Overall, what did you think of In Our Midst? (no spoilers, please!)

Book Clubs In Our Midst by Nancy Jensen Discussion
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Overall, what did you think of In Our Midst? (no spoilers, please!)

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I found the book at first inspiring but then very depressing! I remember the incarceration of the Japanese during the war but I didn’t know that this was going on in our Country. The radical fear and racism by people who had liked this family is unbelievable. No spoilers but it was a good book and deserves a 4.

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It was thought provoking read and aspect of U.S. history that I did know about. Plus, it was inspiring to see the support the family members received.

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I enjoyed this one very much (of course, I’ve always been drawn to WWII historical fiction). I thought the plot was realistic and touched on a lot of different experiences for those living in the U.S. during the war years.

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I know this is historical fiction, but I was impressed that the book didn’t supply a fairy tale ending. It was a realistic portrayal of one family torn apart by war and politics.

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Historical fiction especially World War II fiction has always interested me. In Our Midst brought to light a new aspect of this time period that I was unaware of and provided a clear understanding of how one family united together to survive.

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I, too, liked the book. The main characters were realistic as were the reactions by others. At the end of the story I wondered and perhaps that’s what Jensen intended.

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8

I felt the book was very informative in regards to the horrible internment of German Americans during WWII. As a novel though, the plot loses steam once the Aust family is reunited in the camp. Some of the chapters really dragged on too long and I found myself bored. The characters were interesting enough although I found the relationship between Otto and Nina needed more development.

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I really liked this book and am grateful to Book Browse for making it available because it probably would not have made it onto my “to read” list. The book was mostly just heart breaking, one chapter after the next. But then the subject was anything but. I learned so much about this period of our history. I was especially pleased with the inclusion of the situation with the African American family looking into the restaurant and moving on because they knew the other patrons would not be pleased. This demonstrated that Jensen was aware of how other minorities were perceived during this time period. As I read the book I had a hard time remembering that this atrocity was taking place in the US. I also kept thinking about what’s happening in our current political environment and the possibility of history repeated itself.

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10

I thought In Our Midst was an enlightening and sad story about one aspect of World War II. The story showed how wars disrupt laws and personal rights. The story was based on a German family held together by love while trying to survive life interned in a prison camp with no recourse. It also showed that even in the worst situations, there are those who offer strength to others through acts of kindness and through friendship. This story highlights how certain actions and events in our history were covered up, intentionally not told. Book clubs that do not mind reading sad stories will find much to discuss from this powerful book. I liked reading In Our Midst very much and appreciate that this tragic story is no longer hidden for so many.

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Historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre no matter the time period. I was an infant and little child during this time frame, but remember snippets from stories my parents told. Margaret (above) found " the plot loses steam once the Aust family is reunited in the camp. Some of the chapters really dragged on too long and I found myself bored." I wondered whether that was purposeful on Jensen’s part. Can you imagine how bored the people who were interned were in spite of the work they did and the various ways they found or created. Appreciated learning about a historical event I didn’t know much about.

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I enjoyed the family and friendships interwoven within the historical facts. I appreciate that this this part of history is reaching a broader base, so that more people are aware of this travesty within our own country.

I do think it could have been slightly edited to be a tighter book, but it was well written and it kept my interest.

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@Marion_Mueller that’s a very good point about the boredom internees had to have endured, and the author’s intent in these chapters.

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I missed the characters after I finished reading- I see that as a masterful success.

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As a woman of German and African descent this book really hit home for me. I knew of the terrible history of my African heritage, but I had no idea that Germans endured similar injustices in the U.S. This story was very emotional for me. The Aust’s family was inspiring and made me think about what sacrifices I would make for my own family. It was like I had a glimpse into history right out of someone’s diary or journal. The story felt so real. The topic was well researched by the writer. Nancy did a wonderful job capturing the emotions of the characters with her descriptive and creative writing style. I enjoyed reading IN OUR MIDST.