Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Balzer Bray (2015), 416 pages
Description
In 1933, eighteen-year-old Gretchen, niece of Adolph Hitler, reunites with her Jewish boyfriend when she leaves the safety of England to return to Germany to investigate a murder and expose the evil of the Nazi regime.
Awards
National Jewish Book Award (Finalist — Young Adult — 2015)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke suffers from sequel syndrome. The readers know the key players and expect bigger things for them. Unfortunately, what they expect and what they get are two different things. For one thing, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Gretchen and Daniel will end up
Secondly, there is a formulaic quality to the story which also diminishes one’s enjoyment of the novel. In fact, even the least astute of readers will be able to predict certain plot twists and the characters’ paths through Germany. Nothing that occurs is a major surprise. There is something comforting in this fact but also disappointing that there is not more to the story to better differentiate it from the first one.
All that aside, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is still a compelling read because it gives insight into Germany before Hitler became its dictator and set the world aflame. One can tell Ms. Blackman thoroughly prepared her research as she presents a German population so beat down after the first world war that they welcome a vibrant leader who promises them the chance to regain their national pride. She also does a fantastic job of showing just how sly Hitler’s rise to power was. Because readers know “the rest of the story” – Hitler’s dictatorship, his plans for world domination and purification – it is very easy to forget that Gretchen and Daniel are maneuvering through a Germany that is not yet to that level of extremism. Hitler is still trying to impress the leaders around the globe as well as solidify his own position within Germany. One’s insight of the historical context in which Gretchen and Daniel find themselves is vital to one’s understanding why they are virtually alone as they work to clear Daniel’s name and escape the country yet again.
For the historical elements alone, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is a fascinating story. Through Gretchen’s personal insight into Hitler’s behavior, readers get a clear idea of just how such a man could gain an entire country’s trust. Even though Gretchen dwells a bit too much on her future with Daniel and gives herself over to grandiose declarations of love, historical fiction fans can easily overlook/skim those scenes without losing any sense of the main plot. While disappointing in some aspects, the main plot line is intriguing, and the story ends in such a way that readers will be excited to find out what happens next. For a sequel with some fairly large problems, this is as good as it can get.
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together in the end. Yet, Gretchen spends too much time throughout the book worrying about Daniel and their future together. This teen angst is very distracting. Moreover, it trivializes the historical elements of the novel, which proves counterproductive when building tension and danger for the characters. While readers expect some romance and know that Gretchen’s and Daniel’s relationship will hit a few speed bumps, one wants more drama and more insight into pre-war Germany during Hitler’s rise to power than what the story allows.Secondly, there is a formulaic quality to the story which also diminishes one’s enjoyment of the novel. In fact, even the least astute of readers will be able to predict certain plot twists and the characters’ paths through Germany. Nothing that occurs is a major surprise. There is something comforting in this fact but also disappointing that there is not more to the story to better differentiate it from the first one.
All that aside, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is still a compelling read because it gives insight into Germany before Hitler became its dictator and set the world aflame. One can tell Ms. Blackman thoroughly prepared her research as she presents a German population so beat down after the first world war that they welcome a vibrant leader who promises them the chance to regain their national pride. She also does a fantastic job of showing just how sly Hitler’s rise to power was. Because readers know “the rest of the story” – Hitler’s dictatorship, his plans for world domination and purification – it is very easy to forget that Gretchen and Daniel are maneuvering through a Germany that is not yet to that level of extremism. Hitler is still trying to impress the leaders around the globe as well as solidify his own position within Germany. One’s insight of the historical context in which Gretchen and Daniel find themselves is vital to one’s understanding why they are virtually alone as they work to clear Daniel’s name and escape the country yet again.
For the historical elements alone, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is a fascinating story. Through Gretchen’s personal insight into Hitler’s behavior, readers get a clear idea of just how such a man could gain an entire country’s trust. Even though Gretchen dwells a bit too much on her future with Daniel and gives herself over to grandiose declarations of love, historical fiction fans can easily overlook/skim those scenes without losing any sense of the main plot. While disappointing in some aspects, the main plot line is intriguing, and the story ends in such a way that readers will be excited to find out what happens next. For a sequel with some fairly large problems, this is as good as it can get.
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LibraryThing member schatzi
Daniel and Gretchen are back, yay! After fleeing from Germany and Gretchen's ties to the rising Nazi Party, the pair of them have established themselves in England. Gretchen has reinvented herself as a Whitestone (the psychologist who was staying in her mother's boardinghouse in the first book),
Daniel's cousin, Aaron, whom we briefly met in the first book, is beaten by the SA and put into the hospital.He later dies. Sadness. He wasn't a "main character" by any means in the first book, but he did make an appearance, and I was saddened by his death. Daniel is determined to hunt down those responsible - rather foolish of him, really, considering that they barely escaped from Germany with their lives a mere eighteen months before. But, coupled with his unhappiness in England, Daniel leaves and becomes embroiled in a murder. Gretchen, of course, has to go back to Germany as well to clear his good name.
First, I want to go with the good. And there is definitely a lot of good in this book and the series (I am hoping that the author continues the series, and considering the trend for trilogies in young adult fiction, I think the odds are pretty favorable). I love how much history is packed into this book; the history nerd in me delights in every little detail. For those who are less historically inclined, it might feel like an overload of information that can detract from the story, but as for me, I love it!
The relationship between Daniel and Gretchen is a real standout to me because of their maturity levels. They aren't kids; although they're young, they've grown up fast, and it shows, particularly with Daniel. I think the scene that captures this best is on page 122, once Gretchen discovers how unhappy Daniel has been in England (which he has been trying to keep hidden from her, because she is very happy in their new lives). He explains that he misses having a Jewish community, friends, family, and a rewarding job. When Gretchen protests that she could fill all of those roles for him, Daniel states: "We can't fill all the holes in each other's lives. That's too much to expect from one person. Love isn't enough. There needs to be more - friends, a satisfying job, school, family."
YES. That is an incredibly mature and thoughtful take on a relationship, something that many YA books are seriously lacking. Too many YA books have the love interest being everything - two people against the world - and while I can sort of appreciate that, at least in fiction, it just isn't realistic. And even though Daniel and Gretchen are quite isolated and have to rely on one another quite a bit, there's still a community surrounding them, both in and out of Germany.
But while the book does have high points, it just didn't capture my interest like Prisoner of Smoke and Fog did. Daniel has lost his confidence and swagger that I loved so much in the first book, which is understandable considering the circumstances but still disappointing.
The threat level simultaneously felt greater (they are now both enemies of the Nazi Party, which has only gained more power since they fled to England) and less (they were both working on the outside of the Party now, instead of being thrust into the middle of it and trying to keep two fronts going). And the whole "Daniel needs to go to Germany again" thing, coupled with Gretchen following him, just felt a little forced and convenient. I understand that part of that is because I am looking back in hindsight - we, the readers, know just how bad things are going to get in Germany, while Gretchen and Daniel don't have the luxury of that knowledge - but, personally, if I had barely escaped a country with my life (which is what happened in the first book), I'd probably not be rushing back into it any time soon.
The whole diversion into the criminal underbelly of Berlin was interesting enough, but I felt that the story kind of lagged until they were accepted into the group. Once I was about halfway through the story, I really got invested in it and the characters once more, but getting to that point felt more like a slog than anything else. Something just wouldn't click until then, and I had to set the book down several times.
And now come the spoilers.Okay, when Daniel sacrifices himself so that Gretchen has a chance to escape, I almost cried a little. Almost. And then I did cry a little once Gretchen is told that Daniel is dead, shot to death unceremoniously in a basement after being tortured. But, no matter how sad this made me, I kind of wanted it to be true (although I was sure that Daniel wasn't really dead).
Does that make me sound like a sadist? Let me explain. Daniel is an amazing character and I love him, but...it feels to me like Gretchen relies a little too heavily on him. I'm not suggesting fridging him by any means, but...I think that it would be interesting to see what would happen to Gretchen if her support system was ripped away from her. I'd love to see her turn all badass and getting involved in some crazy resistance organization, especially since she didn't have a problem shooting a couple of SA soldiers (non-fatally). I'd just like to see what her character exactly is; while Daniel is there and the loss she feels isn't exactly fresh, she's very docile because she's safe. What happens if she's alone in the world? She's never been. And that is what I would like to see. Heck, I'd even like her to find love again.
But, of course, none of that happened because Daniel is still alive. And while I'm sort of glad about that...I'm sort of not.
Also, how in the world do two unarmed teenagers manage to escape a building full of SA men? Seriously. That just felt highly unrealistic.
Also, one of the things that bothers me is that it is famous-people-palooza. Okay, I get the Hitler thing, since Gretchen was his "sunshine" and that she would be exposed to the notorious people in the Nazi Party. However...the whole thing with Winston Churchill just felt unrealistic, especially with him offering to get Daniel a new job in London and a new identity. All because Dr. Whitestone vaguely knows Churchill's cousin? Give me a break. No.
Nevertheless, I will pretty much read anything and everything that this author produces in the future.
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becoming an honorary member of his family and deciding to follow into his footsteps professionally. Daniel, on the other hand, has become a society reporter - a far cry from breaking important news stories, as he did in Munich. He's also feeling increasingly isolated from his family and cultural identity. Daniel's cousin, Aaron, whom we briefly met in the first book, is beaten by the SA and put into the hospital.
First, I want to go with the good. And there is definitely a lot of good in this book and the series (I am hoping that the author continues the series, and considering the trend for trilogies in young adult fiction, I think the odds are pretty favorable). I love how much history is packed into this book; the history nerd in me delights in every little detail. For those who are less historically inclined, it might feel like an overload of information that can detract from the story, but as for me, I love it!
The relationship between Daniel and Gretchen is a real standout to me because of their maturity levels. They aren't kids; although they're young, they've grown up fast, and it shows, particularly with Daniel. I think the scene that captures this best is on page 122, once Gretchen discovers how unhappy Daniel has been in England (which he has been trying to keep hidden from her, because she is very happy in their new lives). He explains that he misses having a Jewish community, friends, family, and a rewarding job. When Gretchen protests that she could fill all of those roles for him, Daniel states: "We can't fill all the holes in each other's lives. That's too much to expect from one person. Love isn't enough. There needs to be more - friends, a satisfying job, school, family."
YES. That is an incredibly mature and thoughtful take on a relationship, something that many YA books are seriously lacking. Too many YA books have the love interest being everything - two people against the world - and while I can sort of appreciate that, at least in fiction, it just isn't realistic. And even though Daniel and Gretchen are quite isolated and have to rely on one another quite a bit, there's still a community surrounding them, both in and out of Germany.
But while the book does have high points, it just didn't capture my interest like Prisoner of Smoke and Fog did. Daniel has lost his confidence and swagger that I loved so much in the first book, which is understandable considering the circumstances but still disappointing.
The threat level simultaneously felt greater (they are now both enemies of the Nazi Party, which has only gained more power since they fled to England) and less (they were both working on the outside of the Party now, instead of being thrust into the middle of it and trying to keep two fronts going). And the whole "Daniel needs to go to Germany again" thing, coupled with Gretchen following him, just felt a little forced and convenient. I understand that part of that is because I am looking back in hindsight - we, the readers, know just how bad things are going to get in Germany, while Gretchen and Daniel don't have the luxury of that knowledge - but, personally, if I had barely escaped a country with my life (which is what happened in the first book), I'd probably not be rushing back into it any time soon.
The whole diversion into the criminal underbelly of Berlin was interesting enough, but I felt that the story kind of lagged until they were accepted into the group. Once I was about halfway through the story, I really got invested in it and the characters once more, but getting to that point felt more like a slog than anything else. Something just wouldn't click until then, and I had to set the book down several times.
And now come the spoilers.
Does that make me sound like a sadist? Let me explain. Daniel is an amazing character and I love him, but...it feels to me like Gretchen relies a little too heavily on him. I'm not suggesting fridging him by any means, but...I think that it would be interesting to see what would happen to Gretchen if her support system was ripped away from her. I'd love to see her turn all badass and getting involved in some crazy resistance organization, especially since she didn't have a problem shooting a couple of SA soldiers (non-fatally). I'd just like to see what her character exactly is; while Daniel is there and the loss she feels isn't exactly fresh, she's very docile because she's safe. What happens if she's alone in the world? She's never been. And that is what I would like to see. Heck, I'd even like her to find love again.
But, of course, none of that happened because Daniel is still alive. And while I'm sort of glad about that...I'm sort of not.
Also, how in the world do two unarmed teenagers manage to escape a building full of SA men? Seriously. That just felt highly unrealistic.
Also, one of the things that bothers me is that it is famous-people-palooza. Okay, I get the Hitler thing, since Gretchen was his "sunshine" and that she would be exposed to the notorious people in the Nazi Party. However...
Nevertheless, I will pretty much read anything and everything that this author produces in the future.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Well researched, captivating, and fascinating; an impressive sequel to an already gorgeous first book.
Opening Sentence: The girl known as Gretchen Whitestone bicycled down the country lane.
The Review:
Gretchen and Daniel escaped from Germany, and
Then Daniel gets word about a family member dying, and he rushes back to Germany to see them. Gretchen fears for him; if he is caught than it will mean certain death after days of torture. When he doesn’t come back, she takes matters into her own hands and goes back to her homeland to find the man she loves so dearly. What she doesn’t expect is to find him with a false murder charge over his head, and to become knee deep in another scandal. They have thirteen days before the Enabling Act is passed and Hitler assumes dictatorship. Can they uncover the layers of secrets and expose him as the man he is, before he takes total control over her country?
I hadn’t read the first book in a while prior to reading this, so I was a little worried about diving right back in to Gretchen and David’s story. Luckily, Blankman flawlessly delivers a recap into the first couple chapters and it came back to me. I fell into her gorgeous writing, the melodic flow of her sentences, once again. I was enchanted by the detail in both the history and the imagery, and fascinated where she would take Gretchen and David this book. I love them as a couple and was rooting for them one hundred percent, so I was devastated when their relationship got rocky, but at least it was for realistic reasons. I like how they accepted that the other person wasn’t the only thing they needed in the other’s life, but still worked to make the romance work.
The secrets were even deeper in this second novel, and I was again impressed by how each clue led to another. It was a perfect blend of mystery and thriller, and the tension got thick enough to cut with a knife. New characters were introduced, each of them with complex personalities and all of them giving something new to the story. Hitler was terrifying to me, and Gretchen as well – he left an imprint on her psyche that she can’t erase. He was the most interesting character, because there were so many different layers to him, and I liked how the author explored each facet of the dangerous man.
This novel was another delicious installment in the Prisoner of Night and Fog series, and I enjoyed it immensely. I’m not a huge historical fiction reader, but I was still swallowed into this novel, and I loved that I now feel very informed about that period in history. Blankman truly covered all her bases. If you enjoyed the first, I promise that the second gets even darker, more dangerous, and more high-stakes than before!
Notable Scene:
When she’d first moved to England, sometimes she missed her old hate. Back when she’d been Uncle Dolf’s darling, she’d wrapped herself in it like a coat, and felt warm and protected. Safe. Without it, she’d been stripped bare. Vulnerable and aching in the cold.
Hate had made her life easy. Hitler had taught her so carefully. Any of the wrongs done to her could be traced back to Jewish or Communist hands. A poor exam mark meant her teacher didn’t approve of her political beliefs; a slight from friends on the playground meant the Jewish students had turned their classmates against her. Nothing was her fault.
Love was so much harder, messy and complicated and confusing.
FTC Advisory: Balzar+Bray/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Well researched, captivating, and fascinating; an impressive sequel to an already gorgeous first book.
Opening Sentence: The girl known as Gretchen Whitestone bicycled down the country lane.
The Review:
Gretchen and Daniel escaped from Germany, and
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now live a content life in England. For once, Gretchen doesn’t have to fear her brother’s dangerous moods or her mother’s biting words – most of all, Gretchen doesn’t have to fear the man who she used to call “Uncle Dolf” . . . Hitler. She was his “sunshine” for years and used to be in his inner circle, but after uncovering the plot that got her father killed and realizing the true extent of his plans for the Jews, she has escaped. The Whitestones are a loving, kind family.Then Daniel gets word about a family member dying, and he rushes back to Germany to see them. Gretchen fears for him; if he is caught than it will mean certain death after days of torture. When he doesn’t come back, she takes matters into her own hands and goes back to her homeland to find the man she loves so dearly. What she doesn’t expect is to find him with a false murder charge over his head, and to become knee deep in another scandal. They have thirteen days before the Enabling Act is passed and Hitler assumes dictatorship. Can they uncover the layers of secrets and expose him as the man he is, before he takes total control over her country?
I hadn’t read the first book in a while prior to reading this, so I was a little worried about diving right back in to Gretchen and David’s story. Luckily, Blankman flawlessly delivers a recap into the first couple chapters and it came back to me. I fell into her gorgeous writing, the melodic flow of her sentences, once again. I was enchanted by the detail in both the history and the imagery, and fascinated where she would take Gretchen and David this book. I love them as a couple and was rooting for them one hundred percent, so I was devastated when their relationship got rocky, but at least it was for realistic reasons. I like how they accepted that the other person wasn’t the only thing they needed in the other’s life, but still worked to make the romance work.
The secrets were even deeper in this second novel, and I was again impressed by how each clue led to another. It was a perfect blend of mystery and thriller, and the tension got thick enough to cut with a knife. New characters were introduced, each of them with complex personalities and all of them giving something new to the story. Hitler was terrifying to me, and Gretchen as well – he left an imprint on her psyche that she can’t erase. He was the most interesting character, because there were so many different layers to him, and I liked how the author explored each facet of the dangerous man.
This novel was another delicious installment in the Prisoner of Night and Fog series, and I enjoyed it immensely. I’m not a huge historical fiction reader, but I was still swallowed into this novel, and I loved that I now feel very informed about that period in history. Blankman truly covered all her bases. If you enjoyed the first, I promise that the second gets even darker, more dangerous, and more high-stakes than before!
Notable Scene:
When she’d first moved to England, sometimes she missed her old hate. Back when she’d been Uncle Dolf’s darling, she’d wrapped herself in it like a coat, and felt warm and protected. Safe. Without it, she’d been stripped bare. Vulnerable and aching in the cold.
Hate had made her life easy. Hitler had taught her so carefully. Any of the wrongs done to her could be traced back to Jewish or Communist hands. A poor exam mark meant her teacher didn’t approve of her political beliefs; a slight from friends on the playground meant the Jewish students had turned their classmates against her. Nothing was her fault.
Love was so much harder, messy and complicated and confusing.
FTC Advisory: Balzar+Bray/HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member adpaton
Stories about the Nazis are perennial favourites: Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is the second of a series by Anne Blankman set in pre-war Germany, after Hitler comes to power but before the full horror of his ideology is widely known.
Young Gretchen Whitestone and Daniel Cohen having escaped Nazi
But then Daniel receives a telegram which makes him return to the Reich and Gretchen, when she hears of his arrest for murder, hurries after him. Against the backdrop of the arson attack on the Reichstag, and while hunted by Nazis and aided by gangsters, Gretchen and Daniel have to prove his innocence and escape back to England.
An exciting young adult read with new and interesting insights into life under Hitler, this book can stand alone in an engrossing series.
Young Gretchen Whitestone and Daniel Cohen having escaped Nazi
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Germany and live quietly in Oxford: despite Gretchen having been one of Hitler’s favourites and Daniel being Jewish, they are in love and want to put the past behind them.But then Daniel receives a telegram which makes him return to the Reich and Gretchen, when she hears of his arrest for murder, hurries after him. Against the backdrop of the arson attack on the Reichstag, and while hunted by Nazis and aided by gangsters, Gretchen and Daniel have to prove his innocence and escape back to England.
An exciting young adult read with new and interesting insights into life under Hitler, this book can stand alone in an engrossing series.
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LibraryThing member Beammey
This is one of those books I thought I would like better than I did. The premise seemed right up my alley, but I just couldn't connect with it the way I wanted. The writing is good, the story line is good, I just couldn't get attached to it, so for that reason 4 out of 5 stars. I would still
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recommend it though for people that like historical fiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
I loved Anne Blankman's debut novel last year. "Prisoner of Night and Fog" was one of my favourites for 2015, so I was keen to read its sequel. "Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke" was well written and extensively researched, but it started slowly and I felt it lacked the nail-biting tension of the
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first book as Gretchen and Daniel were more distanced from Hitler in this one. However, despite missing the intensity of the first book and learning more about Hitler's psyche, "Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke" was still a worthy sequel, full of intrigue, drama and suspense. Show Less
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
For more reviews, gifs, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Anne Blankman’s debut novel, Prisoner of Night and Fog, is perfection. I loved every single bit of it to pieces: the darkness, the terror, the psychology, the history, and the romance. The characters, the plot, the writing,
Set two years after Prisoner of Night and Fog, Gretchen and Daniel are living in Oxford. Gretchen’s found a loving, supportive family at last with the Whitestones. Daniel, however, hates it there, because he’s stuck working the society beat. On top of that, he doesn’t know any Jewish people, and he lacks that connection he’s had all his life. Unlike Gretchen, he was leaving behind friends and family, people he still loved and trusted. For her, it was pure escape, but he feels like he’s wasting away without really journalism to sink his teeth into.
In Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, Gretchen and Daniel really have to evaluate their relationship. They fell in love in Prisoner of Night and Fog, and it was very sweet. Now, though, they’re past the honeymoon phase of the relationship and they’re no longer in danger all of the time. It’s not daring and intense. She’s all he’s got now, and it’s not enough. What I like about this is that, though the circumstances of their lives are so out of the ordinary, their relationship problems are very much realistic and their own. Their relationship was obviously forbidden by the Nazis, but the biggest issues they’re dealing with in Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke don’t have anything to do with external censure.
As anyone could predict, Daniel and Gretchen end up heading back to Germany. He hears that one of his cousins had been attacked, and off he goes to Germany. Gretchen follows to save his ass, which has been charged for a murder it did not commit (well, not just his ass—his whole person). It’s cool that the girl’s going to protect the guy, but such a bad idea. Once in Germany, shit hits the fan. They once again set out to investigate, hoping to stop the Nationalist Socialist party’s rise to power by proving that they framed Daniel. History tells us that they will have quite the struggle doing so.
Like Prisoner of Night and Fog, the writing and action is strong. This series gets so dark, as dark as it has to in order to capture the time period. Daniel’s crippled from the events of the first book, for fiction’s sake. Blankman shows the brutality openly. Plot-wise, my favorite part of Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is when Gretchen and Daniel get caught up with German mobsters and prostitutes, who turn out to be way more honorable than the government. It’s also pretty cool that there’s a Nazi who still tries to help Gretchen. Things are never completely black and white or easy to pin down, and I love thatGretchen has to shoot people in this book. Her hands are bloody too.
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is, almost entirely, a great novel. However, I can’t get past the fact that it’s also somewhat pointless. A lot happens, don’t get me wrong. The book’s action-packed and full of historical intrigue. The thing is that Gretchen and Daniel had managed to escape to England together; they had new identities and safe lives. There’s no reason for them to go back to Germany; even without the hindsight of a reader, they knew that their lives would likely be forfeit if they went back while Hitler was still in power. Sure, Daniel’s family member had been attacked, but it’s not like he’s an expert surgeon, the only one who can help the guy. Like his family would want him to die coming to say his last respects or sit at his family member’s bedside. No. It’s a ridiculous, trumped up excuse to get them back into Germany. It just feels like the extra book was tacked on, since they could have had trouble getting out and just still been there.
Despite the fact that I don’t think Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke quite lived up to its predecessor, it’s still amazing. Even with those reservations, I would read ten more books about Gretchen, because they’re fabulous.
Anne Blankman’s debut novel, Prisoner of Night and Fog, is perfection. I loved every single bit of it to pieces: the darkness, the terror, the psychology, the history, and the romance. The characters, the plot, the writing,
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and the setting were all on point. My expectations for Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke were absurdly high, so it’s not surprising that it fell short, if only slightly. Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke lacks the charisma of Prisoner of Night and Fog, but it’s still brilliant, well-written, and deliciously scary.Set two years after Prisoner of Night and Fog, Gretchen and Daniel are living in Oxford. Gretchen’s found a loving, supportive family at last with the Whitestones. Daniel, however, hates it there, because he’s stuck working the society beat. On top of that, he doesn’t know any Jewish people, and he lacks that connection he’s had all his life. Unlike Gretchen, he was leaving behind friends and family, people he still loved and trusted. For her, it was pure escape, but he feels like he’s wasting away without really journalism to sink his teeth into.
In Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, Gretchen and Daniel really have to evaluate their relationship. They fell in love in Prisoner of Night and Fog, and it was very sweet. Now, though, they’re past the honeymoon phase of the relationship and they’re no longer in danger all of the time. It’s not daring and intense. She’s all he’s got now, and it’s not enough. What I like about this is that, though the circumstances of their lives are so out of the ordinary, their relationship problems are very much realistic and their own. Their relationship was obviously forbidden by the Nazis, but the biggest issues they’re dealing with in Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke don’t have anything to do with external censure.
As anyone could predict, Daniel and Gretchen end up heading back to Germany. He hears that one of his cousins had been attacked, and off he goes to Germany. Gretchen follows to save his ass, which has been charged for a murder it did not commit (well, not just his ass—his whole person). It’s cool that the girl’s going to protect the guy, but such a bad idea. Once in Germany, shit hits the fan. They once again set out to investigate, hoping to stop the Nationalist Socialist party’s rise to power by proving that they framed Daniel. History tells us that they will have quite the struggle doing so.
Like Prisoner of Night and Fog, the writing and action is strong. This series gets so dark, as dark as it has to in order to capture the time period. Daniel’s crippled from the events of the first book, for fiction’s sake. Blankman shows the brutality openly. Plot-wise, my favorite part of Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is when Gretchen and Daniel get caught up with German mobsters and prostitutes, who turn out to be way more honorable than the government. It’s also pretty cool that there’s a Nazi who still tries to help Gretchen. Things are never completely black and white or easy to pin down, and I love that
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is, almost entirely, a great novel. However, I can’t get past the fact that it’s also somewhat pointless. A lot happens, don’t get me wrong. The book’s action-packed and full of historical intrigue. The thing is that Gretchen and Daniel had managed to escape to England together; they had new identities and safe lives. There’s no reason for them to go back to Germany; even without the hindsight of a reader, they knew that their lives would likely be forfeit if they went back while Hitler was still in power. Sure, Daniel’s family member had been attacked, but it’s not like he’s an expert surgeon, the only one who can help the guy. Like his family would want him to die coming to say his last respects or sit at his family member’s bedside. No. It’s a ridiculous, trumped up excuse to get them back into Germany. It just feels like the extra book was tacked on, since they could have had trouble getting out and just still been there.
Despite the fact that I don’t think Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke quite lived up to its predecessor, it’s still amazing. Even with those reservations, I would read ten more books about Gretchen, because they’re fabulous.
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ISBN
0062278843 / 9780062278845