deestreet's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • 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

3.75


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morgancleaver's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


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lilandraws's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-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? Yes

5.0

The amount of times I had to close the book and just cry about it: [redacted]. This hit different in the middle of the pandemic, honestly, I don't think I'd have the same reaction to Marie-Laure's descriptions of the outside world if it weren't for the fact that I haven't gone out in a year. Anyway. If you were to tell me a year ago that I'd root for a Nazi white haired sad boy, I would look at you funny but now ???? 

Doerr wrote the experiences of the main characters so elegantly and intricately that I was invested in their hobbies and interests like yes, Werner, tell me more about radios and soundwaves, yes, Marie, tell me more about mollusks. The way Marie-Laure described things were amazing and I might even prefer it to the regular way of describing things. Doerr also handled the topics of death and war so delicately; making us feel for and understand the Germany's side of the war but not diminishing the atrocities they committed. Werner is a prime example of compliance and I'm glad that he chose his own path in the end.

All of the characters are lovable and well-rounded, I loved them all so much.

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