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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
It's key to me that this book is closely based on the true story of the author's family and that she did years of meticulous research (including oral interviews and archive-digging) to bring their story to life. Its breadth is incredible in that very unique "stranger than fiction" way; the way so many different people in different places survived the Holocaust is nothing short of a miracle.
The pacing is near-perfect, and although you only get small glimpses at a time into each family member's story, I felt attached to each of them. The larger context of World War II is deftly woven between chapters as quick notes, so the slightly fictionalized narratives are never far removed from the very real account. I am VERY wary of "Holocaust fiction," and this is one of the rare exceptions. I submit this novel as an alternative to The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which I think is a dangerously popular, yet highly unbelievable/unrealistic, WWII novel.
Thank you to Penguin for the gifted copy as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
The pacing is near-perfect, and although you only get small glimpses at a time into each family member's story, I felt attached to each of them. The larger context of World War II is deftly woven between chapters as quick notes, so the slightly fictionalized narratives are never far removed from the very real account. I am VERY wary of "Holocaust fiction," and this is one of the rare exceptions. I submit this novel as an alternative to The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which I think is a dangerously popular, yet highly unbelievable/unrealistic, WWII novel.
Thank you to Penguin for the gifted copy as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Moderate: Pregnancy
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, War
This one had me equal parts agonized and inspired. The horrors of Europe in WWII will never cease to petrify me. Beautifully written.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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:
No
I wish I could give this book a higher rating, but it was hard for me to follow the characters’ storylines as there were a lot of characters mentioned. It had so much potential too.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This is an incredible story with so many gut wrenching and beautiful moments, but was just a bit too disjointed for me to be a home run. There are so many POVs jumping around quickly that it was hard to remember who was who and where they all were, despite chapter headings. I spent a lot of time going back to the family tree to remember which couple was which, and never felt fully connected to any of them. The story itself is incredible however, and in particular the author's note really pulls it all into perspective. Very moving.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No