreationally or for our upcoming book review, I would wholeheartedly recommend Projekt 1065 or any of Alan Gratz’s other books. I have read every single one of them, some several times, and they all share crucial pieces of our past in one exciting, moving, suspenseful storyline that is digestible for those like me who aren’t particularly fond of history class and readers of all skill levels. Projekt 1065 is a must-read!
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