Winter's Bullet

October 1, 2015
Hitler plans to unleash his greatest weapon in a last-ditch effort to win World War II. Millions will die unless a few are willing to risk their lives. It is the winter of 1945. For most of the world, the war is drawing to a close, but much of the Netherlands is still under Nazi control. Fifteen-year-old Tygo Winter is serving as the Nazi Plunder Squad's locksmith, giving them access to the treasures hidden in the homes of Amsterdam. Unfortunately, while his service keeps him safe from the Nazis, it makes him a prime target for the Verzet]the Resistance. Hungry, cold, and fearful, Tygo can barely think beyond his next meal. But while looting yet another wealthy home, he stumbles upon Willa, who challenges him to hope for more than mere survival. As he did in Hitler's Secret (2013), Osborne once again revisits the what ifs that surround World War II, focusing on the mysteries of the final days of the Nazi occupation in Europe. The fast-paced narrative is full of intrigue, danger, and many familiar historical figures. Tygo is deftly crafted. While mostly noble and kind, he is also suitably frightened and focused on self-preservation. An intriguing alternative history lesson wrapped in a nail-biting adventure. (Historical fiction. 12-14)

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December 1, 2015

Gr 6-8-With the war almost over, 15-year-old Tygo is trapped between two opposing forces: the Nazis, with whom he collaborates as a matter of survival, and the Dutch Resistance, who seemingly want him for the price on his head. Oberst Kruger, head of the Gestapo's "Plunder Squad" and Tygo's commanding officer, is desperately searching for an invaluably rare red diamond, with which he will secure his safe passage and escape to Argentina. As they search an abandoned villa where the jewel is believed to be concealed, Tygo discovers a girl hiding out, with ties to the coveted gem. Meanwhile, with the Allied Liberation fast approaching, Hitler tries his last-ditch effort at winning the war-a top-secret weapon capable of destroying New York City that brings everything to an explosive head. Osborne's writing reads more like a Hollywood blockbuster film than a historical novel. While he creates an interesting blend of both historical figures and fictitious characters, they are, with slight exception in the protagonist, one-dimensional at best. The author manages to portray a few historical events but with a heavily fictitious slant that is both far-fetched and exaggerated. Indeed, the action never stops, but then neither does the sensationalism. Even Argentina's involvement and Germany's nuclear capabilities, aspects of World War II seldom represented in children's fiction, are not enough to save this title. VERDICT An over-the-top action movie rendition of World War II disguised as a novel for young people.-Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Grades 7-9 Pressed into serving the Nazis and dodging the Resistance, 15-year-old Tygo Winter is only interested in mere survivaluntil the day he clambers up the chimney in an abandoned villa and finds Willa, an orphan girl who needs his help to survive. When Tygo and Willa discover that the Nazis have developed a nuclear bomb and plan to detonate it over Manhattan, they embrace a new purpose: to join the Resistance and stop the Nazis, no matter the personal cost. Osborne (Hitler's Secret, 2013) has crafted a fictionalized portrayal of what-ifs rooted in some historians' belief that the Nazis were on the verge of deploying nuclear weapons. Set over the course of four days in January 1945, this intense, fast-paced novel reads like a movie script and will capture readers' attention. While the plot may be implausible, it is still thoroughly engaging and would be an excellent way to examine the ethics of war and nuclear weaponry as part of a class unit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, fifteen-year-old Tygo (under duress) loots abandoned Dutch homes for the Germans. On the job, he discovers a girl in hiding who provides another perspective on his desperate plight. Osborne's somewhat loose approach to historical events embraces "what if" scenarios; in this case, a last-ditch attempt by Hitler to attack New York. A cinematic read with plenty of action and adventure. Historical note appended.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)