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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I really liked the short chapters, it helped with reading it in spare moments and being motivated to pick it up more especially considering how long it is. Personally I don’t think it needed to be 500+ pages, any historical fiction over 400 pages is doing too much 😅
The characters were well developed and the writing overall was atmospheric, making me feel like I was there witnessing everything in front of me.
It felt like a disconnected, out of pocket scene just for the sake of having a rape scene. Just because it’s historically accurate does not mean it’s necessary or should be put into the story, and again, there are better ways to write it if you feel it’s a needed addition 🙃 The story was basically done- it’s serves ZERO purpose to the plot or Jutta’s character- truly pointless and typical “men writing women”
Graphic: War, Death, Violence, Bullying, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Antisemitism, and Blood
Minor: Ableism
miaaa_lenaaa'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? Yes
4.75
‘Does she grieve over his absence? Or has she calcified her feelings, protected herself, as he is learning to do?’
‘Thats how it feels… as though his love for his daughter will outstrip the limits of his body’
‘Silence is the fruit of occupation; it hangs in branches, steps from gutters.’
Graphic: Ableism, Antisemitism, Blood, Death of parent, Cancer, War, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Torture
emmagarvey's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.5
Graphic: War, Violence, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Genocide
Minor: Ableism
esjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Antisemitism, War, Physical abuse, and Genocide
Moderate: Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Ableism, Abandonment, Murder, and Cancer
Minor: Cursing and Death of parent
venice_the_vampire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Racism, Violence, Hate crime, Genocide, Death, Torture, Bullying, Antisemitism, Child death, and Ableism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
belleden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I strongly disliked the way the framing device of a shifting timeline was used. The dates were sometimes clearly labeled, but often not, and I had to go back and reread several times to understand where we were in the story. I even felt that the opening chapters of the book were a spoiler and I think it would have worked much better chronologically.
Marie-Laure and her family were extremely lovable and the main reason why I kept reading. Marie-Laure felt so real and I had a deep desire to protect her the entire time I was reading. The Sea of Flames storyline was fascinating and kept me wondering until the end.
I appreciate how this book handles trauma and the realities of war.
This book was recommended for me for the Red TV prompt of the Taylor Swift reading challenge - "a book over 450 pages that will break your heart".
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Child death, Antisemitism, Bullying, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Cancer
Minor: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Rape
mdwsn27's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: War, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Genocide, Antisemitism, and Grief
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Bullying, and Ableism
Minor: Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
lwelch94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Violence, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Hate crime, Genocide, Ableism, Xenophobia, War, Antisemitism, Bullying, Rape, Mental illness, Confinement, and Death
tuvrok'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Gore, Antisemitism, Suicide, Ableism, Death, Genocide, Grief, Violence, War, and Murder
novella42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Antisemitism