readingismetime's review against another edition
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
3.0
ni_albert's review
3.0
Some parts of the story were so long and drawn out that it made it hard to read. Other parts were interesting but ended as quickly as they started. I found that there were too many unlikely scenarios that happened to the main character, it really took away from the story. As did some rather large historical inaccuracies. Overall, the book was fine and I’m happy I picked it up second hand.
nancidrum's review
5.0
Chalk this up as another really great historical fiction book about WWII. I wanted to read this as we were scheduled to go to The Netherlands this month...until the shutdown with the COVID-19 virus. This book took place in lots of the towns we were to visit. It's the first book I've read in that era that dealt specifically with The Netherlands, other than Anne Frank's Diary. This book has so many different
jjohnston_05's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It's always interesting, and tough, to read something from the viewpoint of the "unfavorable". Jacob is Dutch, but his father sends him to a Hitler Youth summer camp when he is young, thus he's incredibly easily influenced by his parents and family, and the boys he meets at summer camp. This is more of a character study book in my opinion and less of a read about the state of the world, or WWII, in general. It does not explicitly address the atrocities occurring at the time, mostly what is going on inside Jacob's own bubble at the time. Nonetheless, it was a good book and I valued Jacob's thoughts and his story as a whole.
benfast's review
2.0
I wanted this to be a good book. The blurb says it is in the tradition of [b:All the Light We Cannot See|18143977|All the Light We Cannot See|Anthony Doerr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451445646s/18143977.jpg|25491300], but with a Dutch story, and I wanted that story/culture to get similar amazing literary treatment. Sadly, this book tried too hard and fell far short.
The story idea isn't a bad one - Dutch teen from a small town but with a well-off and innovative father (who makes lightbulbs) has to struggle through the coming of war (and the draw of Nazi youth), has moral qualms and a turn from his evil ways to become a hero. Sadly the writing really didn't help.
I don't know if Murphy was trying to create something like All the Light We Cannot See, or if he just writes in a very mushy fashion, but it seemed like Murphy tried too hard. The emotional, drawn out inner monologue gets tiring, is over done, and distracts from the plot. The book is written as if it was a memoir, but not all the time, with the action being very evocative at times and then completely slowed down by "I never felt the same in all my long years of living afterwards" type reflections. The plot also jumps around with long elements describing mere moments and then seemingly jumping mid flow through months on end. In the end it was a bit disjointed, with the stories changing and the plot going from one moral dilemma to another without much connection. There wasn't much "action" until about page 100.
Perhaps the most disappointing element of the book was the strange focus on awkward sexual thoughts or development. Jacob Koopman, the main character, is a teenager so I understand the sexual explorations, but I didn't need to read the awkwardness and downright strange focus on the phallic descriptions or curiosity of the female body. I'm sure this would be accurate to people in times of war, but I didn't really need to read it over and over again and I don't think it helped the overall plot.
I also found it strange that the main outcome comes so close to the end of the book. I know it was about moral dilemmas and the change within a person, rather than just a war story, but I didn't feel much before the final quarter of the book really added to the closing element. The final chapter, a Thump-Drag story was also strange and not needed.
I did find it interesting the story is a fictionalized version of some elements of Murphy's family past, but when I read that I also found it made sense, as so much of the book felt like disconnected vignettes forced together and it turns out they were compiled family history turned into a novel.
Sadly not a Dutch version of All the Light We Cannot See.
The story idea isn't a bad one - Dutch teen from a small town but with a well-off and innovative father (who makes lightbulbs) has to struggle through the coming of war (and the draw of Nazi youth), has moral qualms and a turn from his evil ways to become a hero. Sadly the writing really didn't help.
I don't know if Murphy was trying to create something like All the Light We Cannot See, or if he just writes in a very mushy fashion, but it seemed like Murphy tried too hard. The emotional, drawn out inner monologue gets tiring, is over done, and distracts from the plot. The book is written as if it was a memoir, but not all the time, with the action being very evocative at times and then completely slowed down by "I never felt the same in all my long years of living afterwards" type reflections. The plot also jumps around with long elements describing mere moments and then seemingly jumping mid flow through months on end. In the end it was a bit disjointed, with the stories changing and the plot going from one moral dilemma to another without much connection. There wasn't much "action" until about page 100.
Perhaps the most disappointing element of the book was the strange focus on awkward sexual thoughts or development. Jacob Koopman, the main character, is a teenager so I understand the sexual explorations, but I didn't need to read the awkwardness and downright strange focus on the phallic descriptions or curiosity of the female body. I'm sure this would be accurate to people in times of war, but I didn't really need to read it over and over again and I don't think it helped the overall plot.
I also found it strange that the main outcome comes so close to the end of the book. I know it was about moral dilemmas and the change within a person, rather than just a war story, but I didn't feel much before the final quarter of the book really added to the closing element. The final chapter, a Thump-Drag story was also strange and not needed.
I did find it interesting the story is a fictionalized version of some elements of Murphy's family past, but when I read that I also found it made sense, as so much of the book felt like disconnected vignettes forced together and it turns out they were compiled family history turned into a novel.
Sadly not a Dutch version of All the Light We Cannot See.
novel_nomad's review
4.0
3.75 Stars
A cleverly crafted WWII narrative that focuses on survival rather than heroics. The reader is forced to understand the unending loss and struggle that people endure during war and crisis, and how individual human voice and experience should not be lost to the greater politics.
Jacob's lack of agency through out much of the novel detracted from my emotional attachment to his tale, yet his grief was palpable. I throughly enjoyed the imagery of light, shadows, and water - how they were woven throughout the novel and at key moments of Jacob's development.
Ultimately, it was a fascinating read that highlighted the human experience in war and the desperation of refugees.
A cleverly crafted WWII narrative that focuses on survival rather than heroics. The reader is forced to understand the unending loss and struggle that people endure during war and crisis, and how individual human voice and experience should not be lost to the greater politics.
Jacob's lack of agency through out much of the novel detracted from my emotional attachment to his tale, yet his grief was palpable. I throughly enjoyed the imagery of light, shadows, and water - how they were woven throughout the novel and at key moments of Jacob's development.
Ultimately, it was a fascinating read that highlighted the human experience in war and the desperation of refugees.
beyond3va's review
2.0
It felt like a disappointing ending, and the main character was whiny, selfish and stupid (youth only allows me to forgive him so much).... his uncle and brother much better characters that we don’t get enough...
Super detailed on war stuff, at times too much for my stomach...& the sexual parts of the book were pointless for me and just made it real awkward!
Super detailed on war stuff, at times too much for my stomach...& the sexual parts of the book were pointless for me and just made it real awkward!