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sallythereadinggirl's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Ein Buch mit einem sehr interessanten Konzept!
Die Buchbinderin Ashlyn stößt auf zwei einzigartige Bücher. Das zweite scheint als Antwort auf das erste geschrieben worden zu sein und beide erzählen die selbe Geschichte. Belle und Hemi führen uns in ihrem jeweiligen Buch durch die Ereignisse im Jahr 1941 und beschreiben, wie sich ihre Liebe aus ihrer Sicht zugetragen hat. Die Echos beider Bücher, die Ashlyn beim Berühren der Werke fühlt sind beide von Kummer, Schmerz und Verrat geprägt. Kann sie durch die Bücher herausfinden, was sich wirklich zwischen den beiden Liebenden zugetragen hat?
Die Idee der beiden Bücher, bei denen das eine als Antwort auf das zweite geschrieben wurde und die sich gegenseitig ansprechen fand ich wirklich klasse! Man konnte direkt im Vergleich sehen, wie die andere Person die Geschehnisse empfunden hat und wie es sich aus ihrer Perspektive zugetragen hat.
Die Fähigkeit Ashlyns, die Echos der Bücher, also die Gefühle der Vorbesitzer, oder in diesem Fall der Verfassenden, zu fühlen, war eher nur am Rande ein Thema, auch wenn es ihr Interesse an den Büchern erklärte.
Neben der schönen und fesselnden Liebesgeschichte hat mir das Buch noch einige Facetten des Amerikas in den 40gern gezeigt. So wurden beispielsweise Antisemitismus und die Rolle der Frau thematisiert. Auch wenn die Frauenrolle in der hier gezeigten Oberschicht keineswegs repräsentativ für die meisten Frauen der damaligen Zeit ist, so konnten doch einige Ungerechtigkeiten gezeigt werden.
Der Schreibstil war sehr flüssig und ich habe das Buch geradezu verschlungen.
"Das Echo vergessener Bücher" ist ein empfehelnswerter Roman, der auf geschichte Weise zwischen zwei Zeiten und mehreren Perspektiven hin und her springt, und uns zeigt, dass unsere Sicht auf die Dinge nicht die einzige, und schon gar nicht unbefangen ist.
Danke an den Piper-Verlag und Netgalley für das Bereistellen eines Rezensionsexemplares im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension.
Die Buchbinderin Ashlyn stößt auf zwei einzigartige Bücher. Das zweite scheint als Antwort auf das erste geschrieben worden zu sein und beide erzählen die selbe Geschichte. Belle und Hemi führen uns in ihrem jeweiligen Buch durch die Ereignisse im Jahr 1941 und beschreiben, wie sich ihre Liebe aus ihrer Sicht zugetragen hat. Die Echos beider Bücher, die Ashlyn beim Berühren der Werke fühlt sind beide von Kummer, Schmerz und Verrat geprägt. Kann sie durch die Bücher herausfinden, was sich wirklich zwischen den beiden Liebenden zugetragen hat?
Die Idee der beiden Bücher, bei denen das eine als Antwort auf das zweite geschrieben wurde und die sich gegenseitig ansprechen fand ich wirklich klasse! Man konnte direkt im Vergleich sehen, wie die andere Person die Geschehnisse empfunden hat und wie es sich aus ihrer Perspektive zugetragen hat.
Die Fähigkeit Ashlyns, die Echos der Bücher, also die Gefühle der Vorbesitzer, oder in diesem Fall der Verfassenden, zu fühlen, war eher nur am Rande ein Thema, auch wenn es ihr Interesse an den Büchern erklärte.
Neben der schönen und fesselnden Liebesgeschichte hat mir das Buch noch einige Facetten des Amerikas in den 40gern gezeigt. So wurden beispielsweise Antisemitismus und die Rolle der Frau thematisiert. Auch wenn die Frauenrolle in der hier gezeigten Oberschicht keineswegs repräsentativ für die meisten Frauen der damaligen Zeit ist, so konnten doch einige Ungerechtigkeiten gezeigt werden.
Der Schreibstil war sehr flüssig und ich habe das Buch geradezu verschlungen.
"Das Echo vergessener Bücher" ist ein empfehelnswerter Roman, der auf geschichte Weise zwischen zwei Zeiten und mehreren Perspektiven hin und her springt, und uns zeigt, dass unsere Sicht auf die Dinge nicht die einzige, und schon gar nicht unbefangen ist.
Danke an den Piper-Verlag und Netgalley für das Bereistellen eines Rezensionsexemplares im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Emotional abuse and War
nikkicthebookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. The time jumps between the past and the future really kept me engaged. The only thing I have to complain about it I feel like it was a little longer than it needed to be. There were a few filler chapters I thought could have either been combined or done away with completely. So I gave it 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, War, and Classism
infusionofviolets's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and War
Minor: Death, Misogyny, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
bookscatcoffee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0
This was fine. It’s telling that a book supposedly about books did not interest me or most of my book club buddies. The magical realism element felt added for appeal and was unnecessary. The characters were not really complex, and some of the “surprises” were either expected or out of character. Writing was ok. Not memorable but not entirely objectionable. 3 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: War
fseely's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Antisemitism, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
monicaloves2read's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
5.0
I have not read a book so beautifully written in a long time. Davis wrote a heartfelt book. Her writing is engrossing, effective and heartfelt in The Echo of Old Books.
Ashlyn can feel the Echo of Old Books when she holds them. It's a gift she discovered at age 12. She owns the bookstore An Unlikely Story. One day she gets a call from her friend, Kevin, who has just gotten a box of books in. Ashlyn picks one of the books up and gets nothing, until she opens the book. There's no author, copyright, or publisher in the book. She's never heard of the book, but something draws her to it. Soon, another book appears with the same thing just a different title. Ashlyn is soon on the hunt to figure out who wrote them and what happened in their lives.
Part mystery, part love story, but a whole lot of descriptive beautiful writing. There are flawed characters with great character development. I have never read Barbara Davis before, but know I want to read all her books, especially if they are all beautiful and well written, as The Echo of Old Books is. I highly recommend this book!
😊 Happy Reading 😊
#carlislepubliclibrary #lonokecountylibrarysystem #barbaradavis #theechoofoldbooks #readaway2024
Ashlyn can feel the Echo of Old Books when she holds them. It's a gift she discovered at age 12. She owns the bookstore An Unlikely Story. One day she gets a call from her friend, Kevin, who has just gotten a box of books in. Ashlyn picks one of the books up and gets nothing, until she opens the book. There's no author, copyright, or publisher in the book. She's never heard of the book, but something draws her to it. Soon, another book appears with the same thing just a different title. Ashlyn is soon on the hunt to figure out who wrote them and what happened in their lives.
Part mystery, part love story, but a whole lot of descriptive beautiful writing. There are flawed characters with great character development. I have never read Barbara Davis before, but know I want to read all her books, especially if they are all beautiful and well written, as The Echo of Old Books is. I highly recommend this book!
😊 Happy Reading 😊
#carlislepubliclibrary #lonokecountylibrarysystem #barbaradavis #theechoofoldbooks #readaway2024
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War
whiskeywoman79's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Historical Fiction / Fiction / Romance / Mystery / Magical Realism
⭐⭐.5 /5
TW: Suicide, death after childbirth, toxic family relationships, WW2 racial divide, cheating
I wanted to love this book. I loved the concept. The dual timeline was okay. A bit annoying but I thought the idea that books could hold a magical energy would make up for that. It didn't.
I wanted to pull for at least one of the characters but I am not sure I liked any of them. Except for Ethan, I guess I did like him. I felt like Ashlyn's (current-day FMC) character is intrusive and overwhelming. Her so-called gift to feel the echoes in books was never explored beyond the first few chapters, although it was once mentioned later in the story when giving an explanation. Belle and Hemi (past timeline MMC and FMC) were both genuinely awful. One had no issue cheating and the other had ulterior motives.
I get Ashlyn's curiosity and the want to research but as the reader, I just keep going back to the thought "Finish reading the books FIRST!" I had visceral feelings about the fact that she was asking questions of people whose lives and history could have been affected by the story without knowing what the story was, or at the very least knowing the information available at her fingertips first.
For it being over 400 pages I feel underwhelmed and the ending left much to be desired.
⭐⭐.5 /5
TW: Suicide, death after childbirth, toxic family relationships, WW2 racial divide, cheating
I wanted to love this book. I loved the concept. The dual timeline was okay. A bit annoying but I thought the idea that books could hold a magical energy would make up for that. It didn't.
I wanted to pull for at least one of the characters but I am not sure I liked any of them. Except for Ethan, I guess I did like him. I felt like Ashlyn's (current-day FMC) character is intrusive and overwhelming. Her so-called gift to feel the echoes in books was never explored beyond the first few chapters, although it was once mentioned later in the story when giving an explanation. Belle and Hemi (past timeline MMC and FMC) were both genuinely awful. One had no issue cheating and the other had ulterior motives.
I get Ashlyn's curiosity and the want to research but as the reader, I just keep going back to the thought "Finish reading the books FIRST!" I had visceral feelings about the fact that she was asking questions of people whose lives and history could have been affected by the story without knowing what the story was, or at the very least knowing the information available at her fingertips first.
For it being over 400 pages I feel underwhelmed and the ending left much to be desired.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death and War
tiiiger35's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.75
This book had so much more depth to it than I expected. The dual timelines were interwoven so beautifully giving the story a consistent fluidity. As a highly sensitive person, I was drawn to Ashlynn’s gift as a book empath. What she considered a curse, became the very thing to change her life for the better.
This story is about more than romance, it deals with grief, heartbreak, remorse & survival. It also has some darker undertones surrounding; suicide, anti-semitism & the factions of Nazi supporters building in America during WW2.
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the need to highlight so many quotes. I felt as if the words had been plucked from my own mind at times.
This is definitely a new favourite of mines that I’ll be recommending to my friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Abandonment, and War
sdt0087's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
redheadorganist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Blood and Car accident
Minor: War