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kadtide's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Classism
franklola's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War
sauvageloup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pros:
- the prose and imagery is definitely it's strongest point. as one of the reviewers says, the scenes from the blitz in London are very vivid in my mind, as well as Ursula's awful time in london. and made me realise how truly awful it was for everyone - anyone who compares covid to the world wars has no idea.
- the characters were also wonderfully done, they were all imperfect but well rounded and unique, especially Sylvie, Ursula herself and the rest of the family.
- the idea itself is brilliant, and very well executed, with Ursula's slow realisation of what was happening and how the plots all came together.
- though many references went over my head, I did enjoy the classical and cultural nods where I recognised them.
cons:
-there were a lot of characters and storylines and it was confusing at times, especially because I had a break in the middle. but that added the palimpsest it was creating.
- I found the ending strange and unpoignant, though Atkinson's note at the end helped with this.
overall, very vivid and moving and I want to read more books by her in the future.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ecstaticlistening's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
loosea23's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Abortion
Minor: Suicide
readingwithkt's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Violence
superbowl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood and Abortion
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder
jowmy4's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Murder
Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Excrement, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
Parts of this book are set during the Spanish flu, the London Blitz, the Bombing of Berlin and the German Third Reich, and feature the expected horrors of each setting. However, I think part of the point of the book is to say that tragedies, horrors and other malign things happen all the time, even outside of these big events and even in seemingly-idyllic and safe locations.