Anne Frank was a young girl who lived in Amsterdam in a time when the Nazi’s invaded the streets of Germany, occupied Holland and would torment Jews. This era, known as the Holocaust, is one of the most catastrophic times in history. The Diary of Anne Frank is a real account of what went through a young girl’s head during this calamitous time. 

Anne’s writing skills are well-above the average fifteen year old’s writing capability. Anne demonstrates her writing skills in her diary which she calls “Kitty”. She writes about her situation living in the “Secret Annex” with her family and the Van Pels (another family who joined). Anne explains her situation to Kitty in a way that  leaves the reader trapped in a story from possibly years before they were born. The diary keeps the reader locked in its pages that are filled with suspense. The idea that Anne and her family could be found by the Nazi’s at any moment is always in the back of the reader’s head. This suspense gives the reader a small glimpse of the insecurity and uncertainty Anne Frank had to walk across as a Jew in Amsterdam during the 1940s. 

Anne’s life is very different than one would expect of an average teenage girl. Despite the extreme differences of the norm, Anne still demonstrates an essence one would expect of an average teenage girl. It is clear that, even though she is going through this stressful change in lifestyle, Anne still holds the same common characteristics of a teen. She shows this through her interest in a boy who she was forced to live with, Peter Van Daan. Peter is mentioned in the diary quite often. Anne explains her mixed feelings towards this Peter and another boy she shared a room with, also named Peter. She develops a fantasy world with Peter. The identical names are confusing for the reader. It is hard to understand which Peter Anne is writing about. This reflects Anne’s confused feelings about the two boys. Interesting as it was, as a reader, I was more captivated by the Holocaust effect on Anne, rather than her love life. 

I really enjoyed the format of the book. Anne wrote the date in all of her diary entries, including the month, day, and year. I found this very diverting, and yet also brilliant, because it would remind me that the book was, in fact, a diary written by a real girl in a very real situation. 

Anne described life in the Annex thoroughly and effectively. This allowed me, and other readers, to fully understand and experience the Annex in our minds. The Annex is a huge part of the book and is the setting of most of the book since Anne is unable to leave without risking her life. Anne is humble when describing the Annex, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel at home in this house, but that doesn’t mean I hate it. It’s more like being on vacation in some strange pension. Kind of an odd way to look at life in hiding, but that’s how things are. The Annex is an ideal place to hide in. It may be damp and lopsided, but there’s probably not a more comfortable hiding place in all of Amsterdam” (Frank 15). 

Despite so many people trying to keep Anne’s opinions silent none of this seemed to affect Anne, “People can tell you to keep your mouth shut, but that doesn't stop you from having your own opinion” (Frank 201). Anne throughout the diary expresses her feelings on different topics. Whether personal issues or political, Anne expresses her feelings on different current events affecting her. It is very intriguing to read around a teenager's perspective on the abominable world around her. 

One thing I will add is the resolution of the story was not satisfying for me. I will not say too much to spare the possible reader of the diary any spoilers, but the book ended extremely suddenly. The book's unexpected ending did not leave me feeling content, but rather made me feel confused, forcing me to reread some of the ending lines to clarify the sudden change in the story. 

Even though actually reading the book was never a ‘drag’ for me. I, for the most part, found the book very fascinating and the fact that this was a real event and that Anne Frank actually wrote what I was reading, made the overall book even more compelling. The Diary of A Young Girl is one of the most well known books in the world, and rightfully so.