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amyzaza's review against another edition
i just don't think this is the right book for me - may revisit in the future
mackacash's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
jenmangler's review against another edition
2.0
Mischling is a powerful book. I read tons of reviews before deciding to read it for myself, and most readers praised it to the heavens. I can understand why they did, but I just don't feel the adoration for the book that so many others seemed to feel.
I had issues with the author's alternating chapters, switching from Stasha's POV to Pearl's POV and back. It was super easy to lose track of which twin's POV each chapter was told from. They never really established separate identities for me. Maybe that was the point, but it seems to me that if an author is going to write alternating POV chapters it should be clear to the reader at every moment from who's perspective we're viewing the events.
Also, while I found the writing quite beautiful, it was not in any way shape or form written in a way that a 12-year-old would think or speak. Here's an example: "I was telling myself that the pain I felt was not Pearl's. Then I realized I was wrong. It had to be her pain. It was too pretty to have originated with me; it launched itself so delicately throughout my body, sending pirouettes of discomfort along my every nerve." See what I mean? This also served to remove me from the events of the book. I had a hard time connecting with every character because of the writing. Its beauty hid the horrors of Auschwitz, and I have some big issues with that.
Finally, it was completely unnecessary to have an almost-mystical bond between Stasha and Pearl. The idea that they could read each other's thoughts, know each other's feelings, and feel each other's pain was so utterly unreal that it was a complete distraction. It really seemed out of place in a book about the horrors of the twin experiments performed by Mengele. It just felt wrong to add this fantasy element into a work of historical fiction.
Having said all that, I am glad I read it.
I had issues with the author's alternating chapters, switching from Stasha's POV to Pearl's POV and back. It was super easy to lose track of which twin's POV each chapter was told from. They never really established separate identities for me. Maybe that was the point, but it seems to me that if an author is going to write alternating POV chapters it should be clear to the reader at every moment from who's perspective we're viewing the events.
Also, while I found the writing quite beautiful, it was not in any way shape or form written in a way that a 12-year-old would think or speak. Here's an example: "I was telling myself that the pain I felt was not Pearl's. Then I realized I was wrong. It had to be her pain. It was too pretty to have originated with me; it launched itself so delicately throughout my body, sending pirouettes of discomfort along my every nerve." See what I mean? This also served to remove me from the events of the book. I had a hard time connecting with every character because of the writing. Its beauty hid the horrors of Auschwitz, and I have some big issues with that.
Finally, it was completely unnecessary to have an almost-mystical bond between Stasha and Pearl. The idea that they could read each other's thoughts, know each other's feelings, and feel each other's pain was so utterly unreal that it was a complete distraction. It really seemed out of place in a book about the horrors of the twin experiments performed by Mengele. It just felt wrong to add this fantasy element into a work of historical fiction.
Having said all that, I am glad I read it.
hiitssimone's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Wat een triest verhaal. Belangrijk om te lezen, opdat we niet vergeten.
De gruweldaden die de tweeling mee maakt worden niet tot in details beschreven. Andere ervaringen of emoties worden juist wel heel poëtisch beschreven. Daardoor soms wat lastig om te volgen.
Wisselende perspectieven, maar soms vond ik het lastig in te beelden hoe jóng de tweeling is. Hun gedachten en handelen lijken veel volwassener en rationeler.
De gruweldaden die de tweeling mee maakt worden niet tot in details beschreven. Andere ervaringen of emoties worden juist wel heel poëtisch beschreven. Daardoor soms wat lastig om te volgen.
Wisselende perspectieven, maar soms vond ik het lastig in te beelden hoe jóng de tweeling is. Hun gedachten en handelen lijken veel volwassener en rationeler.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Body horror, Homophobia, Child abuse, Child death, Deportation, Genocide, Medical trauma, Ableism, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Grief, Murder, Torture, Violence, War, Physical abuse, and Racism
rachaelsreadingnook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
reading_rant's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
jilly7922's review against another edition
4.0
This book takes place during World War II. It is about a set of twins. During WWII mischlings were people with Aryan and Jewish descent. These children were often sent to concentration camps where they were subject to all sorts of medical experimentation, and were subject to many forms of torture. These twins Stasha and Pearl were as close as twins could be, they survived because of their connection. At one point during the book Pearl disappears. The two twins then follow down two different paths one towards revenge and the other towards forgiveness.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a heart wrenching story. It reminded me of the book "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." This was difficult to read because it was such an emotional story. A book mixed with despair, desperation, and hope. This book was so beautifully written. The writing was so poetic that is clashed (in a good way) with the story that it was telling. I fell in love with the words, as well as the two main characters. And you all will too, so put this book on your shelf.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Affinity Konar, and Lee Boudreaux Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a heart wrenching story. It reminded me of the book "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." This was difficult to read because it was such an emotional story. A book mixed with despair, desperation, and hope. This book was so beautifully written. The writing was so poetic that is clashed (in a good way) with the story that it was telling. I fell in love with the words, as well as the two main characters. And you all will too, so put this book on your shelf.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Affinity Konar, and Lee Boudreaux Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
tara_pikachu's review against another edition
3.0
Do not read this book at night because it will depress you and cause you to lose sleep.
thart3's review against another edition
4.0
Twins are taken to Auschwitz and experimented on. Compelling, but sad!
meili_jing's review against another edition
2.0
This novel had so much potential. Unfortunately, I thought it fell flat. For a novel that is attempting to address the horrors of Josef Mengele's experiments through the eyes of two children, the author's prose seems too mature to be the POV of children and too poetic/lyrical to address the nightmare of Mengele's experiments. At times, it was difficult to find the plot of the story within the text. In summary, the book and the characters had so much potential, but the writing, for me, could not deliver.