The novel, "Skeletons at the Feast", introduces many interesting characters during the time period of the second great war. The main protagonist is a young Prussian girl, Anna Emmerich, who's described as a eighteen year old beauty with "cornsilk" hair. At first, she is portrayed as a person with a carefree attitude, often accompanied by her friends flirting with the local boys and the POWs that are brought to Prussia to work the lands. However, the amusement grinds to a halt as Anna and her family must flee their home to avoid the advancing Russian lines. Anna develops a much more mature attitude as she must shoulder the huge responsibility of taking care of the broken remnants of her family, including four horses that she adopted along her journey. Unlike her mother, Anna realizes and accepts the horrors of concentration camps and of war. She can easily be considered as one of the most resolute and strong willed characters in the book. Despite the fact that she falls ill during their travels, she continuously pushes foward to her destination, putting one foot in front of the other, knowing her family is relying on her judgement and bravery.

I admire Anna's strength and courage throughout this novel. Her life drastically changes but she manages to have the heart to continue although her world looks bleak and without hope. Her determination and resolve unwaver from its paths to bring her family to safety. Anna witnesses the many horrors of violence and anti-semitism but still does not break under pressure.She realizes that many are counting on her to keep them away from danger and to escape this war unharmed. She is someone I would describe as stouthearted.