Book Review: The Assignment

This week, Jewish people all over the world observed Tisha B'Av, which is a day of mourning. It is the day we remember the destruction of both Temples that once stood in Jerusalem as well as a number of other tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the course of history. (Description courtesy of My Jewish Learning.) So it's fitting that I recently read Liza Wiemer's sophomore novel, The Assignment. Based on the synopsis, you will see why.

SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand.

As the school administration addressed the teens' refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

About five years ago, I read Liza Wiemer's debut novel and was extremely impressed by it. So waiting this long for her to publish another one took a lot of patience from my end. I just wanted her to mass-produce books right away! I can confidently say for the record that The Assignment was well worth the wait.

The assignment itself was horrifying and the fact that two non-Jewish students were appalled by it gives me hope for their generation, as well as future ones. This was based on a real situation, which is written about in the author's note. Seeing what Logan and Cade had to put up with in hopes of getting the assignment cancelled was equally horrifying. It's similar to stuff that happens in real life, as well. The fact that a lot of comments people made were antisemitic was even more disheartening. Liza puts a lot of emotional impact into her story without making it sappy. She even presents the teacher's side at times. I also liked that there was focus on Logan and Cade's friendship and other characters got to share their perspectives, as well.

The story is educational for anyone who isn't familiar with what happened during the Holocaust by now. I think it should be included in school curriculum, whether it is for an English class or a history class. There is so much material to discuss and Liza leaves some things open ended, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. It's perfect for book clubs, as well. And if you have a teenager in the house, be sure to get this into their hands as soon as it publishes. If you think a preteen could handle it, let them read it too!

I definitely recommend this novel as it is insightful and thought-provoking. It will make you feel things and you might even want to have some tissues handy.

Movie casting suggestions:
Logan: Alexis G. Zall
Cade: Noah Lomax
Mr. Bartley: Tom Hiddleston
Mason: Jake Brennan
Heather: Harley Graham
Daniel: Jamie Kaye
Kerrianne: Jade Pettyjohn
Reggie: Christian Martyn

Thanks to Delacorte Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."