kelseywaters's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because I remember reading Jane Yolen’s The Devil’s Arithmetic when I was in middle school and loving it. That book had a much bigger impact on me but that likely had to do with my age. The terror of this time period doesn’t ever go away. It is really horrifying. Overall a good book and didnt feel like a YA book.
marnieluna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
perusinghannah's review against another edition
4.0
(7.3/10) - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Mapping the Bones started off really strong, and for the first third or so of this novel, I expected it to be either a high four or even a five star read. Unfortunately, as we moved away from the Łódź ghetto, into the forest, and finally a labor camp, we also gradually moved further away from true events, and that's where the book started to slowly lose me.
This is a me thing. Targeted at a younger audience, I fully understand the choice the author made by moving non-fictional horrors into a fictional setting. That way, there's the freedom of bringing across emotion in an accessible way to teens, without misrepresenting any true accounts. While I think it's equally valuable for teens to read firsthand accounts, I can acknowledge that they're not always 'inviting' for them to read. Works like Mapping the Bones are great for bridging that gap, and I certainly experienced this effect as a teen with one of Yolen's other books, the Devil's Arithmetic.
However, I've now consumed enough literature about the Holocaust to know that I vastly prefer the non-fictionalized accounts, and I frequently find myself annoyed with the fictitious ones because there's just too much to compare it to and find it lacking.
What I will say is that the characters were exceptionally well done. I loved Chaim, especially, but really appreciated the dynamics between all the characters, and the way they managed to stand on their own in settings that make it easy to lump them into a monolith. With that, Yolen really held on to something true.
Yet unfortunately, the pacing wasn't great. While this book started off at a very steady pace, it dragged through the middle and then ended up very abruptly in a setting we were only just introduced to. Had this been spread out better, it could've still easily gotten a full four stars from me.
All in all, a book that potentially holds a lot of value for younger audiences starting to explore this history, but ultimately not something that will stick with me personally.
Mapping the Bones started off really strong, and for the first third or so of this novel, I expected it to be either a high four or even a five star read. Unfortunately, as we moved away from the Łódź ghetto, into the forest, and finally a labor camp, we also gradually moved further away from true events, and that's where the book started to slowly lose me.
This is a me thing. Targeted at a younger audience, I fully understand the choice the author made by moving non-fictional horrors into a fictional setting. That way, there's the freedom of bringing across emotion in an accessible way to teens, without misrepresenting any true accounts. While I think it's equally valuable for teens to read firsthand accounts, I can acknowledge that they're not always 'inviting' for them to read. Works like Mapping the Bones are great for bridging that gap, and I certainly experienced this effect as a teen with one of Yolen's other books, the Devil's Arithmetic.
However, I've now consumed enough literature about the Holocaust to know that I vastly prefer the non-fictionalized accounts, and I frequently find myself annoyed with the fictitious ones because there's just too much to compare it to and find it lacking.
What I will say is that the characters were exceptionally well done. I loved Chaim, especially, but really appreciated the dynamics between all the characters, and the way they managed to stand on their own in settings that make it easy to lump them into a monolith. With that, Yolen really held on to something true.
Yet unfortunately, the pacing wasn't great. While this book started off at a very steady pace, it dragged through the middle and then ended up very abruptly in a setting we were only just introduced to. Had this been spread out better, it could've still easily gotten a full four stars from me.
All in all, a book that potentially holds a lot of value for younger audiences starting to explore this history, but ultimately not something that will stick with me personally.
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
I received this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Told from dual perspectives, siblings, Chaim and Gittel, this is a historical retell of Hansel and Grettel with the backdrop of the Holocaust. Chaim and his family are living in a Jewish ghetto, barely getting by, like many of their neighbors. Shortly after they are forced to live with a family of strangers, word begins to spread through the ghetto that families will be sent to the concentration camps. Both families attempt to escape, however, they soon face challenges and ultimately sent to a work camp. The siblings struggle to survive and reunite with their families.
This was a difficult book, but it was well-done. The retell was unique and integrated well. I appreciated the inclusion of Jewish culture, which in this book was done on a level that typically isn't seen. I connected to the characters, through their words which were beautiful. This novel was wonderful yet tough.
Told from dual perspectives, siblings, Chaim and Gittel, this is a historical retell of Hansel and Grettel with the backdrop of the Holocaust. Chaim and his family are living in a Jewish ghetto, barely getting by, like many of their neighbors. Shortly after they are forced to live with a family of strangers, word begins to spread through the ghetto that families will be sent to the concentration camps. Both families attempt to escape, however, they soon face challenges and ultimately sent to a work camp. The siblings struggle to survive and reunite with their families.
This was a difficult book, but it was well-done. The retell was unique and integrated well. I appreciated the inclusion of Jewish culture, which in this book was done on a level that typically isn't seen. I connected to the characters, through their words which were beautiful. This novel was wonderful yet tough.
kaydowning's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the book. I was excited to read this book because I loved the Devil's Arithmetic so much.
Gittle and Chaim, twins, tell their story of living through World War II. Gittle tells her story looking back on events and offering foreshadows of the events to come. Chaim tells his story as it unfolds. Their family must take another family with two children (Sophie and Bruno) into their apartment in the Lodz Ghetto. Sophie is agreeable and embarrassed by her brother Bruno. Bruno is entitled and selfish. Gittle and Chaim's parents create a plan for them to escape. The children are separated from the parents hoping to meet up later. The children are eventually caught and sent to a labor camp to make munitions. Typhoid sweeps through the camp, and a doctor comes to help control the spread and cure the sick children. Sophie dies of typhoid and asks Gittle and Chaim to watch over Bruno. The doctor leaves, but when he returns, he is determined to continue his work with twins as his mentor, Dr. Mengele, had done.
Gittle and Chaim, twins, tell their story of living through World War II. Gittle tells her story looking back on events and offering foreshadows of the events to come. Chaim tells his story as it unfolds. Their family must take another family with two children (Sophie and Bruno) into their apartment in the Lodz Ghetto. Sophie is agreeable and embarrassed by her brother Bruno. Bruno is entitled and selfish. Gittle and Chaim's parents create a plan for them to escape. The children are separated from the parents hoping to meet up later. The children are eventually caught and sent to a labor camp to make munitions. Typhoid sweeps through the camp, and a doctor comes to help control the spread and cure the sick children. Sophie dies of typhoid and asks Gittle and Chaim to watch over Bruno. The doctor leaves, but when he returns, he is determined to continue his work with twins as his mentor, Dr. Mengele, had done.
iggyebab's review against another edition
2.0
Although all of the war stories are bleak, this one felt like it had no humanity. I found no character to attach to or empathize with. Not that the children’s story was not heartbreaker by but the writing was stark and often dry.
mariwsmith's review against another edition
2.0
This is another book about the Holocaust and I found it pretty unremarkable. It was also fairly choppy and hard to read.
elles_expositions's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
i really need to stop reading sad world war II books
the_magiccrack's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
storiesandsours's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5