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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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:
Complicated
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
emotional
informative
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:
Complicated
This book really showed me how the strength and bondage of friends can prevail. when you read a book like this, you may not react. but you also may get sad, or mad, or even want to chuck the book against the wall, but you realize that's how it was... it was a sad, and mad time. That you didn't just wake up from it like a bad dream.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Classism, Deportation
This was a touching book with a story line akin to The Wizard of Oz (girl isn't satisfied with home, thinks the grass is greener on the other side - goes to a dream world and can't wait to get back home), only obviously much darker and sadder because of the specific setting. Overall I liked it. It was a quick read and a book with touching characters - a really positive and literary way to make the Holocaust relate-able to new generations that are more and more removed from what actually happened (myself included). The only thing I didn't care for was the complete non-mention of WWII or the Holocaust when Chaya first "went back in time". I realize that it was a wedding day and everything, but it still seemed unlikely, as did the way they were sent to the camps (all of the sudden, the entire town which had seemingly never seen a Nazi in person gets sent to a concentration camp - I feel like a ghetto would have been in their story line as well.) I suppose though that this was for surprise to the uninformed reader, being that it is targeted to young adults.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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:
N/A
I first read The Devil’s Arithmetic in junior high, and it left a lasting impact on me—even now, as an adult, the story resonates deeply. Re-reading it reminded me just how powerful and necessary this book is. The topic is heavy, but stories like this are so important to keep history alive and prevent future atrocities. Yolen writes with compassion, making the horrors of the Holocaust real and unforgettable. All people deserve to be loved—this story reinforces that truth. It leaves my heart heavy, especially in light of today’s political climate, but I’m grateful for it.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes