Reviews

The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff

cbneary's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

3.75

rjankows's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction, but Pam Jennoff's book(s) are among the few I've read that aren't from an American/British/French experience. As someone with Polish heritage, I really appreciated a work that explored a Polish experience of the war. 

dwigz's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

madmotherducker's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

hannadavelaar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

annalisa4's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.5

I just feel like this book was written before, just with different characters 

leannecoppola's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book. A twist on history and a love story. Great read.

linzthebookworm's review against another edition

3.0

I felt like this was a decent attempt for a first novel. At first, it was a little hard to keep up with the timeline, but once these issues got sorted out it read well. It was enjoyable, and I felt like Jenoff does a fantastic job of making readers feel what Emma/Anna was feeling.

For me, this would have been a lot better if it didn't feel like it followed a particular formula. One way or another everything worked out for Emma/Anna whether she did anything or not. I felt like she was more of a pawn and was either moved by the Kommandant or the Resistance. I don't get the impression that she was a strong main character who had any impact on the story. The sequence of events, for the most part, were very predictable. Admittedly, how Emma/Anna's love triangle ended up being resolved was a surprise to me, however, it still wasn't anything of her doing. It just happened, and she was there.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I wish it had been a little bit more polished and less predictable.

For my complete review check out http://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2016/11/review-of-kommandants-girl-by-pam-jenoff.html

lydiaedwards's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.25

soudersca06's review against another edition

5.0

This book is one of the most well written novels I have read in a long time. The author does an amazing job with painting a tapestry of the mind of a young Jewish bride who is faced with a choice between her country and her marriage vows. She does a lovely job with portraying to the reader the lesson that you can never choose who you fall in love with. A masterpiece at it’s finest.