Emily Vance Brown

by Adam Ehrlich Sachs

5/5

Here is the whimsy I have been looking for! Gretel and the Great War has one of the most unique structures I’ve ever come across. The stories are organized from A to Z, with each story centering on a character whose title corresponds with the story’s letter (A is about the architect, C is about the choreographer, etc.). The way the stories connect with one another—ambiguously, at first, then more and more clearly with every new character that’s introduced—is brilliant. It makes the novel feel more like a puzzle than a book. I feel like I could read this dozens of times and still pick up on new connections and nuances each time. Don’t let the whimsy fool you, though—Sachs uses the structure as a vehicle for exploring themes of abuse, societal upheaval, and fascism. I hope to read one of his other works soon!