Scan barcode
cameronmh's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wonderful piece of historical fiction, with two very different plot lines in two very different eras. I love the characters, who all have large flaws, especially the two protagonists. Would be 5 stars, but the twist was a bit too easy to see coming. This would normally cost more than half a star, but I enjoyed it so much anyway that I couldn’t take away more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Medical content, Hate crime, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Terminal illness, War, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Cancer, Lesbophobia, Car accident, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Slavery, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia
cranewife's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, War, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Death, and Racism
bookishbek's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, War, Bullying, Hate crime, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief and Death
tamtasticbooks's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Racism, Violence, and Sexism
readingwithtrey's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? No
5.0
This book alternates between the stories of Emmaline (past) and Kathleen (present day for her) and how both women (each in their own way) helped to pave the way for future women to take up space in the military. The book touches on SO many important topics, some of which are unfortunately still an issue today.
I don’t tend to gravitate towards historical fiction, but this book is a game changer for me. I enjoyed it so much. I like to document my favorite quotes from books, and I found myself picking up my notebook every single chapter to jot things down.
There’s a twist that I was able to guess beforehand, but it doesn’t take away from the ending of the book at all. I had so many emotions while reading. I felt sadness, anger, and fear. But overall, I felt hopeful and encouraged.
This is a good one y’all!
Favorite Quotes:
“Books are the best place to hide,” I said quietly. “When the world is just too much to take.”
“Good luck to you too.” I paused. “Use the fury to fuel you.” “I know,” Derrick said. “That’s what I’ve had to do all my life.”
“Can we enjoy books that have problematic elements?” … “I think we can,” Burt said. “So long as we recognize and discuss them.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Classism, War, and Sexism
Minor: Cancer
bringmybooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, & Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
Look, is it the book's fault that one of my MOST HATED TROPES in historical fiction is the martyr / miscommunication that lasts upwards of 50 years? No. But also. I cannot.
I was way more invested in the more contemporary of the two timelines, following Kathleen as she enrolls in the US Naval Academy in 1976, the first year that women were allowed to join. That being said, if you read that sentence and thought to yourself, "My God, I bet that some of the dudes made that absolute hell for them," you would a) be correct and b) be really upset throughout most of the chapters focusing on Kathleen's story.
I appreciated the author showing how tough women are, and I also appreciated that at the end of their first year there wasn't a magical moment when all the men accepted them (because that would not have been realistic).
Emmaline's POV bugged me because I knew in my bones that normally I would eat that up - two childhood friends reconnecting in a France at war over books and memories and idioms from the shared language of their Russian ancestry? SIGN. ME. UP. But it didn't work for me, and I can't put my fingers on why. (Most likely: most hated trope mentioned above, but whatevs)
Ultimately I'm glad I read it because it focused on something I didn't know a lot about out (one of the reasons I love hist fic!) but it wasn't a favorite.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
Look, is it the book's fault that one of my MOST HATED TROPES in historical fiction is the martyr / miscommunication that lasts upwards of 50 years? No. But also. I cannot.
I was way more invested in the more contemporary of the two timelines, following Kathleen as she enrolls in the US Naval Academy in 1976, the first year that women were allowed to join. That being said, if you read that sentence and thought to yourself, "My God, I bet that some of the dudes made that absolute hell for them," you would a) be correct and b) be really upset throughout most of the chapters focusing on Kathleen's story.
I appreciated the author showing how tough women are, and I also appreciated that at the end of their first year there wasn't a magical moment when all the men accepted them (because that would not have been realistic).
Emmaline's POV bugged me because I knew in my bones that normally I would eat that up - two childhood friends reconnecting in a France at war over books and memories and idioms from the shared language of their Russian ancestry? SIGN. ME. UP. But it didn't work for me, and I can't put my fingers on why. (Most likely: most hated trope mentioned above, but whatevs)
Ultimately I'm glad I read it because it focused on something I didn't know a lot about out (one of the reasons I love hist fic!) but it wasn't a favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexism
Moderate: War and Gaslighting
Sexism, Assault, Gaslighting, Intimidation & Fear Tactics, Chauvinism, Wartime Horrors
More...