Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

13 reviews

theunfinishedbookshelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

anna_i3's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, War, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism

pammicmac's review

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, War, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism

rosehw's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood

blor_12's review

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Death

Moderate: Death of parent and Grief

dowleyrachel's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The book was a little slow for my taste. I thought it was going to be 20% kid backstory, 80% WW2 spy novel, but it was more like 70%, 30%. It goes into great detail of characters that don't see much change and ultimately die. I liked the growth of Flossie and the writing around Cristabel murdering the soldier was gruesome but well written. I enjoyed the letters Cristabel and Digby wrote one another, would've loved more of them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Death, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Torture, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

kitkatkick's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A great adventure surrounding the childhood and then early 20s of Cristabel Seagrave and her two siblings, as well as a cast of lovable side characters in WWII-era England. Joanna Quinn does a wonderful job balancing both dark and light tones, using a variety of writing styles to bring Chilcombe manor and it’s inhabitants to life. Not often can a book make me get up out of bed to find a pencil and spend twenty minutes translating a passage in Morse code, but I was so carried away with the adventurous challenge of the Whalebone Theatre that I didn’t even hesitate. I highly recommend this story to anyone reading interested in high-stakes adventure, complicated family dynamics, unbreakable bonds between siblings, and more relatable spins on historical fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Pregnancy and Death of parent

kiwij96's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.5

A story of a privileged yet disfunctional family post WW1. Three children who practically raise themselves on stories because their parents rarely acknowledge them. The story then follows the children into WW2, where they are forced to mature quickly and discover their own paths without their parents.

I loved reading it. Multiple POVs, letters, small situational chapters which feel like you are the audience watching the events unfolding. The innocence of youth, the horrors of war, love, loss, and strength. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Antisemitism, Fatphobia, and Genocide

bessadams's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Grief, Infertility, Murder, Racism, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Violence

Moderate: Blood and Genocide

Minor: Sexual content

agnesg's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Violence, Death, Antisemitism, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Classism, Alcohol, and Death of parent