Scan barcode
nataliecoyne's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think, when it comes to the first two parts (the first 184 pages), I just didn't really expect the romance plot and how much that would be the focus of so much of this book. I thought the romance was nice, but it just wasn't what I was hoping for and the amount of sexual content made me uncomfortable at times. That's why I had been leaning toward 3 stars. But again, I am super grateful for Part III and Part III brought it up to 3.75 stars.
I could definitely see myself recommending this to others.
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Vomit, and War
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Stalking, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Deportation
ellanarose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Grief, and Death of parent
shancraic's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Genocide, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Animal death and Alcohol
kimveach's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Classism, and Deportation
logicalstroopwafel's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Homophobia and Antisemitism
Moderate: Racism
shay43geek's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Racism and Alcohol
kirstym25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Racism and War
wyrmbergsabrina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
And I did jump to the last third half way through to see how things ended so I could at least finish the book. Yes, it had me feeling frustrated and I was disappointed to see I had seen some things coming a long way off.
The good - the characters are messy individuals, realistic people who we would meet every day. They are also products of their childhoods, which is really import later on in the book. The time period makes a lot of sense, it's the reason why things happen. And it does shine a light on a bit of history that probably not many are going to know about. It wasn't just the war that was brutal for people. What happened afterwards was just as bad. It seems that nothing really changes at all.
I felt writing was a little off in places; some phrases felt repetitive, or a sentence didn't seem to convey what I think the writer was trying to say. Some passages were very beautiful and lyrical, and other times it was very brutal, reflecting the way the character was felling.
This is an interesting and well written tale of love and healing. But a character falling in love is not going to make me suddenly like them after the author has done such a good job of making me despise them. That might be the intention, but it left me unimpressed and cheated.
One thing that left a lasting impression; we are reflections of our own experiences. Isabel has only know nice things, her mother and brothers. Her view of the world around her is framed by that. Eva, who is a far more interesting character, has had a terrible life, which the author gives us very briefly, in diary entries in that last third that I skipped to. I was much more interested in her story, how she had survived, lived, struggled in a world that didn't want her, closed a blind eye to her, and she had to reinvent herself so that she could live. To see the tale from her point of view, now that I would have been very interested in, especially as she meets Isabel.
I might come back after some time and edit this when I don't feel so raw. But for now, it's good but I didn't like it.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Self harm and Death of parent
Minor: Racism and Antisemitism