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rseykora's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
sunsh1ne23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jmclincoln's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. I listened to the audiobook version of this novel. I stopped about a third of the way, after I decided to read about The White Rose in Wikipedia. I realized that the Wikipedia entry was more interesting than the novel. I also stopped reading when the level of detail drilled down to the pattern of the pillow covers. The White Rose organization deserves a spectacular novel so their efforts should not be forgotten and perhaps a novel is a way to share their story. For me, however, this is not that novel.
jennie_cole's review against another edition
3.0
The Traitor is the story of Natalya, a naturalized German citizen from Russia, who finds herself in the middle of an anti-Hitler movement in Munich in 1942. As an 18 year old Natalya does a tour on the eastern front as a nurse. When she returns to Munich she discovers that the friends she made in Russia are part of a group called The White Rose. Quickly Natalya becomes involved in spreading their word. However in 1943 she is caught and spends the next two years surviving in a Nazi prison and asylum.
Even though there have been some books and movies about Sophie Scholl and the White Rose I was not very familiar with them and hoped to learn more through this novel. This story is more about a fictional character and her WWII experience from 1942 through 1945 and not about the White Rose movement. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it focused more on the movement and ended with the "end" of the group.
I would still recommend this novel to fans of WWII historical fiction. The story was different than most of the ones I have read lately. Usually the recent novels have been about British spies and this one is about "traitors" within German society.
Even though there have been some books and movies about Sophie Scholl and the White Rose I was not very familiar with them and hoped to learn more through this novel. This story is more about a fictional character and her WWII experience from 1942 through 1945 and not about the White Rose movement. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it focused more on the movement and ended with the "end" of the group.
I would still recommend this novel to fans of WWII historical fiction. The story was different than most of the ones I have read lately. Usually the recent novels have been about British spies and this one is about "traitors" within German society.
katiehixson's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most moving and poignant novels
I’ve ever read. It’s beautifully written, engaging, and full of true history that happened surrounding its fictional characters. The White Rose is an overlooked part of WWII history, which is a real shame. We need to remember these men and women who worked, suffered, and sometimes died to bring down Hitler and the Third Reich. I will read anything this author publishes.
I’ve ever read. It’s beautifully written, engaging, and full of true history that happened surrounding its fictional characters. The White Rose is an overlooked part of WWII history, which is a real shame. We need to remember these men and women who worked, suffered, and sometimes died to bring down Hitler and the Third Reich. I will read anything this author publishes.
malefice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
karsgm's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 estrellas
Este libro prometía mucho con la temática elegida. Es algo que está ampliamente documentado como bien dice el autor en sus notas al final del libro, pero hay varias cosas que me parecieron chocantes. No sé, siento que al tener una investigación tan, tan amplia sobre los sucesos de la Rosa Blanca que no le dio la importancia a todas las demás cosas. Por ejemplo, la composición de los apellidos rusos en femenino y masculino.
Siempre he evitado escribir personajes soviéticos o rusos porque no entiendo cómo son sus nombres y los patronímicos me parecen muy complicados y se puede meter la pata demasiado fácil, y creo que aquí pasó eso, al menos en el caso de la protagonista. No tendría que ser Petrovich, sino Petrovna. Y no sé, eso me decepcionó mucho desde el inicio.
Los personajes también me parecen poco desarrollados, incluso Natalya me parece monótona y aburrida. La historia en sí es muy interesante, pero tenía mucho más para dar, si tan solo hubiera tenido otros personajes. Siempre digo que el corazón de una historia son sus personajes, por más buena que sea una trama, si los personajes no dan el ancho, no va a funcionar. Y eso fue lo que pasó aquí.
Predecible desde el inicio, no me sorprendió nada de lo que pasó. Cada “plot twist” me los olí desde que nombraban a los personajes, y a mi me gusta que me sorprendan, amigos. Este libro no lo logró.
Es una lástima, porque tenía mucho potencial.
Este libro prometía mucho con la temática elegida. Es algo que está ampliamente documentado como bien dice el autor en sus notas al final del libro, pero hay varias cosas que me parecieron chocantes. No sé, siento que al tener una investigación tan, tan amplia sobre los sucesos de la Rosa Blanca que no le dio la importancia a todas las demás cosas. Por ejemplo, la composición de los apellidos rusos en femenino y masculino.
Siempre he evitado escribir personajes soviéticos o rusos porque no entiendo cómo son sus nombres y los patronímicos me parecen muy complicados y se puede meter la pata demasiado fácil, y creo que aquí pasó eso, al menos en el caso de la protagonista. No tendría que ser Petrovich, sino Petrovna. Y no sé, eso me decepcionó mucho desde el inicio.
Los personajes también me parecen poco desarrollados, incluso Natalya me parece monótona y aburrida. La historia en sí es muy interesante, pero tenía mucho más para dar, si tan solo hubiera tenido otros personajes. Siempre digo que el corazón de una historia son sus personajes, por más buena que sea una trama, si los personajes no dan el ancho, no va a funcionar. Y eso fue lo que pasó aquí.
Predecible desde el inicio, no me sorprendió nada de lo que pasó. Cada “plot twist” me los olí desde que nombraban a los personajes, y a mi me gusta que me sorprendan, amigos. Este libro no lo logró.
Es una lástima, porque tenía mucho potencial.
afhackel's review against another edition
4.0
This book was dense and full of emotion, and told such a hard story in a great way. I loved following the growth of Natalya as she learned more about her own strength and bravery with each situation she was thrust into. And somehow we ended up with as happy of an ending as you can possibly have in a WWII novel.
mltd54's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book by Alexander that I’ve read this year and I loved it. Alexander does a phenomenal job creating characters that you cheer on and truly care about. I often find myself tired of female leads but in this book, as with his book The Taster, Alexander does a phenomenal job writing a character that is relatable, empathetic, and most importantly not some pitiful damsel in distress. I love reading World War II books but a majority of them are written from the point of view of allied forces or resistance workers outside of Germany. It was fascinating to read a book about resistance fighters within the Reich. The story has a long and sweeping timeline. I appreciate that Alexander used difficult details but was not gory.