hiltzmoore's review against another edition
2.0
Not my style. Technically it’s historical fiction and I suppose the author did quite a lot of research on the subject, but the actual fiction part was frankly awful, mass market love story fluff. The characters were very much caricatures of villains and protagonists, and I was not a fan of all the plot lines tying up with a pretty “women need husbands and children to be happy” bow. Not what I expected from such a highly rated book in this genre.
mlydon727's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
reedinthelibrary's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
labknitter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
myretromeltdown's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
amandalywarren's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautiful, fictionalized retelling of a very true story. Mountains of research and interviews paid off for Kate Thompson in this triumph of a historical novel. The characters are based on real people, and I feel so connected to this moment in history after reading their stories.
Stories of war have a special place in my heart. Maybe because they help us find resolve or remind us of our humanity. Maybe because I’m a military wife. Who’s to say? But this book is special. Bethnal Green is special. And the work that Kate Thompson has done to keep the history of the story of Bethan Green alive in such a unique way is remarkable.
This book has it all. I laughed as often as I wept. The glimpses of life that happened between bombings almost made the horror of the war fade. And then another strike came. And the death toll increased with the names of women and children who only sought to stay brave on the homefront. My heart both broke and mended in these pages.
I couldn’t begin to talk about the characters—there are too many that I love too well. You simply must read this book and meet them yourself. This one is a gem—a true treasure of literature and history.
Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Kate Thompson for an advanced copy of this stunning book.
Stories of war have a special place in my heart. Maybe because they help us find resolve or remind us of our humanity. Maybe because I’m a military wife. Who’s to say? But this book is special. Bethnal Green is special. And the work that Kate Thompson has done to keep the history of the story of Bethan Green alive in such a unique way is remarkable.
This book has it all. I laughed as often as I wept. The glimpses of life that happened between bombings almost made the horror of the war fade. And then another strike came. And the death toll increased with the names of women and children who only sought to stay brave on the homefront. My heart both broke and mended in these pages.
I couldn’t begin to talk about the characters—there are too many that I love too well. You simply must read this book and meet them yourself. This one is a gem—a true treasure of literature and history.
Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Kate Thompson for an advanced copy of this stunning book.
buggybean's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0