The Night Witchesby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 10 As the German army pushes further into the Soviet Union, a new squadron sets out for night bombing raids -- a squad of all women. Anna Kharkova quickly becomes a hardened combat veteran. Three stories follow her struggle against the Germans and her own country's secret police.I was unfamiliar with the Nacht Hexen (Night Witches), as the Gemans dubbed them, which is a crying shame. This is one of those pieces of history that the patriarchy was happy to abuse during the war and then wanted to forget ever happened. I am better for knowing their story, and I plan to recommend this book far and wide. It's a historical fiction, to be sure, but Ennis's Afterword goes over just what pieces are fact and fiction; I love that he shares this, as it makes me appreciate the reality even more. Ennis truly found the best way to shine a spotlight on the Night Witches and the situation of these women during the war. Blending inspiration from specific women and known generalities into the history and story of one woman, allows us to take it all in while getting fully engaged thanks to following a single character. "The Night Witches" is the first story. It is the introduction to these women who faced all the same threats as the men, plus some. One of the first things it addresses is the sexism, but this is quickly followed by some recognition for the creativity in deciding to shut off engines and glide to the target to be stealthier. This story does contain a gang rape (off page, though the last guy's actions of refusal to take part and his consequence are shown) of a captured woman pilot; it is a painful scene to read, but it is important to fully delve into and understand the very real horrors, as is seeing another woman pilot shoot her co-pilot and herself rather than be captured. "Motherland" opens some time later, with Anna having been transferred to a new base and a new position -- the only woman fighter pilot in this regiment. Fighter pilots and bombers are very different roles, and this story enlightens us as to that difference. We also meet Mouse, a woman mechanic assigned to Anna. One of the best parts of this story is seeing Anna go from hardened, bitter, and aloof / snobbish (when it comes to new pilots) to accepting that she doesn't want to be alone and that she is a role model and someone who can teach other women pilots how to survive. Anna talking to her dead co-pilot, arguing with "herself" is a great way to highlight her internal struggle. "The Fall and Rise of Anna Kharkova" opens with Anna getting shot down and, while severely injured, taken to a German POW camp. She's nursed back to health just in time to be liberated / captured by her own people and put on trial as a traitor. Mouse, having risen through the ranks, comes to her rescue, but another figure from her past (a sexist coward) becomes obsessed with taking Anna down, landing all three of them in the Gulag (though he's demoted to being in charge of it, not a prisoner). This unfortunate fate befell many loyal Soviets after WWII, due to the Secret Police, so it's a realistic ending, even if it's tragic. That being said, Ennis decides to give Anna an out -- a bit of revenge and a brief moment of happiness in a way that's quite satisfying. I love that all three stories also include a romance angle for Anna, reminding us that she is a woman and not just a soldier or an unfeeling robot. She suffers terrible personal losses in each of these stories, which is another reality this tackles, but I appreciate that it's these relationships that highlight the humanity surviving within the war machine. The art is excellent. It's realistic and appealing in character designs in a way that makes the read more enjoyable. But what really impressed and wowed me was the planes in battle. The dogfights and instances where they avoid ground-to-air weaponry are amazing. The scenes leap off the page with an energy similar to watching it! The coloring is also exceptional. Dark scenes are clearly defined while maintaining true nighttime darkness. Daytime scenes are bright and beautiful, wonderfully at odds with the horror of war. This is a must-read. I'd say it's for high school and up, given some of what's depicted, but it's history we need to know, and this creative team does it more than justice. Even if war stories aren't normally your thing, this bit of women in history should be. Written: July 14, 2019
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