trish_reading12's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Alice Winn’s writing style creates a vivid portrayal of active battle during WW1.
The character development from young people at boarding school to individuals who had seen too much death and suffering was incredible.
The relationships between the characters feel genuine.
I am looking forward to reading whatever Alice Winn writes next.
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Blood, Classism, Medical content, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
elysianpoems's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, and Mental illness
Minor: Antisemitism and Classism
katiesbeengone's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Murder, War, Violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Genocide, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Classism
miles's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lots of realistic pain and terror but interspersed with wonderfully tender and funny moments of beauty that capture your heart.
Graphic: Vomit, War, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Antisemitism
kat_treasure's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Classism
nirima's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, War, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gore, Child death, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Outing, Hate crime, and Rape
pexadillo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Minor: Classism and Antisemitism
bookshelf_al'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, War, Violence, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Classism, Homophobia, Suicide, and Antisemitism
ramalam98's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This blew me away and was so much more than I expected it to be. I usually steer clear of World War books, too used to those endless straight romance books you see in charity shops with a random photo of a milkmaid on the cover.
It's an exploration of queer love in the 1910's, yes, but it's also predominantly a criticism of war, war propaganda, UK public school culture and the classism it foments, British imperialism, and more. It does not shy away from the horrors of war, both in the trenches and outside of them, with a large focus as well on the mental strain and PTSD it left in all who survived.
It's incredibly violent and a difficult read at times (and I discovered a new trigger of mine in books!! tw enclosed spaces i guess) but I absolutely recommend it for anyone who feels up to it.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Graphic: Genocide, Body horror, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide, Vomit, Violence, War, Gun violence, Mental illness, Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcohol, Outing, Homophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Sexual content, Antisemitism, Animal death, and Child abuse
dananana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, and Confinement
Minor: Death of parent