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mikaylanh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sooo much happening here… and not in a great way. The concept of this was intriguing because I took several art history courses in college (though I don’t typically read this genre, like, ever) but the writing style was really not for me.
1. This being written in present tense IMMEDIATELY turned me off from it. I really struggled through the first few chapters because of this.
2. The number of adjectives and metaphors throughout the book was just over the top and got in the way of the storytelling - very distracting. I personally suck at being concise but this book could have benefited significantly by cutting a lot of this fluff out.
3. I typically love multi-perspectives but there were too many this time. It also didn’t help that characters and names started to sound way too similar to me and got confusing - Jules Roth and Wyatt Ross, Lilian Dassel and Art Basel, Ellis Baum and Bram Bakker… I just had a hard time with this too
I don’t regret reading this and I did still enjoy the heist part so I’m going with a 3/5, but I don’t know that I would recommend it to others unless they’re really passionate about art history or WWII.
1. This being written in present tense IMMEDIATELY turned me off from it. I really struggled through the first few chapters because of this.
2. The number of adjectives and metaphors throughout the book was just over the top and got in the way of the storytelling - very distracting. I personally suck at being concise but this book could have benefited significantly by cutting a lot of this fluff out.
3. I typically love multi-perspectives but there were too many this time. It also didn’t help that characters and names started to sound way too similar to me and got confusing - Jules Roth and Wyatt Ross, Lilian Dassel and Art Basel, Ellis Baum and Bram Bakker… I just had a hard time with this too
I don’t regret reading this and I did still enjoy the heist part so I’m going with a 3/5, but I don’t know that I would recommend it to others unless they’re really passionate about art history or WWII.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Alcoholism
Moderate: War, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Genocide, Stalking, and Trafficking
kates_books's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I don’t tend to read WW2 or historical fiction books, but I’m glad this was our book club pick. There was a lot going on in this book — perhaps too much. Here are my chaotic thoughts on it:
- I loved learning about the art world and the history of art theft during the war.
- I tend to love love stories in books, but I’m not sure if this story needed the plot line.
I really thought Dan, the renowned journalist that takes Jules under his wings, was going to make a reappearance — that he escape death yet again - There were so many characters and each had such a deep and complex background. They could have easily been written as unattainable, perfect people but the author added such deep, personal, complex flaws for each. Plus there was a great group of side characters that played such important roles: Owen, Jules mom, Louise, the hacker
Margaux being a psychopath was obvious and I can’t decide if I liked that revelation. In a way it’s a unique choice because most authors I read tend to create a background for the villains that lends at least some empathy and understanding to the characters horrendous actions. So Margaux being a psychopath just doesn’t add to the story. I thought we would come back somehow to Jules former editor and he would finally be held accountable for taking advantage of Jules as a minor. But I do think this element of her as a character made her more fully formed and believable. - Especially in the beginning of the book, the author took her time really getting into the details of everything. Perhaps taking too long at times. But then at the end it felt like it wrapped up so quickly.
Thoughts on the ending: Ellis losing his sight before seeing the recovered painting broke my heart. Are we not going to know what happens with Carrie and Adam being involved in Margauxs fathers death? Margaux blood seeping into the art was a terrible shock but i think it made the story more interesting — it wasn’t a perfect, obvious ending. Again, I don’t think Adam and Jules need to be together — also what is their age difference?? - The book opens with Jules perspective on a flash forward to a scene that we later revisit from Margauxs perspective. I feel like these perspectives don’t match. And that how Jules is portrayed in that scene in the opening is not how she was portrayed later on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Antisemitism
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