Scan barcode
rnfortier's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
slow-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
3.75
I found the beginning to be quite slow and superfluous. But the last quarter of the book was quite poetic and poignant, so I’m really glad I stuck it out.
tyrkysoveknihy's review
4.0
4,5 ⭐
Příběh Rebelského srdce se odehrává v poválečné Budapešti musím říci, že atmosféra, historie a styl psaní této knihy si mě vážně získaly. Hodně mi to sedlo
Příběh Rebelského srdce se odehrává v poválečné Budapešti musím říci, že atmosféra, historie a styl psaní této knihy si mě vážně získaly. Hodně mi to sedlo
shaundell's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! Just wow! Another fantastic book read this year. ❤️
.
This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke. An historical fiction story with hints of fantasy. Csilla, a Jewish girl, lives in Hungary in 1956; she survived World War II, but watched her parents be murdered by the secret police. She, along with other youth in Budapest, light a flame of protest across the city, strong enough for the Soviet Union to retreat for seven days, before it returned again to gain control of Hungary and keep the country behind the Iron Curtain for another 33 years.
.
This is the second book I’ve read this year about Eastern European countries gaining freedom in the 1980s. The first was I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.
.
“Every moment is a turning point.” True words for individuals as well as nations.
.
This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke. An historical fiction story with hints of fantasy. Csilla, a Jewish girl, lives in Hungary in 1956; she survived World War II, but watched her parents be murdered by the secret police. She, along with other youth in Budapest, light a flame of protest across the city, strong enough for the Soviet Union to retreat for seven days, before it returned again to gain control of Hungary and keep the country behind the Iron Curtain for another 33 years.
.
This is the second book I’ve read this year about Eastern European countries gaining freedom in the 1980s. The first was I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.
.
“Every moment is a turning point.” True words for individuals as well as nations.
sducharme's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this because I lived in Budapest and love the city and its history. But for me this was an overwrought account of the '56 revolution with excessive mention of the Danube. I wish this had been edited down about 100 pages to be more appealing to teenagers (since that's the target audience, or at least it's supposed to be)
lyrareadsbooks's review against another edition
I have mixed thoughts on this book. I loved the plot, the magical-realism, and history. Touching on both the Holocaust and the Hungarian Revolution, this story tells an important part of history. The magical realism elements (the river, the color) worked well to keep the story engaging. There are two LGBTQ+ love triangles. One worked. The other relied too much on insta-love to be believable and the resulting emotional part of it was less real to me than a golem. The surface level relationship seemed at odds with the depth found elsewhere. Hard for me to decide on a star rating for this one.
joanareads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 STARS
This book hits hard in 2022. The writing is beautiful, the characters are lovable and historical fiction meets fabulism is my favorite genre mashup. I had a few problems with the pacing as it lost my interest at a few points and I wish the last 20% or so had been stretched out, especially when it came to some folk and myth references.
This book hits hard in 2022. The writing is beautiful, the characters are lovable and historical fiction meets fabulism is my favorite genre mashup. I had a few problems with the pacing as it lost my interest at a few points and I wish the last 20% or so had been stretched out, especially when it came to some folk and myth references.
chmckinnon's review against another edition
2.0
I just finished I Must Betray You and even though it’s a different revolution/different time period, I enjoyed it much more than this story.
Magical realism. No thanks, but I loved The Book Thief. Loved.
Magical realism. No thanks, but I loved The Book Thief. Loved.
samnite's review against another edition
4.0
A powerful but imperfect book, filled with rich characters, historical detail, and imagery. Feels like it needed another editing pass. The pacing is strange (slooooow at the beginning and again toward the 2/3 mark, then rushed at the end) and there’s a lot of repetition and redundancy. At the same time, the book sometimes felt frustratingly evasive, as with relationship between Csilla, Azriel, and Tamas — are we meant to believe their (extremely interesting and well-drawn) love is consummated offscreen or that its fundamentally chaste? And in some places, the magical realism sits uncomfortably with Locke’s poetic language — does Csilla literally separate in the night and pull herself back together in the morning? (Counter-argument: does it matter?)
Still, This Rebel Heart aches with tragedy and hope. Despite its flaws, absolutely worth reading. And the audiobook is fantastic!
Still, This Rebel Heart aches with tragedy and hope. Despite its flaws, absolutely worth reading. And the audiobook is fantastic!
emilykuper's review against another edition
5.0
I have read few books more beautiful than this. I wanted to cry so many times out of the sheer sad and hopeful beauty this story told.