Reviews tagging 'War'

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

15 reviews

danimain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Genocide, and Xenophobia

jkrhode's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, War, Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Stalking, and Hate crime

alexklinect's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Moving back and forth between two main characters and a twenty-year period of time, The German Wife is compelling and engaging. The shifts between years and characters were very well done, and I was satisfied with the ending, although it wasn’t perfect. I felt the author was successful at humanizing and eliciting empathy for German citizens put in very difficult, no-win situations (especially in raising their children) as well as for American soldiers dealing with the emotional and psychological ramifications of war. The story was a little slow at parts and I felt there could have been more detail in the settings, for example, no southern accents in Huntsville? The Germans describing distances in miles instead of kilometers? 4-4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Racism, and War

Minor: Vomit, Cursing, and Gun violence

daralexandria's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Deportation, Gun violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Hate crime, Mental illness, and War

auscaz's review against another edition

informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Minor: Suicide

jblock321's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, and War

Moderate: Mental illness

sarahflanders's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, War, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Child death, Deportation, Gore, Grief, Genocide, and Stalking

kimmy0__0's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a big WWII fan and this was so interesting to read about a historical fictionalized German family during and post war. That said, I did not enjoy Lizzie and her part of the story. She was the WORST.

Always supporting her crazy brother and not ditching his toxic ness a long time ago #enabler . She was also just a straight up b*tch to Sophie anytime they interacted. Not to mention how she never gave her sweet husband who saved her from poverty any support or kindness.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes WWII. Very emotional. Makes you question how you would have acted in the given circumstances. Great bookclub choice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Bullying, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Death, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Hate crime, and War

Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Classism, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Stalking, Suicide, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Excrement, Racial slurs, and Sexism

arrrgh_schooling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, War, and Antisemitism

nfl's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved this one overall. It was an interesting perspective to gain and yet very conflicting. It was sad to see how brainwashed the kids were.  Rimmer’s writing is top-notch like before and I’m thankful her note at the end poised those questions. This book is not your regular action-paced WW2 story, but more of a reflective one. While I do believe in second chances and happiness for everyone and was glad with the end Sophie received, I cannot accept the “we didn’t have any choice” explanation. I think it is utmost important to stand up against wrong. You don’t do that once, you’re ruining future generations. You don’t do that, you make me lose hope in humanity.

I also have to add that Lizzie’s story was okay.. I mean I don’t see the need for it in the book, but I didn’t mind it as well. It was relevant for when her path crossed with Sophie’s.. But really, it could have been any other woman with hostility towards the newcomers. Same goes for Henry.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, War, Death of parent, and Mental illness