cogsofencouragement's review against another edition
4.0
I read this through the Libby app after hearing about the Big Library Read.
I enjoyed the magical, heartfelt story. I took the advice of the author to reread chapter one when I finished. Superb advice.
I enjoyed the magical, heartfelt story. I took the advice of the author to reread chapter one when I finished. Superb advice.
tabithar's review against another edition
4.0
I heard about this book from "The Big Read". Imagine if a story your grandpa always told about WWII that you thought was unbelievable turned real for you. This story tries to do a few things. 1) It attempts to show the confusion and terror of a concentration camp that had a single unexplained survivor. 2) It also tries to give a new perspective on the tensions and desperate need in East Berlin before the wall fell. 3) It IMO may oversimplify present tensions. This may be opened up more in a future book. 4) It uses a vague mathy magic as a machanism to pull the reader into what is largely historical fiction with the politics of sci-fi.
I liked it. It was a little challenging/very slow to start and I enjoy multi POV books. It took a minute to realize what was going on between chapters though. This would be well suited in an audio version.
I liked it. It was a little challenging/very slow to start and I enjoy multi POV books. It took a minute to realize what was going on between chapters though. This would be well suited in an audio version.
kaylakaotik's review against another edition
5.0
In the spirit of complete honesty, I was hesitant to pick up The Girl with the Red Balloon. Though I've always had an insatiable curiosity about World War II and German history, I feel lukewarm towards time travel. Something, though, kept pulling me back to this book. I was intrigued, but also worried it would be a disappointment. When I caught it on sale, I threw caution to the wind and bought it. Best choice I've made in a long time.
The Girl with the Red Balloon is easily the best book I've read this year. It's a darker venture into YA that definitely pays off. This was a beautifully written fictionalized piece of Berlin history.
Skipping over how beautifully this was written and the interesting story line (because there are plenty of reviews that can talk about that stuff better than I can), this book made me feel things. That ending! My heart can't handle that kind of ending without a few tears. I want more. Like, I need more. Please.
I'm both glad to see that there's going to be a sequel, but also a bit sad as it's not a continuation of Ellie's story. If it's half as good as The Girl with the Red Balloon, though, it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.
The Girl with the Red Balloon is easily the best book I've read this year. It's a darker venture into YA that definitely pays off. This was a beautifully written fictionalized piece of Berlin history.
Skipping over how beautifully this was written and the interesting story line (because there are plenty of reviews that can talk about that stuff better than I can), this book made me feel things. That ending! My heart can't handle that kind of ending without a few tears. I want more. Like, I need more. Please.
I'm both glad to see that there's going to be a sequel, but also a bit sad as it's not a continuation of Ellie's story. If it's half as good as The Girl with the Red Balloon, though, it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.
ginnikin's review against another edition
3.0
It's embarrassing how long it took me to finish this book. It was on my phone, and whenever I found myself with time and no book, I would return, but it really took me a while to get caught up in the story. In the end, though, I quite liked it.
catcaird's review against another edition
4.0
Very good, a unique story that involves magic, history and time travel.
ilikecows321's review against another edition
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
alistofsydneys's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
The Girl with the Red Balloon blew me out of the water with its twist on West Berlin in 1988, where magic red balloons help people escape over the wall. I was captivated with the vivid aspects of time travel and the way it was explained in this novel. Everything in the novel was connected in a loop and was tied together with a nice red bow at the end.
The Girl with the Red Balloon blew me out of the water with its twist on West Berlin in 1988, where magic red balloons help people escape over the wall. I was captivated with the vivid aspects of time travel and the way it was explained in this novel. Everything in the novel was connected in a loop and was tied together with a nice red bow at the end.
ettegoom's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this, but it was so clumsy in places that I just couldn't.
Normally, I read young adult books because they do a better job of character and scene building than adult books, with more nuanced writing.
But this book just didn't.
I particularly hated the romance, which was awkward, repetitive and forced.
All of the characters were 'othered' in some obvious way, but I found the way that Mitzi talked about her identity was particularly artificial.
I'm really interested in the Berlin wall and wanted to know more about what it was like to live during this time, but I feel like the book just grabbed the cliches and superficial beliefs that are presented about it being a dull, suspicious and terrible place with no sense of community and shoved them in here and there. But a lot of what I've read suggests that this was only a small part of the experience... I wasn't convinced by the treatment of the setting at all, sadly. And really feel like this story could have been set anywhere, with very few changes required.
I guess, not having lived at this time and in this place, maybe I am missing something that would make the aspects of the story that grated badly, make more sense. But overall, despite the concept being really cool, and some of the characters potentially interesting, I couldn't like the story.
Also, how did Ellie's hair NOT get burned at all! She talks about it burning! And yet she still has 'long brown curls strewn over the white pillow'. Ugh.
Normally, I read young adult books because they do a better job of character and scene building than adult books, with more nuanced writing.
But this book just didn't.
I particularly hated the romance, which was awkward, repetitive and forced.
All of the characters were 'othered' in some obvious way, but I found the way that Mitzi talked about her identity was particularly artificial.
I'm really interested in the Berlin wall and wanted to know more about what it was like to live during this time, but I feel like the book just grabbed the cliches and superficial beliefs that are presented about it being a dull, suspicious and terrible place with no sense of community and shoved them in here and there. But a lot of what I've read suggests that this was only a small part of the experience... I wasn't convinced by the treatment of the setting at all, sadly. And really feel like this story could have been set anywhere, with very few changes required.
I guess, not having lived at this time and in this place, maybe I am missing something that would make the aspects of the story that grated badly, make more sense. But overall, despite the concept being really cool, and some of the characters potentially interesting, I couldn't like the story.
Also, how did Ellie's hair NOT get burned at all! She talks about it burning! And yet she still has 'long brown curls strewn over the white pillow'. Ugh.
starereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
4.0