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Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief
Masterfully written, the author created a character so lovely and realistic, with both flaws and endearing qualities that any regular human embodies, that I could not help but care about this person. I wanted to go on his life journey with him, because I cared about what happened to him. The only regret I have about this book is that I didn't read it sooner. This book will be proudly displayed on my bookshelf and loved for years to come.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Hate crime, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Hate crime, Terminal illness, Kidnapping
Original review: My first novel by John Boyne and definitely won't be my last. The synopsis on the cover intrigued me, but I have to say, it definitely did not tell the whole story, so be prepared for that. This novel was packed full, with never a dull moment. The writing and story line were both wonderful. I wanted to keep reading which is often hard for me with such a big book, but this kept me going. I felt engaged with the characters and although the story was heart breaking, it was heart warming at the same time. I felt the chapter/sections closes and subsequent jumps in time a little difficult to follow, but some of what was missed was brought up in the next section as to what happened in the time jump. The ending is what lost me. I felt it wasn't wrapped up as well as it could have been for such a profound book and there was a little bit of ghost stuff in the ending that didn't work for me. It would have fully been deserving of five stars if not for that. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially those who enjoy learning something they might not have otherwise known, for this, homosexuality in the mid 1900s in Ireland and how it was viewed.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Stalking, Outing
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Kidnapping