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ifyouhappentoremember's review against another edition
2.0
I do feel mildly bad that I did not really enjoy this book considering that the author used her family’s experience in Germany during the war as the foundation for the plot. The book did not work for me and here is a list of reasons why.
1. To me, it felt like things happened to the characters because that was how the plot was going to go. Christine and Isaac are in love and willing to risk the dangers because their love is so strong, despite the limited time that is spent on their relationship and their lack of chemistry, because that’s what we need for the plot. I laughed out loud when Christine came face to face with Hitler and was repulsed by his evilness. I can’t believe that made it into the book.
2. I find it very nervig, annoying, that German words are randomly dropped into sentences and sofort, immediately, translated. It’s such a clunky way to build atmosphere. It bothered me so much, it detracted my enjoyment of the Geschichte, story.
3. Let’s have a discussion about the ‘Good Germans.’ It’s a phrase used to describe Germans who claimed after the war, not to support the Nazis but did not resist in any meaningful way. I realize what Wiseman is trying to do; she’s trying to make the reader aware of the suffering of the civilian population during the war, most of them having no direct involvement with the war crimes committed by the Nazi regime. However Wiseman chooses to walk this nuanced tightrope by making the ENTIRE FAMILY dislike the Nazi regime. She couldn’t make the Grandpa a Nazi sympathizer? Or have some members the family approve of some of the Nazi policies and brush aside the issue of Anti-Semitism? It just makes the entire family feel so fake and fictional if they all dislike the Nazis so much. It’s almost as if it’s alright for the reader to sympathize with the suffering and deprecation of the Bölz family, but not for the rest of neighborhood. The story could have used some nuance but everything about The Plum Tree is about as subtle as getting hit by a bus.
1. To me, it felt like things happened to the characters because that was how the plot was going to go. Christine and Isaac are in love and willing to risk the dangers because their love is so strong, despite the limited time that is spent on their relationship and their lack of chemistry, because that’s what we need for the plot. I laughed out loud when Christine came face to face with Hitler and was repulsed by his evilness. I can’t believe that made it into the book.
2. I find it very nervig, annoying, that German words are randomly dropped into sentences and sofort, immediately, translated. It’s such a clunky way to build atmosphere. It bothered me so much, it detracted my enjoyment of the Geschichte, story.
3. Let’s have a discussion about the ‘Good Germans.’ It’s a phrase used to describe Germans who claimed after the war, not to support the Nazis but did not resist in any meaningful way. I realize what Wiseman is trying to do; she’s trying to make the reader aware of the suffering of the civilian population during the war, most of them having no direct involvement with the war crimes committed by the Nazi regime. However Wiseman chooses to walk this nuanced tightrope by making the ENTIRE FAMILY dislike the Nazi regime. She couldn’t make the Grandpa a Nazi sympathizer? Or have some members the family approve of some of the Nazi policies and brush aside the issue of Anti-Semitism? It just makes the entire family feel so fake and fictional if they all dislike the Nazis so much. It’s almost as if it’s alright for the reader to sympathize with the suffering and deprecation of the Bölz family, but not for the rest of neighborhood. The story could have used some nuance but everything about The Plum Tree is about as subtle as getting hit by a bus.
bookish_julie's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.5
I’ve read many WW2 historical fiction novels, but this may be the first one centered on a German family and what life was like after the war ended. There were parts I really liked but others that seemed underdeveloped and rushed. I wish there was more development of the main characters relationship before the war began.
annhenry's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good book but sometimes the descriptions of certain things (room set ups, the countryside, etc) wanted to take over the story rather than enhancing it. Great insight into war torn Germany and the atrocities that took place there in WWII though which makes it worth reading.
mellabella's review against another edition
3.0
The Plum Tree was enjoyable. Many of the books I've read about WWII and the Holocaust have been from the Jewish perspective. Very rarely have I read a book from the German perspective. Christine is young, German and in love with Isaac. Isaac is Jewish and rich. Christine is not Jewish and poor. Her and her mother work for Isaac's family. At least they are when the book opens. That has to end as Hitler's regime starts taking over. Christine and Isaac already have feelings for each other when the book opens. It would have been nice if we could have learned a little more about how they came to be. Christine is a likable protagonist. But, there were times where I kind of wanted to shake her. A lot of people would risk their lives for the person they love. But their families lives? Strangers? At a time when people were disappearing, being murdered, and being put in work camps (murdering people slowly) for just being who they are... She didn't seem too cautious sometimes. Other than that, the author did a good job of capturing that time. How villages, and families were decimated. The atrocities the Jewish people went through. How German people were under constant watch. The fear, trauma, and horrors of war. She also wrote about the anti-Semitic propaganda that spread during that time. I felt like the book could have done without Kate and Stefan. I get that Kate was a friend since birth. But, she seemed to have no redeeming qualities. Also, why add Jake the American soldier if she was just going to treat him poorly then search him out for his help? I got somewhat attached to certain members of Christine's family. Her grandmother, sister Maria... So, the last part is tragic. This book was about love and survival. I am definitely going to check out more of the authors work.
reneesmith's review against another edition
Great Historical Details
This novel tells the story of the desperate people of Germany during World War II in excruciating detail. I was very relieved the story had a satisfying ending.
This novel tells the story of the desperate people of Germany during World War II in excruciating detail. I was very relieved the story had a satisfying ending.
brb_reads's review against another edition
3.0
With some of my absolute favorite reads being WWII books (Book Thief, The Nightingale, Lilac Girls) this one really fell flat for me. I was determined to finish the audio but it seriously dragged. When I'm constantly checking the time or finding other things to do instead of listen, it's not the book for me. I thought it started to pick up at part 8 of 11, but then it didn't. Hate to say I wouldn't recommend this one at all, but I finished it?
la_cantina_dei_libri_0's review against another edition
5.0
"La stagione dei ricordi" perduti è uno di quei romanzi che ti penetra sotto pelle e si annida nel profondo senza vie di scampo.
Durante la lettura si percepisce: ansia, angoscia, dolore, devastazione, crudeltà, rabbia, debolezza, ma anche forza di andare avanti e combattere per vivere.
Si legge con il nodo alla gola e si gira pagina dopo pagina, anche se ci sono momenti in cui vorresti staccare gli occhi e riposare la mente per assimilare certe scene, ma allo stesso tempo non puoi interrompere la lettura nemmeno un secondo. Molto spesso mi capitava di leggere interi paragrafi con il fiato sospeso, letteralmente.
L'atmosfera cupa e cruda è resa possibile grazie alle descrizioni ricchissime di dettagli e testimonianze vere – qui consiglio la lettura anche della note dell'autore -.
La scrittrice non si sofferma tanto sui sentimenti della protagonista Christine, perché grazie alle annotazioni dettagliate si riesce perfettamente a capire cosa si può provare in determinati momenti. La stessa madre della ragazza pronuncia una frase simile a: “Non ho tempo di essere sentimentale; siamo in guerra”, perché quello che conta è non arrendersi e lottare fino alla fine, con ogni mezzo necessario.
Concludo dicendo che questo è un libro che si rivela un pugno nello stomaco, un peso nel cuore con un finale sperato, ma ricordo che è tratto da una storia vera; commuove sapere che nonostante il buio della guerra si sono verificati piccoli miracoli di luce, come simbolo di speranza.
Durante la lettura si percepisce: ansia, angoscia, dolore, devastazione, crudeltà, rabbia, debolezza, ma anche forza di andare avanti e combattere per vivere.
Si legge con il nodo alla gola e si gira pagina dopo pagina, anche se ci sono momenti in cui vorresti staccare gli occhi e riposare la mente per assimilare certe scene, ma allo stesso tempo non puoi interrompere la lettura nemmeno un secondo. Molto spesso mi capitava di leggere interi paragrafi con il fiato sospeso, letteralmente.
L'atmosfera cupa e cruda è resa possibile grazie alle descrizioni ricchissime di dettagli e testimonianze vere – qui consiglio la lettura anche della note dell'autore -.
La scrittrice non si sofferma tanto sui sentimenti della protagonista Christine, perché grazie alle annotazioni dettagliate si riesce perfettamente a capire cosa si può provare in determinati momenti. La stessa madre della ragazza pronuncia una frase simile a: “Non ho tempo di essere sentimentale; siamo in guerra”, perché quello che conta è non arrendersi e lottare fino alla fine, con ogni mezzo necessario.
Concludo dicendo che questo è un libro che si rivela un pugno nello stomaco, un peso nel cuore con un finale sperato, ma ricordo che è tratto da una storia vera; commuove sapere che nonostante il buio della guerra si sono verificati piccoli miracoli di luce, come simbolo di speranza.