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bringmybooks'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? Yes
4.75
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
Review: One of my favorite authors, Kristin Hannah continues to prove that she has an unbelievable way with words. It's unbelievable how quickly she sucks you into a novel and makes you care so much about all of the characters. There are parts of her books (especially her more recent ones) that are a bit melodramatic and require a bit of suspended disbelief, but to be honest I don't know that it bothers me so much.
While there is a bit of heightened drama on the interpersonal side, the research and care that Hannah provides to the historical aspects of her novels is top tier and so welcomed. I feel like I learned a ton about the Vietnam War that I was not aware of before (mostly the women's experience of it), and I was very grateful for this book so that I could do more of my own research.
I did really enjoy the characters in this novel, even when they're making the most piss poor decisions - but my favorite part of the novels, and pretty much all of Hannah's novels, is the way she writes relationships between women. I do think this book is her penultimate example of that, and the relationships between the Frankie and her two best friends will stick with me for a long time.
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Torture, Miscarriage, Murder, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Pregnancy, War, Alcoholism, Cancer, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Self harm, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
bearybooky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Racial slurs, War, Violence, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Murder, Alcohol, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy
ashdoesalot'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
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Body horror, War, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Medical trauma, Death, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Self harm, Torture, Gun violence, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts
haleybrieanna'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Addiction, Body horror, Classism, War, Blood, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Grief, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail
readwithkb's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, War, Drug use, Genocide, Blood, Car accident, Gore, Infertility, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture
jvantland's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was really powerful to read this, especially the second half about the student and veteran protests, while watching a similar state violence unfold against student protests against Palestinian genocide in the US this week.
Graphic: Police brutality, Drug use, Grief, War, Medical content, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Violence
mkzach'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Miscarriage, Medical content, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Death, War, Drug abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Infidelity
dev921'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
5.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Cursing, Alcoholism, Car accident, Medical content, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexism, and Pregnancy
kimveach'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Vomit, Child death, Classism, Excrement, Gore, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Violence, Car accident, Sexism, Misogyny, Self harm, Abandonment, Addiction, Gun violence, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
sarahkate22's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Racism, Police brutality, Gore, Blood, Addiction, Child death, Cancer, Violence, Sexism, Murder, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture