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basil_touche's review
- 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
5.0
But this is also a story about love. Gaunt and Ellwood's relationship throughout is touching as you see them pinning for them in their youth, to their optimism for the war being destroyed once they reach the trenches and then how they slowly start to pick up the pieces after. It's interesting to see how each of their traumas display differently, and surprising too.
I listened to the audiobook and Christian Coulson does a wonderful job throughout. He gives each character a distinct voice, along with pretty accurate accents. I think it truly adds something to the book.
A haunting and beautiful debut for Winn.
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Homophobia, Bullying, Ableism, Alcoholism, Suicide, Alcohol, and Kidnapping
Minor: Classism, Sexism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Rape
liesthemoontells's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The passages describing the war are brutal, visceral, and full of horror, as are the psychological torments inflicted on the men by the inhumanity they are forced to endure.
My only (minor) critique of this book is that occasionally the 21st century sensibilities of anti-colonial sentiment felt a little too on the nose coming out of the mouths of British public school boys, but that really is a minor nitpick.
Despite its heavy themes, this book was readable and engrossing.
Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, War, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, and Gore
lizziaha's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, War, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Ableism, Racism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Confinement, Homophobia, Bullying, and Sexism
Minor: Suicide, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
bookishthots's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, War, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Suicide, Sexual violence, Self harm, Kidnapping, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, and Bullying
Minor: Excrement, Abandonment, Ableism, and Terminal illness
luckyseven'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: War, Suicide, Ableism, Death, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and Alcoholism
tesslw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
In Memoriam begins in 1914, during the precipice and subsequent arrival of World War 1; beginning with two best friends at boarding school, both hiding their deep rooted love for the other, believing it to be unrequited and fearing the societal dangers as well as potential damage to friendship of admitting such feelings. At the tender age of 18, Gaunt also has to battle with his dual heritage; being half German when the two parts of him become mortal enemies is a tough thing to reconcile. But ultimately, his destiny is at the front; and wherever Gaunt goes, Ellwood will follow - age restrictions be damned. Despite separations across time, space, a whole continent and a literal no man’s land, the two can’t help but try and find each other.
The beauty of this book is beyond anything I was expecting - each character is so nuanced, so fully formed and so deeply human. There is cruelty, there is love and there is fear beyond anything that I hope I will ever know. It also really served to remind me of the horrors of war, and the unfathomable truth of how young so many of the men who were died were, in the name of ‘their country’. The way that violence and tenderness are so deeply overlayed is nothing short of masterful. There are some bonds that truly can’t be broken.
Thank you so so much to @Viking Books for gifting me an advance copy of this - I loved it from start to finish and I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy now that it is published and out in the world. I can’t encourage you to do the same enough.
Graphic: War and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism and Homophobia