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bookishdragonshoard's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Minor: War
sabra327's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
booknerdsinmn'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and War
Minor: Physical abuse and Death of parent
kerrygetsliterary's review
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, Car accident, Death of parent, and War
okiecozyreader's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This story is mainly divided into 2 sections - which are almost 50% of the book each. The first section is the story of Rosie. Her parents died from a tragic accident and she was left in the care of the owner of the vineyard in which they worked. This couple used her as their servant - cooking and cleaning, while paying her half of what they paid other people who didn’t meet their demands - because she was young. She ends up pregnant and in the care of the state. Because she has synesthesia, she is sent to a state facility, which specializes in the care of those with serious psychological and other problems.
The second half is the story of Helen, the sister of the husband who Rosie lived with. She adored Helen, who sent Rosie special letters and even an amaryllis plant, which she treasures. This part of the book focuses on Helen’s life during WWII, where she is a nanny for a family in Austria, who has a daughter with special needs.
Although this book covers many tough topics, I enjoyed reading it, and I couldn’t stop thinking about these characters throughout my time not reading. I am glad #bookfriendsbookclub chose this for a May selection.
Both stories focus on eugenics “good genes” - of course we know this happened with Nazi ideals of WWII, but much of this book describes eugenics in USA until the 1970s.
—
“A life that will allow me to buy amaryllis bulbs to my heart’s content—the only “children” I will ever have. And I will have them. Windowsills full of them.” Ch 19
“How shortsighted I was, looking at newspaper stories of demolished buildings being cleared away, the debris being swept up and buried, and thinking the same was surely happening inside me. I should’ve known better. The human heart isn’t made of stone and wood and brick like the ruins of Europe are.” C 21
“love is a powerful force. Far more powerful than the strength I saw on display in Nazi-occupied Austria. Love, to overcome that kind of power, just needs to be unleashed from fear.” c34
“the only way, to keep close to you someone who is gone from your life. It is better than the alternative—isn’t it?—which is never having had them at all.” Ch34
“This is what makes us sublimely human, isn’t it? Not unsullied genetic perfection, but when we stubbornly love and honor one another.” Ch 36
“With giving, there is cost, isn’t there? There is always cost. Sometimes it is an easy sum to hand over. And sometimes it exacts from you the whole measure of your heart.” Epilogue
“I can very nearly see what Rosie is surely seeing at the sound, finally, of her daughter’s voice—the bursts of color, the whorls of perhaps magenta, cerulean, and goldenrod, tumbling about like jewels from heaven. I can almost see them. And they are beautiful” epilogue
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Grief
Moderate: Child death and Rape
Minor: Death of parent
shawnna_reads2's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
bnelson13's review
- 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
5.0
Susan Meissner did a wonderful job telling the stories of Rosanne and Helen, and I found that this was a hard book to put down. My heart broke over and over for Rosanne and Helen, and the others of this story, but I'm so wonderfully happy that I was able to read it. It's a really powerful story.
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War
maddiet425's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and War
meliroo's review
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Racism, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy