Overview

ALICE JANZEN chafes that she must do all the girl chores in a family with five brothers. Her parents treat her like a child, but expect her to be responsible for her little brother, teaching him to write the German her family speaks, though it is banned at school. Her parents say war is wrong, but her brother Simon follows war news in the weekly paper. New student Rebecca is the most interesting person in school, though others belittle her. Alice learns Rebecca's family lost their small farm to oil speculators and that the girl's step-brothers are on the war's front lines. Frau Fleming serves tea from a samovar and tells Alice about bringing it to America when when the Russian czar changed rules so that German-speaking men had to be in his army. She says if she must move again, she will take the samovar, ""unless there is a girl who keeps our ways."" People harass German-speaking neighbors, especially members of peace churches. During a raid that vandalizes farms, Rebecca's little brother falls off his horse as he rides with the mob. Rebecca blames Alice for her brother's fall. Alice's three draft-age brothers each understand their religious beliefs differently and have different war experiences. Alice's sister and husband emigrate to Canada when they are threatened with imprisonment. Spanish flu closes public places and spreads in military camps. After the war, Alice learns that Rebecca's brother was wounded in battle, and Simon saved him. Alice thinks she should write a story about Rebecca's brothers, but she is torn by the feeling she should instead write her own brothers' story. What decision will she make?

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