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rossjenc's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
nicolespez's review
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
twhittie's review
5.0
Like any good WWll novel, this one had me totally engrossed and also ripped my heart out. I didn’t know much of Greece’s role in the war and what they went through was just as horrific as so many others. Excellent story and beautiful writing.
simoneclark's review
4.0
This book (and also one I read more recently) opened my eyes to a part of world history that I had little to no knowledge of: the fate of Greece in WWII. I honestly had to turn to Uncle Google to read up on this! Sad, but true! I had no clue that Greece was occupied by the Nazis like so many other European countries. I had no clue that Germany did not get involved in the Balkan conflicts during that time until it became apparent that Italy would not succeed in their mission to make Greece theirs. I had no clue that the British role in this whole conflict resulted in a civil war in Greece. I'm glad this book made me do some research! The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It is a story of the strength to persevere against all odd, of courage, of love, of things we do to protect those we love. I really enjoyed this book!
shesonlyapart's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
tayloreve07's review
Okay so, I think this book had a lot of potential and the main story was actually quite interesting. However, it took a while to actually get to that point and the beginning was slow and rather disjointed. There's a framing story set in 2014 that comprises the first and last chapter but both are pretty short and the original jump back in time felt abrupt to me. Then it still took a while to get to the actual "meat" of the story (if you will). But that main story was interesting, especially as Greece is a place not often visited in WW2 historical fiction. So overall, I felt meh. Neither good nor bad.
mattgroot1980's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
bluejeepbaby's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Death
carireadsbooksandtarot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This historical fiction novel follows best friends Alexei and Costas, two young Greek men who join the army to protect their country from Italian invasion in 1940. Alexei wastes no time in securing the hand of his childhood sweetheart Philia before leaving for the front. This is just the beginning of Greece’s fight against Axis powers and in following Alexei and Costas, readers learn of the small country’s remarkable courage, bravery and ingenuity in the face of its enemies.
This is an engaging story focused on the oft-forgotten part that Greece playing in World War Two. It’s a sweeping story of friendship, courage, and love set against a naturally beautiful landscape ravaged by war. Presented as a grandfather telling his grandson the story of his family, Cosmos has created realistic characters and backstories that are heartbreaking and tender, that show the horrors of foreign occupation and the depths of familial love. It’s a must read for fans of World War Two fiction, even those readers who feel that they have read all there is to tell on the subject.