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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
So I finished this book very quickly...and it did a good job holding my interest. I will say that a lot of what made me finish this book so quickly had to do with 1st half - wow this book is so fantastic and I love it (speed read). 2nd half - wow this book has really lost it in terms of quality for me - I'm going to speed read and finish it so I can find out what happens and move on to the next book.
This pretty much sums up my feelings on the book. This is my second book by Jojo Moyes. I do not feel it comes close to Me Before You. That book was phenomenal. This book could have been that way, however the second part with the modern day characters and story line just didn't do it for me.
First, the second section started off super jarring. I had to go back and re-read the first couple pages again because I had no idea where the hell I was and who was who. I knew we were in a different time, but it was just so weird. And I felt that this happened a lot when she went back and forth. (Even within the same time period.) She would just start in the middle of conversations between people that hadn't been introduced into the story yet and I was finding myself thinking, "What the hell is going on?" Please know this didn't destroy the story for me, but it was just so weird. I know she is capable of writing better than this.
Also, I just didn't jive with Liv Halston as much as I wanted to. I certainly felt her utter despair in certain situations as I felt myself starting to want to cry, but I just didn't care for this section of the book as much.
The part that takes place during WWI was so much different. It was like a completely different book in terms of how it made you feel, the writing, the characters - it just wasn't as two dimensional. THIS WAS A BOOK.
In reading someone else's reviews, they mentioned that after a few weeks of reading this book they forgot the characters names and that the book just didn't leave that much of an impact. I felt that if the book would have stayed more with the WWI part of the story, there would have been more of an impact.
To me, this book unfortunately just fell flat. Three stars for what it could have been and for the fabulous story of Sophie.
This pretty much sums up my feelings on the book. This is my second book by Jojo Moyes. I do not feel it comes close to Me Before You. That book was phenomenal. This book could have been that way, however the second part with the modern day characters and story line just didn't do it for me.
First, the second section started off super jarring. I had to go back and re-read the first couple pages again because I had no idea where the hell I was and who was who. I knew we were in a different time, but it was just so weird. And I felt that this happened a lot when she went back and forth. (Even within the same time period.) She would just start in the middle of conversations between people that hadn't been introduced into the story yet and I was finding myself thinking, "What the hell is going on?" Please know this didn't destroy the story for me, but it was just so weird. I know she is capable of writing better than this.
Also, I just didn't jive with Liv Halston as much as I wanted to. I certainly felt her utter despair in certain situations as I felt myself starting to want to cry, but I just didn't care for this section of the book as much.
The part that takes place during WWI was so much different. It was like a completely different book in terms of how it made you feel, the writing, the characters - it just wasn't as two dimensional. THIS WAS A BOOK.
In reading someone else's reviews, they mentioned that after a few weeks of reading this book they forgot the characters names and that the book just didn't leave that much of an impact. I felt that if the book would have stayed more with the WWI part of the story, there would have been more of an impact.
To me, this book unfortunately just fell flat. Three stars for what it could have been and for the fabulous story of Sophie.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Jojo Moyes is so good. This book was fantastic.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
At its' core, Jojo Moyes’ novel The Girl You Left Behind is a story of two women that have experienced loss yet have the courage to continue on. The book begins with the story of Sophie Lefevre. When her husband is called to the Front, she returns to her French hometown to work in her family’s hotel with her older sister. Before long the town falls under German rule, resulting in the starvation of the town people and the order for the two sisters to feed the Germans every night within their hotel. Since her husband was an artist, Sophie keeps a painting that he had painted of her before the war on the walls of the hotel; it draws the attention of a German Kommadant and leads to a decision that Sophie must make if she is to be reunited with her husband.
As if that storyline was not heartbreaking enough, Part Two of the book brings the second main character named Liv Halston into prominence. She had been gifted the painting of Sophie by her late husband during their honeymoon and has established a strong connection with it in the four years she has struggled to come to terms with her husband’s death. When it is revealed that her painting is a stolen piece of art from the wars and must be returned to the original owner’s family, she decides to fight for her painting, thus putting into motion a startling commentary between the characters of the story and the reader concerning the moral dilemma of art stolen during wartime.
Liv and her husband had legitimately paid for the painting, so I continuously found myself sympathetic towards her plight even when characters in the story wanted to make her into a heartless villain, as I am sure they would also do if she were a real-world person. While I understand the unfairness of having art stolen during the World Wars, I also saw the unfairness of those years and degrees removed from the crime being the ones who must deal with the retribution. The reader can learn plenty about art theft and provenance from this story; the greater reward of it, however, is the awakening of the thought-provoking conversation it can stir within you as you consider where your opinion falls on this dilemma.
With its' skillful weaving of the story of Sophie and Liv, The Girl You Left Behind comes highly recommended by me. The subject matter is thought provoking and the emotional depth is sincere. This is the first piece of work that I have read by Jojo Moyes, but it certainly will not be my last.
At its' core, Jojo Moyes’ novel The Girl You Left Behind is a story of two women that have experienced loss yet have the courage to continue on. The book begins with the story of Sophie Lefevre. When her husband is called to the Front, she returns to her French hometown to work in her family’s hotel with her older sister. Before long the town falls under German rule, resulting in the starvation of the town people and the order for the two sisters to feed the Germans every night within their hotel. Since her husband was an artist, Sophie keeps a painting that he had painted of her before the war on the walls of the hotel; it draws the attention of a German Kommadant and leads to a decision that Sophie must make if she is to be reunited with her husband.
As if that storyline was not heartbreaking enough, Part Two of the book brings the second main character named Liv Halston into prominence. She had been gifted the painting of Sophie by her late husband during their honeymoon and has established a strong connection with it in the four years she has struggled to come to terms with her husband’s death. When it is revealed that her painting is a stolen piece of art from the wars and must be returned to the original owner’s family, she decides to fight for her painting, thus putting into motion a startling commentary between the characters of the story and the reader concerning the moral dilemma of art stolen during wartime.
Liv and her husband had legitimately paid for the painting, so I continuously found myself sympathetic towards her plight even when characters in the story wanted to make her into a heartless villain, as I am sure they would also do if she were a real-world person. While I understand the unfairness of having art stolen during the World Wars, I also saw the unfairness of those years and degrees removed from the crime being the ones who must deal with the retribution. The reader can learn plenty about art theft and provenance from this story; the greater reward of it, however, is the awakening of the thought-provoking conversation it can stir within you as you consider where your opinion falls on this dilemma.
With its' skillful weaving of the story of Sophie and Liv, The Girl You Left Behind comes highly recommended by me. The subject matter is thought provoking and the emotional depth is sincere. This is the first piece of work that I have read by Jojo Moyes, but it certainly will not be my last.
Man, this was awesome! What a little gem of a story. Generally, I don't do romance or books packaged and marketed with women in mind. Enter [a:Jojo Moyes|281810|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1400624880p2/281810.jpg]. The woman is amazing! I can read anything she writes. Fact! Even when it's average - [b:The Last Letter from Your Lover|10163292|The Last Letter from Your Lover|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426973390s/10163292.jpg|11340098], I'M LOOKING AT YOU!
Full disclosure: this was an audio book for me and the two fabulous narrators probably helped, especially the French one. But I loved both angles of the story, all the characters felt real and I was particularly taken with Jojo's visions of early 20th century, war-stricken France - it would appear I've been in a historical fiction mood lately.
I don't believe this one is quite as good as [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198], which is still my number 1 of hers, but I really enjoyed it and it's definitely got itself a spot on my "favourites" shelf!
This is quite a long audio (14+ hours) and I'm glad I started it on a weekend when I'd planned to do a lot of sewing so I could listen to it in long sessions.
Full disclosure: this was an audio book for me and the two fabulous narrators probably helped, especially the French one. But I loved both angles of the story, all the characters felt real and I was particularly taken with Jojo's visions of early 20th century, war-stricken France - it would appear I've been in a historical fiction mood lately.
I don't believe this one is quite as good as [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You|Jojo Moyes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198], which is still my number 1 of hers, but I really enjoyed it and it's definitely got itself a spot on my "favourites" shelf!
This is quite a long audio (14+ hours) and I'm glad I started it on a weekend when I'd planned to do a lot of sewing so I could listen to it in long sessions.
I really loved this book--the way she connected a World War One family and piece of art with modern day was so fun and the characters kept me wanting to know what was next.
The premise of this book - how the provenance of a painting links generations of families who suffer - was so promising. The historical plot line, involving Sophie Lefevre, was moving and beautifully written. The modern-day plot line, involving Liv Halston, was not. I found the modern-day story to be predictable and written more as a young adult romance than a moving story, so I didn't enjoy it nearly as much. Then again, I loathed the Twilight series, so I clearly do not enjoy young adult romance. The ending felt a tad rushed, although there were some good twists that led to a pleasant (albeit easy and predictable) ending. All in all, a quick, entertaining read.
Loved this book and could not put it down. But it is a bit uneven at times. I was definitely riveted by the flashback story far more than the contemporary one. That being said, I truly enjoyed this read.