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emilyhillreads's review
I read a sample of this and I think there is potential, but ultimately it didn’t draw me in and based on other reviews it leans more fantasy as it goes, which I don’t see improving it for me.
danakinsw's review
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
3.25
jnishi's review
5.0
Hauntingly beautiful book. Have tissues nearby for this one but do not let that stop your from reading this fabulous middle grade historical (with a wee bit fantasy) debut. It is poetic and heartfelt and earnest. Fantastic read.
elvesrverycool's review
4.0
“Listen, sometimes having a hard heart is worse than having no heart. Don’t let the world make your heart hard. Keep it soft, and wide, and open, as long as you can, as much as you can beat. And even when you can’t beat it. It’s all right that your heart hurts—that’s how you know it’s still there.”
BRO.
The pacing was a bit wonky (would go really slow to nice and balanced and then also really slow, nothing wrong with slow paced books, this one just was a little too slow for my liking) so I’m not giving it 5 stars, but everything about this book is so good. The writing and the story is so well done and I love the characters. Will be recommending in the future!
BRO.
The pacing was a bit wonky (would go really slow to nice and balanced and then also really slow, nothing wrong with slow paced books, this one just was a little too slow for my liking) so I’m not giving it 5 stars, but everything about this book is so good. The writing and the story is so well done and I love the characters. Will be recommending in the future!
jwinchell's review
There aren’t many immediately post WWII novels, so I was excited for this one. But it lost me when the boy starts to talk to wolves.
thebookeer's review
5.0
Charlie has been longingly waiting for his brother Theo to return home from the war. When he finally arrives, he has lost his previous mobility and his optimistic spirit. He no longer laughs at Charlie's jokes and seems to be a completely new person who is existing, just to serve. Grandpa Fitz calls this Hollow Chest, Mellie on the street knows that this is caused by War Wolves. Charlie gets dragged into his nightmares and needs to negotiate with War Wolves, to get his brother Theo's heart back.
The young boy's point of view adds beauty and reason to the otherwise harsh happening. Depression and anxiety get a whole new magical meaning - as the evil wolves who feast on your heart until there is no more heart or it has hardened into a stone. This book reminds us that even if everything in life is going downhill or has even reached a negative dead end, we must find something or someone to hold onto to keep ourselves sane.
I love this book. I am still expecting to read a lot of great books this year, but I have a feeling, that this book will be in the Top 10, if not even Top 5 reads of the year.
The young boy's point of view adds beauty and reason to the otherwise harsh happening. Depression and anxiety get a whole new magical meaning - as the evil wolves who feast on your heart until there is no more heart or it has hardened into a stone. This book reminds us that even if everything in life is going downhill or has even reached a negative dead end, we must find something or someone to hold onto to keep ourselves sane.
I love this book. I am still expecting to read a lot of great books this year, but I have a feeling, that this book will be in the Top 10, if not even Top 5 reads of the year.
kylielovesbooks's review
4.0
What an extremely emotional book! I was definitely not expecting so much emotion to come out of this book. I was expecting something kind of spooky and got a heartbreaking, heartwarming, story.
This book is set during WWII and Charlie's brother Theo is coming home from being injured in the war. But Theo is not the same as he was before he left. Something is missing. And Charlie is starting to see terrifying wolves around London that no one else can see.
The characters were great, Charlie was such a strong 11/12 year old. Theo told him he had to take care of the family (mom and grandfather and cat) while he was in the war and that's just what he did. He stopped at nothing to do everything he could to help Theo get better when he came home. Charlie's mom was so loving and hard working and just really a great mom. I absolutely loved Charlie's Grandpa Fitz, he lost an arm when he was in the war and he really can relate to Theo when he comes home which I think was a great support system. I think my favorite character though was the cat Biscuits! Yes, she was a cat, but she was written absolutely hilariously. She was Charlie's rock and she had such a sassy personality.
This book really deals well with things like PTSD and depression, both the people who are dealing with them and the people around them who want so badly to help. It's heartbreaking watching Theo come back and have nightmares and have such a hard time fitting back into his family and dealing with this PTSD. It was also heartbreaking watching Theo's family try and fail to help him, especially since this is something I am currently going through myself.
I thought I was going to blow through this book, but it took me a lot longer than I thought it would. I think it's because it is just such a heavy topic that is really personal to me, I couldn't read a lot of it at a time (I was also busy!). The whole book was interesting and it had nothing to do with the actual book. It was well paced and so funny despite the heavy topics.
Thank you to HarperKids for the free copy!
This book is set during WWII and Charlie's brother Theo is coming home from being injured in the war. But Theo is not the same as he was before he left. Something is missing. And Charlie is starting to see terrifying wolves around London that no one else can see.
The characters were great, Charlie was such a strong 11/12 year old. Theo told him he had to take care of the family (mom and grandfather and cat) while he was in the war and that's just what he did. He stopped at nothing to do everything he could to help Theo get better when he came home. Charlie's mom was so loving and hard working and just really a great mom. I absolutely loved Charlie's Grandpa Fitz, he lost an arm when he was in the war and he really can relate to Theo when he comes home which I think was a great support system. I think my favorite character though was the cat Biscuits! Yes, she was a cat, but she was written absolutely hilariously. She was Charlie's rock and she had such a sassy personality.
This book really deals well with things like PTSD and depression, both the people who are dealing with them and the people around them who want so badly to help. It's heartbreaking watching Theo come back and have nightmares and have such a hard time fitting back into his family and dealing with this PTSD. It was also heartbreaking watching Theo's family try and fail to help him, especially since this is something I am currently going through myself.
I thought I was going to blow through this book, but it took me a lot longer than I thought it would. I think it's because it is just such a heavy topic that is really personal to me, I couldn't read a lot of it at a time (I was also busy!). The whole book was interesting and it had nothing to do with the actual book. It was well paced and so funny despite the heavy topics.
Thank you to HarperKids for the free copy!
thekittenholy's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
lguebert's review
5.0
Thank you to SLPL for providing me with an ARC of Hollow Chest!
Whew! Friends! This book! Genuinely one of the best and most honest (and therefore heart wrenching) portrayals of grief, anxiety, and trauma that I've ever seen, especially in a middle grade novel. It was touching and raw and honest and so sweet it hurt.
Whew! Friends! This book! Genuinely one of the best and most honest (and therefore heart wrenching) portrayals of grief, anxiety, and trauma that I've ever seen, especially in a middle grade novel. It was touching and raw and honest and so sweet it hurt.