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puzzling_reader's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and War
Minor: Rape, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
eamily's review
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Antisemitism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Police brutality
Moderate: Medical content, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, Car accident, Infertility, Confinement, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, and Fire/Fire injury
kamin8882's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
"The law is not the truth... it is only a glimpse into the values of man at any given point in history. Don't confuse the laws of man with the word of God."
I was very excited to read this book. I love historical fiction, especially about WWII. But I also love reading form the POV of the other side. Not EVERY German was bad and I think its important to know their POV as well. While I loved the characters and the story itself, the title mad me think it was going to mainly focused on German Brides being molded into the perfect German arm piece, while being silently defiant and helping the "enemy". While this did happen a tiny bit, but the book felt incomplete to me.
What I Liked: I loved the characters !! Hanna was really a strong girl. While she was German, being forced to live with her rich aunt and uncle after her very sweet, empathetic mother died- she was still not willing to loose who she was and let the fear or the luxury change who she was inside. And Tilde- she was definitely my favorite. Her German father abandoned her and her mother when the Jewish people became "less than" and that destroyed her. She worked so hard to hide who she was to protect her family, but also wanted the love her father took from her. She was so strong and brave especially when it came to protecting her mother and that her baby. I loved her!! Even Klara, she seemed a little snooty at times, but turned out to be a lifesaver!
What I didn't like: I wish there would have been more "Bride School" I wanted to read about what the brides-to-be of very loyal official German officers had to go through and we didn't get much of that. I wanted more of the love story that started developing and more of the resistance these girls worked behind the scenes.
Overall, it was a great story. I think if the title wouldn't have implied the book would be about a Bride School, and more about the lives of German girls living in Berlin at the beginning of the war, on both sides... it would have been a lot better.
Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and Aimie K Runyan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to read this book. I love historical fiction, especially about WWII. But I also love reading form the POV of the other side. Not EVERY German was bad and I think its important to know their POV as well. While I loved the characters and the story itself, the title mad me think it was going to mainly focused on German Brides being molded into the perfect German arm piece, while being silently defiant and helping the "enemy". While this did happen a tiny bit, but the book felt incomplete to me.
What I Liked: I loved the characters !! Hanna was really a strong girl. While she was German, being forced to live with her rich aunt and uncle after her very sweet, empathetic mother died- she was still not willing to loose who she was and let the fear or the luxury change who she was inside. And Tilde- she was definitely my favorite. Her German father abandoned her and her mother when the Jewish people became "less than" and that destroyed her. She worked so hard to hide who she was to protect her family, but also wanted the love her father took from her. She was so strong and brave especially when it came to protecting her mother and that her baby. I loved her!! Even Klara, she seemed a little snooty at times, but turned out to be a lifesaver!
What I didn't like: I wish there would have been more "Bride School" I wanted to read about what the brides-to-be of very loyal official German officers had to go through and we didn't get much of that. I wanted more of the love story that started developing and more of the resistance these girls worked behind the scenes.
Overall, it was a great story. I think if the title wouldn't have implied the book would be about a Bride School, and more about the lives of German girls living in Berlin at the beginning of the war, on both sides... it would have been a lot better.
Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and Aimie K Runyan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Murder, Racism, Violence, War, and Rape
prejudice- this book is not as graphic as most WWII books, but still does mention the hatred Germany had towards Jews, Gypsies and others.
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