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yarm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism
m_a_j's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
unboxedjack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Pregnancy
allegrabelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
I have a massive issue with the author using violent Nazi history as a fun part of the character's development. It is only for the shock value and adds very little to the overl plot.
The writing style is awful. They say men who write women focus on their unattainable looks. I would say that Boyne does the same thing with young men in a way which is nauseating to read, and entirely unrealistically.
Took me two days to read this book for book club and we never even met to discuss it it was so horrible.
There's nothing to take from this book nor is it even a fun beach read. All the characters felt forced and completely unrealistic. The relationships were so odd I could never buy into any of the plot.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Outing, and War
Avoidasourceoffiction's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In a way every section of the book was predictable. But knowing what would happen actually enhanced the anticipation each time, and Maurice's actions gradually went much further than I could imagine. I'm not sure if I've ever been so physically angry while reading a novel; at one point I genuinely came close to throwing it across the room.
But as hateful as Maurice is (and he takes us to some deliciously dark places), I could not stop reading. The hardest thing with irredeemable characters is how to make you want to keep reading. And the narrative structure helps with this; the first section is Erich's story, and Maurice is the third party. The mid-section is Edith's, and she addresses Maurice in the second person which adds depth. But Maurice does not get to control his own narrative until the very end, which is so fitting to the story he has to tell and to his overall character.
It also helps that it is, inexplicably, funny. Boyne is a master of very, VERY dark humour and this is no exception. I'm not even sure if I should have been laughing. This is an original, imaginative story about a man completely devoid of imagination and original thought, and I absolutely loved it.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, and Suicide
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
corinthians666's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Alcoholism and Murder
andy78's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Rape, Suicide, and Antisemitism