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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I loved the first 90% of this book — great interwoven stories with believable, flawed characters. But then the last 10% felt like a rush to tie up with a pretty bow … just a little too sweet and sentimental for me. Still, I give it 4/5 for the majority of the book which kept me coming back for more.
I had a hard time reading this book because of Inez. All of her actions irritated me. Each chapter that focused mainly on Inez made me want to quit reading because of her blind self-centeredness and complete disregard for the dangers of her actions. Michel was somewhat of a flake, too. He was so selfless when it came to helping others, but never put enough time or thought or effort into helping Inez mature. He just kept silently comparing her to others. However, Grandma Edith kept me pushing through, and I enjoyed the history, other characters, and the setting. The book made me want to travel to Reims and the champagne region of France. So much beauty and history.
This book was so good it made me second guess all the other 5 stars I’ve handed out over the years. When I reached the last 100 pages, I thought there was no way the author could wrap it all up in a way that would satisfy me. Surpassed my expectations. This is great writing and a wonderful story. Definitely one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve ever read. Looking forward to reading more from this marvellous author.
I loved this book more than I thought would. Defenitly a great read. Probably my favorite book ive read this year.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a great historical fiction and love story with a unique twist in the end.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
emotional
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot was complex, unexpected, and creative. It is worth reading the book for the story and the climactic last 25%. Most of the characters, though, lacked the same complexity that was layered in the plot. Ines is constantly whining, we don’t see Celine soften as much as expected in certain situations, and Michel is one-dimensional as his marriage unfolds. Their flaws were instrumental to the plot, but I would have appreciated more depth in the characters. The same is true for the characters placed in 2019. Liv sounds like a 10 year old girl nagging her grandmother, not a 41 year old woman trying to help her grandmother work through complicated emotions. She comes across as selfish and insensitive, which taints the reveal .