Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Ashes in the Snow by Ruta Sepetys

81 reviews

sarahweyand's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

4.25

Middle/high school me would have for sure rated this a 5; the characters are slightly more frustrating as an adult. Nonetheless, an interesting and important look at one of the less talked about sides of World War 2. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, and War

a1ice_booklover's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This feels like it's the most amazing book I've ever read, it made tears come to my eyes multiple times. It was so amazing, I felt like screaming a lot. Please read it if you haven't already, I'm probably going to reread it. I have no other words.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Minor: Child death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

lyramadeline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual harassment

penguin96's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Violence, War, and Deportation

elisabeth888's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

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

I recently read Ashes in the Snow for the third time as it is one of my favorite historical fiction novels. Ashes in the Snow focuses on the experience of people in the Baltic states, who were torn between Hitler and Stalin's aggression. Because of continued Soviet occupation in the Baltics following WWII, many survivors accounts were silenced.

Ashes in the Snow follows the story of fifteen-year-old Lina who is deported from Lithuania to Siberia, along with her brother Jonas and mother Elena. Despite the suffering, the innocent prisoners attempt to help one another and establish normalcy for the children. Throughout the novel Sepetys demonstrates how the line between good and evil is blurred, especially in the young officer Kretzsky who struggles with the immorality of the orders he is given.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and War

f_r_e_d's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

I got sucked into this book, and I couldn’t get out. It was super good and interesting. I loved the writing style. I wish it had more closure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Genocide

pastorscratchy1reads's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

I just wish the ending was a little more clear. Like did Lina's father actually survive? What happens to Jonas? How does Lina find Andrius again?

mayakay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

I loved this book, I read it in one weekend :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Blood, and Pregnancy

Lina's mother did not have to die(!!!!), does she find her father(???), and does Andrius find her??

I need a sequel but this book cannot have a sequel.

puzzling_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and War

kdixon2's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Death of parent, and Deportation