The Enemy by Davide Cali and Serge Bloch

There is a war on.

Here's something that could be a desert ...

in which there are two holes.

In the two holes, two soldiers.

They are enemies.

This prologue appears over five double page spreads before we even reach the title and imprint page. It is fantastic in the way it sets the scene. Describing all we need to know of the setting, which is very little. It could be any war, any where, and any two soldiers.

I picked up this book knowing absolutely nothing about it. The cover was eye catching enough and piqued my interest. The prologue unfolding before me.

We then learn that one of the soldiers knows nothing of the war other than what his generals and his manual have told him: That the enemy is evil and a monster, it is kill or be killed. But how he longs to be back with his family. But that is not possible. For if he leaves his post, the enemy will kill him. He knows this. His manual told him so. Then they will kill his wife and children. Even his animals.

We are shown how his days unfold, and what he must do each day to survive in his hole.

But one night he knows he must carefully attack the enemy in the dead of night, if this war will ever be over. so he crawls over in 'Disguise Number Three: A Branch'.

I would love to describe how the book ends, to make this review feel more fulling to you, the reader, but I feel I would rob you of what I experienced when I read it for the first time. Trust me, this one is worth reading for the end. Particularly if you hold anti-war sentiments.

This is a powerful book.

 

5 Gold Stars

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