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amywong's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.75
Grueling read.
For the impact of the story, this was too slow. However, that may also be because I'm not normally a fan of war books but I can't avoid them since so many good novels and stories are based on war. If not for the pacing and objectively how enjoyable the read is, it'd be perfect.
There's a huge message in this story. Judging a person based on morality and the next layer being in a revolution, how much and to whom do you continue to extend the punishment to? What punishment? Though this isn't a colonizer romance, it seems to be both of the same race within a country, it's very much a classic issue. But I definitely need to table this story and compare it to To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. Due to the power imbalance, which exists both before and after the power exchange, this would be a taboo romance yet here some of us are, rooting for both of them.
The relationship and story are more than just their feelings for each other. They both develop throughout the story, face their trauma, realize each other's traumas, start to communicate, and come back together slowly. There is a scene where there's no dialogue, just raw emotions. It's simply the two of them breaking down together, sobbing beside themselves, and you know they've cleared another progression. That is emotion that's so hard to write and get to. It needed every part, every ounce of angst of the story before that for it to work.
Also, some may come into this seeing Annette as some damsel in distress, hurt by Heiner and he's entirely at fault. However, Annette had growing to do as well. Just because she developed major mental issues doesn't mean she doesn't need to take accountability for the position she had in the faulty system the revolution dismantled. The world still has issues she needs to understand as a living person in the world. She was ignorant of all her family did and the position they played in the world and she is/was part of that family. Even if that was her father, she lived off the riches her father gained from his misdeeds, including the ones that directly harmed Heiner. She learns this later on and I'm glad her learning, growing, and accountability were not waived or forgiven simply because Heiner hurt her. She grew and learned some from Catherine and her brother's actions. Heiner wasn't let off either. He truly did hate her at one point but also came to love her at another. You can hate and love the same person especially with the baggage Heiner had. Those two emotions can be mixed up which it did.
The ending was satisfying given their complicated path.They did divorce but still continued to love each other and communicated through letters. The ending was left open-ended in whether they married again but that's such a small thing compared to their growth. They basically are together in the end with Heiner visiting her and dropping a bouquet. Annette played her piano, playing the music that played with Heiner first fell in love with her in that background.
For the impact of the story, this was too slow. However, that may also be because I'm not normally a fan of war books but I can't avoid them since so many good novels and stories are based on war. If not for the pacing and objectively how enjoyable the read is, it'd be perfect.
There's a huge message in this story. Judging a person based on morality and the next layer being in a revolution, how much and to whom do you continue to extend the punishment to? What punishment? Though this isn't a colonizer romance, it seems to be both of the same race within a country, it's very much a classic issue. But I definitely need to table this story and compare it to To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. Due to the power imbalance, which exists both before and after the power exchange, this would be a taboo romance yet here some of us are, rooting for both of them.
The relationship and story are more than just their feelings for each other. They both develop throughout the story, face their trauma, realize each other's traumas, start to communicate, and come back together slowly. There is a scene where there's no dialogue, just raw emotions. It's simply the two of them breaking down together, sobbing beside themselves, and you know they've cleared another progression. That is emotion that's so hard to write and get to. It needed every part, every ounce of angst of the story before that for it to work.
Also, some may come into this seeing Annette as some damsel in distress, hurt by Heiner and he's entirely at fault. However, Annette had growing to do as well. Just because she developed major mental issues doesn't mean she doesn't need to take accountability for the position she had in the faulty system the revolution dismantled. The world still has issues she needs to understand as a living person in the world. She was ignorant of all her family did and the position they played in the world and she is/was part of that family. Even if that was her father, she lived off the riches her father gained from his misdeeds, including the ones that directly harmed Heiner. She learns this later on and I'm glad her learning, growing, and accountability were not waived or forgiven simply because Heiner hurt her. She grew and learned some from Catherine and her brother's actions. Heiner wasn't let off either. He truly did hate her at one point but also came to love her at another. You can hate and love the same person especially with the baggage Heiner had. Those two emotions can be mixed up which it did.
The ending was satisfying given their complicated path.
pennepasta's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Suicide
dylan_markiewicz's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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