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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a really great historical fiction - though I did kind of anticipate the ending I still enjoyed it!
emotional
sad
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:
No
This was a tear jerker and even if you're able to guess the ending, it's still worth the entire read. The character development, flaws, values, and growth makes this such a great read.
I'm usually quite reserved on reading World War 2 based books, trying to avoid those that go for the emotions of the Jewish experience without giving it authenticity, or by relying on the horrific experiences of those throughout. This book did not trade on the jewish experience. The dual storylines led with a family first dynamic and Alice's desire to do right by her grandmother.
Alina's storyline is truly heartbreaking but all ties together in the most resilient way.
Give this book the time, you won't regret it.
I'm usually quite reserved on reading World War 2 based books, trying to avoid those that go for the emotions of the Jewish experience without giving it authenticity, or by relying on the horrific experiences of those throughout. This book did not trade on the jewish experience. The dual storylines led with a family first dynamic and Alice's desire to do right by her grandmother.
Alina's storyline is truly heartbreaking but all ties together in the most resilient way.
Give this book the time, you won't regret it.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
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:
No
Probably my new favorite book!
Kelly Rimmer delivered a well-written dual timeline story about Alina, an innocent teen at the outbreak of Nazi occupied Poland, and Alice, a modern wife with an autistic son, a gifted daughter, and a casually unpresent husband. Both storylines are well-developed and original but I felt only connected to half the story—Alina’s specifically. Alina’s WWII storyline was much more compelling and detailed which almost left me impatiently waiting for Alice’s chapters to pass. My struggle with Alice’s storyline was that it swung on a constant pendulum between frustration with her husband/life and her love of her children. Because the readers have no choice but to inspect both protagonists’ lives side-by-side, I couldn’t help but feel Alice’s emotional repertoire was two dimensional in comparison to the range of life’s joys experienced by those surviving war.
Details I really appreciated: an original storyline for WWII in Europe; rich historical research; the idiosyncrasies showcased by Alice’s son’s communication device.
Aspects I could’ve done without:the term “burst into tears” was frightfully overused; the amount of passive aggressive adults
Details I really appreciated: an original storyline for WWII in Europe; rich historical research; the idiosyncrasies showcased by Alice’s son’s communication device.
Aspects I could’ve done without:the term “burst into tears” was frightfully overused; the amount of passive aggressive adults
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
It was all right. I found the switch between perspectives more distracting than needed and I don’t know if it really needed the two different stories it told. But it was an interesting perspective on those who were Catholic. I really liked how autism awareness was incorporated, even though it didn’t necessarily fit with the story.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
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:
No
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hard to love most of characters until the end.
Didn't even enjoy it till last 1/3rd of book.
Possibly written for a younger person. Seemed formulaic.
Didn't even enjoy it till last 1/3rd of book.
Possibly written for a younger person. Seemed formulaic.