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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I picked up this book, because it is included on Time's All-Time Top 100 Novels. Being set during WWII I expected a certain level of darkness, but almost every single chapter contained such horrifying and disturbing events that I could only bear to read a chapter or two at a time. And being that it is at least partly autobiographical makes it even more so. Though not "enjoyable," it's a worthwhile and poignant read.
I read this book bc it was recommended on a Jenkem article. It was very violent and there were some incredibly disturbing scenes. Idk
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a book full of amazing images and symbolism that practically reaches out from the pages to grab and shake you.
It's a Holocaust novel that isn't about the Holocaust per se, but instead a boy who "survives" the Germans in the dark-aged countryside of Eastern Europe. While some of the scenes are slightly disturbing, it gives a different perspective to one of the most horrific periods in the 20th century.
It's a Holocaust novel that isn't about the Holocaust per se, but instead a boy who "survives" the Germans in the dark-aged countryside of Eastern Europe. While some of the scenes are slightly disturbing, it gives a different perspective to one of the most horrific periods in the 20th century.
This book was ROUGH! A brutal depiction of World War Two that portrays the ugliness and cruelty of men. I listened to this as an audio book and I had to take a long break from it about two-thirds through. The attack and pillaging scene of the village toward the end was a little too much for me. This is not a book I normally read and I was not sure I could finish it. But I have conflicted feelings about it. On the one hand, why would anyone want to write such horrible brutality and the baseness of men. I found it disturbing that anyone would write this. But on the other hand, this is one of the more accurate depictions of the war and how utterly and absurdly cruel it all was. So many novels about the war, especially the more recent historical fiction novels, sugar coat the brutality of the war. Even when they attempt to describe some of the awfulness authors still don’t strike at the heart of the experience people had. This book doesn’t hold any punches and calmly and dispassionately depicts horrible acts of violence. So if you want an authentic account of the war, this is the book. But if you would rather have a sugar coated tale of heroism, stay far away from this book!
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
spectacle masquerading as profundity. This book is so overrated. It's not shocking because it's so clearly a fictionalized, sadistic fantasy with no interior depth or feeling, just ridiculous caricature. I wanted to feel something but this clumsy, manipulative narrative left me unconvinced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Child abuse
Nothing has ever disturbed me more, that I can remember. I read this in college and the images are still with me.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Dark, heavy, depressing. Did I say dark? I meant pitch black and oozing with terrible things. There were a few redeeming qualities, which is why the two stars instead of just one!