Girl at War

Girl at War follows Ana Jurić, who experiences the Yugoslav civil war as a ten-year-old in Zagreb, Croatia in 1991. When violence erupts, her life transforms from that of a carefree child to a survivor in a conflict zone. The narrative moves between Ana's childhood during the war and her present-day life as a college student in New York City. She grapples with her identity as both an American and a Croatian while carrying the weight of her wartime experiences. Through Ana's return journey to Croatia, the novel examines the impact of war on children and the challenge of reconciling past trauma with present reality. The story explores themes of memory, identity, and the ways people rebuild their lives after devastating loss.

Readers appreciate the raw, unflinching portrayal of war through a child's perspective and the author's ability to contrast everyday life with sudden violence. Many note the book's accessible writing style makes difficult subject matter digestible. Readers highlight the strong character development and cultural authenticity, with several Croatian readers confirming accurate depictions of the region and conflict. The nonlinear timeline receives praise for building tension and showing long-term trauma effects. Common criticisms include an underdeveloped romance subplot and some find the latter sections less compelling than the war chapters. Several readers mention wanting more depth in the supporting characters. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (24,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (500+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (300+ ratings) "Manages to be both intimate and sweeping" - Goodreads reviewer "The Zagreb sections feel authentic but the American chapters lack the same power" - Amazon reviewer "Clear prose that doesn't sensationalize violence" - LibraryThing review

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🗸 Author Sara Nović is deaf and teaches creative writing at Columbia University, where she works to expand opportunities for deaf writers 🗸 The book was partly inspired by Nović's Croatian heritage and her visits to Zagreb in the early 2000s, where she interviewed survivors of the Yugoslav Wars 🗸 The novel's portrayal of child soldiers during the Croatian War of Independence draws from real historical accounts, as an estimated 3,000 children participated in the conflict 🗸 The story spans two continents and a decade, shifting between war-torn Croatia in 1991 and New York City in 2001, linking two significant historical traumas 🗸 The book title "Girl at War" was chosen to highlight both the protagonist's loss of innocence and the often-overlooked role of female combatants in the Yugoslav conflicts