The Robber and Me

It turns out that I have read Josef Holub before- in middle school (I did some great reading in the middle school library). The Robber and Me is about a boy, Boniface, an orphan, who is sent to live with his uncle in a village in northern Germany. This novel is set in the mid-19th century, and explores some interesting facts of the time- for instance, that the Church and the Law were not separate, and people were thrown in jail for breaking the Sabbath. Another point of interest, and one I dearly love Holub for including: the bathroom. Most books and movies never refer to their characters' need for bodily eliminations, much less describe "the facilities" and what was or was not used in lieu of toilet paper (one of my favorite inventions).

Needless to say, this book is both historically accurate and fun. On his way to his uncle, Boniface is dropped off by his ride in the middle of nowhere with just some vague directions to sustain him. It's March, it's cold, it's night. Boniface does as best he can, but eventually he succumbs to the cold. However, he is rescued by the awful Robber Knapp and taken to his uncle, the mayor of the small village of Graab. Boniface feels his way around fitting in in the village, meeting the (truly awful) Schoolmaster, trying to befriend Christian Knapp, and trying to let the truth be known about the Robber- who was accused of robbing and injuring a man at the same time he was actually rescuing Boniface from death-by-hypothermia.

Boniface's time is on the cusp of change, politically and socially. For instance, at this time Germany hadn't unified and was thus broken into separate kingdoms. The characters are endearing, especially Frederika, whom I would dearly love to have in my house. Even Boniface's seemingly cold Uncle Emil turns out to be much pleasanter than originally thought. I'm terribly glad I read this again, and one day I will snag a copy for my very own.

Blue