friedeggyolive's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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? N/A
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Grief, Genocide, Rape, Antisemitism, and Confinement
Moderate: Racism, Hate crime, and Cancer
stardust_heidi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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
4.0
This book was so depressing. Interesting at times. Overall, I liked it, but I know I won’t reread. Maybe the TV show will be better, idk. The narrator wasn’t great, and I’m kind of annoyed I wasted a libro credit on this one since I also own the paperback. It was nice to check off another book from my TBR. LOVED the blind protagonist; excellent representation there.
I liked the converging timelines, but I’d hoped we’d get more from that rather than what happened. I don’t know. It was kind of a letdown. I much prefer Kate Quinn for WWII historical fiction.
I liked the converging timelines, but I’d hoped we’d get more from that rather than what happened. I don’t know. It was kind of a letdown. I much prefer Kate Quinn for WWII historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Murder, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape
raineydayreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The prose in this is stunning. A wonderfully woven tale of war and the people trying to survive it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Cancer, and Death
Minor: Rape and Vomit
eberzy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Antisemitism, Child death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Rape
Not to be dramatic, but one of the best books I've ever read. No wonder it won a pulitzer The many characters, careening timelines, historical accuracy, pacing, and building of narrative with minimal dialogue absolutely blew my mind. I have never read a book crafted like this. I had my doubts at first with the poeticism and jumping timelines that I could not follow, but when it all came together at the climax, it was all so perfect. The characters--I really appreciate von Rumpel as a villain. His plight from geologist to conspiracy-obsessed nazi is very realistic and compelling. One of my favorite book villains perhaps. The intricacies resulting from Marie's disability were unique and created much of the book's tension. It made me contemplate what times of war were like for people with disabilities. Werner's story of being drawn/forced into the charms of nazi Germany was so realistic. For me, this explained more easily than the history books how this war began. I could go on and on about all the other characters. I love that we saw each one through to the essential end of their story. It is so rare to be able to connect with this many secondary characters without it getting confusing. The ending--This book could have ended much earlier than it did and I would have been happy. I like the stylistic choice to follow the characters post-war. I like that it showed that war promises happy endings to no one.smkelly1997's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall, I felt this book was written beautifully. The prose, word choice, flow, and quick chapters left me throughly engaged. Regarding the actual story I felt as if I needed more. I just felt like something was missing to the the whole book together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Gore, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, War, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cancer, and Genocide
belleden's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The is why I don’t read books written by men. 🙄 If you want to win a Pulitzer Prize, all you have to do is be a man and write a book about WWII, apparently.
I strongly disliked the way the framing device of a shifting timeline was used. The dates were sometimes clearly labeled, but often not, and I had to go back and reread several times to understand where we were in the story. I even felt that the opening chapters of the book were a spoiler and I think it would have worked much better chronologically.
Marie-Laure and her family were extremely lovable and the main reason why I kept reading. Marie-Laure felt so real and I had a deep desire to protect her the entire time I was reading. The Sea of Flames storyline was fascinating and kept me wondering until the end.
I appreciate how this book handles trauma and the realities of war. and I think historical fiction that ignores that fact is completely unrealistic.
This book was recommended for me for the Red TV prompt of the Taylor Swift reading challenge - "a book over 450 pages that will break your heart". well and truly broke my heart.
Spoiler
pointless rape chapterI strongly disliked the way the framing device of a shifting timeline was used. The dates were sometimes clearly labeled, but often not, and I had to go back and reread several times to understand where we were in the story. I even felt that the opening chapters of the book were a spoiler and I think it would have worked much better chronologically.
Marie-Laure and her family were extremely lovable and the main reason why I kept reading. Marie-Laure felt so real and I had a deep desire to protect her the entire time I was reading. The Sea of Flames storyline was fascinating and kept me wondering until the end.
I appreciate how this book handles trauma and the realities of war.
Spoiler
Not everyone gets a happy ending. Sometimes bad things happen to good peopleThis book was recommended for me for the Red TV prompt of the Taylor Swift reading challenge - "a book over 450 pages that will break your heart".
Spoiler
Frederick and his mother
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Child death, Antisemitism, Bullying, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Cancer
Minor: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Rape
erebus53's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Another book club read, and I'm glad I was put onto this one, as I otherwise wouldn't have bothered with it. This is a beautifully woven tale of .. uhm, nerds in World War II.
Werner is a snow-haired German lad who was orphanned by the mines of the Reich. As a curious child he develops himself into an electrical engineer who specializes in fixing radios, and is noticed by a German general who forwards him for advancement in an elite military school.
Marie-Laure is the daughter of keymaster of the French museum. She develops cataracts and goes blind as a child, and her father crates a scale model of her neighbourhood as a tactile map for her to learn her way around.
When the war starts, Marie-Laure and her father flee to her uncle's house, and Werner is a radio engineer for Hitler's army.
This story is told with deep emotional resonance, and using all sorts of literary quirks that focus on themes of light and darkness, sounds, sensation, fear and bravery, morality, logic and puzzles, knowing and learning, art and music, the love of nature, and of people. I love the descriptions of things like disappearing in fog– that it's about vanishing into whiteness rather than shadows. The descriptions are visceral and evocative as well as clever.
This is a story of survival, of war, of fear and bloodshed, and it doesn't pull its punches. It certainly answers, in a humane way, questions about how people can do inhuman things in war, and the toll it can take on families.
I found the going slow, and occasionally tense, but also full of whimsy and beauty in contrast.
Well worth the read.
Werner is a snow-haired German lad who was orphanned by the mines of the Reich. As a curious child he develops himself into an electrical engineer who specializes in fixing radios, and is noticed by a German general who forwards him for advancement in an elite military school.
Marie-Laure is the daughter of keymaster of the French museum. She develops cataracts and goes blind as a child, and her father crates a scale model of her neighbourhood as a tactile map for her to learn her way around.
When the war starts, Marie-Laure and her father flee to her uncle's house, and Werner is a radio engineer for Hitler's army.
This story is told with deep emotional resonance, and using all sorts of literary quirks that focus on themes of light and darkness, sounds, sensation, fear and bravery, morality, logic and puzzles, knowing and learning, art and music, the love of nature, and of people. I love the descriptions of things like disappearing in fog– that it's about vanishing into whiteness rather than shadows. The descriptions are visceral and evocative as well as clever.
This is a story of survival, of war, of fear and bloodshed, and it doesn't pull its punches. It certainly answers, in a humane way, questions about how people can do inhuman things in war, and the toll it can take on families.
I found the going slow, and occasionally tense, but also full of whimsy and beauty in contrast.
Well worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Xenophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Grief, War, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Excrement, Death, Child death, Blood, Antisemitism, Vomit, Torture, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Cancer, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Racism, Confinement, Chronic illness, Animal death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Classism, and Bullying
lwelch94's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Violence, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Hate crime, Genocide, Ableism, Xenophobia, War, Antisemitism, Bullying, Rape, Mental illness, Confinement, and Death
tori21's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
Minus 0.5 ⭐ because it broke my heart... But overall an amazing book, very loveable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cancer, and War
Minor: Rape
prynne31's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This book just wasn't for me, and I wish I had dnf'd it..
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Rape and Death
Minor: Cancer and Death