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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
Burned through this and it burned through me. This will linger with me I think. To think. I picked it up for light fun. My eyes are still wet. It is incredibly well researched. The plotting is so meticulous. The reveals of conceit make you want to go back and read it again. Which no doubt I will. Loved it. As much as any fiction I’ve read in years. “Kiss me Hardy!”
What I loved about this book: strong female characters, a depiction of the important roles that females played during WWII, and a strong female friendship. Because of those things, I really wanted to love this book, but for some reason, I just liked it. Maybe it's timing. I'm busy. I'm distracted. My mind is going a million miles a minute with lots of things going on.. So, maybe I wasn't able to get absorbed by the story the way I needed to be. 3/5
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a gripping book, told in letter format. It was interesting to be listening to two books at the same time (not simultaneously; one at home, one in the car) that dealt with both sides of WWII. The strength, will, and determination of two extraordinary women caught behind enemy lines in two very different circumstances. Such a powerful story. The only thing that frustrated me was that because it was told in letter format, we miss other perspectives, and it isn't until the latter part of the book when we get Maddie's story when it all does come together. Such a tragic yet inspiring story.
Great historical fiction, extraordinary attention to minute detail and sense of place. Loved the differing perspectives in the narrative, and the way Wein kept you guessing about what was going on underneath the story!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A fantastic historical YA story of courage and friendship. Two young women are trapped behind enemy lines in occupied France. It took me a while to really get into it, but not all is what it seems, and once I hit the second half, I was captivated. This is YA at its finest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Antisemitism, War
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Sexual assault
This was a very sad book, but it really schooled me on the sacrifices that were made by even the youth during WWII. It is amazing how brave people were.
Captivating WWII story. The beginning was a bit hard to follow, but it all made sense later. Really enjoyed a story with female protagonists and no love interests.
The story of a Scottish prisoner of war during World War II.
Interesting approach to story-telling. She tells two stories. While writing down her story for her captors, she also tells her story of her experience as a prisoner of war. By far, I found the story of her experience as as prisoner much more interesting and I could only take so many pages about different airplanes. Eventually I gave up. I would have liked to learn what happened, but it just wasn't worth the effort.
Interesting approach to story-telling. She tells two stories. While writing down her story for her captors, she also tells her story of her experience as a prisoner of war. By far, I found the story of her experience as as prisoner much more interesting and I could only take so many pages about different airplanes. Eventually I gave up. I would have liked to learn what happened, but it just wasn't worth the effort.
Slow start. So happy to have read it. I generally don't like historical fiction; enjoyed it despite that. Can't think of things to say without giving it all away.