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lindasoderlundd'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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Bullying, Child death, Suicide, War, Blood, Homophobia, Alcohol, Cursing, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, and Sexual content
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Classism, Colonisation, Miscarriage, and Antisemitism
paulawind's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
This book was harrowing. I thought I was ready for the horrors of war after reading All Quiet on the Western Front, but this book only awoke my memories. Why do leaders decide to go to war when it is universally acknowledged that it is only bringing pain and suffering? And we do it all over again, for millennia. Maybe the Greeks got it more, when the war was more about man vs man rather than automated machines against civilians.
Coming to characters, side from them dropping like flies every other chapter, I think the author made us care about every (or almost every) death. The character development for both MCs was absolutely breaking my heart but
One of my favourite moments is when Elwood is screaming poetry at Gaunt, very blatantly professing his love in all meaning but the straightforward one, and Gaunt is so deep in denial that even thought he loved him desperately too, he can’t believe it’s really happening. Those characters in a nutshell. At least for the first part of the book. Later it would be Gaunt being gentle and endlessly patient with Elwood when he struggles to say anything at all and bursting in anger, fighting his ptsd. Gosh, I love those boys so much. Going to pretend that the book ended with “And they lived happily ever after”
Graphic: Antisemitism, Colonisation, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Rape, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, War, Vomit, Sexual content, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Racism
aromarrie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
it feels hopeless to be picky about this book to be honest; in all its vivid historical recounts of WW1 through the povs of a few privileged men who were cut off from civilian society, and always will be after the war, as well as the ones who had no privilege to speak of.
it was raw, emotional, and graphic as hell, full of anger and grief, but also a weak longing that tore these characters apart in every page. it was written startingly well and as another reader friend mentioned in her review, it is a timeless story for all.
sidney & henry’s povs were gripping and i felt a part of myself sink with every character who stood by them and then split away. the newspaper clippings added to the bleakness, ill say…
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Grief, War, and Death
willow_thewisp'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: Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Violence, Colonisation, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide
oz2021'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
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Mental illness, Body horror, Death, War, Suicide, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Outing
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- 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
2.25
Graphic: Antisemitism, Body horror, Gore, War, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Blood, Outing, and Grief
katiewhocanread's review
- 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? It's complicated
Graphic: Gore, Grief, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Death, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual violence, and Suicide
caitlin_123a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Body horror, Child death, Misogyny, Death, Violence, Racism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide, Gun violence, Medical content, War, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Moderate: Antisemitism
patriciapueyolopez'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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Homophobia, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Death of parent, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, and Torture
nadijya'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: Bullying, Alcohol, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, Infidelity, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, War, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Xenophobia