fayesavanne's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Torture, Ableism, Rape, Bullying, Murder, Antisemitism, and War
orchidlilly's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Genocide, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/injury detail, Death, Violence, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Ableism, Religious bigotry, War, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Torture, Blood, Grief, Confinement, and Abandonment
Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Excrement, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Medical content, Classism, Cursing, Deportation, and Sexism
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Mainly following Marie-Laure and Werner Pfennig, the story jumps between different times and places (predominantly during WWII). Marie-Laure is the daughter of a museum worker. When the war hits and France is occupied, the two of them take off to stay with a relative. Things are particularly lonely for Marie-Laure at her uncle's house. She's without her books and trapped inside for a long time given her father's fear for his blind daughter's safety.
Werner's story is far different. Orphaned and living with his sister and mechanically inclined, he eventually is forced to join the Nazis in their fight for the Reich. Though he doesn't think he agrees with what's going on, especially having witnessed the abuse and eventual disablement of a friend in his school days by these same people, denial and looking the other way play a big role in his service.
The stories, of course, eventually intertwine. There are some other points of view scattered throughout providing a different perspective. Another large focus of the book is a diamond that Daniel, Marie-Laure's father, flees with as a slide of hand effort. The legend is that this diamond possesses some sort of magical powers and it is a much sought-after item. This is the part of the book that's left me ambivalent. While the 'Sea of Flames' is paired nicely with Marie-Laure's love of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, I personally don't care much for fantasy elements in historical fiction.
As I already mentioned, I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first. The build-up was excruciatingly slow and I finally had to look up some spoilers to see if the rest of the book was going to be worth my time (something I rarely do). Over 500 pages in length and filled with thoughtful prose, this book is an investment. Ultimately, I vote that the time is worth it, but keep in mind that it's very slow-paced. I also need to point out that Anthony Doerr's writing is so lovely. That alone makes for a good reading experience.
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Torture, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent
apiora215's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/injury detail, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Genocide, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Rape, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Antisemitism
alexinwxnderland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Rape and Torture
bps's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: War, Antisemitism, Torture, and Genocide
imaginefishes's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Torture, Child death, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Death of parent and Antisemitism
Minor: Rape, Murder, Cancer, and Terminal illness
I am glad that Marie-Laure survived, but it really pained me whenSpoiler
Werner died, the cause of his death being so senseless and stupid and unfair, especially because he was just a 16-year-old childsauvageloup's review against another edition
- 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
pros:
- the characters were probably the best part, particularly Marie-Laure and Werner, and all the side characters of Jotta, Frau Elena, Etienne, etc. Even ones like Volkheimer were compelling. There was a lot of feeling behind each of them, their struggles of fear and whether to rebel or comply felt very human, and i never felt frustrated with them despite some of their mistakes or foibles.
- the plot was good too, it stayed tight and interesting throughout and I always wanted to know what would happen next. the idea for the diamond and the model city was clever and fresh, against some of the more familiar tropes of a war novel
- i liked the characters talking about their interests - Werner and Etienne's fascination with radios, Marie-Laure with her books and her snails, Jotta with her art, Volkheimer's music, even.
- the writing was excellent too, very poetic at times, especially on discussing nature. the loss of Frederick's mind felt the most poignant, because of the pointlessness of it, how he was such a sweet boy and a dreamer, and Werner's guilt of it
- the epilogues were good, satisfying because they weren't too sad or too unrealistic. the sense of the randomness of who survives and who doesn't was palpable
- I also liked that the idea of their being a curse on the Sea of Flames was never really confirmed or not, just left as a question of belief. it was more representative whether or not the characters kept the stone than what the stone actually was.
- also, the placing of a blind character centre stage and presenting her as brave, capable and important, was good to read. while it wasn't easy for her, there wasn't a huge amount of bullying or abelism she went through, which I think makes for a change. sometimes authors seem to include disabled characters only to make them suffer, to make everyone else feel better about not being disabled.
cons:
- somehow it just didn't touch me as much as some others, particularly Life after Life which I read recently. That really showed the horror of the war somehow, whereas this felt surface level? too much like tropes? I'm not sure.
- as lovely as it was when Marie-Laure and Werner finally met, I wish they'd had more time together
- perhaps Marie-Laure was a little too perfect, though that is the point of her I suppose. Werner sees her as the pure thing the men at his school talked of. saving her was him saving the last bit of innocent goodness
- the scene were Jotta, Fray Elena and the others were abruptly raped by the Russians felt.. gratuitous. the horror of it wasn't conveyed in the short segment and it felt like an add on, like the author thought - oh and rape must happen at some time in war, and stuck it in without any emotional lead up or conclusion.
- the shortness of each chapter or segment did frustrate me a bit, always chopping and changing. I also got confused between the times, not sure how Von Rubel had in one chapter crushed the model house and in the next, couldn't find it (one was in the Paris, the other in Saint-Malo)
- whilst I (as a non-disabled person) thought Marie-Lauren's disability was written well, I did think that for Etienne's 20years of claustrophobia to disappear just like that, because he loves Marie-Laure so much he just overcomes it, wasnt a great depiction.
all in all, a very good read, but not as emotionally poignant as it might have been (or else I'm just a bit numb rn)
Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide, Sexual assault, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, War, Terminal illness, and Sexual violence
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Excrement, Torture, and Ableism
catherineduplessis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
That doesn’t mean I only like books that are funny and lighthearted, but I also like being intrigued, surprised, kept on my toes or at least being left with some kind of reflection or food for thoughts.
Well this book only made me feel depressed, sad and heartbroken.
It’s not a bad story. The imagery is beautifully written, but it just makes it even more heartbreaking.
The story is set during WWII. I knew it wasn’t going to be all rainbows and butterflies, but I was expecting a little more reflections.. maybe?
I had a glimpse of hope at page 400 (!), but nope, it became even sadder.
The last 30 pages are the most reflective ones of the whole 530 pages book, but they are still tainted with a dark cloud of death, loneliness and sadness.
Oh, and even if the chapters are very short, the pace is VERY slow. It’s like reading someone’s everyday lives in a very depressing time. There is no plot twist. Just a long slow series of moments in 2 different people’s life slowly becoming more and more lonely and depressing.
All this to say that this book didn’t make me feel good at all and quite the contrary, it put me in a reading slump. It took me a lot longer than I thought to read it because I always wanted to do something else rather than read more of it.
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Child death, Death, Torture, War, Confinement, Dementia, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Racial slurs, and Rape
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, Animal death, and Blood
Minor: Pregnancy
polpolpolulu's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Torture, War, Vomit, Cancer, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Child death, Classism, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Grief