jjstoff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Graphic: War and Violence
donnar'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: War
piaa157'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, and War
camix_2000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, War, Death, and Gun violence
oneanxiousstudybuddy's review against another edition
- 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: War and Death
skiaakari's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Murder, War, Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent and Cancer
saraaaa's review against another edition
4.75
I feel like the author went for an explicitly didascalic approach, unambiguously denouncing the horrors of the war through the first person account of the young protagonist's personal experiences and reflections.
The strong accent on the loss of youthful dreams and teenage convictions makes it, in a way, a hybrid between a war novel and a bildungsroman.
The style was poetic at times, especially when reporting the protagonist's considerations, then moving to a kind of matter-of-factly journalistic style when describing the soldiers' routine and daily sufferings.
Last but not least, it's the first – and so far the only – war novel I read that managed to give a realistic account of a teenage boy's perspective on women and sexual attraction without falling into misogyny.
Graphic: Body horror, War, Blood, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Excrement, and Racial slurs
logar86's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, War, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Gun violence, and Blood
mme_carton'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
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
opinkb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Blood, Gore, Animal death, Violence, War, Grief, Murder, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail