The Story
This Rebel Heart synopsis from the publisher:
The Fountains of Silence meets Spinning Silver in this rollicking tale set amid the 1956 Hungarian revolution in post-WWII Communist Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.
In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most–safe from the Holocaust. But that was before the Communists seized power. Before her parents were murdered by the Soviet police. Before Csilla knew things about her father’s legacy that she wishes she could forget.
Now Csilla keeps her head down, planning her escape from this country that has never loved her the way she loves it. But her carefully laid plans fall to pieces when her parents are unexpectedly, publicly exonerated. As the protests in other countries spur talk of a larger revolution in Hungary, Csilla must decide if she believes in the promise and magic of her deeply flawed country enough to risk her life to help save it, or if she should let it burn to the ground.
With queer representation, fabulist elements, and a pivotal but little-known historical moment, This Rebel Heart is Katherine Locke’s tour de force.
Book Review
Katherine Locke writes about a time in history that some may not be familiar with, though, they give a clear picture of the aftermath of WWII and how Hungary did not gain its full independence from the Soviet Union and its brutal regime until after the Cold War.
Thought provoking, This Rebel Heart is infused with magic, Jewish history, and queer representation, Locke’s novel is one that will have readers eager to know this piece of history in its entirety. Beautifully written, Locke, like author Ruta Sepetys, creates a story readers will absorb one page at a time.
Happy Reading ~ Cece
RATING: 
– Satisfyingly Inked
Photo Collage by Sheaf & Ink of This Rebel Heart
Nurzhan Sarzhan on Unsplash
Daniel Olah on Unsplash
Alex Block on Unsplash
Joanes Andueza on Unsplash
Publication Details
| Pub Date | ISBN | Page Count | Publisher | Age Group | Source & Format | Review Posted Online |
| 5-April-22 | 978-0593381243 | 448 | Knopf Books for Young Readers | 12+ | NetGalley, Digital ARC | April 1, 2022 |
Similar Books Recommended by Sheaf & Ink
I Must Betray You, Ruta Sepetys
The Keeper of Night, Kylie Lee Baker
The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys
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Welcome Reader!
I’m Cecelia and I’m so glad you’re here! You’ll find honest reviews, book recommendations, along with other bookish essentials. So happy you stopped by!
– C
