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kairhone's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Classism, Grief, and Mental illness
cepbreed's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.5
"Indeed grief is not the clear melancholy the young believe it. It is like a siege in a tropical city."
I feel some sense of pride in loving this book. I feel so mature for really enjoying a classic I had not heard of before (I'd say more obscure classic, but what classics can even be called obscure?). At the same time, I realize how stupid that sounds.
Rebecca West writes so beautifully I was struck right in the heart on each page. I wasn't told to annotate my copy, but I couldn't help but do that of my own volition. In such a short novel she manages to make me cycle between loving characters, disliking them, pitying them, to finally resigning myself to the fact that they are all so palpably human. Jenny's gaze just feels so intimate, I feel almost special like she's chosen to confide in me this terrible family drama. She has such stark biases that shape what she thinks of the world, but through all of this, I've come to love her, just as she came to love Margaret. Despite being one of the main characters, to me, Chris fell into the background. I adore that the women of The Return of the Soldier are the stars. Just as women historically took on the heavy lifting on the homefront while men fought wars.
We were given an assignment to imagine parts of this novel as a movie and to me, the entire vibe is encapsulated very well by Atonement directed by Joe Wright. Can you imagine Margaret punting toward Chris' with that dream-like filter and color grading of the fountain scene? So gorgeous. I also feel like James McAvoy would've played a wonderful Chris. Keira Knightly could easily be Jenny and I'm conflicted as to who to play Kitty between Phoebe Dynevor or Sophie Turner. Margaret is the only character I don't have the slightest idea of who could encapsulate her energy. I think this is a product of how she is characterized throughout the entire book. Jenny's perspective makes her seem like such an animal in the beginning, only to switch and view her through this rose-colored lens during her reunion with Chris.
Song:
Rebecca West writes so beautifully I was struck right in the heart on each page. I wasn't told to annotate my copy, but I couldn't help but do that of my own volition. In such a short novel she manages to make me cycle between loving characters, disliking them, pitying them, to finally resigning myself to the fact that they are all so palpably human. Jenny's gaze just feels so intimate, I feel almost special like she's chosen to confide in me this terrible family drama. She has such stark biases that shape what she thinks of the world, but through all of this, I've come to love her, just as she came to love Margaret. Despite being one of the main characters, to me, Chris fell into the background. I adore that the women of The Return of the Soldier are the stars. Just as women historically took on the heavy lifting on the homefront while men fought wars.
We were given an assignment to imagine parts of this novel as a movie and to me, the entire vibe is encapsulated very well by Atonement directed by Joe Wright. Can you imagine Margaret punting toward Chris' with that dream-like filter and color grading of the fountain scene? So gorgeous. I also feel like James McAvoy would've played a wonderful Chris. Keira Knightly could easily be Jenny and I'm conflicted as to who to play Kitty between Phoebe Dynevor or Sophie Turner. Margaret is the only character I don't have the slightest idea of who could encapsulate her energy. I think this is a product of how she is characterized throughout the entire book. Jenny's perspective makes her seem like such an animal in the beginning, only to switch and view her through this rose-colored lens during her reunion with Chris.
Song:
- Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Infidelity, Child death, Classism, and Grief
Moderate: War
librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Jenny, Chris, and Margaret, in their pastoral moments are lovely friends and show beautiful love beyond age and class. Initally, Jenny's internal monologue shows the same variety of prejudice as Kitty expresses, but the situation they're in and the revelation of who Margaret is as a person breaks down Jenny's preconceived notions of Margaret and the people of her same social class.
I'm heart broken about the outcome of Chris's letters to Margaret. If only, in a better world. This book is lovingly and sweetly heartbreaking, and I'm glad to have read it. I look forward to reading it again and underlining half of the book with little hearts. Also, I agree with another reviewer:
Kitty, count your mf days. What the FUCK?
I'm heart broken about the outcome of Chris's letters to Margaret. If only, in a better world. This book is lovingly and sweetly heartbreaking, and I'm glad to have read it. I look forward to reading it again and underlining half of the book with little hearts. Also, I agree with another reviewer:
Kitty, count your mf days. What the FUCK?
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Mental illness, and Classism
debookgeek's review
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
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