Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

47 reviews

rachel_sheppard's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

A heart wrenching book with both the depravity of humanity alongside courage and resilience. It paints a vivid picture of the horror of Auschwitz and the pockets of hope, love, kindness, bravery that could not be stopped.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and War

cooldudenick's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and War

Minor: Suicide

oceanwriter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring sad 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? No

4.0

Honestly, I could spend the entirety of this review simply gushing over the prose to the point where I want to learn Spanish just so I can see if the original words are even more beautiful than the translation. This is the second book by Antonio Iturbe I’ve read and it didn’t disappoint. 

 

Based on the true story of Dita Kraus’ days in Auschwitz, the book follows her and her family who have been sent to a part of Auschwitz set up to fool the Red Cross and keep the mistreatment of prisoners under wraps. There, Dita and her block mates form a secret school for the children where they pass along smuggled books. Dita puts herself at risk delivering these books but is more concerned about evading the notorious Dr. Josef Mengele. Despite being in the ‘safe’ block, they are still very much in Auschwitz. 

 

There are so many beautiful quotes in this book. This made up for a sometimes stale delivery (which might be due to being translated). My interest in the plot faded in the middle though picked back up again toward the end. It’s definitely a long book for historical YA but does maintain a fast pace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and War

Minor: Sexual harassment

livia_jewel's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, and War

Minor: Child death

grandslamdenny's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Suicide, Excrement, and Medical content

Minor: Incest, Racial slurs, Sexism, Grief, and Sexual harassment

marinhein2000's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

leila_reads_too_much's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual harassment and Pandemic/Epidemic

any1elsebutlee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Deportation

jessreadsandrambles's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad tense 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: War

siobhanlh's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Suicide, Torture, Antisemitism, Grief, and Death of parent