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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
Sorrows of war might be the most exquisitely crafted, beautiful book I have read while also being the most horrific. It’s horrific and visceral than any other war story I have read. All quiet on the western front pales in comparison. The non-sequential blocks of images that somehow fit together for a cohesive story is a striking construction and I’m not sure any other author could have done it as well. I can feel the sorrow, the grief, the trauma in the pages. The extreme horror of what happened and what humans have the capacity to do to each other. But then the capacity for individual humans in these tiny moments to do incredible courageous and kind things.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Very moving, at times pretty brutal although not quite as relentlessly graphic as I expected it might be. Nice to hear a Vietnamese voice about the Vietnam War for a change rather than relentless American self-pity. Interesting structure of flitting between the psychology of three eras (start of war, end of war, 10 years after the war), no chapters gave it a sense of unbounded reflection which I liked. Beautifully captures the deadening weight of the experience of war on an entire generation, and the hollowness left behind. The story of the deserter and his mother's letter at the start is harrowing.
Dodgy translation at times though (never really believed the dialogue, bit immersion breaking and sounded a bit like Cockney van drivers mouthing off) and not really sure about the handling of Phuong (or indeed any other female character).
It's a miracle Vietnam is anywhere near as successful as it is right now
Dodgy translation at times though (never really believed the dialogue, bit immersion breaking and sounded a bit like Cockney van drivers mouthing off) and not really sure about the handling of Phuong (or indeed any other female character).
It's a miracle Vietnam is anywhere near as successful as it is right now
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Stone cold classic war,
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, War
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts