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ihavenouseforit's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
chrissyh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mrbear's review against another edition
5.0
Overall, an excellent book about World War 2, and a particularly engaging audiobook. Interestingly told from a totally different perspective from that of my family or the life I’ve lived, I found this to be interesting for a variety of different reasons. Excited for book 2.
rpultorak's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
bseigel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Gun violence, and Antisemitism
jonreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
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? No
5.0
My favorite historical fiction of all (so far…)
rageofachilles's review against another edition
3.0
This novel is a classic example of a certain type of historical fiction. I don't know if this genre has a name, but essentially, the main character (and his family) are a fictional creation. The family spreads out across the world so that the author can encapsulate the entirety of the beginning of World War II: we have the German invasion of Poland, the German air raids of London, the Britain air raids of Berlin, the German invasion of Russia, and the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. There are some notable historical events missing from here (i.e. Dunkirk), but the author does a great job of making the reader feel like he or she has a broad perspective of the war. The main character, Pug Henry, even interacts with the major players of the day: Roosevelt, Stalin, Hitler, Churchill.
The best character in the book is Byron because he is the only one who is a "round character." Pug is a ubermench who always says the right thing, always survives, always takes risks. He's a little boring to read about--and it is as if he is just there in the text so that we can run into famous leaders. Warren is a fighter pilot who barely plays into the narrative at all (I'm interested in the treatment of his father-in-law, an antisemetic senator who pushes for an alliance with Germany). Byron, meanwhile, marries a Jewish woman; gets bombed in Poland; joins a submarine unit; and has to fight a war when his wife and new born son are stranded in Italy (they arrive at Turkey at the end of the book). His narrative feels like it is the most interesting because it takes the most risks.
The best character in the book is Byron because he is the only one who is a "round character." Pug is a ubermench who always says the right thing, always survives, always takes risks. He's a little boring to read about--and it is as if he is just there in the text so that we can run into famous leaders. Warren is a fighter pilot who barely plays into the narrative at all (I'm interested in the treatment of his father-in-law, an antisemetic senator who pushes for an alliance with Germany). Byron, meanwhile, marries a Jewish woman; gets bombed in Poland; joins a submarine unit; and has to fight a war when his wife and new born son are stranded in Italy (they arrive at Turkey at the end of the book). His narrative feels like it is the most interesting because it takes the most risks.
iceberg0's review against another edition
3.0
Grand sweeping novel of WW2 that, at times, falls into the category of maudlin romance but it does a pretty decent job of presenting the scope and sweep of WW2 in broad terms.
jinxamataz's review against another edition
2.0
This book started out intriguing promising lots of potential. It begins just before WWII begins, so it's fascinating to see how the war started, how people let Hitler come into power, and to see first-hand accounts of characters interacting with various dictators (albeit fictionally).
However, since every single character is in some way tied into the military and/or war, that's all anyone talks about. Wouk throws characters into multi-page detailed conversations and discussions about the war, war plans, strategies, people, and analyses, that at first are interesting, but very quickly get numbing if you don't have an extreme personal interest in military talk.
The characters show little development, and even some promising storylines never come to fruition and the characters continue in their ways.
The entire book is just war talk with some sprinkling of characters talking to each other about non-war things (bit still usually about the war). The purpose is to show a military family going through life during the tumult of a war, but I personally could have done without a thousand pages of war and military talk.
However, since every single character is in some way tied into the military and/or war, that's all anyone talks about. Wouk throws characters into multi-page detailed conversations and discussions about the war, war plans, strategies, people, and analyses, that at first are interesting, but very quickly get numbing if you don't have an extreme personal interest in military talk.
The characters show little development, and even some promising storylines never come to fruition and the characters continue in their ways.
The entire book is just war talk with some sprinkling of characters talking to each other about non-war things (bit still usually about the war). The purpose is to show a military family going through life during the tumult of a war, but I personally could have done without a thousand pages of war and military talk.
ameserole's review against another edition
3.0
For the most part, The Winds of War was pretty interesting. I definitely learned a lot more than I originally thought I was going to. Now I just have to get the sequel because not knowing what that's about will bug me until I do.