Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

10 reviews

sarahflanders's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Deportation, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Violence, Toxic friendship, War, and Murder

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

1942 Eva Traube and her mother has to flee Paris after her father, a Polish Jew, has been arrested. They find sanctuary in a small mountain village and the plan is to cross the border to Switzerland as soon as possible. But Eva gets in touch with the underground resistance and she can help them by forging papers so they can smuggle Jewish children out of France. In order to aid the children to reunite with their families after the war she and Rémy, another forger, come up with a code they write down in an old book. They call it "the book of lost names". But when the war is over both Rémy and the book are missing...

This book is based on a true story, which always makes it a little more special. Even if I've read a fair share of WWII books I don't think I've ever read something from inside the resistance - at least not in this way. It's heartwarming to read about people risking their own lives to keep Jewish children out of the concentration camps. 

The story is told mostly in past time, during a couple of years in the 40's. In present time it's 2005 and Eva, now living in the US, sees an article about books the Nazis stole during the war. In one of the pictures she recognises "the book of lost names", a book she hasn't seen in 65 years. Researchers seem perplexed by what they think is a code in the book, but they have no idea what it means. Eva is the only one who knows. 

There are of course tragic and sad parts in this story, but also a lot of hope and warmth. In the beginning I found Eva's suspiciousness a bit over the top, as she always thought someone had betrayed them. At the same time it's easy to understand. But then she trusts somebody completely, just because they went to school together?! I'm also a bit upset with her mother, who doesn't seem to understand how important it is for Eva to remain and help, instead of crossing the border right away. It comes out as very selfish, but I can see her point of view too, at least in some ways. And when it really matters, she's on Eva's side...!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Deportation, Genocide, and Confinement

Moderate: War

msennflinn's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Suicide, Murder, and Blood

mandi4886's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Genocide, Violence, Confinement, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Blood, Gun violence, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, and Suicide

Moderate: Stalking, Racism, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Torture, and Xenophobia

Minor: Excrement, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Ableism, Vomit, Trafficking, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Alcohol

embla_v's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad

5.0

Tyskarna har invaderat Frankrike och folket lever i ständig skräck. När Evas pappa blir bortförd av tyskarna för att han är jude tvingas Eva och hennes mor på flykt. Eva och hennes mor hamnar i en liten stad nära gränsen till Schweiz och där hittar Eva ljuset i mörkret, möjligheten till motstånd. 

En oerhört gripande och spännande bok. Den är oerhört bra men jag varnar er den får tårarna att rulla av lycka och sorg. Rekommenderar starkt denna bok baserad på en sann historia om en kvinna under andra världskriget. Definitivt läsvärd!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Antisemitism, Blood, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Vomit, Death, Police brutality, Stalking, Torture, Trafficking, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Slavery

travelthrupages's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Grief, Death, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Death of parent, Genocide, and Racial slurs

contre_qui's review

emotional fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Genocide, and Religious bigotry

This book takes place in WWII-era France, and deals directly with a young woman whose father has been taken to a concentration camp. There are no scenes from inside the concentration camp, but some descriptions of outside the camp. While the book is mostly about protecting children from German forces, if you are sensitive to the Holocaust this might not be the book for you.

maddiebusick's review

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Really interesting to learn about forgery and the french resistance under German occupation. I felt like the plot was a bit formulaic, but overall an enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Torture

rose_five's review

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Genocide, Murder, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Torture

jbraith's review

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Confinement, Death of parent, Genocide, and Grief