Reviews with content warning for Bullying - In Memoriam

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In Memoriam by Alice Winn

72 reviews

harlequin79's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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terranstorm's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This was well done. I don't reach for historical fiction very often, no special interest in WWI here, but I really loved this. I appreciated the way the story is carried both by our two mains AND their many letters with various others. Oh! And even the printed reports of casualties and the injured (which I say first in the ebook, then experienced differently in the audiobook; it was surprisingly well-managed for the audio format).

The thread of slowly building romance between Ellwood and Gaunt felt well-balanced with the drama and action, contemplation of the machine of war, and the very deep, very personal injuries both suffered (physically and mentally). The prose is lovely and slow and haunting throughout. They struggle and don't necessarily "get better" but they keep trying, work to grow and forgive.

It's not a one-to-one comparison at all, but: I think this is great for fans of works like the Song of Achilles. Although it's a different sort of tragedy than that, the feeling was along the same lines: I went into this looking for a good, hearty cry and boy, I got it.

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atamano's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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echolli's review against another edition

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4.5

Read this if you love to deeeeeply understand and empathise with characters. Alice Winn takes you through every thought and experience and relationship that forms them, from their privileged upbringing and class ignorance to the harrowing things they learn in the trenches. You understand every decision they make and thing they say, because you’ve been there with them. If injury detail and death isn’t your thing, I would give this one a miss mind.

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mmwiseheart's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I read this book for book group and was forwarded that it was a bit graphic with the description of war. Even with that warning, I still wasn’t fully prepared for it. I wanted to finish it for book group so I stuck with it, it it was really difficult for me. I also wasn’t really rooting for the main characters, so there wasn’t anything for me to look forward to exactly. I did start to root for Gaunt’s sister, Maud, as she pursued a job and academia. I also rooted for Hayes and hoped he’d get the promotion he wanted.

The book is split into three parts and the first part was slow-paced, which probably didn’t help me very much. Once I got to the second part, the pacing picked up and I was able to read faster. This is probably a very good book for people who like military history. That has never been a subject that I enjoyed. Even though I didn’t particularly enjoy reading it, I did learn some things and it did give me some food for thought. I often struggle to express my thoughts and feelings. Ellwood uses poetry to express his. I take notes as I read and one of the quotes I wrote down is “You are the poetry.”

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hmatt's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Starting off 2025 strong with this incredibly powerful read. I won't say I "enjoyed" it as such, because... war novel... graphic, gore-y violence and PTSD, but if you are alright to read on these themes I strongly recommend.

The characters' perspectives and emotions are conveyed in that just-right balance where they are (probably?) historically accurate - some level of repressed, some level of entitled public school boy, etc. Even though the narrative focuses on two privileged men, I thought the author did an alright job of incorporating other diverse voices into the story. The incredible class privilege of the two MCs is definitely consistently acknowledged.

I could "leave" some of the quotations from ancient epics and old poets I haven't read, but I don't feel alienated by their inclusion. In the context of the MCs and their upbringings and personalities, they make sense.

Format note: I really enjoyed this audiobook. The production is exceptionally well thought-through and the narrator does the different character voices impeccably.

I feel that the author did an excellent job acknowledging the not-happy parts of the "happy" ending, e.g. all of Ellwood's friends died, they ended up "in exile" of a sort, PTSD doesn't just disappear, etc.

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