Tag Archive | Hot Key Fiction

The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington

Hold On To Hope

The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington is a powerful historical YA novel that will break your heart and horrify you.

The action is mainly set in Birchwood, the name given to Auschwitz. We see all the action through the eyes of teenager Ella who is remarkably grown up and strong for her age.

We witness the dehumanizing of people but Ella clings to her identity. “I wasn’t a badge or a number. I was Ella.” When you lose sight of who you are, you lose the will to continue. You need to have something to fight for.

Beechwood brings out the very best and the very worst of human nature. There are pockets of kindness within a sea of cruelty.

Continue reading