scoutandlyra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
misha136's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
smithnaomi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. This story is completely gripping, despite how heavy the material is. The multiple generations of the Rabinovitch family were brought to life so vividly, it was harrowing reading their stories knowing what lay in store. Such an important book, I learned so much and will cherish it.
jcarsrud's review against another edition
5.0
This book took me forever to read just because of the back to school time of year, but every day I thought of it and wanted to read more—even if it was just a paragraph or two. What an amazing story of strength. I was crying at the end because of the terrible hardships Myriam endured and am sad that my time with this family and its mystery is over.
leonorekoki's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
colleenvb3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? No
3.0
samikoonjones's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
4.5
sixtine_drs's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alexisreading23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
In The Postcard, Anne Berest, a French writer, has recorded a fictional account of the experiences of her Jewish family during the Second World War and the legacy that these traumas have left for her present generation. One day, the family receive an anonymous postcard with only four words written on it - the names of four relatives murdered during the Holocaust. Drawn to the enigmatic postcard and its ambiguous meaning, Anne the narrator records the life of her ancestors constructed through paper trails, documents, and other texts.
This book was unflinching in its criticism of the many silent figures that allowed the atrocities of the past to occur and it does a brilliant job at pointing out the 'signs' that lay quietly on the path towards such atrocities. It is difficult to read the account of the Rabinovitch's lives and see all the opportunities to flee Europe that were not taken because no one could imagine the horror that awaited them. Berest does not shy away from facing the bare facts of this period and the experiences of Jewish people, even long before WWII. Anti-Semitism is rife wherever they go and the 'casual' moments of prejudice are truly horrifying, especially when the book jumps to the present day.
What I appreciated about The Postcard was the description of Anne's own struggle with her Jewish identity and what that truly means to her having grown up outside of traditional practices of the faith. I think this is the first book I've read where the traumatic events of WWII lead to a movement away from the Jewish faith for a time - although I'm sure that this might actually be a common reaction. I found it really interesting to witness this journey of healing, acknowledgement and active remembrance. While many surviving Jewish people were all the more adamant to uphold and practice their faith following WWII, The Postcard allows an insight into how this may not have been the reality for people, especially when finding themselves the sole survivor. Anne's exploration of her own Jewishness and the impact of this recent past on her own life was really fascinating, especially through her interactions with other Jewish people and her uncertainty as to how to explain her daughter's Jewish identity to her. What was difficult to read were the passages that highlighted the casual Anti-Semitism that still remained in France - the quiet survival of people who had collaborated during the war and profited off the expulsion and extermination of the Jewish population as well as the callous dismissal of the Head Teacher at Anne's daughter's school, who raises no fuss at the knowledge that young children have expressed Anti-Semitic sentiments.
I think this is a very important book and I am very glad I read it - especially as it links the past so clearly to the present day - Anti-Semitism has not disappeared and it is important to hold out against it, to recognise the signs from our knowledge of the past. If I were to raise a few criticisms I would say that the structure of the book felt a bit off at times. The reader is thrown into the past quite rapidly in the beginning and then yanked back into the present to finally become better acquainted with the protagonist, Anne. At times, I also felt the pacing was unpredictable, there were moments where the plot seemed to move rapidly and I would have appreciated a bit more detail. However, as I pointed out earlier, this book was not produced purely for entertainment value but to act as a record of real lives reconstructed so it is understandable that there are places where fiction cannot stretch too far. I can see why this novel has been so widely acclaimed and I would really encourage others to read it.
This book was unflinching in its criticism of the many silent figures that allowed the atrocities of the past to occur and it does a brilliant job at pointing out the 'signs' that lay quietly on the path towards such atrocities. It is difficult to read the account of the Rabinovitch's lives and see all the opportunities to flee Europe that were not taken because no one could imagine the horror that awaited them. Berest does not shy away from facing the bare facts of this period and the experiences of Jewish people, even long before WWII. Anti-Semitism is rife wherever they go and the 'casual' moments of prejudice are truly horrifying, especially when the book jumps to the present day.
What I appreciated about The Postcard was the description of Anne's own struggle with her Jewish identity and what that truly means to her having grown up outside of traditional practices of the faith. I think this is the first book I've read where the traumatic events of WWII lead to a movement away from the Jewish faith for a time - although I'm sure that this might actually be a common reaction. I found it really interesting to witness this journey of healing, acknowledgement and active remembrance. While many surviving Jewish people were all the more adamant to uphold and practice their faith following WWII, The Postcard allows an insight into how this may not have been the reality for people, especially when finding themselves the sole survivor. Anne's exploration of her own Jewishness and the impact of this recent past on her own life was really fascinating, especially through her interactions with other Jewish people and her uncertainty as to how to explain her daughter's Jewish identity to her. What was difficult to read were the passages that highlighted the casual Anti-Semitism that still remained in France - the quiet survival of people who had collaborated during the war and profited off the expulsion and extermination of the Jewish population as well as the callous dismissal of the Head Teacher at Anne's daughter's school, who raises no fuss at the knowledge that young children have expressed Anti-Semitic sentiments.
I think this is a very important book and I am very glad I read it - especially as it links the past so clearly to the present day - Anti-Semitism has not disappeared and it is important to hold out against it, to recognise the signs from our knowledge of the past. If I were to raise a few criticisms I would say that the structure of the book felt a bit off at times. The reader is thrown into the past quite rapidly in the beginning and then yanked back into the present to finally become better acquainted with the protagonist, Anne. At times, I also felt the pacing was unpredictable, there were moments where the plot seemed to move rapidly and I would have appreciated a bit more detail. However, as I pointed out earlier, this book was not produced purely for entertainment value but to act as a record of real lives reconstructed so it is understandable that there are places where fiction cannot stretch too far. I can see why this novel has been so widely acclaimed and I would really encourage others to read it.
jpark's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5