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stephkallas_'s review against another edition
4.0
My initial thoughts in writing this review was that Anne was truly inspiring, in the face of turmoil she continued on living for an unpromised future. But I think the reality is far less romantic.
People continue on living, because it is what we are made to do. This book is a demonstration of simple humanity - what it means to be part of a family, what it means to fantasize love, what it means to mature. But herein lies the tragedy. She is human. Her diary resembles so much of my own thoughts at that age, but through the hate and revenge of people who are far removed from her - this girl who has barely had the chance to become her true self, has had her future stolen.
People continue on living, because it is what we are made to do. This book is a demonstration of simple humanity - what it means to be part of a family, what it means to fantasize love, what it means to mature. But herein lies the tragedy. She is human. Her diary resembles so much of my own thoughts at that age, but through the hate and revenge of people who are far removed from her - this girl who has barely had the chance to become her true self, has had her future stolen.
paygestafy's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I loved it :’) She was such an ordinary 14 year old girl but also such an extraordinary 14 year old girl.
sians's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
chloeutan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
pajamareading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
To be completely honest, this book is not one that we can judge by the reviews because it's actually not a book in the traditional sense, but a published diary. It is the diary of a thirteen-year-old girl sharing her perspective on how war impacted her youth and shattered her future dreams. It's a teenage girl sharing her little world in the midst of the loss of humanity. Knowing there's a kid who was still trying to find joy and peace in those cruel times by writing her thoughts in her diary day by day still amazes me. If I were her, maybe my fear would overpower my courage to write about my feelings on daily life during those hopeless days. Perhaps I would choose to count the days until I died rather than counting the days until I was free. But Anne didn't let the cruel world take away her innocence as a child. She kept her hopes for a day when she wouldn't need to hide her beliefs, her identity, and her entire existence. She tried surviving the cruel world by escaping to the one she designed in her diary.
Anne is so articulate for a thirteen-year-old girl, and it really shows in her writing. It makes you wonder, "Am I really reading a teenage girl's diary?" because it doesn't always seem like it. Of course, there are some writings that clearly show she was a thirteen-year-old kid—her insecurities, conflicts with family, and her love story. But she was also far deeper than most people her age. She's really a walking contradiction, as she wrote about herself. Sometimes she acts like a tough kid, but on other days, she's like a wise grandma who has been through a lot in life. So, the emotions of reading this book are mixed. Sometimes I'm excited, sometimes I get bored, sometimes I feel so relatable, and sometimes I suddenly feel so sad. It always depends on what she wrote in her diary on the dates I'm reading.
In the version of the book that I read, the last diary entry Anne wrote was on August 2, 1944. I couldn't hold back my tears when I reached that page. It's like saying goodbye forever to a stranger that you are comfortable enough with to be yourself. I don't know why I take it so personally, but I do really relate to Anne in terms of the way she thinks. Sometimes, I joke and say maybe it's just a Gemini thing because we were born in the same month. I know it's not a scientific way of saying it, but I'm glad that I finally read this book. So, give this book a chance!
Anne is so articulate for a thirteen-year-old girl, and it really shows in her writing. It makes you wonder, "Am I really reading a teenage girl's diary?" because it doesn't always seem like it. Of course, there are some writings that clearly show she was a thirteen-year-old kid—her insecurities, conflicts with family, and her love story. But she was also far deeper than most people her age. She's really a walking contradiction, as she wrote about herself. Sometimes she acts like a tough kid, but on other days, she's like a wise grandma who has been through a lot in life. So, the emotions of reading this book are mixed. Sometimes I'm excited, sometimes I get bored, sometimes I feel so relatable, and sometimes I suddenly feel so sad. It always depends on what she wrote in her diary on the dates I'm reading.
In the version of the book that I read, the last diary entry Anne wrote was on August 2, 1944. I couldn't hold back my tears when I reached that page. It's like saying goodbye forever to a stranger that you are comfortable enough with to be yourself. I don't know why I take it so personally, but I do really relate to Anne in terms of the way she thinks. Sometimes, I joke and say maybe it's just a Gemini thing because we were born in the same month. I know it's not a scientific way of saying it, but I'm glad that I finally read this book. So, give this book a chance!
booklover389's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced