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erinrosalee's review
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bkmckown's review
4.0
I love historical fiction set during WW2 and this one had a unique perspective. I feel like this was a “cozier” tale because it didn’t focus much on what happened in the holocaust camps as much as what happened directly surrounding Hitler but it was a good change of pace for the genre.
bibliophilekait's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
elinacre's review
4.0
3.5 rounded up. yet another view of world war ii. super interesting to consider... what a weird and scary job to have! i have to mention that some of the writing bothered me; it seemed like something went wonky in translation, and particular plot points seemed thrown in just for spice... but overall, really good (i mean terrible, obviously, but good).
shanthebookish's review
5.0
This book is a great reminder that I need to read more historical fiction! V.S. Alexander does a wonderful job of reminding us that not all who served Hitler were evil. Many hated him and wanted to see an end to the Fuhrer and the Reich. This story will stick with me for a very long time.
_onemorepage_'s review
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kittykornerlibrarian's review
2.0
Did Not Finish. Great premise; dubious execution. I always enjoy World War II novels that are set in Germany, or Austria, or Poland, so I was pleased to hear about The Taster. It's an interesting story to be sure; in 1943, Magda, who is maybe in her early 20s, is living in Berlin. Her parents decide to send her out of the way of Allied bombers to her aunt and uncle (who are devout Nazis) in Southern Germany. Magda ends up getting hired as a taster, one of fifteen young women (why is this a woman's job?) who taste the Fuhrer's food to test it for poison before he eats it. So she's right there at the nerve center of the Third Reich. Could be a great story, right? But the prose and the dialogue are so unemotional and wooden that the story merely plods along. Falling in love, coping with the murder of one's roommate, seeing a beloved father in the hospital... all of these, and more, should evoke feeling, and the author fails at this. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I stopped. Would probably not read another by this author.
caslater83's review against another edition
4.0
Well done.
This book was well-written and very touching. I felt terrible for the fears and scares that the tasters experienced. It must have been unnerving and terrifying. I have read countless books set during WWII. I still struggle ( and fail) to understand how anyone could be filled with such evil and hatred for their fellow citizens. It also boggles my mind how he managed to get away with it for as long as he did. I hope we never repeat these mistakes because life is precious. V.S. Alexander did a great job in the writing of this book. However, I have no desire to re-read it again because it's too sad and chilling to the bone to read and visualize what innocent people endured. I encourage you to read this book if desired. I hope you finish this book with a deep appreciation for those who served in WWII.
This book was well-written and very touching. I felt terrible for the fears and scares that the tasters experienced. It must have been unnerving and terrifying. I have read countless books set during WWII. I still struggle ( and fail) to understand how anyone could be filled with such evil and hatred for their fellow citizens. It also boggles my mind how he managed to get away with it for as long as he did. I hope we never repeat these mistakes because life is precious. V.S. Alexander did a great job in the writing of this book. However, I have no desire to re-read it again because it's too sad and chilling to the bone to read and visualize what innocent people endured. I encourage you to read this book if desired. I hope you finish this book with a deep appreciation for those who served in WWII.
emmajcross's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.5
Ridiculous ending that made the rest of the book fall flat - I liked it up until the totally implausible ending.
faithwingo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Genocide, War, Suicide, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Miscarriage