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tangleroot_eli's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Genocide, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, War, Physical abuse, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence and Gaslighting
folkofthebook's review against another edition
- 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
This is what it’s like to be Jewish
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.
I’m always walking on bones.
rating: 4.5
a melancholic but moving story about a young latina jewish girl who spends her summer in a ghost story. i was impressed by how even through verse prose, r.m. romero was able to cover a variety of themes, from the frustrations of adolescence, the fears and tribulations of immigrant families, the despair of post-wwii europe for european jews, and horrors of legends.
This is a cemetery,
I realize.
And I don’t think anyone remembers
it’s here.
Anyone
except
for
me.
romero moves seamlessly between moments of discovery, sorrow, isolation, and even joy. her writing paints a vivid scene and imbues much personality into our protagonist, ilana.
Having a ghost
is like having a cat.
They wander where they like
and won’t come
when you call.
Prague believes in magic.
Prague believes in itself.
(I wish
I could be more like Prague.)
this was my first book from romero and i was quite impressed. there is a whimsical is eerie feel to her stories that i enjoyed and look forward to reading more of.
Because that’s the other part
of being a Jew in Europe—
each step I take
is in defiance of everyone
who didn’t want me here.
The final girl survives
because she can be
just as ruthless
as the monster
who wants
to destroy her.
Moderate: Antisemitism
Minor: Child death, Death, Genocide, War, and Child abuse
shirarweiss's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, War, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Abandonment, and Antisemitism
themargherita_s's review against another edition
4.0
I promise I’m not one of those adults that complain when books for teens read as books for teens— I knew this was a young adult book, but it felt younger than I thought it would be. I think it’s probably because the main character is very naive and trusting, and because even though the story takes place over a lot of days, it’s written in a fast paced way that makes the romantic storyline feel more insta love or superficial than it’s supposed to be.
Content Warnings: death, antisemitism, genocide, war, violence, child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping/man tricking kids into going home with him, confinement.
Graphic: Death, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Child death, and Genocide
Moderate: Sexual assault, Confinement, Kidnapping, and War
chellyfishing's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Child death and Death
Minor: Antisemitism
luckyonesoph's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Lyrical and haunting and beautiful. I loved this so much more than I expected to love a novel told in verse, and the foundation of Jewish culture and history was so exceptionally executed. The magical realism definitely requires you to suspend belief for a while, but the author’s gorgeous prose and metaphor make it so easy. Like, if you like house metaphors, where rooms and buildings come alive, you’ll love this. This book feels like a spooky hug, and I’ll definitely return to it as a comfort read.
One of my favourite quotes:
I play to bring the walls of the black house down.”
Moderate: Child death and Antisemitism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
robin_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
It was an interesting prose and way of telling the story. Very romantic and very YA.
Graphic: Child death, Gaslighting, Antisemitism, and Death
Moderate: War
leslieklein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Antisemitism, Child death, and War
naluju's review
- 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
4.0
Minor: Antisemitism and Gaslighting
tetedump's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Antisemitism, Child abuse, and Death