Walls by L. M. Elliot

An American “army brat” lives the history that led up to the building of the Berlin Wall.

Walls by L. M. Elliot, with photo essay by Megan Behm. Algonquin, 2021, 322 pages.

Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15

Recommended for: ages 13-16

Being an army brat can be interesting but challenging when the army moves your dad at the drop of a hat. Drew’s dad’s new deployment is in Berlin—West Berlin of 1961, where the American sector is divided from the Soviet by a distinct, if invisible, line. East Berliners can mingle more-or-less freely with family and friends in the west, but in spite of Socialist propaganda, the Soviet authorities are becoming concerned about defections. Drew’s mom is excited to make the move, as her cousin Marta lives in East Berlin and Marta has a son Drew’s own age. They can be friends! On first meeting that doesn’t seem likely, as Matthias talks the party line like a good comrade (when his nose isn’t in a book).

The other army brats are okay, except Bob, the hulking son of a tough-talking sergeant, who copies his dad’s hard-nosed attitude toward commies. Between Matthias and Bob, Drew has some artful maneuvering to do. But his personal issues pale in comparison to the growing tensions between East and West Berlin. How far will the Soviets go to maintain control over their territory?

They went so far as to build a literal wall, separating Berliners for the next 28 years. The buildup to that “solution” and its effect on ordinary citizens and army personnel make Walls an interesting read for teens. Each chapter opens with a photo essay illustrating political developments as well as cultural markers (such as Elvis as a hot black-market commodity). Drew experiences normal teen anxieties alongside events of global significance. It’s no surprise that Matthias becomes a friend, but Bob will surprise everyone. The photos create a sense of the times, even though some cultural references will go over a young reader’s head. The perspective is true to the period and valuable for today—and there’s no doubt who the good guys are.

Considerations:

• Plenty of mild cursing of the d-mn and h-ll variety, which seems realistic but a tad overdone. Some misuses of God’s name, as well as “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
• There are two references to the Red Army’s abuse of women during their occupation of Berlin before the other allies arrived. The first is in passing but the second is more integral to the story, though not graphically portrayed or told.

Overall Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: A Night Divided (starred review) covers the same crisis from the pov of a family separated by the wall. Life Behind the Wall is three short novels set in the Berlin of 1947, 1961, and 1987.
• Reviews: Cold War fiction and nonfiction: Spy Runner and Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Powerful Weapon.

We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the one below may earn us a commission. Read more here.