Lasky, Kathryn The Extra, 307 p. Candlewick, 2013. Mature Content: PG (mentions of infidelity,
forced hysterectomies); Language: PG (4 swears, o ‘f’); Violence: PG
(Nazi’s).
During World War II, Hitler
had a favorite filmmaker and actress – Leni Riefenstahl – and she is making her
masterpiece. In order to complete it,
however, she needs lots of extras, or movie slaves, as they think of
themselves. All of these slaves, though,
are captured Gypsies, including Lilo and her mother and a boy, Django, who
works hard to keep himself, the other Gypsies, and especially Lilo, alive under
the harsh, cruel Nazi regime and the vagaries of film-making.
This little known part of Hitler’s Germany is
stark and interesting, but definitely more mature than most of Lasky’s
novels. I loved it and found the topic
fascinating, but it is gritty and bald-faced, especially when it talks about
the hysterectomies that Hitler’s doctors forced on the women as a part of his
solution. It is fascinating
history.
MS – OPTIONAL. HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher