- Traitor by Amanda McCrina
2020 [368p]
Trade ed. ISBN 9780374313524 $18.99
E-book ed. ISBN 9780374313548 $9.99
Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 9-12
In 1944, Tolya is a Soviet soldier on the run in the battleground Polish/Ukrainian city of Lwów after shooting a higher-up in the streets; smuggled out of the city by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (the UPA) on the orders of an unnamed source, Tolya is still far from safety—if the Ukrainians figure out he is half Polish, they'll shoot him on the spot. Three years before, in 1941, eighteen-year-old Aleksey is trying to get his father, a political prisoner of the Soviets, out of jail, or at least his younger brother to safety. When he's caught by the German special forces, it sets his story off on a horrific path that eventually and heartbreakingly intersects with Tolya's. There are multiple threads to follow here, from the tumultuous history of the conflicts in Lwów to the many and wholly unpredictable betrayals of various characters, but the chaos seems to be the point: the names and faces change, but the violence remains just as brutal, with no room for affection or innocence. Aleksey narrates his section with sardonic self-awareness and a surprising amount of good cheer considering the circumstances, while Tolya's chapters are in the third person, underscoring the emotional distance forced upon both of them by the war and foreshadowing a painful end. Connections between the two stories go beyond just the two main characters, and savvy readers will see multiple betrayals that lead to tragedy just as much as they do hope. Fans of Wein's Code Name Verity (BCCB 6/12) won't want to miss this powerful story about the desperate actions we take in the name of loyalty and survival. [End Page 35]