Chambers, A. (1999). Postcards from no man's land. New York: Speak.
Summary
Amsterdam, World War II, occupied by German Nazis. Amsterdam, fifty years later, "an old city occupied by the young" (p. 3). What do the two have in common? Jacob Todd is about to find out how deeply connected are the past and present of this mysterious city. Jacob, a teenager traveling to Amsterdam for the first time to honor his grandfather and namesake, an English solider who died in Oosterbeek during WWII, learns much more about his family than he ever expected. Jacob has lived with his grandmother most of his life, growing up rather sheltered in a middle class English home and hearing stories of his heroic grandfather his grandmother describes as the ideal man. His host family includes Geertrui, who as a young woman nursed his wounded grandfather and has since maintained a friendship with Jacob's grandmother. On her death bed, Geertrui has enlisted the help of her grandson, Daan, to help her write the true story of the relationship that developed between her and Jacob's grandfather so that Jacob may truly understand the man his grandfather was. While in the city, Jacob meets a variety of people young and old who begin to open his eyes to the possibilities that lie beyond his sheltered, proper world. As Jacob discovers many truths about himself, he begins to question and explore his own world views—gender identities, significance of historical landmarks such as the home of "his" beloved Anne Frank, his own sexuality, even the concept of euthanasia—within the context of this old yet liberal city.
Worth a bookmark?
At times this story was difficult to read, not because of how it was written but because of the intensity of the issues presented through the telling of Jacob's and Geetrui's stories. As he begins exploring Amsterdam, he quickly learns that the rest of the world is not exactly like home: one of his first experiences is being attracted to and flirting with a young woman at a café, only to discover that she is actually a he. This happening, in addition to Daan's views and sexual preferences, cause Jacob to reexamine his own sexuality and views about relationships and marriage. Jacob is also faced with a very difficult decision at the end of the book, whether or not to tell his grandmother, who is still deeply in love with his grandfather even fifty years after his death, the truth about his and Geertrui's relationship before his death. Geertrui is also faced with difficult decisions: as a young woman, many stem from surviving physically and mentally in a war-torn country, and later in life to decide how to spend her last days. The ripple effect of those decisions reaches across generations and families. Chambers weaves together the dual stories of Jacob and Geetrui beautifully to show the connection between past and present. Although this book will probably not make it to my list of ones to read again and again, the story was never dull and was one of those that made the reader uncomfortable in a good way, causing the reader to examine his or her own values and social ideas along with the characters.
In my library…
This book effectively opens doors for exploring social issues that young adults face more frequently today than in the past. It is easy for teens to say they believe one way or another on an issue without ever taking the time to consider it for themselves, but it takes much more maturity and consideration to debate an issue in context. For example, instead of writing about or discussing, "Do you think euthanasia is right?" a more meaningful question would be "Do you agree with Geertrui's decision to have an assisted death in her circumstances? Why or why not?" Additional social issues pervade this book, posting questions that all teens will have to answer for themselves at some point in their lives. The best thing about this book in that context is that it defines no wrong or right answers, only presents the issues an different perspectives on them, leaving the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.
Reviews
This book received international acclaim after its 1999 publication in Europe. Older teens on this side of the Atlantic now have a chance to read the two complex and challenging narratives intertwined in this beautifully written novel. When 17-year-old Jacob travels solo from England as his grandmother's representative at a ceremony in the Netherlands commemorating the World War II Battle of Arnhem, he is transformed. Jacob is intrigued and excited by new ideas engendered by initially bewildering experiences: the strangely disturbing Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, new acquaintances who cross gender lines, and, most of all, the imminent assisted death of the elderly lady who was his grandfather's wartime nurse and has kept in contact with his family. This frail Dutchwoman, the second narrator, has her own startling tale to tell, recalling in detail her short but passionate relationship with another Jacob long ago, when the whole world seemed to be burning and when serious, irrevocable choices were made in haste. The protagonists in these coming-of-age stories face real-world decisions involving love, sexuality, and friendship, linking the teenagers across time and generations, and leading to a conclusion as convincing as it is absorbing and thought-provoking. -Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information (School Library Journal)
