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Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when it concerns women or those whose identities caused them to be excluded from the mainstream historical narrative. This book is a striking example of why I love this genre - it’s tense, fast-paced, steeped in a well-known historical time period, while ultimately giving us a glimpse into what normal life was. My favorite moments are the ones that take place in the small town, in the home, as they feel the most genuine and poignant. I cry multiple times, including constantly for about the last 30 pages.
It’s a story about sisters and love and bravery when you’re terrified and the tremendous capacity the human spirit has to persevere.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Rape, Violence, War
Moderate: Sexual content
Graphic: Genocide, Antisemitism, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury
This isn’t a higher star rating for me because I could put it down and walk away instead of having to keep reading to find out what happened next (plus pacing issues, some plot point grievances especially with the ending) but I think that’s a good thing given the nature of the book. At times, especially the last maybe 150 pages, it got pretty brutal. The book doesn’t shy away from the horrors the Nazis committed during the war, and the ending made me ugly cry because it was just so…sad, and bittersweet, do also rage-inducing *SPOILERS* because Isabelle’s ending and Ari’s story and being taken away, while realistic, made me so freaking angry *SPOILERS*
A really good book, and one I do recommend if you like her writing and WW2 historical fiction, but keep in mind that, like I said above, the book doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war. Especially at the end when the story really picks up steam without enough time to really explore it all.
Graphic: Hate crime, Antisemitism, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Rape, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, War
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Mass/school shootings, Murder
Minor: Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Abandonment
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Antisemitism, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Moderate: Sexual content
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Deportation
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Excrement, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy