medini_l's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Torture, War, Xenophobia, and Bullying
eberzy's review against another edition
- 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
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.ezulc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: War, Death, Transphobia, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Rape and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Animal death
grommit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Violence, War, and Rape
Minor: Racism, Antisemitism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
erebus53's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
- 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
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
vas_17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Ableism, Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Antisemitism, Cancer, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, War, Xenophobia, and Violence
snowwpuppet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, War, Murder, Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Child death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Excrement, Drug use, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, and Sexual assault
erinwolf1997'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Cancer, Bullying, Sexual assault, Child death, Blood, Violence, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Antisemitism, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Grief, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
Spoiler
traumatic brain injury related memory loss and intellectual disabilitymelancholymegs'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: War, Antisemitism, Child death, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Death of parent