A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True

Brigid Paulska compares Poland during WWII and Poland afterwards by alternating chapters between a girl living in New Poland and her grandparents when they were young.

The novel was more charming than I expected. The story starts out sweet and the flashbacks are almost fairy-tale like and slightly cheesy without being too gushy. With a little war-time story, a little romance, and a little coming of age, this story keeps it fresh and interesting for the most part. There are, however, a few chapters in the middle where it dragged so much I wondered whether it'd have more to offer me. I eventually pulled through and found the ending extremely satisfying.

The story is worth reading to the end due to it's bitter-sweetness and way of wrapping things up. Paulska finds her distinctive voice among these pages and in her way of bringing them to a close.