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cocacolor's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is an important book that reads like something that's two-thirds fairy tale and one-third history text, both genres that miss the depth of character that fiction readers are used to. Reviewers praise the humanity of this novel, but it seems to me that there's very little humanity at all: the characters are all pure of heart and action, more like archetypes than people, the world around them is unrelentingly, factually, evil, and there's very little in between, which is where I would say humanity lives. As a fairy tale and history text, it doesn't allow us to savor the moments when Hoffman's plotting shines; Ava's stratagem to keep Azriel away from Lea, in the last chapter, reads more like a dream than a thriller. The writing is extremely beautiful and the history vivid; this would probably work best for fans Paulo Coelho's writing style and a certain kind of teenager reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Death, and Deportation
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Child death
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