Reviewed by C. Breitbach, February 2023
A novel about resistance and searching, Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse shows a mix of hope and pain. Hanneke is known for her ability to find things. She’s involved in spreading and locating contraband in 1943 Amsterdam. Amidst a World War 2 landscape, she is grappling with grief in more ways than one. Her life becomes forever changed when a client asks her to find something unimaginable. The young Jewish girl she was hiding in her house. Hanneke’s life is turned upside down as she learns lessons about herself and the increasingly morbid world around her. This book is suitable for ages 14+ due to its content. It has death, violence, gun violence, homophobia, anti-semitism, and Holocaust topics. Readers that enjoyed The Nazi Conspiracy or Bloodbath Nation should enjoy this book, as they have similar concepts and themes.