Review by lostinthelibrary - The Postcard

lostinthelibrary 's review for:

The Postcard by Anne Berest

4.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-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

I wasn't sure at the start but this book really grew on me. There are a lot of themes around identity, citizenship generational trauma, family relationships and more. Although it does jump around a lot, once I got the hang of it I appreciated the present characters reflecting on the past (although I was always keen to get back to Miriam's story.)

the scenes at the concentration camps and of detainees returning to Paris were visceral and a highlight of the novel

. I feel like I learnt a lot more about a period of history that can be overdone in literature and it all felt very personal to the author (potentially semi-autobiographical given that she shares a name with the protagonist). I did become less invested in the mystery of the postcard as the story went on but the way it was concluded was just perfect! Overall a very worthwhile read that I look forward to discussing with my book club.

Content Warnings