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lyakimov's review against another edition
4.0
i have read most of ruta sepetys’ books and she always is able to bring you back to a time/event in history that is not usually talked about and always makes it incredibly fascinating. she knows how to write a story and build anticipation.
i liked the plot a lot. The setting of Spain and the whole idea of the story was so interesting. All of the characters grasped my attention and I enjoyed all of the character building and development.
the romance was cute but I was not super sold on it because it was only a month that Daniel and Ana knew each other so it was pretty unrealistic in that matter, and unrealistic in the fact that after the 18 year time jump, they were both single and ready to immediately get back in a relationship with each other.
The 18-year time jump was another thing. I thought it was an interesting way to end the story, but I thought we needed more CLOSURE at the end of Part One. I was shocked that it ended like that and then immediately went into the time jump. I also thought that the time jump needed more page time just so we can flesh out how all the characters have changed and developed over time, as well as seeing Cristina meeting her birth family. I was SO SAD we could not see Cristina find out Julia and Antonio were her parents, and meeting her twin sister and other siblings. I needed that at the end; I thought that would have been such a good way to end the book, with her finding out who her family really is.
I did enjoy the book a lot. It was fast-paced and the story was enticing. I just felt like it was a little rushed at times.
i liked the plot a lot. The setting of Spain and the whole idea of the story was so interesting. All of the characters grasped my attention and I enjoyed all of the character building and development.
the romance was cute but I was not super sold on it because it was only a month that Daniel and Ana knew each other so it was pretty unrealistic in that matter, and unrealistic in the fact that after the 18 year time jump, they were both single and ready to immediately get back in a relationship with each other.
The 18-year time jump was another thing. I thought it was an interesting way to end the story, but I thought we needed more CLOSURE at the end of Part One. I was shocked that it ended like that and then immediately went into the time jump. I also thought that the time jump needed more page time just so we can flesh out how all the characters have changed and developed over time, as well as seeing Cristina meeting her birth family. I was SO SAD we could not see Cristina find out Julia and Antonio were her parents, and meeting her twin sister and other siblings. I needed that at the end; I thought that would have been such a good way to end the book, with her finding out who her family really is.
I did enjoy the book a lot. It was fast-paced and the story was enticing. I just felt like it was a little rushed at times.
katiegilley's review against another edition
3.0
This was an engaging novel. Sepetys is such a great storyteller and does incredible research for all of her work. This story was compelling and the love story was moving. It's set in the 50s in Madrid. At the time, Spain is under the terrible rule of the dictator General Franco and Sepetys shows us the glitz and glitter on the surface - fancy hotels welcoming Americans - and the struggle and desperation just underneath. I would easily recommend this to any reader of historical fiction, with the reminder that it is Young Adult fiction, so it's style is different than adult fiction. And that comes with many benefits, including making it a swift read!
coralie_michon's review against another edition
3.0
i have loved every Sepetys’ books I have read. this one, sadly, was not a top read for me.
i was really interested in the historical aspects of it, the postwar spain, the franco’s dictatorship, the stolen children, the isolation of spaniards. my issue with this book was that the other subplots took over the main components and we got lost in the many different things that were going on, but did not need to happen for the story to make sense.
the ending was also very strange for me, i was reading on my kindle and i was expecting 1-2 more chapters or at least an epilogue. i want to know why Puri was acting as such? how did cristina took the news? what happened for daniel and ana? what about nick? what was ana’s big secret? what was ana’s life in the 18 years?
i was really interested in the historical aspects of it, the postwar spain, the franco’s dictatorship, the stolen children, the isolation of spaniards. my issue with this book was that the other subplots took over the main components and we got lost in the many different things that were going on, but did not need to happen for the story to make sense.
the ending was also very strange for me, i was reading on my kindle and i was expecting 1-2 more chapters or at least an epilogue.
icecreammonster21's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
mayagdb's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
this book was incredible. like it acrually migjt be one of my new fave books of all time. I read it a couple years ago and remember it being good but I picked it up again and omg i do not remember it being this good. it takes place during post civil war Spain and the way that the author manages to like add historical context thru the narrator being an outsider is so well done. also the changing perspectives and like multiple narratives and how they all ended up coming together at the end was actually genius and so satisfying and such a good ending. I also just loved the description and kind of how the story was narrated thru like photography and it felt very well done and I knew exactly what was happening but also I got so attached to the characters and ugh ur was overall JUSY so good and I wish I could read another book exactly like it . it was also so interesting and I actually couldn’t put it down and ahdkaldmazppe. it also had like a bit of everything like there was romance and history and drama and like funny moments and sad moments and it all just worked together so well. overall I have nothing bad to say abt this book and I would recomend if to everyone!
abbymac99's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good one! A bit of everything woven into this one - romance, action, suspense, history, culture, family dynamics, power struggle, and even more than that. I don’t even think I have the words to make a short synopsis of this one - too intricate and deep for me to be able to convey in a couple sentences. Totally would recommend - it’s a long one but it doesn’t feel long when you are reading it because it hooks you early on.
I read Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys in high school and when I put it together that she wrote that and this one it made so much sense! She is a great storyteller and knows how to make the characters and their story really stick with the readers. She writes with authenticity to historical and cultural contexts and teaches us unheard stories of the past that are pretty shocking to have occurred without people knowing.
Shoutout to Becca Loritz for sending this to me hours after I put it on my want to read list
I read Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys in high school and when I put it together that she wrote that and this one it made so much sense! She is a great storyteller and knows how to make the characters and their story really stick with the readers. She writes with authenticity to historical and cultural contexts and teaches us unheard stories of the past that are pretty shocking to have occurred without people knowing.
Shoutout to Becca Loritz for sending this to me hours after I put it on my want to read list
olivia_reads2024's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
perskaiciau's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mia_013's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
this wasn’t as intense as her other books I read so far but like it’s still enjoyable? I kinda expected they’d do something impactful like in I Must Betray You, but there was a time skip over the climactic part of history 😵💫 still nice though
alvin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75