Review: My Real Name Is Hanna (by Tara Lynn Masih)

My Rating: 4 stars

Amongst the many books about the Holocaust and World War II that I’ve read over the years, Tara Lynn Masih’s debut novel My Real Name is Hanna stands out in its ability to relay the impact of that dark period in history through a story meant for younger audiences, but that doesn’t skimp on factual details and research.  Presented from the perspective of Hanna Slivka, who, as an adult, recounts the story of her youth, as a teenager growing up in a devout Jewish household during the tumultuous years of first the Soviet then later the German occupation of Ukraine.  This is not a typical coming of age story though – it is a tale of survival against all odds, of hope in the face of hardship, of family and culture and the bonds of love that tie them together, of endurance and tenacity and the will to continue even when all seems to be lost, of friendship and kindness and most important of all, of showing compassion even in the darkest, most dire of circumstances.   

This was a beautifully written story – introspective, moving, resonant, with a narrative depth to both the story and the characters that is not typically found in works geared toward a YA audience.  Based on true events as well as historical time period, I quite honestly would lean more toward the historical fiction category for this book, especially with the wonderful job it did of making me feel as though I were truly transported to the story’s particular place and time.  The characters were also well-depicted and yes, I did grow to love all of them, but of course Hanna – with her strength, grit, resolve – especially found her way into my heart.   The uniqueness of the premise, with the family forced to flee their small Ukrainian town when the Nazis invade, finding refuge in the forest and deep woods surrounding their home, then eventually moving to the underground caves, hiding out in the darkness that provides them with safety, but isolates them from the rest of the world – this story provided a different perspective and a different setting, one that I appreciated as well as learned from.

The one thing I did feel lacked a little bit was emotional depth, which is something I would’ve expected in a story of this nature, especially given the subject matter, but I think overall, it worked out fine due to the lyrical quality of the prose as well as the story being narrated from 14-year-old Hanna’s perspective.  Despite my age, there were moments as the story progressed where I was able to put myself in Hanna’s shoes and felt that I was seeing some of the events unfold from her “wide-eyed innocence” perspective, which for me was a unique and interesting experience.  All-in-all, this was a well-told story – a necessary read that I definitely recommend, not just for YA audiences, but for adults as well.