Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis

18 reviews

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

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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

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.

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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

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

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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

dany_casimiro's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

2.5

Long Story Short: lots of echoes, very little books.

Finally, a fiction book that breaches the topic of antisemitism in the 1940s USA – a great way to foster its discussion. 

I really liked the idea behind book empathy – some people are sensitive enough to touch an object and feel emotions from its past. Granted, the book part earned most of my interest in this case. Sadly, it was more of an initial plot device to be used only as the plot demands than an actual integral part of the story. By the end of the 430 pages, it makes a feeble reappearance to remind readers that it has been there all along when the protagonist is sharing her ability with her love interest. 

It has “books” in the title, the main character recovers and sells old books, and the only physical plot device is indeed a book. But on the topic of books, that’s pretty much it. The focus shifts completely to the story behind the book that Ashlyn, the protagonist, is reading and where her quest to find out more leads her. Romance, mystery, social critique – everything feels but halfway done. An exception is due when it comes down to Ashlyn’s traumatic experiences, as the author clearly couldn’t decide between an abusive marriage, a traumatic divorce, or witnessing the death of a soon-to-be ex-husband. So, she chose all the above. It would have been more passable if these instances had been better explored, rather than merely used as – again – a plot device for an extra layer in romance building. It became increasingly frustrating and boring, especially because every issue got solved so easily. Their point besides plot reasons is beyond my comprehension. The literary quotes at the beginning of each chapter did not help at all; they quickly became an insistent reminder that this was supposed to be a book about books, and it became a doomed romance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death and Antisemitism

Minor: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Gaslighting

karapillar's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

machenn's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

librarian_barbie's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

Loved the structure- hopping between points of view and time periods added rich layers to the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

amandak's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: War

indigo_ewenicorn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Lovely book, with delightful narration!
This story had me intrigued and eager to listen more the entire way through.
It got to a point where I thought it would be wrapping up soon and then realized I still had 4.5 hours left to listen.
The subject matter of this book was at times very heavy and took a little digesting.
I'm glad I finished and am happy with how everything ended.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Suicide, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, and War

jessversteeg's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and War