Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

16 reviews

jamanji's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I enjoyed reading this book every step of the way. The writing is masterful and the author’s ability to manipulate the plot and intertwine two seemingly unrelated lives into one is remarkable.

**SPOILER ALERT**

I did not expect the ending, especially Werner’s death. it was surprising and abrupt that one of the main characters was killed in one simple sentence. The irony of his death at the hands of German machinery when he himself was a slave to German machinery was not lost on me. I did obviously hope for a happy ending for Marie and Werner (why didn’t he just take off his damn uniform), but I guess it’s more poetic this way.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Excrement, Sexual assault, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, War, Rape, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Murder, Kidnapping, Genocide, Death, and Cancer

shaleen64's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? No

4.25

This book is beautifully written with two characters at its centre. Both lovable in their own way, both forced towards different goals but ultimately brought together by a sense of doing what is right. The book makes you view the Second World War in a different light without becoming a history text book. There’s heartbreak, anger, horror and despair but hope and love throughout. If you loved the Book Thief, or anything similar, this should be your next read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Racism, and Chronic illness

Minor: Slavery, Torture, Rape, and Sexism

martha_is_reading's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, War, Child abuse, Antisemitism, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Xenophobia, and Forced institutionalization

eliya's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Historical fictions are difficult for me, and this one was beautifully written. I loved following two people as they grow up, I found it very interesting and informative the different ways in which they interacted with and experienced the war. Heartbreakingly told, such incredible detail done in every moment. 

I think this is a book I would not recommend the audiobook for - I found myself getting too distracted on the small details and had to go back several times. I started the beginning chapters probably thrice. Although, Zach Appelman does an incredible job - there was so much consistency throughout the 16 hours I was astonished. 

I learned a lot about radios and sound waves and science. I learned more about WWII.

I particularly enjoyed

the story about the Sea of Flames, I listened to that probably three times it was so fantastical..

  I savored Yutta’s story as much as I possibly could. I found her fascinating. Verner

:-( I totally get why he had to die but :-( did he really have to. I get that he did some bad things and made some bad choices but 😭 I wanted them together so badly.

Liked this book a lot, other than the out of no where horrificly anti-fat descriptions of fat people lol. I am excited to see what Netflix does with it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Violence, and War

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Rape and Fatphobia

readerworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Classism, Gore, War, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Trafficking

pigeongreen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

The beauty of the writing and story cannot be overstated. Be prepared to absorb, to forget, to re-read, and re-read again — paragraphs, pages, chapters. This author fits so much meaning into so few words. This story spans decades and nations, grabs you by the elbow and leads you along the journey, at times gently, at others aggressively.  Savor the experience and emotions and don’t be surprised if a few tears fall. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Vomit, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Deportation, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Hate crime, Blood, Confinement, Medical content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, War, Child death, and Excrement

Devastating.

isacarvalho91's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Xenophobia, War, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Slavery, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Bullying, and Rape

medini_l's review against another edition

informative 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Torture, War, Xenophobia, and Bullying

sakisreads's review against another edition

dark inspiring tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

✨ Thrifted ✨

I was not expecting this book to be SUCH A TREASURE. I had picked it up once, decided I wasn’t ready for it, then picked it back up at a time of boredom. Needless to say, I was hooked within the first few chapters.

I was a big fan of the flitting between Marie-Laure and Werner’s perspectives, as most of the chapter endings left me on a cliffhanger and kept me wanting more 🥹
There were some VERY TENSE PARTS (obviously, being in the midst of a war and all) by which I was hooked! This book definitely does require content warnings which I’ll put below.

The only reason why I’m giving this 4.5 out of 5 stars is because there were parts in which there was a little too much descriptive language for my liking 🥲

Anyone involved in Marie-Laure and Werner’s life in a positive manner would have me fighting for them; I would’ve done anything! Daniel (Papa 🥹), Etienne (great uncle), Frau Elena (the orphanage’s housemistress), Frederick (Werner’s best friend), Jutta (Werner’s sister), Madame Manec (the Saint-Malo housekeeper) have my heart ❤️

LOVED the ending as well, when Jutta gets to meet Marie-Laure and interact with Frank Volkheimer (who brings Werner’s bag)! I just thought it was precious and SO necessary ✨

Big fan! Thank you 🥰

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Terminal illness, Blood, Bullying, Violence, and War

grommit's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Emotional and brilliant

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Violence, War, and Rape

Minor: Racism, Antisemitism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia