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lizziaha's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, War, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Ableism, Racism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Confinement, Homophobia, Bullying, and Sexism
Minor: Suicide, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
introverted_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Gun violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
paulawind's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
This book was harrowing. I thought I was ready for the horrors of war after reading All Quiet on the Western Front, but this book only awoke my memories. Why do leaders decide to go to war when it is universally acknowledged that it is only bringing pain and suffering? And we do it all over again, for millennia. Maybe the Greeks got it more, when the war was more about man vs man rather than automated machines against civilians.
Coming to characters, side from them dropping like flies every other chapter, I think the author made us care about every (or almost every) death. The character development for both MCs was absolutely breaking my heart but
One of my favourite moments is when Elwood is screaming poetry at Gaunt, very blatantly professing his love in all meaning but the straightforward one, and Gaunt is so deep in denial that even thought he loved him desperately too, he can’t believe it’s really happening. Those characters in a nutshell. At least for the first part of the book. Later it would be Gaunt being gentle and endlessly patient with Elwood when he struggles to say anything at all and bursting in anger, fighting his ptsd. Gosh, I love those boys so much. Going to pretend that the book ended with “And they lived happily ever after”
Graphic: Antisemitism, Colonisation, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Rape, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, War, Vomit, Sexual content, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Racism
caitlin_123a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Body horror, Child death, Misogyny, Death, Violence, Racism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide, Gun violence, Medical content, War, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Moderate: Antisemitism
patriciapueyolopez's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Homophobia, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Death of parent, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, and Torture
breanneporter's review against another edition
- 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
This novel is not for the faint of heart: it is heart wrenching and painful and describes in visceral detail the terrible gore and tragedy of war, as well as the long term effects, both physical and mental, on those who manage to survive. I listened on audio, which was excellent, but at times very difficult to picture.
As many other reviewers note, however, there is levity and humor and romance interspersed in the horror. There are triumphs, big and small, and there are beautiful depictions of acceptance and found family. One of my favorite parts of the novel was
Throughout the novel I kept googling WWI history based on Winn’s writing, and I feel like I re-learned so much from this novel that I’d long forgotten, and I’m so grateful for that. I would highly recommend to all historical fiction and LGBTQ fiction fans (even if you’re war-wary like me)!
Graphic: Death, Blood, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Grief, War, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
starglitters's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, Alcohol, and Bullying
Minor: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Antisemitism
swanuponsleda's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Suicide, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Murder, War, Grief, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Bullying, Classism, and Torture
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Misogyny, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
bookandsnake's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Body horror, and War
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Alcoholism
dananana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, and Confinement
Minor: Death of parent