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cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
owlyreadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
The Girl with the Red Balloon quickly became one of my favorites of the year. Yes, there are so many things in here that are painful to read, several that made me cry, many that brought hope and a better understanding of Berlin, The Holocaust, and everything that can be too difficult to read but must be read pertaining to that time and the years after.
This novel was so well written and was made even more memorable and I became emotionally invested with all the characters that filled the pages. Kai is the brooding guy (for good reason) who loves with a passion, knowing that every single moment is precious and every minute could be his last. There was Ellie who learned and grew so much more after having traveling back into that time, the hardest thing she's ever had to do.
If those two leading characters weren't enough to make this novel a fave, there is also Mitzi who is the toughest person they could have fighting by their side, as well as Kai's sister Sabina who is very important to the future of those within these pages. None of them have an easy life, far from it, but they stay strong because they have each other and the hope that magic will change things, hopefully for the better for many.
That's where the red balloons come in and everything they meant to the story. Magic exists in this universe, where there is more hope than ever imaginable. It's how Ellie finds herself in the past, going through the fears and worries that many had to endure and painfully leave that world with. This isn't a fairy-tale story though, of salvation and peace, it is only partial truths and that was intensely painful to read, but I left me feeling more blessed and thankful for what I have now.
Even with several of those pages that I couldn't find solace within, even with the heartbreaking recounting of Benno's (another important character to the story) life, throughout those harrowing years of his existence, I appreciated everything that was said and shown. Something like this should never be forgotten, their hardships, their lives, it should be remembered, so that we as a whole never allow something as gruesomely brutal to happen again in any lifetime.
This novel makes you have all feels possible, of love, sadness, of joy, and wonder, of hope, and so many more. Magic though, as distressing as this book could be, gave it that enchanting vibe that allowed hope that should have been, a way to be free from such an appalling way of life that should never have happened. Even though there wasn't many happily ever afters at the end of this world, it was more truthful and full of meaningful moments. More appreciation for it than if it had been left perfectly wrapped with a pretty bow on top. I'm absolutely adding a copy to my shelves.
***I received this copy from Albert Whitman Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
This novel was so well written and was made even more memorable and I became emotionally invested with all the characters that filled the pages. Kai is the brooding guy (for good reason) who loves with a passion, knowing that every single moment is precious and every minute could be his last. There was Ellie who learned and grew so much more after having traveling back into that time, the hardest thing she's ever had to do.
If those two leading characters weren't enough to make this novel a fave, there is also Mitzi who is the toughest person they could have fighting by their side, as well as Kai's sister Sabina who is very important to the future of those within these pages. None of them have an easy life, far from it, but they stay strong because they have each other and the hope that magic will change things, hopefully for the better for many.
That's where the red balloons come in and everything they meant to the story. Magic exists in this universe, where there is more hope than ever imaginable. It's how Ellie finds herself in the past, going through the fears and worries that many had to endure and painfully leave that world with. This isn't a fairy-tale story though, of salvation and peace, it is only partial truths and that was intensely painful to read, but I left me feeling more blessed and thankful for what I have now.
Even with several of those pages that I couldn't find solace within, even with the heartbreaking recounting of Benno's (another important character to the story) life, throughout those harrowing years of his existence, I appreciated everything that was said and shown. Something like this should never be forgotten, their hardships, their lives, it should be remembered, so that we as a whole never allow something as gruesomely brutal to happen again in any lifetime.
This novel makes you have all feels possible, of love, sadness, of joy, and wonder, of hope, and so many more. Magic though, as distressing as this book could be, gave it that enchanting vibe that allowed hope that should have been, a way to be free from such an appalling way of life that should never have happened. Even though there wasn't many happily ever afters at the end of this world, it was more truthful and full of meaningful moments. More appreciation for it than if it had been left perfectly wrapped with a pretty bow on top. I'm absolutely adding a copy to my shelves.
***I received this copy from Albert Whitman Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
thatlizhunter's review against another edition
5.0
One of those stories that will resonate with you forever.
sugaqueen88's review against another edition
4.0
Historical science fiction?
That's what I'd classify this beautiful novel as but whatever you choose to call it it's worth picking up. East Berlin is a setting that I wasn't originally familiar with but that made it all the more interesting. The flash backs to the 1940's were something I was more familiar with and left me craving more. And magic. The magic made the entire story more intriguing. Overall Ellie's journey through time and the history of her grandfather and how balloon magic came to be are fascinating and difficult to put down.
That's what I'd classify this beautiful novel as but whatever you choose to call it it's worth picking up. East Berlin is a setting that I wasn't originally familiar with but that made it all the more interesting. The flash backs to the 1940's were something I was more familiar with and left me craving more. And magic. The magic made the entire story more intriguing. Overall Ellie's journey through time and the history of her grandfather and how balloon magic came to be are fascinating and difficult to put down.
sigfig's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting concept, like how she wrapped the world's together. The usual ya love interest but doesn't detract too much from the story. Worthwhile messages about history and humans.
cloudy__queer's review against another edition
5.0
I read this because it was my local library's read for the month. I ended up really enjoying it, however. It blends magic, science, and history beautifully. One of the main characters is queer, one is Romani poc, one is the granddaughter of a holocaust survivor. I always appreciate diversity in that regard.
rylieee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.25
neglet's review against another edition
Very inventive time-travel fantasy with two compelling timelines and a main character who is sympathetic and engaging.
hellomadalyn's review against another edition
5.0
This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book, you guys. THIS BOOK. I didn’t know what to expect going into The Girl with the Red Balloon. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and I’ve always been fascinated by the Berlin Wall and the division of Germany post-World War II. I went into this book expecting historical fiction set in East Berlin in the 80’s with a touch of magic, but what I got was one of the most emotionally powerful stories I have ever read. This book affected me on such a deep, unexpected level.
The story follows our protagonist, Ellie, who starts out on a trip to Berlin with her high school German class. She is visiting the ruins of the Berlin Wall when she sees a stray red balloon, grabs onto it, and is accidentally transported to the exact same spot in East Berlin in 1988– a year and a half before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ellie gets swept up into the world of the Balloonmakers, who use a peculiar, equation-based (and super fascinating) type of magic written on balloons to transport people from East Berlin to the other side of the Wall, and consequently, to freedom. You would think a story with balloon magic would be whimsical and fun, but you would be wrong with this book. The Girl with the Red Balloon certainly leans toward the darker side of YA fiction. It raises so many important, difficult questions about morality, history, oppressive governments, fear, and everything in between.
In addition to the main plot, this book is part family saga: not only do we read from Ellie’s perspective, but also from that of her grandfather, Benno, who escaped a concentration camp and survived the Holocaust with the help of the first ever Balloonmaker in the 1940’s. The family element in this story is huge, and it really helped tie everything together. Oh man, it was heart-wrenching. This book does not shy away from the horrors of the Holocaust or from the anti-semitism rampant in Germany during that time, so take care while reading if those things are triggering for you.
I want to talk about characters, because the characters in this novel will stick with me for a long time. Of course, we have Ellie, our protagonist, and Benno, her grandfather. Ellie was such an easy protagonist to root for. I couldn’t help but feel for her and her situation. Her reactions to all of the craziness that had befallen her life felt so realistic. She was headstrong and brave, and her character development over the course of her time in East Berlin was absolutely beautiful. One thing I also loved about Ellie is that she is a practicing Jewish main character. It’s rare to see religious protagonists in YA at all, and even rarer to see any who partake in religious traditions other than Christianity. (The Jewish rep in this book is #ownvoices, by the way. Yay!) Then we have Kai, our love interest, who is also a POV character. I loved him so, so much. Again, I couldn’t help but feel for him. He is Romani, so he already feels like an outcast in most of the world, but he also is an outcast from his own Romanichal community back in England, which he had to flee when people started to persecute his younger sister, Sabina, for her magic. He would do anything to protect his family. He’s fiercely loyal. We also have Mitzi, the last of our main trio. Though not a POV character, Mitzi was impossible not to love. She is a lesbian in East Berlin, and started helping the Balloonmakers once her parents kicked her out of the house because of her sexuality. Mitzi seems abrasive at first, but she’s such a wonderful friend to both Kai and Ellie. These three and their friendship, man. It tugged so hard at my heartstrings. There was just such an abundance of love and loyalty among the three of them, and they were always, always there for one another. This wonderfully diverse cast of characters is one of my new favorites in any book, ever.
The romance between Kai and Ellie was completely swoonworthy. The beautiful friendships and romances that developed over the backdrop of such a bleak world added so much hope to this story. One thing I especially appreciated about the romance here is that there was no “woe is me, I love this boy, but we are from different times… whatever shall I do?!” narrative from Ellie. She loved Kai, and she just let herself love him without all of the angst, and vice versa. This story and these characters already had enough angst without an unnecessarily angsty romance, so that was much-appreciated. They had undeniable chemistry, and seriously, I’m not usually a shippy person, but I will go down with this damn ship. They deserved the happiness the other person brought them in such a bleak world, okay???
Obviously, the setting was dark as hell. I mean, one timeline chronicles a Jewish boy during the Nazi regime through his time in the ghettos and in a concentration camp, and the other chronicles three people of historically persecuted groups in freakin’ communist East Berlin in the 1980’s. I have read books set during the Holocaust, but none set in East Germany. I really enjoyed (that’s a strange verb to use, but whatever) reading about this particular city during this particular time. You really got a sense of the fear and hopelessness that had settled over the city by this point, but also of the spark of rebellion that stayed alive til the very end and ultimately helped bring about the demise of this oppressive regime. So, yes, the setting is decidedly grim– and Locke doesn’t shy away from the horrors of either of these time periods– but the relationships and the characters are what make the story bearable to read instead of just a giant black hole of sadness.
I don’t want to go too into detail here about the magical elements, because I think they’re fun to discover on your own. I will say that I thought the balloon magic was incredibly unique; I’ve never read anything like it. I love that it was equation-based– it was rooted in logic, but also it wasn’t entirely logical, because, like, it was still magic. I hope we get to learn more about the magic of this world in the next installment! I still have so many questions. The story also features a mystery element. I mean, clearly Ellie was not supposed to end up at the point in time where she did, and throughout the book the characters try to puzzle out how a malfunction in the balloon that caused her time travel could even be possible. The “whodunnit” was admittedly pretty predictable, but nonetheless gutwrenching to read about.
Again, The Girl with the Red Balloon brought up so many questions I haven’t stopped thinking about since I finished it, especially about morality. This book is so deceptively deep. There are pages where you read a seemingly simple interaction or statement, but then the next thing you know, you think about it a little more and end up questioning your entire life and your beliefs. I should probably also mention the fact that this book had an astronomical emotional impact on me– this is the most I’ve cried while reading a book in years. YEARS. Probably since Clockwork Princess came out in 2012. Not only did I cry at random points throughout the book when something touched me, but I straight-up sobbed through the entire last 10% of the book, and, upon finishing it, cried for another half hour. The ending wasn’t even sad, just incredibly bittersweet and beautiful.
If you haven’t gathered it from my review, The Girl with the Red Balloon is one of the most powerful, emotionally impactful books I’ve read in my life. I cannot recommend this story highly enough to everyone.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book, you guys. THIS BOOK. I didn’t know what to expect going into The Girl with the Red Balloon. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and I’ve always been fascinated by the Berlin Wall and the division of Germany post-World War II. I went into this book expecting historical fiction set in East Berlin in the 80’s with a touch of magic, but what I got was one of the most emotionally powerful stories I have ever read. This book affected me on such a deep, unexpected level.
The story follows our protagonist, Ellie, who starts out on a trip to Berlin with her high school German class. She is visiting the ruins of the Berlin Wall when she sees a stray red balloon, grabs onto it, and is accidentally transported to the exact same spot in East Berlin in 1988– a year and a half before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ellie gets swept up into the world of the Balloonmakers, who use a peculiar, equation-based (and super fascinating) type of magic written on balloons to transport people from East Berlin to the other side of the Wall, and consequently, to freedom. You would think a story with balloon magic would be whimsical and fun, but you would be wrong with this book. The Girl with the Red Balloon certainly leans toward the darker side of YA fiction. It raises so many important, difficult questions about morality, history, oppressive governments, fear, and everything in between.
In addition to the main plot, this book is part family saga: not only do we read from Ellie’s perspective, but also from that of her grandfather, Benno, who escaped a concentration camp and survived the Holocaust with the help of the first ever Balloonmaker in the 1940’s. The family element in this story is huge, and it really helped tie everything together. Oh man, it was heart-wrenching. This book does not shy away from the horrors of the Holocaust or from the anti-semitism rampant in Germany during that time, so take care while reading if those things are triggering for you.
I want to talk about characters, because the characters in this novel will stick with me for a long time. Of course, we have Ellie, our protagonist, and Benno, her grandfather. Ellie was such an easy protagonist to root for. I couldn’t help but feel for her and her situation. Her reactions to all of the craziness that had befallen her life felt so realistic. She was headstrong and brave, and her character development over the course of her time in East Berlin was absolutely beautiful. One thing I also loved about Ellie is that she is a practicing Jewish main character. It’s rare to see religious protagonists in YA at all, and even rarer to see any who partake in religious traditions other than Christianity. (The Jewish rep in this book is #ownvoices, by the way. Yay!) Then we have Kai, our love interest, who is also a POV character. I loved him so, so much. Again, I couldn’t help but feel for him. He is Romani, so he already feels like an outcast in most of the world, but he also is an outcast from his own Romanichal community back in England, which he had to flee when people started to persecute his younger sister, Sabina, for her magic. He would do anything to protect his family. He’s fiercely loyal. We also have Mitzi, the last of our main trio. Though not a POV character, Mitzi was impossible not to love. She is a lesbian in East Berlin, and started helping the Balloonmakers once her parents kicked her out of the house because of her sexuality. Mitzi seems abrasive at first, but she’s such a wonderful friend to both Kai and Ellie. These three and their friendship, man. It tugged so hard at my heartstrings. There was just such an abundance of love and loyalty among the three of them, and they were always, always there for one another. This wonderfully diverse cast of characters is one of my new favorites in any book, ever.
The romance between Kai and Ellie was completely swoonworthy. The beautiful friendships and romances that developed over the backdrop of such a bleak world added so much hope to this story. One thing I especially appreciated about the romance here is that there was no “woe is me, I love this boy, but we are from different times… whatever shall I do?!” narrative from Ellie. She loved Kai, and she just let herself love him without all of the angst, and vice versa. This story and these characters already had enough angst without an unnecessarily angsty romance, so that was much-appreciated. They had undeniable chemistry, and seriously, I’m not usually a shippy person, but I will go down with this damn ship. They deserved the happiness the other person brought them in such a bleak world, okay???
Obviously, the setting was dark as hell. I mean, one timeline chronicles a Jewish boy during the Nazi regime through his time in the ghettos and in a concentration camp, and the other chronicles three people of historically persecuted groups in freakin’ communist East Berlin in the 1980’s. I have read books set during the Holocaust, but none set in East Germany. I really enjoyed (that’s a strange verb to use, but whatever) reading about this particular city during this particular time. You really got a sense of the fear and hopelessness that had settled over the city by this point, but also of the spark of rebellion that stayed alive til the very end and ultimately helped bring about the demise of this oppressive regime. So, yes, the setting is decidedly grim– and Locke doesn’t shy away from the horrors of either of these time periods– but the relationships and the characters are what make the story bearable to read instead of just a giant black hole of sadness.
I don’t want to go too into detail here about the magical elements, because I think they’re fun to discover on your own. I will say that I thought the balloon magic was incredibly unique; I’ve never read anything like it. I love that it was equation-based– it was rooted in logic, but also it wasn’t entirely logical, because, like, it was still magic. I hope we get to learn more about the magic of this world in the next installment! I still have so many questions. The story also features a mystery element. I mean, clearly Ellie was not supposed to end up at the point in time where she did, and throughout the book the characters try to puzzle out how a malfunction in the balloon that caused her time travel could even be possible. The “whodunnit” was admittedly pretty predictable, but nonetheless gutwrenching to read about.
Again, The Girl with the Red Balloon brought up so many questions I haven’t stopped thinking about since I finished it, especially about morality. This book is so deceptively deep. There are pages where you read a seemingly simple interaction or statement, but then the next thing you know, you think about it a little more and end up questioning your entire life and your beliefs. I should probably also mention the fact that this book had an astronomical emotional impact on me– this is the most I’ve cried while reading a book in years. YEARS. Probably since Clockwork Princess came out in 2012. Not only did I cry at random points throughout the book when something touched me, but I straight-up sobbed through the entire last 10% of the book, and, upon finishing it, cried for another half hour. The ending wasn’t even sad, just incredibly bittersweet and beautiful.
If you haven’t gathered it from my review, The Girl with the Red Balloon is one of the most powerful, emotionally impactful books I’ve read in my life. I cannot recommend this story highly enough to everyone.