Reviews

La vida juega conmigo by David Grossman

stef_hb's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

4.25

juup's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

hunterlovesneilperry's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

the ending for me kind of dragged the rating down. it didn’t really make sense for it to end like that after the emotional build up. just felt like a waste for nina’s character. 

the writing is beautiful. grossman has a way with words that i havent really seen before. im always sceptic for a man writing women, especially the way relationship he was presenting, but he did it so well. their truama wasnt sexualised, but genuinly cared for. 

i feel like you seldom read about the people who were affected by the breakup of Yugoslavia and how complicated it really was, but the book was fantastic at presenting that. also the small bits if pro-palestine, well done.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Abandonment

Moderate: Racism, Antisemitism, and Suicide

Minor: Terminal illness

mjbrandso's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

tevreads's review against another edition

3.0

Longlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. ‘More Than I Love My Life’ by David Grossman showcases the skills of a writer who can effortlessly create characters and their uniqueness. Originally in Hebrew, Jessica Cohen does well to translate such an emotive text, of a political prisoner and moral dilemmas. It is a book that demands attention, and I was not fully absorbed in parts due to a lack of such. I may have to reread this one if it makes the shortlist.

mjminkowich's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

tynareads's review against another edition

5.0

I have no words for the beauty of this book. The family inside this story will stay with me forever, a scar etched into my brain.

I really recommend this voyage into love, pain, suffering and sacrifice - narrated by the most beautiful storyteller Gili.

kristenpoel's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

bxlbooks91's review against another edition

5.0

First new 5* read since Feb 2021. This was unbelievably moving and incredibly written.. A deeply rich novel about the selfishness of grief, and what people are willing to do to keep the memory of someone alive, often at the cost of others..

I cannot believe this didn’t make the shortlist of the booker international…

morvardi's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0