Under the Java Moon by Heather B. Moore

Under the Java MoonbyHeather B. Moore

About:
Based on a true story, this gripping WWII novel captures the resilience, hope, and courage of a Dutch family who is separated during the war when the Japanese occupy the Dutch East Indies.

Java Island, 1941

Six-year-old Rita Vischer cowers in her family's dug-out bomb shelter, listening to the sirens and waiting for a bomb to fall. Her charmed life on Java--living with other Dutch families--had always been peaceful, but when Holland declares war on Japan and the Japanese army invades Indonesia, Rita's family is forced to relocate to a POW camp, and Rita must help care for her little brother, Georgie.

Mary Vischer is three months pregnant when she enters the Tjideng women's camp with thousands of other women and children. Her husband, George, is somewhere on the Java Sea with the Dutch Navy, so she must care alone for her young children, Rita and Georgie, and her frail mother. The brutal conditions of the overcrowded camp make starvation, malaria, and dysentery a grim reality. Mary must do everything she can to keep her family alive.

George Vischer survives the bombing of his minesweeper but feels little hope floating on a small dinghy in the Java Sea. Reaching the northern tip of the Thousand Islands would be a miracle. Focusing on of the love of his life, Mary, and his two children, he battles against the sea and merciless sun. He'll do whatever it takes to close the divide between him and his family, even if it means risking being captured by the Japanese.

Under the Java Moon highlights a little-known part of WWII history and the impact of war on Indonesia, its people, and the more than 100,000 Dutch men, women, and children who were funneled into prison camps and faced with the ultimate fight for survival.
About the author:
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She's lived on both the east and west coasts of the United States, including Hawaii, and attended school abroad including the Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about anything in history and, as an author, is passionate about historical research.
In my opinion:
This is the second book I've read by Heather Moore and I'm definitely a fan. Moore does her research and it is evident in her writing. This story (based on a true story) touched my heart and reminded me that family and love are so important.
Heather's story of the Vischer family is written from three perspectives. Rita (6), Mary (mom), and George (dad) tell us about their experiences during World War II and the impact that the war had on them as a Dutch family. The Japanese army invades Indonesia and they are forced to leave their homes and relocate to a POW camp. Their stories have been kept quiet for some time but Heather was able to meet with Marie (Rita) Vischer and learn more about what they had to endure. I can understand why they wouldn't want to relive their difficult experiences.
I've read many WWII books but never learned what it was like for the Dutch who lived in Indonesia. This was a very informative novel and I highly recommend it so everyone could learn more about Indonesia during World War II.

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