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meganstromer's review
2.0
I normally give myself quite a bit of a book before I decide to can it, but after reading one-third of this and being no more interested than I was at the start, I decided it was time for us to part ways. It's true that I find stripping down an SOE agent to amorous pursuits in France instead of contributing literally anything to the war effort distasteful, but mostly I just hated the prose.
freyabh's review
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
If you cut out all of the parts about the young Jewish boys it would have been 4 stars.
aliceguyatt's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mrs_bonaventure's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve never read Birdsong: I couldn’t face reading about the trenches. As I started this, I knew it could be worse. Another telling, in detail, of the Holocaust. No reprieves, no false happy endings, no fate manipulated to make the reader feel better.
Yes, our British protagonists survive... as we did as a nation. Despite our lionising of that generation and those years, we escaped largely unscathed compared to the obliteration of almost a whole race. We forget that, partly I think because it’s just so horrific that we want to block it out. But we can’t.
This is a reminder of just how truly evil the final solution was and how complicit many European authorities were under occupation.
I had to look up where exactly Drancy is. It’s right next to Le Bourget. I’ve probably flown over it. A concentration camp right there on French soil in North West Paris. The French dont talk about that much. Despite my love of France, I really think they still haven’t faced up to that.
As for the present... do we still teach this? Do we make sure we remember? We must never forget. Never forget how despicable human beings can be to one another. And fight every aspect of creeping far right power and rhetoric for the shit and deception it is.
Yes, our British protagonists survive... as we did as a nation. Despite our lionising of that generation and those years, we escaped largely unscathed compared to the obliteration of almost a whole race. We forget that, partly I think because it’s just so horrific that we want to block it out. But we can’t.
This is a reminder of just how truly evil the final solution was and how complicit many European authorities were under occupation.
I had to look up where exactly Drancy is. It’s right next to Le Bourget. I’ve probably flown over it. A concentration camp right there on French soil in North West Paris. The French dont talk about that much. Despite my love of France, I really think they still haven’t faced up to that.
As for the present... do we still teach this? Do we make sure we remember? We must never forget. Never forget how despicable human beings can be to one another. And fight every aspect of creeping far right power and rhetoric for the shit and deception it is.
gfrancsak77's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
scxticuz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lprnana6572's review
5.0
It's an older book. I really enjoyed it and the depiction of love and sacrifice during WWII.
mikewa14's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book - apart from the last chapter - full review here
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/charlotte-gray-sebastian-faulks.html
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/charlotte-gray-sebastian-faulks.html