brooke_city's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Perfectly captured the paranoia and claustrophobia of the time. I can't imagine living in a surveillance state. I knew very little about Romania, so this was a learning experience.
Perhaps most shocking is that the tyrannical couple were uneducated. Elementary education level, but they had an entire country living in fear. The level of manipulation is astonishing.
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Violence, and Police brutality
aphrochilds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Emotional abuse
1vy_booklover's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Violence, Death, Police brutality, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
daepyonimst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
Minor: Torture
rmfickfack's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: War, Police brutality, Gore, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Torture, and Violence
ktame001's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Grief, War, Torture, Death, Genocide, and Child abuse
Moderate: Cancer, Physical abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
sarahflanders's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, Gore, Medical content, War, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Gun violence
greylandreviews's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A really informative and interesting book. I really like when Sepetys only writes from one point of view. When she does multiple, it just becomes jumbly and pacing is kind of thrown off. The narrator for this one was good also.
I never knew this about Romania and I'm really glad I learned about it. Giving a voice to a silent past is what Sepetys is a master at.
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Excrement, Body horror, Violence, Medical trauma, Genocide, Gore, War, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Cancer, and Sexual assault
emerald_reader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Minor: Gaslighting, Confinement, Blood, Death, and Deportation
bringmybooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
This was a stunningly researched and unbearably heartbreaking book based on the grim reality of decades of oppression felt by the Romanian people during the latter half of the 20th century, and while it was hard to read, it also felt really necessary.
I was familiar with a bit of Romanian history prior to reading this book, but after reading this I realized just how much I didn’t know. I have such an appreciation for well researched historical fiction novels because they not only give me an idea of what was happening throughout the time periods & locales they are written in, but also the urge to do research on my own to learn and understand more (and absolutely ALL of Ruta Sepetys' books have done just this).
This book reminded me of Salt to the Sea in that it had short chapters, some choppy (on purpose) sentence structure, and once you were invested (happened at about 50pgs for me), you’re not going to put it down until you finish. (Unlike Salt to the Sea, this book only had one POV.)
100% recommended by me and now maybe I should read Fountains of Silence???
Graphic: Torture, Physical abuse, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Death, War, Police brutality, Murder, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Rape