Roberta Kagan is the author of over 30 books, most of them about World War II. In her own words Ms. Kagan says, “I am trying to reach out and touch many people, not with the message of the horrors but with the promise of hope.” She is very humble in her desire to tell the stories of the brave people of that time.
The Pact is set in Vienna in the time leading up to the War. It is about a group of young girls who decide to mix their blood to show that they will always be the best of friends, always available to help one another. Anna is Jewish. She goes to a Jewish school and her family is well-to-do. The other girls come from poor families and one of their mothers is the maid for Anna's family, which is how the girls met. The Pact covers the girls' relationships for ten years, beginning with the blood sister pact when they were eight years old and ending around the time of the Anschluss, Germany's annexation of Austria. It has a cliffhanger ending and there will be a second book about the group.
The story flows easily and the girls and their experiences are interesting. It at times seems as if it were written for a younger audience. The author quite often uses a narrative of a character's thoughts even though it is obvious to the reader what the character's emotions are. The four girls are a rather clichéd group - the smart girl, the pretty girl, the lesbian, and the bully. I felt that Anna, the Jewish girl, wanting to go to Berlin in 1939 and her parents encouraging it was far-fetched. They were aware of the bad feelings toward Jews and the bad things happening to Jews in Germany. All in all, though, the book was interesting and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and Roberta Kagan Publishing for the ARC of the book. ( )

This story is of four young girls who seal their friendship through a pact of sisterhood in their elementary school years. The story moves from 1929 Vienna to 1936 Berlin and reaffirms the universality of teenage angst and the associated emotional rollercoaster experienced as one passes through puberty and into young adulthood. The girls are of differing socio-economic backgrounds which, although initially matters not in their young innocent lives, eventually becomes more prominent and troublesome as they become aware of the darkening world through which they must negotiate. Yet, through it all, the thread of friendship ultimately binds them to one another in ways that one could never imagine. So begins "The Blood Sisters" series.

I'll be honest, the beautiful cover art of this book captured my imagination. Once I was into its pages though, the writing felt as though the story was intended for a younger audience than the cover might imply. There was a strong morality thread strung through the story as though its intent was instructing young readers on what is acceptable behavior and what are the common pitfalls to which young people often succumb. I noted a few historical inaccuracies which hopefully, were caught and corrected prior to publication.

This is a charming coming of age story, the setting of which just happens to take place in the years leading up to World War II.

I am grateful to author Roberta Kagan for having provided a complimentary copy of this book. Her generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Roberta Kagan Publishing
Publication date: January 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1957207247 ( )