Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Postcard by Anne Berest

6 reviews

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation

tracie_mcd's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

While appreciating the story and the history and  certainly understanding the devastating heartbreak and loss, I did not entirely understand the hype for this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

kerri_m's review against another edition

5.0

I've read many books about the catastrophe, and this is one of the best.

It's a story about identity, survival, memory, responsibility, hope. It's about telling their story. It's about not looking away (even when the telling makes you shake and feel sick). 

While many of the details may have been imagined and the research process likely went in a slightly different order, it's miraculous that the Rabinoviches got as much information as they did. We will never hear countless stories of other lives that were stolen.

Reading it now, in 2024, feels like a call to action.

Indifference is universal. Who are you indifferent toward today, right now? Ask yourself that. Which victims living in tents, or under overpasses, or in camps way outside the cities are your ‘invisible ones’? The Vichy regime set out to remove the Jews from French society. And they succeeded.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, and Abandonment

aislinglucy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Antisemitism, Dementia, Abandonment, and Deportation

mishasbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation