'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Sunday 23 April 2017

Review: The Eagle Trail – Who is the Traitor Among Us

Sixteen-year-old Paul and his parents live an ordinary life in Antwerp, even after the Nazis invaded. At least, that's what Paul's parents want him to believe while they establish a small Resistance group.

Then everything unravels. Paul watches Nazi soldiers gun down his father and hears that his mother has been taken into custody for questioning. He has no choice but to flee.

Jos, a friend of his father's and a member of the local Resistance movement, whisks Paul to safety and organises his escape. So begins a cat-and-mouse game between the Resistance and Nazi collaborators. Potential traitors are everywhere.

The Eagle Trail is fast-paced action. Escape includes hiding in a barge, a high-speed car chase on unlit roads and the need to assume multiple false identities. Complications arise at every turn.

The conflict between Paul's need to rely on others and constant warnings that he should trust no one forced me to fly through the pages. I needed to see if he would make it out alive.

And then the greatest complications of all arose.

With its realistic scenarios, The Eagle Trail is a perfect read for anyone wanting to feel what it was like to be a refugee in World War II. It's the perfect novel to lose yourself in on ANZAC day.

Title: The Eagle Trail –Who is the Traitor Among Us
Author: Robert Rigby
Publisher: Walker Books, $16.99
Publication Date: 3 April 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781406346664
For ages: 12 years +
Type: Young Adult