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mbrogs2024's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia
infinnite_curiosity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Violence, Murder, and War
pawtuckawaykrm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Antisemitism, and Murder
kailiyahknight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
creativerunnings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
suneaters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
My favorite was definitely the ex-Soviet pilot Nina Markova. I was really rooting for her relationship with Yelena Vetsina. Jordan McBride’s narrative was pretty good too, but I was most invested in Nina. Her and Ruth were adorable. Ruth is mainly a prop and I can see how that might be annoying since there aren’t any Jewish characters in this book about Nazi hunters post-Holocaust.
Like, maybe Jordan or Nina could’ve been Jewish. It would’ve been nice.
Ian Graham was a good character
I also wish the lesbian relationship was a bit more developed.
The Huntress was a great villain. Lorelai Vogt/Annalise was really compelling and viewing her through Jordan’s eyes humanizes Die Jägerin and creates an interesting juxtaposition on how Ian describes her.
Graphic: Antisemitism, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Gun violence
navayiota's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is my favourite of her novels so far. What a story! I don't usually pick up such long audiobooks but this was 100% worth it, I'm so glad my friend recommended it. I couldn't stop listening.. it's crazy to think about all the research that went into this novel. I loved the way the characters interact, how interconnected they are, and the sense of dread employed by Quinn to keep the readers on the edge of our seats. Truly, it was masterfully done. I will be reading more of her stuff!! Amazing work!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content and Medical content
root's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First, the positive: The characters are so complex and real, so fully fleshed out that you could reach out pinch them. I appreciate that the story is steeped in grey morality--the characters talk about what is right and what is wrong but ultimately their actions are simply their actions. They are allowed the chance to want things, to do things, that are just a different path to go down. The horrors of war are not flinched from but neither are they gratuitous and voyeuristic in showcasing pain. The depiction of PTSD is really good here too, the different flavors and presentations between characters. I love this book, I love the characters, I will more than likely read it again.
Now for me to tear into it. I will disclaimer this by saying I generally avoid historical fiction surrounding the Holocaust, because it is often just military/government propaganda alongside a healthy dose of trauma and genocide as shock value. So my criticisms of this are primarily political and it is more of a widespread issue that I was just disappointed to see in this book. This book is effectively, whether accidentally or not, feeding into American propaganda and the red scare.
First, and most glaringly, the biggest crime that American society in this commits is the crime of trusting refugees. There's a little talk in the book about how you shouldn't suspect every refugee for simply being where they're from, but the message sort of falls flat
There is also that it is simply so American that it is a little humorous. You get a very thorough rundown of everything wrong with the Russian government, a lengthy explanation of how things work in Russia but exactly nothing on the US government because of course you know. This prevailing notion that the Americans are these good ol' boys, that they fought the war to fight evil, that they are largely sympathetic to Jewish people, that Americans thought at all kindly of refugees. This very All American Girl who is so soft and sweet that even after finding out what the huntress did, she is still sympathetic to her. This All American Boy whose biggest issue is following what his parents set for him.
A little deeper here, but Nina is sympathized with because she's not a communist.
<Spoiler>As an aside I think there was a missed opportunity to discuss what the actual difference is in your fellow country men raping you for daring to be a woman pilot vs getting captured and raped by the opposing side. A lot of the gender politics in this were kind of flat, just men who hate women inexplicably (no duty to family or women being less physically capable or any other of those excuses) and women going "look see I can be in the military too." Nothing really deeper to it...so much of Nina's dialogue is "haha I bet you thought I couldn't do it cause I'm a girl" and people either responding "no no I am not a misogynist" or "yes I am a raging misogynist" repeatedly. Compared to the rest of the complex issues discussed in the book it just is...flat.
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual harassment
helenamichelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, Gaslighting, and War
sarah984's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The history of the war and what comes after it feels well-researched and alive, but the story of Nina growing up in Siberia is stereotypical and ridiculous. Way too much.
Most of the characters were great, interesting and internally coherent - they felt like they could be real people. Jordan's parts of the story dragged for me though since they followed the same cycle for so long: Jordan sees something suspicious, freaks out about it, then convinces herself it's nothing for more than half the book. It's realistic but it could definitely have been toned down without losing anything important.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Antisemitism, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism