3 out of 4 stars
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The horrors of war are not reserved for the soldiers on each side of the conflict. Innocent men, women, and children are almost always caught in the machinations of destruction that arise when nations collide. However, when we talk about historical fiction being written about war, it is almost always from the perspective of the uniformed soldier in the heat of battle or those left behind on the home-front. Kamel by Charles J Haubner III, however, breaks this mold and delivers to the reader a harrowing tale of an adolescent boy and his grandfather inadvertently caught in the midst of German forces during World War I.
Kamel, our schoolboy protagonist, and his grandfather, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian War, have a simple hunting trip planned. After they exit their humble family farmhouse in rural France, to their horror, they observe a wave of German soldiers descending on the house they just left. Too far away to help and knowing full well what those soldiers will do, Kamel and his grandfather try to escape undetected. Despite their tear-filled eyes, they must make it the hunting cabin safely in order to formulate a plan. Eventually destined for Verdun, as Kamel's grandfather is certain this city could never fall, this book is their journey's tale through war-torn France in the early 20th century. Despite the dangers of the German invasion around every corner, Kamel and his grandfather seize every opportunity to sabotage, fight back, and mutilate German forces they encounter along the way.
I tend to have a soft spot for historical fiction and especially those novels dealing with World War I, therefore, this book was right up my alley. I genuinely love the idea of a young boy and an old man confronting the leviathan that is the German army. What I liked the most about this book is the snapshot the author is able to provide the reader of rural France during the time of WWI. Scenes of a rural schoolhouse, a farming homestead, and finally the charming countryside allow Haubner to paint a picture of beauty and serenity. Next, he then is able to portray how war is able to decimate both the aforementioned serenity and the beauty of the French landscape. The author does not shy away from the atrocities of War and is expertly able to convey the emotions, pain, fear, and horror present in the turmoil. Finally, I appreciated how the author was able to inject some humor into the book. At first glance, one may think that humor is out if place in the throes of war. This is, however, not the case as dark gallows humor is an effective method of keeping one's mind off of the atrocities that are occurring. Whether it be the aftermath of Kamel soiling himself in the heat of battle or grandfather's constant search for wine to keep him going, the author is still able to put a smile on the reader's face.
There were, however, two things that bothered me throughout this book. First, and what I disliked the most about it, was how the author attempted using French within the pages. In writing the novel, and understandably so given the location, the author sprinkled French words in the dialogue, chapter titles, and elsewhere throughout the story. Unfortunately, a good portion of the French used had mistakes in it, awkward language, or was just used improperly. Although this may be imperceptible to those who don't know the French language, those that are fluent cannot help but notice. Finally, albeit fiction, there was a certain lack of realism at times. I can't go into many details without spoiling the plot, but some of the feats are pretty impressive for an adolescent boy. As well, some of the help he receives from French forces would never be allocated to him in the middle of a war.
I thoroughly enjoyed this relatively short historical fiction novel. From the moment I picked it up, I can probably count on one hand the number of times that I put it down before finishing it. Kamel's tale kept me glued to the pages both in tense anticipation of what was around the corner and genuine concern for him and his grandfather. For this level of dedication the author was able to instill in me and my sheer enjoyment of the tale, I have no qualms giving this book a solid 3 out of 4 stars. I really wish I could have given this book a perfect score, but due to the broken French and some of the unrealistic situations, I am forced to remove a star. If you are a reader that enjoys historical fiction, war stories, and tales surrounding World War I, I would fully recommend you read this book. If that genre has no interest to you whatsoever or if you are particularly against death and violence in your novels, you may want to stay away from this one.
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Kamel
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