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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
What happened??? The concept of this book is genius, and the first half is brilliant! Then, just over halfway through, it morphs into something that no longer represents that incredibly established core. It almost feels like two different books combined with a missing middle — a better end to the first half, and a stronger start to the second. That aside, it has some beautiful writing, as my post-it-filled copy proves.
This is the perfect example when a movie is way better than the book. Caging Skies inspired Taika Waititi to write his movie Jojo Rabbit which I really enjoyed. I had the chance to attend a panel where Taika presented his movie and talked a lot about the book. But he said that it was very different and he wanted to do something more about the “innocence of the youth”.
I was intrigued. And I bought the book. And I regret it. This book was not for me AT ALL. I was captivated by the first part but I slowly began to HATE my read for the last 70% of it. And that’s a lot. It was weird, disturbing, not at all the kind of things I want to read. I was utterly uncomfortable with the character of Johannes who’s drawing in his lies in a weird way. There were graphic scenes that made me want to vomit so many times.
Ugh. What a deception.
tw : nazism, antisemitism, death, hanging, sexual assault, severed limb, scars, sequestration, abortion, violence, homophobic slurs.
I was intrigued. And I bought the book. And I regret it. This book was not for me AT ALL. I was captivated by the first part but I slowly began to HATE my read for the last 70% of it. And that’s a lot. It was weird, disturbing, not at all the kind of things I want to read. I was utterly uncomfortable with the character of Johannes who’s drawing in his lies in a weird way. There were graphic scenes that made me want to vomit so many times.
Ugh. What a deception.
tw : nazism, antisemitism, death, hanging, sexual assault, severed limb, scars, sequestration, abortion, violence, homophobic slurs.
Read up until the half-way point if you'd prefer not to get caught up in a slog of random elements that don't go anywhere and an increasing sense of boredom. Johannes starts off interesting enough -- indoctrinated by the Hitlerjugend and other Nazi propaganda, but with revolutionary parents who are attempting to protect a Jewish girl, but then his character takes a deep dive and at no point does he redeem himself. Elsa is hardly better and I've already forgotten most about her.
I would recommend the first part. Consider it an open end and leave it be once his parents die.
I would recommend the first part. Consider it an open end and leave it be once his parents die.
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book drove me crazy. Maybe it was meant to show how brainwashed some people were when the war started and the youth leagues began but all Johannes thought about was himself and keeping this girl away from everything and everyone. Every time you thought it was going to get better and change, it didn't.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can see how this would and would not have been easy to adapt to a movie, especially with how dark the story gets from the 3rd act to the end. But it was very good. It shows how far someone will go for love of their country, their family, and the person they're infatuated with. Even if that infatuation will lead to their harm or detriment.
It’s difficult to read when you really never like the main character. Alexa read this one while I drove and maybe having a voice discussing certain events made it worse.
He was weak and I thought just made crazy decisions - not ones that made the book unbelievable, but bizarre. He has no real empathy, and views everything through a “poor me” lens.
Oh, the movie is very different, so you may want to check out this version too!
He was weak and I thought just made crazy decisions - not ones that made the book unbelievable, but bizarre. He has no real empathy, and views everything through a “poor me” lens.
Oh, the movie is very different, so you may want to check out this version too!