When We Flew Away: a Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary

Alice Hoffman takes on one of history's most recognizable figures in "When We Flew Away," a novel that imagines the childhood of Anne Frank before her family went into hiding. This prequel to the world's most famous diary explores the years when Anne was still a carefree girl in Amsterdam, before the Nazi occupation would force her family underground and into the pages of history. Hoffman, known for her lyrical prose and magical realism, approaches this weighty subject matter with both reverence and creativity, offering readers a glimpse into the ordinary moments that preceded extraordinary tragedy.

The novel is set primarily in Amsterdam during the late 1930s and early 1940s, a period when the Frank family had already fled Germany and was attempting to build a new life in the Netherlands. Anne, her sister Margot, and their parents are depicted navigating the complexities of displacement while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. Hoffman captures the gradual erosion of security that Jewish families experienced as Nazi policies increasingly restricted their freedoms and threatened their existence. The author portrays Anne as a spirited, imaginative child who loves stories, friendships, and the simple pleasures of childhood, characteristics that would later animate her famous diary.

One of the novel's central strengths lies in its attention to the everyday details of life before the Holocaust consumed everything. Hoffman describes neighborhood interactions, school experiences, family dinners, and the small rituals that make up a childhood. These moments gain poignancy from the reader's knowledge of what lies ahead, creating a bittersweet reading experience. The author does not need to spell out the impending doom; it hovers over every scene like a shadow, making each moment of joy feel both precious and fragile.

Hoffman incorporates her signature style into this historical narrative, weaving elements of wonder and imagination throughout the story. Anne's rich inner life, her love of fairy tales and her capacity for finding magic in ordinary things, becomes a central feature of the novel. This approach aligns with what is known about the real Anne Frank from her diary—her creativity, her passion for writing, and her ability to find beauty even in the darkest circumstances. The author uses these qualities to create a portrait that feels authentic to the spirit of the girl who would later write one of the most important documents of the twentieth century.

The novel also explores the Frank family dynamics and the relationships that shaped Anne's formative years. The bond between Anne and her father Otto receives particular attention, as does her more complicated relationship with her mother Edith. Margot, often overshadowed by her more outspoken younger sister, emerges as a distinct character with her own fears and strengths. These family portraits add depth to figures who might otherwise be known only through the lens of Anne's diary entries.

Hoffman does not shy away from the mounting tension of the historical period. The progressive restrictions placed on Jewish residents of Amsterdam—exclusion from schools, parks, and public spaces, the requirement to wear yellow stars, the confiscation of property—form a backdrop that grows increasingly oppressive as the story progresses. The author handles these historical realities with sensitivity, making them accessible without diminishing their horror.

The novel's pacing reflects the slow-building nature of the persecution that European Jews faced. Early chapters establish a world that, while already shadowed by displacement and worry, still contains room for childhood joys and family warmth. As the narrative progresses, the pressure increases, the spaces for normalcy shrink, and the reader witnesses the gradual constriction of possibilities that would eventually lead to the secret annex where Anne would write her diary.

"When We Flew Away" serves as both a standalone work of historical fiction and a companion piece to Anne Frank's diary. For those familiar with the diary, the novel offers context and background, filling in the years before the writing began. For those coming to Anne's story for the first time, it provides an entry point that emphasizes her humanity and the life she lived before becoming a symbol. Hoffman's contribution to the literature surrounding Anne Frank is to remind readers that before she was an icon, she was a child—one with dreams, fears, friendships, and a family who loved her. The novel succeeds in honoring that child while acknowledging the tremendous weight of the history that would define her legacy.