As a young girl growing up during the Cold War, Bertie is surrounded by fearful situations—Communist spies, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and nuclear war. While anyone would feel a natural apprehension about these events, Bertie’s fear borders on paranoia. After a fire nearly consumes her playhouse and her town is disabled by a hurricane, she retreats to a world of imaginary situations where she controls her destiny.
Thus Barbara Tifft Blakey introduces us to Bertie, a sixth grader who feels like her world has fallen to pieces. Well-known in the homeschool market as the author of the Total Language Plus book guides and a popular speaker, Blakey is turning her hand to fiction in Bertie’s War, published by Kregel Publications. One of the best ways to learn how to write is to study other writers. Her experience certainly shows in this, her debut novel which covers a time not often represented in historical fiction. She does it in such a way to place the reader right in the midst of the tension as it would have been felt by a young girl who understands just enough to be fearful of everything. She also writes without including unnecessary violence, language, or inappropriate situations.
Without Christ, life is a fearful thing. Bertie’s parents have not communicated the love of God which casts out fear. Bertie fears her father, who only appears as a typical husband and father attempting to support and protect his family from the chaos surrounding them. In the end, Bertie learns of the liberation that comes from resting in the love and security of Christ.
This book is intended for young adult readers, and I attempted to put myself in that age range as I read the book. At times Bertie is a frustrating character, with her insistence on being of just about everything. The bulk of the novel concerns Bertie’s fears and responses to difficult situations, with only a short portion at the end showing us the resolution. Her complete turn-around, in only a chapter, seemed a bit too fast, too far for me to believe. Most of us take much longer to overcome habitual sins such as Bertie’s all consuming fear. Christ can, and will, bring change, but it often involves many “two steps forward, one step back.” A longer portion dedicated to this process would help make the book more believable and helpful for young people hoping to overcome their own fears.
As an aspiring writer, I understand that the process of getting a story out of your head and onto paper is daunting , even fearful. Using that story to communicate the gospel in a realistic and authentic way is even harder. Barbara Tifft Blakey has courageously attempted both in Bertie’s War. I hope she continues to do so.
*Kregel Publications supplied me with a complimentary copy for review purposes and I have received no other compensation. The views expressed are only mine.
