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celery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Blood, War, Death, Antisemitism, Sexism, Violence, Deportation, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Xenophobia
carissa230's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Joana is a nurse that just wants to help people and find her family. She takes charge of the group and helps to save the pregnant teen and the others in her group.
Emilia is a teenager that is pregnant and running. She is also Polish, which is a crime almost as bad as being Jewish in Germany.
Florian is a thief running to what he hopes is safety with something he hopes to save from everyone.
The shoe poet and the little boy are people that happened upon the group. The shoe poet tells the story of others through the type of shoes they have, the wear on them, and the way they carry themselves. The little boy is looking for his family. He knows where they're supposed to be, but his grandma didn't wake up one day and now he's got nobody.
Alfred is a German soldier. He is trying to prove himself, but there is something off about him. He loves Hitler and hates almost everyone else. He's not a smart man, but thinks he is.
All of these people come together to try and survive. They try to find and create families.
Graphic: Murder, Grief, War, and Genocide
gracielou2000's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Racial slurs, and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Rape, Homophobia, Death of parent, Medical content, and Murder
rebeccaisabelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Murder, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Genocide, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Grief, Body horror, Racism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Rape
themichellegray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
History divided us, but through reading we can be united in story, study, and remembrance. Books join us together as a global reading community, but more important, a global human community striving to learn from the past.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Death, Rape, Genocide, Ableism, Antisemitism, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, War, Blood, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
madeline_schmidt20's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Rape, Death, Violence, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Grief
Moderate: Child death
k_spence92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Genocide, Child death, Violence, Antisemitism, Death, and War
nasab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t think I would love it this much! It reminded me of why I love historical fiction! The characters aren’t real, but the experience is! This is a story I’ll be thinking about for a long time. I’m just surprised that I’ve never heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff, despite it being the deadliest disaster in maritime history. I’m glad Ruta Sepetys is contributing to its recognition.
War is ugly. Some use it as an excuse for their horrible actions, but most people just want to live peacefully with their families and loved ones and don’t care about politics. It saddens me that innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire. Unfortunately, war isn’t something in the past; it’s still affecting many innocent people in Gaza right this moment. الله يرفع عنهم وينصرهم.
I can’t bring myself to talk about the plot and characters because I’m still processing it, and it’s making me so sad.
Joana the nurse. Florian the artist. Emilia the selfless. Heinz the shoe poet. Ingrid the blind. Klaus the wandering boy. Halinka the baby. Eva the sorry giant. And last and definitely least, Alfred the idiot.
I'm feeling so many emotions right now that I can't put into words. It's a sign of a 5-star read.
Minor: Child death, Racism, Abandonment, Rape, War, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Blood, and Pregnancy
kenny_2288's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
fluture's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The point of view were taken from four different people with different characteristics yet it wouldn't confuse you to read it. Every chapter flows just like a river and very enjoyable to read. A page-turner book, beautiful yet tragic.
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, War, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Antisemitism, Child death, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Stalking