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aleahlitt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, and War
loumoopoke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and War
frankchester's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, and War
Moderate: Death, Gore, Death of parent, and Abandonment
danimarie96'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death and Misogyny
carlaabra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The writing is amazing, cynical yet eloquent, with lots of moments of levity interspersed. I was reminded pleasantly of Vonnegut’s biting irreverence and outlandish plots.
It’s mostly third person but changes as needed. The story unfolds in short chapters that occur chronologically. These chapters mostly narrate our main family, but occasionally deviate to side characters or pivotal events. This seems frivolous at the time of reading, but every chapter intersects with our main story by the end. These seemingly dropped but later interwoven threads give the story a wholeness and sense of context in history.
I had no idea how close to true events this novel stuck - it only makes it more poignant. The plot slows briefly around page 200 and then again around page 370, however for such a long and deeply historical book it was remarkably readable. The characters are larger than life and so lovable. I hesitate to call them realistic, since they can verge on caricatures at times, but they work with the story. Again, very Vonnegut.
For a book that starts out so mundane, and whose writing is intentionally ironic, I admit- I almost cried multiple times. This is war, after all.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, Torture, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
This is a WWII book. There is no HEA. People are killed for no reason at all, tortured by the enemy and by the conditions they were forced to fight in. It’s brutal and describes real events.dlrosebyh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, and Misogyny
franksalot's review against another edition
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and War
56bumblebees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Excrement
Minor: Death of parent
michaelsbirthday's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Colonisation
introverted_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Pregnancy