Coming Evil

VOYA - Elaine McGuire

During the Nazi occupation of Paris, thirteen-year-old Lisette is sent to the supposedly safer French countryside to live with her aunt, where Lisette soon discovers that her aunt is harboring gypsy and Jewish children. This dangerous living arrangement requires Lisette, her aunt, and her annoying cousin Cecile to perform numerous minute daily tasks to hide all signs of the extra children. To escape the chores and Cecile, Lisette wanders the hilltop where Cecile won't go for fear of a rumored ghost. Lisette immediately encounters this ghost, whose name is Gerard. Gerard appears as the age of those who see him; to Lisette, he is thirteen. Lisette befriends the melancholy ghost and learns that he died in 1314, fighting in the Crusades. As their friendship (and potential romance) blossoms, Gerard becomes more human. His new solidity and military experience come in handy when the inevitable Nazi search does occur, and Gerard and Lisette must save the endangered children. A few flaws mar this otherwise excellent and unique novel of historical fiction. First of all, the cover of the uncorrected proof is deplorable. Lisette wears a nineties haircut and a poodle skirt sans poodle. Gerard is a drawing superimposed on the photograph, and he looks like a suave twenty-five-year-old--ugh! Also, throughout the story Lisette and Gerard's ages feel wrong. Their mature and flirtatious behavior would be more appropriate for older teens. Other than this, the novel is a wonderful read. The combination of World War II and the Crusades is a feat only this talented author could pull off. VOYA Codes: 3Q 2P M J S (Readable without serious defects, For the YA with a special interest in the subject, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-This well-written novel combines two periods in French history-the 1940s and the early 1300s. Lisette Beaucaire, 13, is sent to live in the country with her aunt, since food is scarce in Paris, which is overrun by German soldiers. Although she dreads spending time with her bratty cousin Cecile, Lisette is even more dismayed to discover that her aunt is hiding Jewish and gypsy children from the Nazis. As Lisette and the children practice what to do if the Nazis arrive unexpectedly, she begins to understand the seriousness of the situation. Then she encounters the ghost of Gerard, a young knight who died in 1314. At first he is merely a spirit but gradually he becomes solid and real-and a friend. In an exciting climax, Gerard helps Lisette save the younger children from the Nazis. The conclusion leads readers to ponder the future of the characters. The plot moves briskly and Vande Velde does a good job of creating the war-time atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Lisette is a sympathetic and believable character. However, the comparison between the persecution of the Jews and gypsies by Hitler and the Knights Templar (Gerard's order) by King Philip IV is a bit of a stretch and may not be the best example to help readers understand the Holocaust. (Among other things, the Knights Templar, a powerful group of monks known for fighting in the Crusades, was not particularly tolerant of Jews or other "infidels.") Still, this fast-paced adventure raises some interesting issues.-Cyrisse Jaffee, formerly at Newton Public Schools, MA

From the Publisher

"This well-written . . . fast-paced adventure raises some interesting issues."—School Library Journal

School Library Journal

"Velde's melding of fantasy with historical fiction is generally successful, and her comments about the similarities between these two historical periods are well taken."—Booklist Booklist, ALA