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julesreadsallsorts's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable yarn with quirky lyrical prose and a story that spans the continents and major historical events of the last 100 or so years. The books falls down from a male gaze writing that sees the main character relate to men in a sexual context or as a mother/daughter. A woman that’d experienced all this would have a much more insightful and intelligent outlook on life and people she interacts with and that was missing for me.
annetjeberg's review against another edition
3.0
This was just okay for me... Had been done better previously by other Nordic authors.
ravenmount's review against another edition
challenging
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
queencleo's review against another edition
3.0
An octogenarian Icelander ruminates on her life from the confines of a hospital bed in someone’s garage.
I struggled with this one. Chapters 19 & 20 have some of the most beautiful language I’ve read in a long time. At other times Herra’s memoirs are slow going and uninspiring. At 300 & some pages it should have been an easygoing read but it felt like I was wading in this woman’s life for weeks and weeks, living the War in real time, especially at the end.
Very similar to the 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Only without the pace & drive.. The story meanders mostly through the second World War and Herrbjorg's struggles through Germany and Poland as an Icelander and a teenage girl.
Far from the dry/dark humour I was expecting from the blurb, this is a harrowing tale of a war survivor's life, and the struggles she faced even after the war was over
Read if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly from the second World War.
Read if you enjoyed Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
I struggled with this one. Chapters 19 & 20 have some of the most beautiful language I’ve read in a long time. At other times Herra’s memoirs are slow going and uninspiring. At 300 & some pages it should have been an easygoing read but it felt like I was wading in this woman’s life for weeks and weeks, living the War in real time, especially at the end.
Very similar to the 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Only without the pace & drive.. The story meanders mostly through the second World War and Herrbjorg's struggles through Germany and Poland as an Icelander and a teenage girl.
Far from the dry/dark humour I was expecting from the blurb, this is a harrowing tale of a war survivor's life, and the struggles she faced even after the war was over
Read if you enjoy historical fiction, particularly from the second World War.
Read if you enjoyed Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
cristinabogza's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
vera_k's review against another edition
3.0
This book does a lot and a lot of it is very good. But it tries to do too much. Herra experiences so much in her life that it becomes hard to truly appreciate the small parts. I think it would have been better if the stories had been split and written about different people, so each part could have been expanded on more.
inacodhladh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
minneapolismerk's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0