Kirkus Review
War is hell.After their bloody baptism under fire in North Africa (Front Lines, 2016), the three "soldier-girl" protagonists of a slightly altered World War II move on to serve in the invasion of Italy. Rio Richlin, once a nave white California farm girl, continues her transformation into a seasoned soldierand killer. Frangie Marr, the gentle African-American medic, finds both her body and her faith strained to the breaking point by the violence that engulfs her. And Rainy Schulterman, the ruthless Jewish intelligence operative, is commandeered into a half-baked mission that strands her in her worst nightmare. The underlying theme of this volume is heroism, and there is gallantry aplenty on display, but the courage of each young woman labors in the midst of minutely depicted horror: tedium and filth, brutality and slaughter, sudden death and prolonged torture. Even worse are the vile (and authentically portrayed) sexism, racism, and anti-Semitism from their comrades and the callous indifference of the top brass to the pointless waste of life. Yet there are also the sweet grace of friendship, loyalty, and humor in the ranks, the muddled complications of romance and sex (these are teenagers, after all), and the mutual respect and care between the common troops and the noncommissioned officers who fight beside them. Exhaustive research, immersive storytelling, and emotional depth make for a superlative tale. (glossary, bibliography) (Alternate history. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* The first volume of Grant's alternate history of WWII followed his girl soldiers as they endured boot camp, bonded with their platoons, and faced down both German artillery and discrimination, finding remarkable reserves of strength in the process. In this follow-up, the tone is much wearier, as Frangie, Rio, and Rainey face dispiriting drudgery and become inured to the grim realities of war. Rio, who's become startlingly good at killing, and Frangie separately make their way into Italy by way of Sicily, while Rainey arrives on a dangerously amateurish espionage mission. Grant's harrowing accounts of the battles there, especially at Monte Cassino, are both infuriating and heartbreaking, and his stark economy of language lays bare the pervasiveness of indiscriminate death. Rio in particular seems altered she worries about how war is hardening her and whether she can still have the sweet future of marriage and family she envisioned, while simultaneously seeming to relish the ease with which she's taken to soldiering, not to mention the power. Though he uses slightly gentler language than what was probably used in reality, Grant doesn't shy away from the true-to-history prejudice the women face, particularly Frangie and her family. Shreds of home-front news, meanwhile, add historical context. This series continues to be a fascinating, stunningly written examination of both war and women's role in it, and this installment only adds to its already considerable depth.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist
