Even my 11-year-old daughter observes that World War II still defines our modern era. It brought the United States of America into prominence; it ushered in a relatively peaceful Europe; it set the boundaries of communism and democracy; it opened up Americans’ eyes to the global order. Many younger people are realizing this history’s impact as their parents and grandparents have recently deceased. In this book, Brown seeks to kindle one fictional family’s history, from roots of immigration from Germany to a contemporary grandfather remembering his father. In so doing, she reminds us that current controversies, like xenophobia and tragic horrors of war on families, have deep historical moorings.
Jakob Mueller grew up in the German-American immigrant community of New Berlin, Ohio. He takes a wife, has a son, and prepares for his looming future. However, war beckons his isolationist-leaning country, and New Berlin becomes Canton while Jakob Mueller becomes Jacob Miller. After some deliberation and immigrant-fear to show support for America over Germany, he decides to fight in war against the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. However, he is sent to the European Theater, where (as the title reflects) he fights and kills “an enemy like me.” His wife and son struggle stateside without him and continually worry that he might die. Eventually, the war resolves, and reunions are had. All three are forever changed, and the results of that change are brought up to our time.
Like her debut novel about a Ukrainian family, Brown varies the point of view to reflect several family members across an entire century. Multiple perspectives allow her to introduce how characters change throughout a family as their social situations evolve. Unlike that debut novel, she also shares a deep appreciation of the American military community. This corresponds with her military upbringing in Europe, as described by the author’s bio. The nuanced polish of both of these aspects – family and military – comprise this novel’s main strengths.
Although an opportunity is given to portray the tragedy of war, Brown mostly chooses to focus on the emotional effects instead of graphic horrors. By doing so, she keeps open an audience of military families who might fear for loved ones. Indeed, teenage children of soldiers can come to grips to how deployments to Afghanistan or Iraq have affected their family dynamics. Similarly, adult family members can gain insight into their own military family, too. Even members of families (like mine) who do not have a deep military heritage can learn about intergenerational influences in their own relations. Wars never seem far away from today’s news, and Brown’s personal depiction reminds us that skirmishes are won by individuals and families who pay the price for victory.
An Enemy Like Me: A Novel
By Teri M. Brown
Copyright (c) 2023
Atmosphere Press
Release Date: January 24, 2023
ISBN13 9781639885459
Page Count: 328
Genre: Historical Fiction
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