britbarbie's review against another edition
5.0
Written so well, and really gives a great image of two different lives during WW2. Shows the humanity that can and will prevail when we speak out for our beliefs.
dibiz116's review against another edition
2.0
I understand the hype around this book to some extent, but it seriously fell flat for me on so many levels. Doerr is exceptionally talented at writing rich descriptions of everything... except, it seems, for the characters themselves. The sometimes beautiful and often harrowing imagery of a wartorn Europe from the two main POVs (Marie, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German soldier) was undoubtedly the best part of the book and will be what sticks with me after turning the last page. But this was unfortunately not enough to hold the book together.
The plot itself is not very compelling - the chapters were distractingly short and had continuously switching POVs. This made it nearly impossible to get attached to either protagonist even had they not been written so flatly. The main characters' internal monologues' descriptions of the other characters (ie Marie's father and uncle, Werner's friend Frederick and sister Jutta) have more humanity and emotional depth than the main characters themselves are given by Doerr. Also, the two protagonists are truthfully kind of annoying. They blankly wander through the world having absolutely zero idea what is going on around them. I know they are children (both are around 18 at the end of the war), but other children have more worldly and self-awareness throughout the novel than they do (namely Federick and Jutta).
By the end, I really did not care at all when Werner was killed. I wasn't attached to him in any way and was kind of happy I didn't have to read any more of his chapters.
Jutta's rape also seemed entirely gratuitous and unnecessary - if she had been a POV character throughout the book it would have made sense, obviously, stuff like this happens in war, but it came out of nowhere and was never mentioned again. It was clearly a lazy plot device to describe the horrible cruelty, dirtiness, and patheticness of the Russian soldiers.
Also, what the heck was the deal with Volkheimer? He forced the children at the Nazi school to torture a Jewish prisoner to death but then at the end, he seems to be written as a character we're supposed to somehow feel warmth towards... absolutely ridiculous.
All in all, I contemplated DNF'ing this starting on page 32 and then every 20-50 pages right until the very end but I forced myself to get through it for the sake of how much I know so many people love this book. I wish I had actually DNF'd it. For once, I am pretty convinced the TV adaptation will be better (at least I hope it is...)
The plot itself is not very compelling - the chapters were distractingly short and had continuously switching POVs. This made it nearly impossible to get attached to either protagonist even had they not been written so flatly. The main characters' internal monologues' descriptions of the other characters (ie Marie's father and uncle, Werner's friend Frederick and sister Jutta) have more humanity and emotional depth than the main characters themselves are given by Doerr. Also, the two protagonists are truthfully kind of annoying. They blankly wander through the world having absolutely zero idea what is going on around them. I know they are children (both are around 18 at the end of the war), but other children have more worldly and self-awareness throughout the novel than they do (namely Federick and Jutta).
Spoiler
By the end, I really did not care at all when Werner was killed. I wasn't attached to him in any way and was kind of happy I didn't have to read any more of his chapters.
Jutta's rape also seemed entirely gratuitous and unnecessary - if she had been a POV character throughout the book it would have made sense, obviously, stuff like this happens in war, but it came out of nowhere and was never mentioned again. It was clearly a lazy plot device to describe the horrible cruelty, dirtiness, and patheticness of the Russian soldiers.
Also, what the heck was the deal with Volkheimer? He forced the children at the Nazi school to torture a Jewish prisoner to death but then at the end, he seems to be written as a character we're supposed to somehow feel warmth towards... absolutely ridiculous.
All in all, I contemplated DNF'ing this starting on page 32 and then every 20-50 pages right until the very end but I forced myself to get through it for the sake of how much I know so many people love this book. I wish I had actually DNF'd it. For once, I am pretty convinced the TV adaptation will be better (at least I hope it is...)
shivanikutiyal's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
saraheatsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
facheepoufsouffle's review against another edition
5.0
This was just beautiful. Only a historical fiction novel like this could bring me to tears.
This startling accurate account of human behaviour during the second world war will get you thinking: were the German soldiers actually better off than us? is resistance the best route? and most importantly, is life anything without the ones you love?
This startling accurate account of human behaviour during the second world war will get you thinking: were the German soldiers actually better off than us? is resistance the best route? and most importantly, is life anything without the ones you love?
imogen_browne's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
309804490's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pipeym's review against another edition
5.0
just so beautiful. cant articulate it yet but beautiful. the characters jump out of the page, and doerr writes moments with unparalleled nuance and awareness. i hope i get the time to re-read it one day
edit now that I’ve had time to think: it’s truly a story told in inches; each chapter is only 3-4 pages and then suddenly you’re hearing from a new person in a new country. but it’s not until the ending when these two characters collide that you truly realise how far you’ve come; how the moments, the inches, have been weaving together without your recognition. and that realisation of how LARGE all those tiny moments were, and the beautiful tapestry that they made…well that’s just awesome.
edit now that I’ve had time to think: it’s truly a story told in inches; each chapter is only 3-4 pages and then suddenly you’re hearing from a new person in a new country. but it’s not until the ending when these two characters collide that you truly realise how far you’ve come; how the moments, the inches, have been weaving together without your recognition. and that realisation of how LARGE all those tiny moments were, and the beautiful tapestry that they made…well that’s just awesome.
katrenalove's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I enjoyed this book so much. It is set in what is to me one of the most fascinating times in history, World War II. The events leading up to and occurring during WWII and the stories that come out of this time period, whether they are stories of terror and turmoil or stories of triumph are always fraught with emotion. This tale is no exception. Doerr's story drops us into a world that is cascading down a dark and dangerous path. It is both enthralling and hauntingly beautiful; it encouraged me think and re-examine the way I look at the world. I would highly recommend this book.
The main characters are both children, ordinary children who were swept up into the chaos and carnage of a war they never wanted to be a part of. One of the main characters is a French girl who goes blind as a child and later as a teen is one of the many people living under German occupation. Her blindness is used to drive home the thematic device of light verses dark. Moreover, seeing the world through her perspective and witnessing all of the adjustments she had to make in order to survive really spoke to the human capacity for strength, perseverance and adaptability. The other main character is a young orphaned Germany boy who is a prodigy with mathematics and mechanics. Without trying he gains a reputation as a bit of a genius and a wizard with radios and circuits. As a result he ends up at a training school for Nazi Military Elite which is harsh and practices some truly horrifying methods to ensure the boys are loyal to the Reich and that they will never show weakness or disobey an order. The war seen through two opposing viewpoint provides the reader with a deep feeling of insight into the negative effects of the war on people from both sides.
The main characters are both children, ordinary children who were swept up into the chaos and carnage of a war they never wanted to be a part of. One of the main characters is a French girl who goes blind as a child and later as a teen is one of the many people living under German occupation. Her blindness is used to drive home the thematic device of light verses dark. Moreover, seeing the world through her perspective and witnessing all of the adjustments she had to make in order to survive really spoke to the human capacity for strength, perseverance and adaptability. The other main character is a young orphaned Germany boy who is a prodigy with mathematics and mechanics. Without trying he gains a reputation as a bit of a genius and a wizard with radios and circuits. As a result he ends up at a training school for Nazi Military Elite which is harsh and practices some truly horrifying methods to ensure the boys are loyal to the Reich and that they will never show weakness or disobey an order. The war seen through two opposing viewpoint provides the reader with a deep feeling of insight into the negative effects of the war on people from both sides.
sbrot's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
4.25