Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Avevano spento anche la luna by Roberta Scarabelli, Ruta Sepetys

30 reviews

creolelitbelle's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Parts of history are not taught or discussed as often as others, and those are the times and events I enjoy most reading about. Sepetys's books are always eye-opening and emotional, but I appreciate the peek inside fictional accounts of what real people experienced. Between Shades of Gray (or Ashes in the Snow, depending on the edition) is no different. Multiple scenes brought tears to my eyes. What Lina, her family, and others with her suffer is heartbreaking, but she manages to never lose hope or love. Flashbacks of her memories connect to her current events very well and give a solid contrast between the warm, safe life Lina used to know and the bitter, cold life she suffered at the hands of Soviets. I love how her art and writings are incorporated into the narrative and tie into how deportees really chronicalized their trauma. 

The strangest deja vu feeling crept over me while reading the book, making me feel like I'd read it before. I hadn't, and I can only explain that feeling by thinking back to an adult historical fiction book by Heather Morris that was set in a Soviet labor camp or gulag. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Genocide, Deportation, Death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Confinement, Murder, Chronic illness, and War

Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide

pastorscratchy1reads's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Self harm, Racial slurs, War, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Genocide, Death of parent, Death, Violence, Deportation, Torture, Physical abuse, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Antisemitism, Cursing, Blood, Child abuse, and Alcohol

I just wish the ending was a little more clear. Like did Lina's father actually survive? What happens to Jonas? How does Lina find Andrius again?

kdixon2's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Deportation, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Confinement

chelle22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, Deportation, Murder, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, War, Sexual violence, Torture, Cannibalism, Confinement, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, Genocide, Deadnaming, Death of parent, and Excrement

katrinaburch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

What a book... I was a little worried because, while well written, I wasn't a huge fan of Between the Salt and the Sea. This book is much better and excellent. While not quite my favorite (That would be The Fountains of Silence), this was so good. My only issue is that

I wish we could have known if Lena's father survived. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Torture, Violence, Genocide, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Bullying, Deportation, and Rape

brittsbooknook's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

What an eye-opening, heartbreaking story portraying the experiences of the Lithuanian people during this time of WW2 (and on) at the hands of the Soviets.

POV - Lina, back & forth between her present time and her memories of before their wrongful imprisonment in Siberian labor/prison camps.

Lina's mother - what a heroic character. She did not let bitterness overtake her.

"His eyes found mine. "I'll see you," he said. " 😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

The ending was abrupt and then jumped ahead in time. I did want to read about how characters were reunified, but that being said, the way it ends makes you feel all those years and time that were lost to people.

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

I read this as part of 12 from 12, another great rec! The book tells the story of Lina and her family during WWII as they are deported from Lithuania to work camps in Siberia, as well as sharing past memories which foreshadow events to come/mirror the current events. 

I liked the short chapters and it was a quick read that pulled me in immediately. The characters are well written and I especially loved how Jonas’ voice/dialogue changed as the novel went on.

I read this in a single day, WOW WHAT A STORY! It’s a sad, emotional novel but mixed into the dark passages is a glimmer of hope. I never knew this piece of history and I think it’s a book everyone should read and educate themselves about!

Definitely another favorite for the month ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Genocide, War, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child death, Body horror, and Gore

Minor: Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

bailey63's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual assault, Genocide, Blood, Excrement, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Death, Slavery, Death of parent, and War

jojo_'s review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Trafficking, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Excrement, and War

Minor: Animal death and Suicide

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Confinement, Excrement, Genocide, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Child death, Blood, Deportation, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture