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carlaabra's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.0
This is a romance second, maybe even third; more like a drama. First, it is a touching and heartbreaking story of an island wracked by war, and one family’s experiences in particular.
The writing is amazing, cynical yet eloquent, with lots of moments of levity interspersed. I was reminded pleasantly of Vonnegut’s biting irreverence and outlandish plots.
It’s mostly third person but changes as needed. The story unfolds in short chapters that occur chronologically. These chapters mostly narrate our main family, but occasionally deviate to side characters or pivotal events. This seems frivolous at the time of reading, but every chapter intersects with our main story by the end. These seemingly dropped but later interwoven threads give the story a wholeness and sense of context in history.
I had no idea how close to true events this novel stuck - it only makes it more poignant. The plot slows briefly around page 200 and then again around page 370, however for such a long and deeply historical book it was remarkably readable. The characters are larger than life and so lovable. I hesitate to call them realistic, since they can verge on caricatures at times, but they work with the story. Again, very Vonnegut.
For a book that starts out so mundane, and whose writing is intentionally ironic, I admit- I almost cried multiple times. This is war, after all.
The writing is amazing, cynical yet eloquent, with lots of moments of levity interspersed. I was reminded pleasantly of Vonnegut’s biting irreverence and outlandish plots.
It’s mostly third person but changes as needed. The story unfolds in short chapters that occur chronologically. These chapters mostly narrate our main family, but occasionally deviate to side characters or pivotal events. This seems frivolous at the time of reading, but every chapter intersects with our main story by the end. These seemingly dropped but later interwoven threads give the story a wholeness and sense of context in history.
I had no idea how close to true events this novel stuck - it only makes it more poignant. The plot slows briefly around page 200 and then again around page 370, however for such a long and deeply historical book it was remarkably readable. The characters are larger than life and so lovable. I hesitate to call them realistic, since they can verge on caricatures at times, but they work with the story. Again, very Vonnegut.
For a book that starts out so mundane, and whose writing is intentionally ironic, I admit- I almost cried multiple times. This is war, after all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, Medical content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
This is a WWII book. There is no HEA. People are killed for no reason at all, tortured by the enemy and by the conditions they were forced to fight in. It’s brutal and describes real events.56bumblebees's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical content, Grief, Blood, Animal cruelty, War, Physical abuse, Torture, Gun violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Excrement, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
analyticali's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Genocide
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Rape
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