What a story, Angel on the Square is!

Here at Plumfield, we are always on the lookout for WWI books. That terrible war was so confusing and depressing, and books that explain the conflict well for middle-grade readers are exceedingly rare. I’ve been on a bit of a Gloria Whelan kick lately and reached for Angel on the Square simply because I love Russian literature. While I knew it would be historical fiction about the Bolshevik Revolution, I forgot that it would also touch on WWI. 

Whelan’s ability to bring historical settings to life is remarkable. Angel on the Square transports readers to Russia during the final days of Tsarist rule and the tumultuous beginnings of the Bolshevik Revolution, weaving the tragic complexities of WWI into the narrative. The protagonist, young Katya Ivanova, grows up in the luxury of St. Petersburg’s aristocratic circles, but the war and the revolution slowly turn her world upside down. As Katya’s mother becomes the premiere lady-in-waiting to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Katya becomes the playmate and companion to her youngest daughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna. From inside the palace, Katya witnesses the collapse of her privileged life, the chaos of war, the destruction of Russia as she knows it, and the rise of what ultimately becomes the communist Soviet Union. Whelan masterfully portrays the personal and political upheaval that defined this era.

One of Whelan’s great strengths is how her books echo the classics of the cultures they explore. In Small Acts of Amazing Courage, I felt hints of Kipling and Lloyd Alexander. In Angel on the Square, the echoes of Tolstoy, and Anna Karenina in particular, are unmistakable. The sweeping changes in Russian society, the French influence on the aristocracy of the Russian court, and the heedless extravagances of the upper class deeply influence the personal dilemmas faced by the characters. But also like Anna Karenina, we see that escape to the country, the simple life of managing the land, and having community with the laborers who share in that work all have the ability to make our characters healthy and whole. All of this is reminiscent of the grand Russian novels. Whelan manages to capture the grandeur and tragedy of Russia’s history while making it accessible, wholesome, and engaging for younger readers.

Whelan doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of war, revolution, and desperate poverty. But she presents them in a way that is age-appropriate and deeply empathetic. Katya’s journey from a naïve aristocratic girl to a young woman aware of the struggles of her countrymen is beautifully written, making this novel not just a history lesson but a coming-of-age story set against one of the most dramatic backdrops in world history.

Angel on the Square is an excellent introduction to WWI and the Russian Revolution for middle-grade readers. It offers a poignant exploration of how war and political turmoil affect individuals and families while giving readers a glimpse into the beauty and tragedy of Russia’s past. Whelan’s combination of historical detail, cultural richness, and timeless storytelling makes this a standout novel that deserves to be widely read. Fans of Jennifer Nielsen’s Lines of Courage will appreciate this story and the light that it shines on what was happening in that book.