Reviews tagging 'Violence'

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

165 reviews

basil_touche's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I can't remember the last time I had to pause during a book in order to comprehend what I had just read. This novel doesn't hide the gruesome aspects of the war, it's shows it all in detail and even I found it difficult to stomach at times. Characters are introduced and dead within a few pages; some you get to know for huge chunks of the book until suddenly there's a part where you see their obituary or their remains. A lot of topics are covered in this (chivalric mindsets of britain to war pre ww1, queer love, colonalisation, duel identities, classim etc) that it feels like it really captures the period.

But this is also a story about love. Gaunt and Ellwood's relationship throughout is touching as you see them pinning for them in their youth, to their optimism for the war being destroyed once they reach the trenches and then how they slowly start to pick up the pieces after. It's interesting to see how each of their traumas display differently, and surprising too.

I listened to the audiobook and Christian Coulson does a wonderful job throughout. He gives each character a distinct voice, along with pretty accurate accents. I think it truly adds something to the book. 

A haunting and beautiful debut for Winn.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Bullying, Ableism, Alcoholism, Suicide, Alcohol, and Kidnapping

Minor: Classism, Sexism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Rape

liesthemoontells's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

This is one of the most moving love stories I've read in fiction. Winn's descriptions of yearning and forbidden longing are so tender and raw, and the weight of the characters' situations brought me to tears several times.

The passages describing the war are brutal, visceral, and full of horror, as are the psychological torments inflicted on the men by the inhumanity they are forced to endure. 

While the ending of the book is beautiful and hopeful, I really appreciated that the romantic impossibility of Ellwood and Gaunt's reunion didn't offer a panacea for their trauma. Instead, it realistically provided them both with a glimmer of hope that eventually, a normal life could be achieved.

My only (minor) critique of this book is that occasionally the 21st century sensibilities of anti-colonial sentiment felt a little too on the nose coming out of the mouths of British public school boys, but that really is a minor nitpick. 

Despite its heavy themes, this book was readable and engrossing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, War, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, and Gore

sestep's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Medical trauma, War, Murder, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Suicide and Antisemitism

this book about World War I and does not shy away from brutality of it

nineadrianna's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, War, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Gore, Grief, and Medical trauma

lil_owl_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Gore

Moderate: Homophobia

puddlemud's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

5.0

Loved it, but ouch.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

lostintime_73's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense 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? No

5.0

I'm crying. This was so beautifully written and I deeply adore both Ellwood and Gaunt. Absolute emotional rollercoaster of the best kind. I found all the references to little historical details really 'fun' to spot, clearly, Winn has put a great deal of research and time into this masterpiece. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

brynpemery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

This was beautiful. Can’t believe it’s a debut, but I will be looking forward to what the author does next. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Blood, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Classism, and Homophobia

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

sharanya's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

God, what did this book do to me??? It has gently, lovingly rearranged my insides. I am in awe. The characters were loveable and their dynamic so gorgeous. Yes, the plot does follow aspects of a ~typical~ wartime novel in some respects, but it does so with absolutely magnificent writing, full of tenderness, humor, and vivid, gut-wrenching prose. A stunning, visceral, heartwrenching portrayal of holding on to the most aching, tender, beautiful parts of yourself in the midst of humanity’s most horrific moments.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Gore

kjgreen's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book felt a bit like watching a car crash in the sense that it’s horrible and traumatic and yet you can’t look away. It made me cry more times than I can count and despite the depressing topic it was filled with a humanness that felt deeply authentic. 

*SPOILERS*

There is also something completely radical about writing a war novel where the gay characters survive and even find some form of happiness and safety with each other. Whilst this does unfortunately make the novel that bit unbelievable, it was a welcome surprise as I braced for a depressing ending.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, and Violence