Reviews

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson

bookish20's review

challenging emotional inspiring 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? Yes

3.5

My 6P review: Publication, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise 

Thoughts: Jersey 1943 and German soldiers pound the streets Heiling Hitler. Grace La Mottee, the librarian is ordered to destroy the verboten books of the regime but instead she hides them away. Bea Rose, her best friend, is also keeping secrets using her position as the postwoman to hide letters and warn others. The wartime book club is formed to offer a lifeline and escape from the occupation through reading. 

Based on true events the story is told through the eyes of Grace and Bea. It was a bit like the Book Thief by Markus Zusak and the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, but for me, not quite as good. 

I loved how the chapter began with a note about a particular banned book. I never realised the silly reasons for banning some of them. Ridiculous. Who bans Bambi? 

Bea and Grace were beautiful characters and I rode their journey with them. I loved what they did and their never wavering friendship. 

I was really looking forward to reading about the book club and the power of books but I felt this was somewhat of a side story and I felt it wasn’t really fully explored or elaborated upon. 

I didn’t find it a page turner however I really did like the way it was written. The characters were wonderful and the sense of living on Jersey was amazing. I wish a map had been included. I also had to keep reminding myself that it was based on true events and real people. 

I really liked the inclusions at the back of the book, the reading list, the inspirational islanders, the photographs to name a few and highly recommend people reading this part of the book too. (I almost found it more interesting than the story itself) 

I would recommend this book to people who love reading about the events of World War II. It also had a really good book cover. 

transportedlfl's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

b00kishnurse's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.5

dora84's review

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.75

alexandria_m's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

5.0

guylou's review

4.0

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻 is an emotional and captivating portrayal of resilience amidst adversity during the Nazi occupation of Jersey. Set against the backdrop of WWII, the narrative follows the intertwined lives of best friends Grace and Bea as they navigate the challenges of wartime existence. Thompson masterfully weaves together themes of friendship, bravery, and resistance, highlighting the power of literature to provide solace in times of turmoil. The characters are richly developed, and their struggles feel authentic and compelling. Through alternating perspectives, Thompson offers a nuanced portrayal of life under occupation, shedding light on the everyday acts of defiance and courage that sustained the islanders. I particularly appreciated the author's meticulous research and inclusion of historical context, which added depth and authenticity to the narrative. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 is a gripping and thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of WWII fiction. Thompson's storytelling prowess shines brightly in this unforgettable tale of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. 

weefeereads's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.5

Once again, The author’s notes at the end of the book are amazingly informative.

ashleylynnreads's review against another edition

3.0

I'll be honest it was just okay. It wasn't great I'll remember it forever and it wasn't awful. I felt the story was good plot was good but it needed to be shorter and less detailed.

Mid at best

Too long and drawn out

kanga_ru's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

shesbecomingbookish's review

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25