Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.

Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Siblings Ilse and Wolf hide a deep secret in their blood: with it, they can work magic. And the government just found out.Blackmailed into service during World War II, Ilse lends her magic to America’s newest weapon, the atom bomb, while Wolf goes behind enemy lines to sabotage Germany’s nuclear program. It’s a dangerous mission, but if Hitler were to create the bomb first, the results would be catastrophic.

When Wolf’s plane is shot down, his entire mission is thrown into jeopardy. Wolf needs Ilse’s help to develop the magic that will keep him alive, but with a spy afoot in Ilse’s laboratory, the letters she sends to Wolf begin to look treasonous. Can Ilse prove her loyalty—and find a way to help her brother—before their time runs out?

Review:
Reading The Girl With The Red Balloon last year, I was struck by how the author, Katherine Locke created both an historical novel, and an imaginative fantasy novel.  Her newest book, The Spy With The Red Balloon, takes place in the same universe of magic, but with a different historical setting and characters.  Once again, I am blown away by the intricate plot, suspense, and historical details.  Once I started reading, I could not put it down!


Setting/Historical Details:
The book takes place during the second world war.  The race is on to see who will create the first atomic bomb: The Americans, or Hitler.  I loved all the details of that time that the author includes.  From food shortages, and horrible beer to the institutional sexism and racism of the era, I felt these characters were definitely of that time.

Characters:
The book centers on Jewish siblings, Ilse and Wolf.  They both have magical blood which enables them to perform enchantments.  But younger sister Ilse has the added talent of being a intellectual genius.   At sixteen, she is already a university student when the military calls on her (forces her) to use her magical abilities in the war effort of WWII.  Wolf, being a few years older, is also pushed into magical service.

I really liked Ilse.  She is so young and immature to be thrown in with adults much older than she.  Not only is she trying to solve an almost impossible puzzle, wrestling with the ethical implications of war, but she is also trying to navigate her attraction for another girl.  Being the 1940's, this is fraught with taboos, and danger.  I loved her spirit, and her conscience.

Wolf also grapples with the ethics of war.  He would much rather not kill anyone.  But when he faces the realities of what Jews are dealing with in Europe, can he turn a blind eye to their suffering?  He is also feeling conflicted about his romantic feelings toward his childhood friend, Max.  Again, we are reminded that being Gay was not just frowned upon back then, but illegal.

Diversity:
I loved that there were not one, but several gay characters, as well as African-American characters, in this book.  These were multi-faceted people who were not solely defined by one trait. 

Plot:
The plot has many twists and turns that kept me reading well past my bedtime!  Like any good mystery, there were clues and foreshadowing that the reader could glean.  But, when some of the twists were revealed, it was yell-worthy (which I did do, loudly)!

Suspense:
The book had a sense of urgency throughout that I thought worked really well to convey how all encompassing the war was for everyone.  Not only life, death, and freedom hung in the balance, but also ethics, at both a personal and national level.  Are we willing to kill for our country?  Are we okay with creating weapons that can kill millions?  What are our responsibilities?

Ending:
As I looked over other reviews of the first book on Goodreads, I was not alone in feeling that The Girl With The Red Balloon ended abruptly.  Not so with The Spy With The Red Balloon.  The author takes time to really explain what happens to the characters.  Since I was so fond of Ilse and Wolf (plus their various love interests) by the ending, I was really pleased to know how most of the characters ended up!  This was so satisfying.
                
via GIPHY


Rating: 





Release Date:  October 2nd, 2018

Author:  Katherine Locke

Publisher: Albert Whitman Company

Genre:  Magical Realism/Historical Fiction

Page Length:  368 Pages 

Source:  Edelweiss

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: You do not need to read the first book in the series to enjoy this suspenseful, fun historical novel set during WWII.  Filled with  magic, espionage, and lesbian and gay romance.