ideezy 's review for:

33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen
4.5
challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Told from the POV of the residents of 33 Place Brugmann, Alice Austen does such a lovely job of telling the story of life in a Brussels building in the early years of WWII. 

I appreciate that Austen trusts the reader to deduce what’s going on since she doesn’t always explicitly tells us. Instead, she drops bread crumbs from each of the POVs, leaving the reader to fully form the narrative. 

It’s refreshing that not all the occupants are likable; not all are on the right side. Even so, what shines the most are the themes of love and community. 

I can see myself picking this book up again and again!