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frankchester'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: Rape, Violence, Medical content, Gun violence, War, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Death, and Gore
danimarie96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: War, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Misogyny and Animal death
carlaabra'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
The writing is amazing, cynical yet eloquent, with lots of moments of levity interspersed. I was reminded pleasantly of Vonnegut’s biting irreverence and outlandish plots.
It’s mostly third person but changes as needed. The story unfolds in short chapters that occur chronologically. These chapters mostly narrate our main family, but occasionally deviate to side characters or pivotal events. This seems frivolous at the time of reading, but every chapter intersects with our main story by the end. These seemingly dropped but later interwoven threads give the story a wholeness and sense of context in history.
I had no idea how close to true events this novel stuck - it only makes it more poignant. The plot slows briefly around page 200 and then again around page 370, however for such a long and deeply historical book it was remarkably readable. The characters are larger than life and so lovable. I hesitate to call them realistic, since they can verge on caricatures at times, but they work with the story. Again, very Vonnegut.
For a book that starts out so mundane, and whose writing is intentionally ironic, I admit- I almost cried multiple times. This is war, after all.
Graphic: Violence, War, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Torture, Medical content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
This is a WWII book. There is no HEA. People are killed for no reason at all, tortured by the enemy and by the conditions they were forced to fight in. It’s brutal and describes real events.dlrosebyh's review
- 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
3.25
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, and Misogyny
michaelsbirthday'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Colonisation
introverted_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, War, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Genocide, Pregnancy, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Misogyny
empeddle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Rape
ftodman's review
- 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
3.0
Graphic: War and Death
aimicampbell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Minor: Slavery, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
bethvance's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Animal death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Outing, Physical abuse, and Suicide