Summer reading project pt1

         The Book I am currently reading is called "Postcards From No Man's Land".  The book is about a teenaged boy named Jacob who goes to Amsterdam looking for an adventure and to remember his grandfather who was a soldier who fought in the area in WWII.   The other half of the story in from the perspective of a girl from the time period in Amsterdam named Geertrui.  The book is constantly switching back and forth between the two character's perspectives and their time periods creating an outline for what I believe will lead to the two character's perspectives coming together to help the main character who is essentially Jacob (because of his account being the one that is closer to present tense) overcome some sort of major obstacle later on in the book.

         Since I have not read very far into the book yet my opinion on the character and their goals is sure to change of the course of the book but I have been able to make what I feel are a good base for me to build off of for the personalities and personal drives of the two main characters.  Jacob at my current point in the book seems to be a little lost, not necessarily just in the city of Amsterdam but also as a person. The trip that he is on seems, at this point be more of a adventure of self discovery as well as one of remembrance.  Geertrui on the other hand is currently living right in the middle of Amsterdam in WWII, which to be blunt is a rather large difference from Jacobs problems that he faces in the future. She seems like she is like everyone else her age but the. As the story progresses she is very quick to adapt when her world of calm is interrupted by the brutality of war. In all it seems like at my current point in the book she wants more than anything else to stay who she is as a person but keeping herself and her family safe while helping others.

           After reading into the book for a little while and the back and forth between the two characters and the switch between past and present tense I am reminded of the book "Flames of The Tiger". I was reminded of this certain title because like "Postcards From No Man's land" it too is based in WWII and switches between two characters and well as past and present tense.