Scan barcode
mtnmama's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book, but for some reason, I never felt the characters come to life.
thislittlebook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
nickiep's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
kara_jane's review against another edition
5.0
*SPOILERS*
This book got me sucked in within a few pages of reading it. I loved how it wasn't just one POV but had three. Marianne being the commander of wives and children. protecting the women and children after the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler. Benita a young beautiful girl of nineteen a wife of Connie a resistor and the mother of Martin. Ania a woman with a secret. I love this book! planning on reading other books of Jessica Shattuck soon!
This book got me sucked in within a few pages of reading it. I loved how it wasn't just one POV but had three. Marianne being the commander of wives and children. protecting the women and children after the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler. Benita a young beautiful girl of nineteen a wife of Connie a resistor and the mother of Martin. Ania a woman with a secret. I love this book! planning on reading other books of Jessica Shattuck soon!
winewalknbooktok's review against another edition
4.0
" There is so much gray between the black and the white... and this is where most of us live, trying, but so often failing to bend toward the light.
This is a compelling story about the lives of three widowed women and their children whose lives become intertwined after WWII in Germany. Completely different from so many other WWII stories I have read, this is told mostly from the perspective of Marianne appointed from the men as "The Commander and Cheif of the Women and Children." Marianne's husband and dearest friend are part of the unsuccessful assassination attempt of Hitler. After their death, she takes it upon herself to gather the women and children together at Burg Lingenfels, a castle belonging to her family. It is a story of friendship, trust, and how to find happiness in the worst of times.
This is a compelling story about the lives of three widowed women and their children whose lives become intertwined after WWII in Germany. Completely different from so many other WWII stories I have read, this is told mostly from the perspective of Marianne appointed from the men as "The Commander and Cheif of the Women and Children." Marianne's husband and dearest friend are part of the unsuccessful assassination attempt of Hitler. After their death, she takes it upon herself to gather the women and children together at Burg Lingenfels, a castle belonging to her family. It is a story of friendship, trust, and how to find happiness in the worst of times.
allisoparkbench's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cassidys_bookshelf32's review against another edition
2.0
**2/5**
Scattered format/time jumps, too many characters that I didn't care for, and very slow/didn't keep my interest.
Scattered format/time jumps, too many characters that I didn't care for, and very slow/didn't keep my interest.
cornmaven's review against another edition
2.0
I got 2/3 of the way through this book and gave up. Love WWII fiction, but this one did not grab me. I didn't like any of the characters; the closest I came was a slight appreciation for Marianne's practicality, but that was about it. The writing was just not that good, and I really hated the switching back and forth and in between time periods - lent itself to a very choppy reading experience, and I could not keep up with the characters' stories. I never felt any real tension during the story, either.
I am a WWII fiction aficionado, and this would not be in my canon. Pales in comparison to All The Light You Cannot See.
I suppose a good screenwriter could take this mess and turn it into a good movie, but until then, I'm out, as the Shark Tank people would say.
I am a WWII fiction aficionado, and this would not be in my canon. Pales in comparison to All The Light You Cannot See.
I suppose a good screenwriter could take this mess and turn it into a good movie, but until then, I'm out, as the Shark Tank people would say.