Reviews tagging 'War'

Certaines n'avaient jamais vu la mer by Julie Otsuka

17 reviews

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

the point of view for this book was SO effective

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

mekrasts's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This book covers the experiences of women who are transported from Japan to America in order to get married, and follows them in their journeys of change all the way to World War II. It is written in such a way that seems to be in the first person, but describes experiences from all of the women at once. It is mostly a sad story, about loss and longing, but it doesn't lack hopefulness and contentment. I think the main thing that I took away from it is that change is hard, and that the only thing you can do in the face of it is adapt. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

jackerik's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

so sad it makes me nauseous.
”i can still see your footprints in the mud down by the river.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Trafficking, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Suicide

laurenipsum's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and War

ayammaya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Otsuka’s ability to deeply inform a reader and force them to not only empathize with the characters but bring readers as close to experience their hardships as possible is nothing short of masterful.  I don’t often enjoy historical novels, but Otsuka has made me discover a passion for it that I didn’t think I could have.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Grief, and War

Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

gagne's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and War