A timeless allegory. . . Conaghan tackles the complexities of war, occupation, and totalitarianism in a direct and accessible way, portraying violence frankly but without sensationalism.

Kirkus Reviews

Conaghan presents a compelling situation with no easy answers; it's easy to sympathize with Charlie's moral and ethical dilemmas, and the dichotomy between Old Country and Little Town could fuel provocative discussions.

Publishers Weekly

This book brings light to communities where teens are struggling under a repressive government or regime pressured by a larger neighboring nation. . . Readers will fly through the last portion of the book in one sitting.

School Library Journal

This accomplished new novel establishes Conaghan as a major talent. It's incredibly powerful and thought-provoking on big issues such as nationalism, war and refugees, and poses some challenging moral questions. It's also brilliantly funny, with characters you will really root for.

Bookseller

Readers will identify with the teens' struggle to maintain friendships and make hard decisions under great duress in this captivating, redemptive story with many themes for discussion. Immediately engulfs the reader in an elevating sense of pressure that needs to be resolved. Highly Recommended.

School Library Connection

Unlike dystopian fiction set comfortably in the future, Conaghan's dystopia, with its parallels to the Cold War and contemporary conflicts of ethnic versus political borders, is all too easy to envision today.

The Horn Book Magazine