Reviews tagging 'War'

Płynąc w ciemnościach by Tomasz Jedrowski

22 reviews

annakh16's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I had never seen you before - not consciously anyway. Yet my mind felt strangely relieved, as if it had recognised someone.

This book markets itself as “If Call Me By Your Name was set in communist Poland“. I think this is accurate - to the extent that in my opinion, the books suffer from similar problems. The writing is good. There are some beautiful, emotional standout quotes, as well as a transformative, almost transcendental love. But I was hoping for more substance.

Which is to say: I would have liked more elaboration on key aspects of this indeed quite short book. I don’t think it offered much new in terms of story arc, which is fine as such. But in my opinion, it developed neither the romance nor the historical setting enough to make up for this. I think we needed much more time with Ludwik and Janusz at the lake, where their relationship really blossomed. Cutting this made it hard to root for the romance (together with the fact that it’s unclear how invested Janusz actually is in the whole thing - although maybe we‘re only meant to root for Ludwik anyway). It would have also been interesting to delve a little more into the place/time the book is set in. 

I know this book is important to many people, and for good reason. I recognise that in that sense, it wasn’t written for me and I definitely respect its impact. But I do think it had a lot more potential story-wise.

The odds had been stacked against us from the start: we had no manual, no one to show us the way. Not one example of a happy couple made up of boys. How were we supposed to know what to do? Did we even believe that we deserved to get away with happiness?

To my own surprise, I was unable to accept the shame he wanted me to feel. It was too familiar to be imposed: I had produced it myself for such a long time that, right then, I found I had no space left for it anymore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content, and Outing

Minor: Antisemitism, Alcohol, and War

page_not_found's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Blood, Police brutality, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Racism, Pregnancy, War, and Deportation

davschi's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, and War

maregred's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, and War

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

An encapsulating story of being queer in the 1980s under socialist rule. While I was expecting a heartfelt summer romance, I also learned a lot about Poland’s politics and demographics in the 70s and 80s, the religious and communist themes throughout the country in spite of the end of German control. 

This is a very moving tale of love within the forbidden and hidden, of innocence lost and found, of the duality of cruelty and kindness in humanity. 

The writing is beautiful, like poetry, flowing like streams of consciousness from our protagonist, Ludwik, intent on finding himself in the world. His inner turmoil over his attraction to the same sex, his struggles with opening up to someone, his freedom from the Party’s ideologies. His love for Janusz and his lust for a different life. My heart broke for him in his journey for happiness and truth. I desperately wanted to give him a hug.

A melancholy novel rich with history and emotional ups and downs. Simply excellent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Pregnancy

notthatcosta's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.5

Overall I really liked this book; the pacing is excellent and the prose swept me up right away. The love story component felt fresh despite being very well trodden ground, particularly due to the political slant and the right/wrong of it feeling somewhat grey. 

I struggled with the protagonist at points, when he was particularly wallowing or dramatic without any sense of lightness or humour like those around him. However, there were moments of self awareness and growth in the narration that redeemed what occasionally veered into Brandon Taylor-esque melodrama.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and War

danajoy's review against another edition

reflective sad

4.0

Beautifully written, gentlely melancholic and told in a striking second person.
I feel like I have to read Giovanni's Room now.

I love reading books set in places and time periods I don't know much about. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, Vomit, and War

joensign's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Police brutality, and War

kwichris's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

3.75

I typically don't like reading books that center around romance. This book, however, managed to embed historical context and emotionally complex situations that added more to this story than a simple romance that cannot be. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I found myself relating to or finding understanding in the main character's reactions/feelings/thoughts regarding the situation they find themselves in - a love that they cannot express publicly, a country divided post-war, and uncertainty of their own future. For a first entry, the author has crafted quite a nice story, and I would recommend it to anyone that likes a little historical context and input that shapes the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Grief

Moderate: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Vomit, Police brutality, and Medical content

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Wow. This book is amazing. A love story between two very different boys, tells the tale of political unrest and oppression coloring 1980s Poland. Told through second person letters, Ludwik tells the story of his upbringing, life in Communist Poland, and his complicated relationship with Janusz. The writing styles approaches dark subjects with an almost flowery language, making every bit a joy to read. Does it get a tad slow at times? Yeah. Does it absolutely ramp up towards the end? Yes! This is a short yet poignant tale of love and unrest is a worthwhile read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism