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caitlinemccann's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual harassment
ididsomereading's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Classism, Blood, War, Hate crime, and Slavery
bohdanqa's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
nebraskanwriter'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? It's complicated
2.0
I did love the build up of the two couple’s relationships, how Berry covers what many people went through during the war in these four main characters. However, the ending felt so rushed. We have almost 500 pages of build up to find out what happened to them in like 5 pages at the end of the book, summarized very briefly by the gods.
I loved the journey, the fleshing out of the characters, peeling back the grim layers of war and not shying away from the army’s racism but rather shining a light on it. I loved the history, the feelings of first love and second chances after one had maybe lost their first love. That I loved, it’s just a shame the ending was so rushed kind of helter-skelter like otherwise I probably would have rated it higher.
Berry definitely did her research for this book, I will say that for sure. There is a historical note in the back where she sites many books and a bibliography as well. So that was not a miss, the care in which she took to tell multiple sides of the war (both without and within) must be acknowledged.
But pacing was this book’s downfall, too long and convoluted to get to such a lackluster ending…
Graphic: Addiction, Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, and Hate crime
lealikestoread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
definitely worth the read.
Moderate: Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
lilybourne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, War, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Hate crime, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
saltyy_sarah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Murder and Sexual harassment
emmalovesmycology's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Racism, Medical trauma, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Cursing
sage_green'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? No
5.0
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, War, Racism, Mental illness, Hate crime, and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual assault