YA Literature Module 4: Historical Fiction

 

These Violent Delights 

Written by: Chloe Gong 

Bibliography: Gong, C. (2020). These violent delights. Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. 

ISBN: 978-1534457690 

Plot Summary: These Violent Delights is a clever reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, set in Shanghai in 1926. The two main characters, Juliette Cai and Roma Montague, are former star-crossed lovers from two opposing gangs, the Scarlets and the White Flowers, that rule Shanghai, a city that is becoming increasingly unstable and divided among foreign influences from the British and French. Amid the rising tension in the city between the Scarlets and White Flowers, a mysterious plague is spreading rapidly, affecting both gangs and quickly infecting people across the city. Fragmented sightings of a monster accompany the sudden arrival of strange insects that infect unsuspecting people, leaving them ripping them own throats out as the poison spreads. While Roma and Juliette used to be lovers years ago, the blood feud between their families has fractured their relationship, with both thinking that the other committed unspeakable acts of violence against their families, acts that prompted Juliette to be sent off to America for a time to stay safe. Despite their troubled past, Juliette and Roma soon discover that the only way to find the monster spreading this plague is to work together, with the help of their friends and family Marshall, Benedikt, Rosalind, and Kathleen; Roma is especially desperate to find a way to stop the disease before it takes over his infected sister, Alisa. Roma and Juliette eventually uncover and defeat the culprit at the center of the madness taking over the city, and in a shocking turn of events, Juliette attempts to protect Roma by showing her supposed loyalty to her family and killing Roma’s cousin Marshall. As the story ends, Juliette is dealt a devastating blow as she discovers that the plague may be far from over. 

Critical Analysis: These Violent Delights is an interesting take on a historical fiction young adult novel; not only does in include elements of the 1920s historical setting in Shanghai and offers insightful social commentary of the time, but it also reimagines the plot of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespeare retelling is not exact, but rather a new spin on the idea of star-crossed lovers from warring families, unable to resist their love for each other despite societal expectations keeping them apart. There are character outlines that parallel the original story, and some lines that readers will recognize, such as Marshall’s final words, “You are all cursed. Montagovs and Cais alike. There’s a plague on both your…houses.”, harkening back to Mercutio’s words in Romeo and Juliet. However, author Chloe Gong makes the story her own with the unique imagining of a monster spreading a plague through mysterious insects that latch on to unsuspecting people around the city. Her descriptions are vivid and at times gruesome, painting a brutal picture of the chaos that enveloped the city as Roma and Juliette desperately try to put a stop to the madness. Gong’s word choice and vivid imagery are the heart of her novel; while the chapters burst with action and the horrors of the monster unravel across the pages, it is the almost poetic writing style that makes this story impactful. For example, “Somewhere above, past those low clouds and brisk winds, the north star was spinning, spinning atop the world with no regard for anything else. Her city, her gang, her family. Her family, her gang, her city.” Despite the action fueling the pages and the terrifying monster lurking in every corner, the heart of the story is the struggle between family duty and following one’s heart. 

The novel is set in the 1920s in Shanghai, and elements of this historical setting are sprinkled throughout the text, although not always at the forefront of the plot. Many scenes are set in speakeasy-like establishments, as Juliette compares them to what she experienced while living in America for a time. Western and Eastern culture are brought together as Juliette forgoes the traditional qipaos worn by Chinese women at the time and instead is often described as wearing glittery flapper dresses and waved hair. Gong incorporates the political tensions of the time throughout the story, with much of the plot discussing the impact that foreign influences had on the city of Shanghai. Juliette often reflects upon this, as she sees her city becoming more and more fractured by the outside influences that threaten her culture and traditions, leaving the reader with much to think about and ponder upon as the story reaches its conclusion. 

Awards and Recognition: 

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book List, 2021 

Junior Library Guild Selection 

Kirkus’ Best YA Historical Fiction, 2020 

Review Excerpts: 

From Kirkus Reviews: “The slow-burning romance in this book takes a back seat to the gripping mystery grounded in immersive historical detail. Allusions to Romeo and Juliet are evident in names and specific scenes, but familiar themes of family, loyalty, and identity bear new significance in Gong’s inventive adaptation. Language is a tool wielded deftly by the multilingual characters, who switch easily among English, French, Shanghainese, Russian, and more, with Mandarin as the primary dialect for Chinese phrases. A strong supporting cast that includes a trans girl completes this striking debut. A must-read with a conclusion that will leave readers craving more.” 

From Publishers Weekly: “Gong’s incisive retelling imbues a thoroughly modern richness, with arresting prose and an inclusive cast. A lush, wholly original debut that will satiate Shakespeare aficionados and draw those seeking an engrossing, multifaceted historical fantasy.” 

Connections: This novel is the first in a duology by Chloe Gong, so readers will want to check out the next novel in the series, Our Violent Ends. The story also continues with a spin-off duology, with the novels Foul Lady Fortune and Foul Heart Huntsman. Readers can also make connections to this text by reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and then finding the parallels and connected threads throughout the two stories.

Burn Baby Burn 

Written by: Meg Medina 

Bibliography: Medina, M. (2016). Burn baby burn. Candlewick Press. 

ISBN: 978-0763674670 

Plot Summary: Burn Baby Burn is a young adult novel about teenager Nora Lopez, as she navigates the end of her childhood amid the chaotic and dangerous events taking place in New York City in 1977. Nora is excited to finally be graduating from high school, ready to go off on her own into adulthood; she lives with her mother and younger brother Hector in their small apartment in Queens, New York, and is ready to leave behind the overwhelming responsibility she has to her family and forge her own independent path. News of young couples being killed around the city, later revealed to be due to the serial killer Son of Sam, leaves Nora and her friends and family on edge. While Nora wants to be independent, she can’t shake the feeling of responsibility to her mother and Hector, especially since the rent is late, her absent father is too busy with his new family to help, and Hector’s aggressive and violent behavior has only increased the older he gets. Nora works at a local deli and soon meets Pablo, the new college-aged employee that she can’t stop thinking about. Pablo and Nora soon begin dating, even though they are wary of the continued killings of young couples around the city. Nora becomes suspicious of her brother and the questionable company he has been keeping and eventually discovers him in the act of arson after a blackout across the city. As Nora emerges into adulthood, she must make vital yet heartbreaking decisions as she decides what she wants for her future. 

Critical Analysis: Burn Baby Burn is a relatable coming-of-age novel, not just for teens of the same age as protagonist Nora, but also for anyone who has also felt the burden of balancing familial responsibility and personal independence. Author Meg Medina creates a complex character in Nora Lopez, who is eager to leave high school behind and be on her own, yet unable to articulate what her goals and dreams are; she is the caretaker of her family and is often berated by her brother and scolded by her mother, but she also maintains a fierce loyalty to those she loves. She has a found family with her best friend and yearns for the family life she experiences when at their house, yet is keenly aware of their differences in socioeconomic status and cultures and often hides that from those closest to her. The cast of characters surrounding Nora create a backdrop of familiar neighbors and the diverse community found in New York City. 

Medina also creates a sense of lingering tension and fear as the Son of Sam killings continue; scenes when Nora is coming home in the dark or when her and her friends leave a late movie at the theater are well-written and set a realistic scene for how many people must have felt during the summer of 1977, not knowing who the killer would set his sights on next. The historical time period is evident in these details, as readers are immersed in a setting filled with disco music and record players, along with the historical events including the New York City blackout and arsons in the summer of 1977. The historical details do not seem forced or unnatural to the story, but rather a background for the events that unfold for Nora and her search for independence. At its heart, this is a story of finding one’s identity and growing into adulthood, even when it is at times painful and the path ahead is unclear. 

Awards and Recognition: 

Kirkus Prize Finalist, 2016 

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2017 

Review Excerpts: 

From School Library Journal: "Medina uses Nora’s story to seamlessly connect readers to an unforgettable period in history, the setting leaving readers thirsting for more information about the summer of 1977. The character development is tight and accurately constructed. Medina holds nothing back, shedding light on the characters’ flaws, which teens today will be able to relate to. Medina is on point with the teen voices, evoking their intense fear, panic, and dreams.” 

From Kirkus Reviews: “Rooted firmly in historical events, Medina's latest offers up a uniquely authentic slice-of-life experience set against a hazy, hot, and dangerous NYC backdrop. Rocky and Donna Summer and the thumping beats of disco, as well as other references from the time, capture the era, while break-ins, fires, shootings, and the infamous blackout bring a harrowing sense of danger and intensity . . . An important story of one of New York City's most dangerous times.” 

Connections: Readers may want to explore more young adult titles set during the 1970s after finishing Burn Baby Burn, such as The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins, or Subway Love by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Other connection activities to go along with this novel could be to provide students with nonfiction materials to explore about 1970s culture that are referenced in the story. 

Salt to the Sea 

Written by: Ruta Sepetys 

Bibliography: Sepetys, R. (2017). Salt to the sea. Penguin Books. 

ISBN: 978-0142423622 

Plot Summary: Salt to the Sea is a historical fiction novel following the harrowing journeys of four young adults from different backgrounds as they make their ways out of East Prussia at the end of World War II. Each chapter alternates from the perspective of Florian, a mysterious young man on a mission to protect a stolen artifact; Joana, an intelligent nurse from Lithuania trying to make her way back to her mother; Emilia, a terrified but brave pregnant teenager escaping her destroyed hometown in Poland; and Alfred, a troubled, incapable Nazi soldier attempting to be a hero in his own mind. Florian and Emilia initially meet when Florian saves her from a lurking soldier, and Emilia immediately forms a bond with her “knight”, as she refers to him throughout the story. Florian, a seemingly reluctant hero, is determined to make it out of East Prussia with an amber swan that was stolen by the Nazis. Florian is an art restorer that worked with the Nazis before realizing they were stealing priceless art; now, determined to correct his wrongs, he uses his forgery skills to make his way to safety and return a priceless work of art. Florian and Emilia eventually meet and travel with Joana, a kind old man they call “Shoe Poet”, a young boy named Klaus, a blind woman named Ingrid, and an opinionated older woman named Eva. Together, they join the thousands of evacuees making their way across the harsh winter conditions to Gotenhafen, where they plan to board a boat that will take them away from the approaching armies. 

After a long, treacherous journey, the group, now consisting of Joana, Florian, Emilia, Shoe Poet, and Klaus, make it onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a large ship that will take them to safety. Emilia has her baby, Halinka, and Joana and Florian become closer as they work to protect each other and others aboard the ship. Alfred continues to write imaginary letters to a girl from his hometown, updating her about his heroic endeavors, which are actually his own made-up delusions. However, the ship is soon hit by Russian torpedoes and begins to rapidly sink in the dangerously cold Baltic Sea. With not enough lifeboats and the ship being significantly over its 1,500-person capacity, thousands of men, women, and children perish on the ship and in the icy waters below. Joana, Florian, Halinka, and Klaus survive on a lifeboat and are eventually rescued by another ship, although Florian loses his pack with the priceless artifact in it when it ends up with Emilia, whom they became separated from as she sacrificed her place in the lifeboat for little Klaus. Emilia and Alfred end up on a raft together, with both eventually perishing; Alfred after trying to attack Emilia, and Emilia after succumbing to the freezing temperatures. Twenty years later, the reader learns that Florian, Joana, Klaus, and Halinka are a family now, and someone has found Florian’s missing pack after Emilia’s body washed up on the shore; this person has buried Emilia and the missing treasure, keeping the secret that Florian tried to protect all those years ago. 

Critical Analysis: Salt to the Sea is a deeply moving story about the largest, but often lesser known, maritime disaster in history. Author Ruta Sepetys makes a conscious choice to tell the story from four different perspectives, alternating each chapter between Florian, Emilia, Joana, and Alfred. While it may seem that there is too much for the reader to keep track of, switching between the different characters, each chapter is relatively short and allows the reader to understand the same scene or situation from four different points of view. This narrative choice makes this novel stand apart from others, leaving the reader with a wider understanding of how the events of the war, and its aftermath, affected all different people. Especially haunting are the chapters written from Alfred’s point of view, a Nazi soldier who has delusions of grandeur and whole-heartedly believes in Hitler’s propaganda and plan. Sepetys carefully constructs each character to be distinct from each other, taking into account their backgrounds, families, cultures, and more. Not just adept at fleshing out the main characters of the novel, Sepetys also weaves together the lives of other characters also trying to escape to safety; notably, Shoe Poet, an old, kind, and wise man who takes young lost boy Klaus under his wing, and Ingrid, a blind young woman who uses her other senses to protect the group from oncoming danger as they cross the ice. 

Even though the fate of the Wilhelm Gustloff is known from the beginning of the story, Sepetys still delivers an emotional and gut-wrenching impact when the ship begins to sink; the characters have gone through so much and are seemingly finally on the path to safety. Historical details are woven into the story throughout each character’s chapter, explaining to the reader what atrocities happened in the war and how the war affected people all over. Sepetys specifically uses Alfred’s imaginary letters to explain the evacuation operation that leads to the climactic moments of the characters sailing off on the Wilhelm Gustloff, making a wise style choice to interweave the historical background into the plot elements of the story. As the characters go through this journey together, facing one obstacle and hardship after another, themes of found family, empathy, and perseverance make this novel outstanding and unforgettable. 

Awards and Recognition: 

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist, 2017 

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 Selection, 2017 

CCBC Choices Selection, 2017 

Golden Kite Young Adult Award Winner, 2017 

Review Excerpts: 

From Booklist: "This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered, and in turn, it tries to remember the thousands of real people its fictional characters represent. What it asks of us is that their memories, and their stories, not be abandoned to the sea." 

From Kirkus Reviews: "The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn't change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning. Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful." 

Connections: Readers who want to read more of Ruta Sepetys as an author study may want to check out her other books, including Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, The Fountains of Silence, and Ashes in the Snow. Similar historical fiction young adult books that can connect to this title also include Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, My Real Name is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Readers may also want to explore resources that teach more about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, using a resource shared in the author’s note, www.wilhelmgustloffmuseum.com.