Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I found this a perfectly acceptable read, no more, no less. I liked the idea behind it, 3 women (and a few men) adjusting to life after a war that changed everyone’s life for ever, because it changed the European world for ever, even for the lucky ones who didn’t have a significant bereavement. The interleaving of the different stories with the homecoming of the unknown warrior was a clever idea. I think perhaps the book would have benefited from being longer, more character development and perhaps spread over more than 5 days.
I’m always irritated in historical books by use of tropes that are used far too often. In this one it is the shooting of a soldier for desertion. It wasn’t really necessary. And we had the inevitable unplanned pregnancy, but at least this one ends in miscarriage, not a botched backstreet abortion.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
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:
Complicated
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautifully written story of three women's lives after World War I, and the story of the unknown soldier. Although these women never meet, their stories all connect by the people around them. It is very well written and loved learning of all the new connections between their lives.
IDK why I read this, I don't like literary fiction. It was okay. The stories were absorbing and, predictably, they converged. But it felt unfinished in the end. Was that the point? WHO KNOWS.
I received a copy of this novel via NetGalley for review.
It took me a while to get into this book. I constantly had this feeling that there was something missing from the story. As I continued to read, the feeling began to make more sense. No longer was each character just a character I was reading about. The became real women whose lives were dramatically changed due to the war. As I was trying to piece together the story, these women were trying to put their lives back in order. It became clear that each character had lost someone and a piece of themselves during the war. Just as so many families did during that time. So, I felt that the feeling of emptiness in the beginning only help me connect with the story.
This book is not for everyone. I would only recommend for Historical fiction fans or fans of WWI.
It took me a while to get into this book. I constantly had this feeling that there was something missing from the story. As I continued to read, the feeling began to make more sense. No longer was each character just a character I was reading about. The became real women whose lives were dramatically changed due to the war. As I was trying to piece together the story, these women were trying to put their lives back in order. It became clear that each character had lost someone and a piece of themselves during the war. Just as so many families did during that time. So, I felt that the feeling of emptiness in the beginning only help me connect with the story.
This book is not for everyone. I would only recommend for Historical fiction fans or fans of WWI.
Discovered this book by accident while searching for another book of the same title. So glad! A captivating immersion into a time I knew little about. Very well researched, beautifully constructed with multiple stories plaited together toward a satisfying conclusion, and some lovely writing. When I finished, I looked at the author's photo on the back sleeve and said, "please keep writing, I'm ready for the next one!" I read this at the same time I was reading -the Apartment- , another story about trying to find a way back to life after a pointless war.
This was a very fast read for me, in part because I skimmed through some parts of it that I felt were repetitive or not that interesting. Maybe one less POV-character would have done a difference there.
I can see many people enjoying this book but to me, I fear, it is rather forgettable. If someone will be boarding an airplane soon, this is good reading material for that.
I can see many people enjoying this book but to me, I fear, it is rather forgettable. If someone will be boarding an airplane soon, this is good reading material for that.