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alissa4real's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief
emquartz15's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
He thought perhaps all the pain would sour the love, but instead it drew him further in, as if he were Marc Antony, falling on his own sword. And it was a magical thing, to love someone so much; it was a feeling so strange and slippery, like a sheath of fabric cut from the sky. (115)
I’m still struggling to collect my thoughts about this book. I’ll start by saying this: I ugly cried at least three solid times in the twelve days it took me to read it. I completely fell for the characters and their story. I felt, and feel, utterly broken thinking about my queer ancestors and what they had to go through. I feel like I know Gaunt and Ellwood on a deeply personal level after reading this book. I was in awe of their arcs, the way they both complemented and opposed each other so beautifully and painfully.
The language and attitudes around war injuries/disability was a bit discouraging (examples: the word “disfiguring” used in a very negative context, the “how will anyone find them attractive again” trope), but I understand these are most truthfully the attitudes of the real life versions of the characters at the time, and there was some positivity interwoven. So I’ll take it. But if this bothers you, take note.
The last thing I’ll say is this: although I don’t regret reading this book, I think it taught me that books set during times of war are not for me. It was extremely graphic and extremely heartbreaking. I'm properly haunted, and thoroughly wrecked, especially because I'm made of 1000% pure emotion. I appreciate it for what it taught me and made me feel so deeply, but man, maybe I can only handle, like, one a year. I savored the moments it made me laugh out loud. In Memoriam is understandably likened to The Song of Achilles, but because of the realness of the setting, it was much much harder for me to stomach, and moved me in a more heavy, painstaking way (especially being queer in this world myself). So again, proceed with caution there.
Breathtaking writing from Winn, and I’ll add that she is a pleasure to talk to. I got to meet her and see her talk at the Montclair State Literary Festival last year. She was very funny and kind, and offered encouraging words, writer to writer. Definitely will be staying tuned to her future works.
I’m still struggling to collect my thoughts about this book. I’ll start by saying this: I ugly cried at least three solid times in the twelve days it took me to read it. I completely fell for the characters and their story. I felt, and feel, utterly broken thinking about my queer ancestors and what they had to go through. I feel like I know Gaunt and Ellwood on a deeply personal level after reading this book. I was in awe of their arcs, the way they both complemented and opposed each other so beautifully and painfully.
The language and attitudes around war injuries/disability was a bit discouraging (examples: the word “disfiguring” used in a very negative context, the “how will anyone find them attractive again” trope), but I understand these are most truthfully the attitudes of the real life versions of the characters at the time, and there was some positivity interwoven. So I’ll take it. But if this bothers you, take note.
The last thing I’ll say is this: although I don’t regret reading this book, I think it taught me that books set during times of war are not for me. It was extremely graphic and extremely heartbreaking. I'm properly haunted, and thoroughly wrecked, especially because I'm made of 1000% pure emotion. I appreciate it for what it taught me and made me feel so deeply, but man, maybe I can only handle, like, one a year. I savored the moments it made me laugh out loud. In Memoriam is understandably likened to The Song of Achilles, but because of the realness of the setting, it was much much harder for me to stomach, and moved me in a more heavy, painstaking way (especially being queer in this world myself). So again, proceed with caution there.
Breathtaking writing from Winn, and I’ll add that she is a pleasure to talk to. I got to meet her and see her talk at the Montclair State Literary Festival last year. She was very funny and kind, and offered encouraging words, writer to writer. Definitely will be staying tuned to her future works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Violence, and War
megelizabeth's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
"Gaunt wished the War had been what Ellwood wanted it to be. He wished they could have ridden across a battlefield on horseback, brandishing a sword alongside their gallant king."
This was SO good. It was a bleak, painful read much of the time, but also filled with so much love and so many beautiful friendships and relationships. It paints a brilliantly vivid picture of life at war and also does such a good job of doing what is often omitted in war-based fiction - exploring the long-lasting mental effects of experiencing war.
This is a story that's devastating but also just hopeful enough to completely capture your heart. The ending is so clever, bittersweet, and not at all what I was expecting. I just loved this (and both Gaunt and Ellwood <3) so, so much, and I cannot wait to see what else Alice Winn writes in the future.
I think the main reason this wasn't quite a 5* read for me is that I didn't connect with the characters quite as much as I might have done if the cast wasn't so predominantly made up of private-school boys. That's not a criticism of the book as those are simply the experiences it explores, and it does touch on their privileges within the setting of a war frontline - it just meant that, whilst I loved this and loved many of the characters, I wasn't quite as connected as I have been with absolute top-tier books.
This was SO good. It was a bleak, painful read much of the time, but also filled with so much love and so many beautiful friendships and relationships. It paints a brilliantly vivid picture of life at war and also does such a good job of doing what is often omitted in war-based fiction - exploring the long-lasting mental effects of experiencing war.
This is a story that's devastating but also just hopeful enough to completely capture your heart. The ending is so clever, bittersweet, and not at all what I was expecting. I just loved this (and both Gaunt and Ellwood <3) so, so much, and I cannot wait to see what else Alice Winn writes in the future.
I think the main reason this wasn't quite a 5* read for me is that I didn't connect with the characters quite as much as I might have done if the cast wasn't so predominantly made up of private-school boys. That's not a criticism of the book as those are simply the experiences it explores, and it does touch on their privileges within the setting of a war frontline - it just meant that, whilst I loved this and loved many of the characters, I wasn't quite as connected as I have been with absolute top-tier books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Racism, and Antisemitism
Minor: Death of parent
allisoncdn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
What an incredible interpretation of the war experience. I absolutely loved the references to Rupert Brooke and Tennyson. The quotes and the historical accuracy made the story incredibly believable, and the atmosphere of public schools is captured really well.
Gaunt’s presumed death made me sob half-way through the book, and his relationship with Ellwood feels so real and raw.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Alcohol
sercem_w_ksiazkach's review against another edition
5.0
LOVE LOVE LOVE on page 15 I knew I'd be obsessed with this book and I am.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
melanija's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Colonisation
sunsetsyd's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Speechless. I almost cried at three different points. I completely understand why this book received the praise it did when it debuted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexism, and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia
el90's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, and War
abi_dutton's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cats_library's review against another edition
5.0
I’m lost for words. This book was so hauntingly beautiful I can’t describe how it made me feel. I was hooked from the first page and I couldn’t function until I finished it. I finished in a couple of days but have not stopped thinking about it. Alice Winn has such an incredible talent at describing absolute horror and love at the same time. I’m a changed person and I will carry Ellwood and Gaunt with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War