Author: Janna Jennings
Genre: young adult, historical fiction, war
Published: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Purchase: Amazon
This book is also available in the LOST LOCKET OF LAHARI ANTHOLOGY. Save 50% versus buying the five books in the collection individually, plus receive an additional BONUS ORIGIN STORY!
It began with a locket. Slipped to Emma as her mother is arrested by the Japanese police, the keepsake from her dead father contains much more than memories. In the final days of World War II, Emma is armed with stolen information vital to the liberation of Manila.
Caught up in a confidant’s web of deception and lies, she finds herself suddenly a spy. The enemy hunts her as she makes her way to the American soldiers still hiding in the hills. Faced with the threat of capture and torture Emma wonders if she’ll ever see her mother again.
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I read The Confidant because it's set in Manila during the final days of WWII. It also means that this is during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. It's one of the historical events of my country which I'm really interested in reading.
This historical event is very heartbreaking. And The Confidant just… barely gave justice to this.
There’s this part of me that really want to love it but I didn’t get there. The concept was really fantastic. I like it. The beginning hooked me. Emma is an American living in the Philippines. Her mother, a spy, was taken for questioning. She gave Emma a locket that contains the next steps the Japanese will take. Emma then takes on a thrilling adventure towards an American guerrilla group in order to stop the plans of the Japanese and save her mother.
Emma is a strong heroine but it feels that her emotions are a bit inconsistent. In the beginning, I can really feel her fear. But later on, it feels that there’s so much bravery in her all of a sudden. It’s okay, really, but I really wish that there was more development there (I’m definitely blaming the length of the book here).
Emma’s adventure was thrilling. Fear is quite evident in her but there are times that Emma doesn’t seem so natural. Some of her actions are quite forced. Sometimes they just don’t sit right with me. It makes me feel that she does things just so the story can move on.
For me, my issues with the book boil down to the story’s length. I like short stories because they are quick reads but stories like these, adventure-thriller, I think that it’s really nice if it’ll be longer. There should be further development on Emma, on her adventure, on her fears, on her relationship with her mother, and other more things.
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What I Like: (1) the setting – the historical event, the location, (2) the thrill of the adventure – the dangers and the whole sneaking around thing, (3) Emma – being this brave heroine despite her fear
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| Underappreciated but heartbreaking historical setting (not exactly WWII.. I'm particularly talking about Japanese Occupation in Philippines) + likable heroine + thrilling, dangerous adventure = AN OKAY READ |
ABOUT JANNA JENNINGS
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Janna is a Colorado based YA author who loves a good fairy tale. She’s married to her own real life Prince Charming, and will usually admit to being mom of three, including her incorrigible middle child, Benny. Besides wrangling her kids she can be found doing some therapeutic baking, dreaming of the ocean, and of course, curling up with a good book.
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