Scan barcode
dmalaimo06's review against another edition
5.0
This book is beautiful and devastating and wonderful all in one. I couldn’t put it down, this is what fiction should be like. I loved every moment of it and only wish it had gone on longer.
vry's review against another edition
5.0
loved it when i read it long time ago (haven’t re-read it since though; always felt too dense/heavy to be a "re-read" but let's see)
bekreads_'s review against another edition
4.0
I have a lot of thoughts on this book and my opinion on it changed quite a few times through reading. I will also say that I’ve read quite a lot of WW2 fiction and non fiction and can’t help but compare this to other titles in similar settings, the main being All the Light We Cannot See which is also set in WW2 France.
To me there were a few main niggles with this book. Firstly, it felt like there was a lot of themes trying to be packed in at once. It felt like every tragic part of WW2 was put onto the 2 female leads which felt unrealistic and left some parts feeling like afterthoughts that only became mentioned toward the end of the book.
There were also glaring inconsistencies between things written within the same paragraph. For example, one scene depicts a character walking slowly through knee deep snow, and then the next second she’s apparently racing through town on a bicycle. Like the author forgot about the snow. This happened a few times.
The positives: the ending was wonderful and I felt wrapped things up nicely. Isabelle’s character specifically had wonderful development and motives which were tied off so nicely at the end.
Overall, the themes in this book would usually make me feel a lot more emotionally. It seems to be just me based on the reviews, but there was something missing in this for me to make it a 5 star read.
To me there were a few main niggles with this book. Firstly, it felt like there was a lot of themes trying to be packed in at once. It felt like every tragic part of WW2 was put onto the 2 female leads which felt unrealistic and left some parts feeling like afterthoughts that only became mentioned toward the end of the book.
There were also glaring inconsistencies between things written within the same paragraph. For example, one scene depicts a character walking slowly through knee deep snow, and then the next second she’s apparently racing through town on a bicycle. Like the author forgot about the snow. This happened a few times.
The positives: the ending was wonderful and I felt wrapped things up nicely. Isabelle’s character specifically had wonderful development and motives which were tied off so nicely at the end.
Overall, the themes in this book would usually make me feel a lot more emotionally. It seems to be just me based on the reviews, but there was something missing in this for me to make it a 5 star read.
jitcha's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? N/A
4.5
pateycakesz's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
noaleifer_'s review against another edition
5.0
i don’t even think i can put my feelings about this book into words. it was beautiful and heartbreaking and inspiring. i feel like whenever i’ve learned abt WWII, it’s always with a focus on the holocaust (which is of course incredibly important im not saying it’s not) and then we learned just generally like oh and germany occupied france. this book gave me new insight into the horrible things that people endured, even catholic french women and children. these characters all just amazed me, especially knowing that real women led similar lives to theirs. it genuinely was painful for me to read but a kind of pain that feels like it’s necessary to know history better if that makes sense. also sobbed through the entire last 25% or so
bethanybeyondthejordan's review against another edition
5.0
Wow.
Amazing book.
I wondered many times if it was true, the characters were just so alive.
What a magical, heartbreaking work of fiction that celebrates love and commemorates loss and shows the power of sacrifice in a broken world.
Truly unforgettable.
If I could give this book 4.97 stars, I would. The 0.03 is for the chapter at 33% and another one at 68% (set in present day) that tie in with the end of the book. While I can see and understand their purpose, they were a startling and unwelcome intrusion in the story that I wish could've been saved for the epilogue.
Amazing book.
I wondered many times if it was true, the characters were just so alive.
What a magical, heartbreaking work of fiction that celebrates love and commemorates loss and shows the power of sacrifice in a broken world.
Truly unforgettable.
If I could give this book 4.97 stars, I would. The 0.03 is for the chapter at 33% and another one at 68% (set in present day) that tie in with the end of the book. While I can see and understand their purpose, they were a startling and unwelcome intrusion in the story that I wish could've been saved for the epilogue.
staceylaughs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
5.0
evaribaker's review against another edition
4.0
I felt like the first half of the book was slow and a bit overwrought, but it got better toward the second half. Very difficult to read in places--emotionally gut-wrenching.