Singaporean males need to complete their National Service in two years, but did you know that in Israel, both males and females need to complete national military service – females for two years and males for three years. In Anne Levine’s novel, Freefall, Aggie Jacobs has decided that she doesn’t want to be stuck in a cold, musty army office pushing papers – she signed up for the elite combat unit for women. But the question is does she have what it takes? Aside from the I’m-in-love-with-my-best-friend’s-brother issue that she needs to deal with.
What I liked about the story was that it had other concerns besides the bewildering relationship that Aggie and Noah had at first. Aside from the mandatory two-year military service that women had to go through, it tackled the reality of war that few of us would get to experience, that in the midst of border disputes and air raids a joyous wedding could still take place. There was the relationship that Aggie had with her family which isn’t the usual teenage angsty my parents are out to ruin my life that you usually get from other novels in this genre. Plus the parts where Aggie starts the training with a bunch of girls who are also intent on being part of the female combat unit. Although it is cliched that eventhough they have their differences they managed to be united in the end.
I was even more surprised that I had reached the final chapter at great speed – and feeling “full” at the same time. There are just stories that aside from the information about another culture that they provide, they also make you feel happy that you’ve read them.
You can check out other information about the novel here, here, here and here.
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