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cturek93's review against another edition
1.0
I think the spying portion of this book makes it redeemable but this poor underage character is described as being sexually assaulted at least 5 times. The part that was so frustrating was at the moment you think she is going to get what she wants a number of things happen at the same time...
1. She gets caught with a spy camera
2. The man abusing her who was literally written as being "gone for good" was hiding behind a door to assault her violently
3. She gets fired
4. She finds out her uncle is dead
5. She is either going to be in jail, dead, or the mental institution
She's got a chance to escape but decides to stick around for her aunt, the last relative she has (which did make sense) but sits in a mental institution from 1983 until 1989.
The book ends with the possibility that the main character gets with her love interest. She's known him for basically a month though. That part was rushed.
Also the author couldn't have thrown in a line about Herr Dreck being arrested or dying? The line is "the Stasi are gone." I felt that the readers want some justice here.
It was an unsatisfying read because the main character doesn't really get anything she wants. One could argue that it fits with reality better but that would also mean you have 5 bad things happen at the same time.
I also thought her descriptive writing was a bit wonky at times. I could see how she was trying to use the canned food metaphor for the same conversations but it was a bit clunky, as an example.
I got this book for free as it was being given out of the library for low circulation and I think it has to do with the fact it was marketed for teens but the sexual assaults would not be something a teenager would be interested in reading. In my opinion it should have been rewritten and marketed to adults.
1. She gets caught with a spy camera
2. The man abusing her who was literally written as being "gone for good" was hiding behind a door to assault her violently
3. She gets fired
4. She finds out her uncle is dead
5. She is either going to be in jail, dead, or the mental institution
She's got a chance to escape but decides to stick around for her aunt, the last relative she has (which did make sense) but sits in a mental institution from 1983 until 1989.
The book ends with the possibility that the main character gets with her love interest. She's known him for basically a month though. That part was rushed.
Also the author couldn't have thrown in a line about Herr Dreck being arrested or dying? The line is "the Stasi are gone." I felt that the readers want some justice here.
It was an unsatisfying read because the main character doesn't really get anything she wants. One could argue that it fits with reality better but that would also mean you have 5 bad things happen at the same time.
I also thought her descriptive writing was a bit wonky at times. I could see how she was trying to use the canned food metaphor for the same conversations but it was a bit clunky, as an example.
I got this book for free as it was being given out of the library for low circulation and I think it has to do with the fact it was marketed for teens but the sexual assaults would not be something a teenager would be interested in reading. In my opinion it should have been rewritten and marketed to adults.
slsj_'s review against another edition
4.0
Things are hard for Lena, and yet she is strong throughout this book. Picture this: It's the 1980s, there's an East Germany and a West Germany. The government on the East side dictates what you watch, how you speak, where you work, and what you do with your time. And if you step out of line-- they can make you disappear. That's exactly what happened to Lena's Uncle Erich; and Lena is determined to find out the truth.
The book starts out with Lena living with her aunt who is crazy dedicated to East Germany and demands that Lena is as well. Lena's parents had died in a freight car factory "accident" and when Lena had a breakdown because of it, she was sent to live in a mental institution. Her aunt who she calls "Sausage Auntie" got her out, so she should be grateful to her...right? The only time Lena actually cherishes is with her Uncle Erich, who writes books and teaches her to have a vivid imagination. But one day she goes to visit her Uncle, and everyone is telling her he no longer exists. Lena can't find his books in the library and a man is living in his apartment that he said he's been in for years! Lena knows she's not crazy. She knows her Uncle existed. So she risks her life to find out the truth about what happened.
This book never stopped surprising me. I was shocked at how strong of a character Lena was. She started out the book small and frightened and ended it as one of the bravest heroines I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Throughout the book she goes through some tough trials, the most prominent being sexual assault by a General she calls "Herr Dreck" at the place she works. Yet, she still preservers. She does what's right and not what's easy. She ends up risking her life multiple times in this book instead of staying silent and safe. She doesn't accept her fate, but she demands the truth. It was a powerful read for sure. And that ending was one that I did not expect. It definitely wasn't wrapped up in a bow. Lena taught me that there are more important things than saving yourself.
The book starts out with Lena living with her aunt who is crazy dedicated to East Germany and demands that Lena is as well. Lena's parents had died in a freight car factory "accident" and when Lena had a breakdown because of it, she was sent to live in a mental institution. Her aunt who she calls "Sausage Auntie" got her out, so she should be grateful to her...right? The only time Lena actually cherishes is with her Uncle Erich, who writes books and teaches her to have a vivid imagination. But one day she goes to visit her Uncle, and everyone is telling her he no longer exists. Lena can't find his books in the library and a man is living in his apartment that he said he's been in for years! Lena knows she's not crazy. She knows her Uncle existed. So she risks her life to find out the truth about what happened.
This book never stopped surprising me. I was shocked at how strong of a character Lena was. She started out the book small and frightened and ended it as one of the bravest heroines I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Throughout the book she goes through some tough trials, the most prominent being sexual assault by a General she calls "Herr Dreck" at the place she works. Yet, she still preservers. She does what's right and not what's easy. She ends up risking her life multiple times in this book instead of staying silent and safe. She doesn't accept her fate, but she demands the truth. It was a powerful read for sure. And that ending was one that I did not expect. It definitely wasn't wrapped up in a bow. Lena taught me that there are more important things than saving yourself.
papertraildiary's review against another edition
3.0
For my full review, as well as a guest post from the author about how she came upon writing this book, please visit The Paper Trail Diary!
The House of One Thousand Eyes has done what few YA novels have done for me as an adult: taught (well, re-taught) me history. I definitely did not remember much about divided Germany, and now I feel like I’ve lived in it for a month. It didn’t feel old or boring, it was captivating with hints of relatable. It wasn’t until after I put this book down that I realized how deep I’d gone into the dark, bleak, dry existence that was East Germany before the wall was brought down. I felt like I was right next to Lena as she lived through confusion, shame, paranoia, and secrecy. I couldn’t trust that anyone would be on our side.
It was fascinating to me to show a character who lives in such a paranoid world. And though she’s not exactly dying to escape to the West, despite being completely aware of how poor her quality of life is, Lena knows that trust is a complicated privilege. That makes for such a lonely life. I felt cautious yet relieved when Lena meets a handsome, brave boy. I needed her to have a confidant. She has a few friends, but nobody she feels close to, except Erich. All she wants is to know what happened to him, but when she decides to finally look into his disappearance, the confines of East Germany start closing in on her.
This was a powerful novel that kept me guessing, taught me something, and succeeded in dropping me into a place and time that is completely unlike my own.
The House of One Thousand Eyes has done what few YA novels have done for me as an adult: taught (well, re-taught) me history. I definitely did not remember much about divided Germany, and now I feel like I’ve lived in it for a month. It didn’t feel old or boring, it was captivating with hints of relatable. It wasn’t until after I put this book down that I realized how deep I’d gone into the dark, bleak, dry existence that was East Germany before the wall was brought down. I felt like I was right next to Lena as she lived through confusion, shame, paranoia, and secrecy. I couldn’t trust that anyone would be on our side.
It was fascinating to me to show a character who lives in such a paranoid world. And though she’s not exactly dying to escape to the West, despite being completely aware of how poor her quality of life is, Lena knows that trust is a complicated privilege. That makes for such a lonely life. I felt cautious yet relieved when Lena meets a handsome, brave boy. I needed her to have a confidant. She has a few friends, but nobody she feels close to, except Erich. All she wants is to know what happened to him, but when she decides to finally look into his disappearance, the confines of East Germany start closing in on her.
This was a powerful novel that kept me guessing, taught me something, and succeeded in dropping me into a place and time that is completely unlike my own.
marshaskrypuch's review against another edition
5.0
Every once in awhile you read a novel that stands out from the rest, sticking in your mind for good. The House of One Thousand Eyes is one of those standouts. I would give this ten stars if I could.
Set in East Germany in the 1980s before the Berlin Wall comes down, this novel focuses on Lena, who was orphaned when her parents were killed in an industrial accident and she is being raised by her aunt, who is a devout member of the ruling Communist party. Lena lives for the visits she has with her uncle, a writer and anti-communist, but when he suddenly disappears, her world falls apart.
Not your usual setting, not your usual story and certainly not the usual ending. I don't want to give it away because reading this novel is such an immersive experience. Nuanced character development, atmospheric, well-researched. Brava Michelle Barker!
Set in East Germany in the 1980s before the Berlin Wall comes down, this novel focuses on Lena, who was orphaned when her parents were killed in an industrial accident and she is being raised by her aunt, who is a devout member of the ruling Communist party. Lena lives for the visits she has with her uncle, a writer and anti-communist, but when he suddenly disappears, her world falls apart.
Not your usual setting, not your usual story and certainly not the usual ending. I don't want to give it away because reading this novel is such an immersive experience. Nuanced character development, atmospheric, well-researched. Brava Michelle Barker!
flatterina's review against another edition
5.0
My rating: 4,75 stars.
I admit, it was a bit difficult to get into this book at first. Partly that was because the document I received was formatted badly. I'm not sure if my kindle is to blame or if the file got damaged, but there were a few errors, the text size changed for a paragraph, there was no block text, or paragraphs got switched around. Luckily, that stopped a few pages later and I was able to enjoy the book much more. That's what caused the subtraction of 0.25 a star, but I'm obviosly still giving it five stars.
And enjoy it I did! But okay- I'm biased. For context, you have to know that I'm German. I was born in Mainz several years after the wall fell but both my parents and therefore my entire family originated from East Germany. What's more, my grandfather and my aunt were in prison for trying to write a letter to the West describing how dire their situation was. They had applied to get out a few years ago already, and thus were known to the Stasi. The letter didn't reach its destination of course, and they were imprisoned, she for typing the letter out, he for dictating it. Neither of them landed in Hohenschönhausen, but still they suffered almost equally as bad before the wall fell two years into their sentence and they were freed. My grandmother and her children were not allowed to speak to their father and sister during those years. My aunt wrote a book about what she went through and now visits schools for readings and retellings of what happened to ensure something like that never happens again.
Another reason why I really liked that book is that it's incredibly accurate and very well researched. Actually, a few chapters in I decided to look up the author, expecting her to have been a prisoner in the GDR as well, and having now chosen this novel as outlet. Imagine my surprise when I found out she's from Vancouver! Germany wasn't even once mentioned in her bio.
Yet I found myself nodding along as I read what she wrote about unemployment not existing, the West being full of prostitution, crime, and addiction, the general sense of poverty, the lack of choice, the omnipresence of the state. All of that mirrors exactly what I've learned in numerous family gatherings, where each of these issues were dicussed in length [in fact, the GDR is among the only things that are discussed. So you can trust me, I know this stuff above by heart].
Even "I believe my pig is whistling" and especially "Asparagus Tarzan" are things that were and are still being said and that made me very happy.
It's clear that Michelle Barker spent a lot of time with this subject and I'm glad it's being represented in YA.
I won't say anything about the plot as that's been mentioned in other reviews. Let's just say I enjoed it, even though I would have wished for a slightly different end. I don't know, it just left me wanting somehow.
Anyway! I think it's become clear that I think this is a fantastic read, especially for those with an interest in history, whether German, Soviet, or even American. If you've only ever heard of the GDR but don't really know what it is, or if you're just looking for an interesting realistic fiction novel, this is the book for you.
I admit, it was a bit difficult to get into this book at first. Partly that was because the document I received was formatted badly. I'm not sure if my kindle is to blame or if the file got damaged, but there were a few errors, the text size changed for a paragraph, there was no block text, or paragraphs got switched around. Luckily, that stopped a few pages later and I was able to enjoy the book much more. That's what caused the subtraction of 0.25 a star, but I'm obviosly still giving it five stars.
And enjoy it I did! But okay- I'm biased. For context, you have to know that I'm German. I was born in Mainz several years after the wall fell but both my parents and therefore my entire family originated from East Germany. What's more, my grandfather and my aunt were in prison for trying to write a letter to the West describing how dire their situation was. They had applied to get out a few years ago already, and thus were known to the Stasi. The letter didn't reach its destination of course, and they were imprisoned, she for typing the letter out, he for dictating it. Neither of them landed in Hohenschönhausen, but still they suffered almost equally as bad before the wall fell two years into their sentence and they were freed. My grandmother and her children were not allowed to speak to their father and sister during those years. My aunt wrote a book about what she went through and now visits schools for readings and retellings of what happened to ensure something like that never happens again.
Another reason why I really liked that book is that it's incredibly accurate and very well researched. Actually, a few chapters in I decided to look up the author, expecting her to have been a prisoner in the GDR as well, and having now chosen this novel as outlet. Imagine my surprise when I found out she's from Vancouver! Germany wasn't even once mentioned in her bio.
Yet I found myself nodding along as I read what she wrote about unemployment not existing, the West being full of prostitution, crime, and addiction, the general sense of poverty, the lack of choice, the omnipresence of the state. All of that mirrors exactly what I've learned in numerous family gatherings, where each of these issues were dicussed in length [in fact, the GDR is among the only things that are discussed. So you can trust me, I know this stuff above by heart].
Even "I believe my pig is whistling" and especially "Asparagus Tarzan" are things that were and are still being said and that made me very happy.
It's clear that Michelle Barker spent a lot of time with this subject and I'm glad it's being represented in YA.
I won't say anything about the plot as that's been mentioned in other reviews. Let's just say I enjoed it, even though I would have wished for a slightly different end. I don't know, it just left me wanting somehow.
Anyway! I think it's become clear that I think this is a fantastic read, especially for those with an interest in history, whether German, Soviet, or even American. If you've only ever heard of the GDR but don't really know what it is, or if you're just looking for an interesting realistic fiction novel, this is the book for you.
jennywithaz's review against another edition
5.0
YALSA #BFYA2019 nominee; read review here: http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/12/10/bfya2019-nominees-round-december-10-edition/
philomath_in_phila's review against another edition
4.0
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Lena Altmann is a 17 year old girl who lives in East Berlin. After her parents were killed in an explosion, Lena was forced to move in with her aunt. Lena's only respite comes when she spends her Sundays with her uncle, her aunt's brother. One day he is erased. He along with all of his possessions,and his birth records are gone. His published books have disappeared from bookstore shelves. He is just gone, disappearing without a trace.
Lena frantically searches for him but knows government spies are everywhere and she feels alone. Her aunt is a hardcore member of the Communist party. Can she trust her? Can she trust her friends? Can she trust anyone?
Through her story, Michelle Barker shows what it was like to live in the "Better Berlin" in the 1980s. She shows the rigidness, fearfulness, suspicion, and oppression of life in East Berlin.
The House of One Thousand Eyes did not feel like fiction. You could feel and hear Berlin. You could believe Lena, her uncle, and her aunt were real people and this book just captured a portion of their lives.
Although the story wraps up nicely at the end, it ends abruptly.
Lena Altmann is a 17 year old girl who lives in East Berlin. After her parents were killed in an explosion, Lena was forced to move in with her aunt. Lena's only respite comes when she spends her Sundays with her uncle, her aunt's brother. One day he is erased. He along with all of his possessions,and his birth records are gone. His published books have disappeared from bookstore shelves. He is just gone, disappearing without a trace.
Lena frantically searches for him but knows government spies are everywhere and she feels alone. Her aunt is a hardcore member of the Communist party. Can she trust her? Can she trust her friends? Can she trust anyone?
Through her story, Michelle Barker shows what it was like to live in the "Better Berlin" in the 1980s. She shows the rigidness, fearfulness, suspicion, and oppression of life in East Berlin.
The House of One Thousand Eyes did not feel like fiction. You could feel and hear Berlin. You could believe Lena, her uncle, and her aunt were real people and this book just captured a portion of their lives.
Although the story wraps up nicely at the end, it ends abruptly.
disposableonion's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
chloeandherbooks's review against another edition
3.0
* I was sent an advanced readers copy via net galley however this doesn’t not affect my opinion *
3.5 stars
“They’re hunters , Lena. They know how to watch and wait , and they know big game when they see it. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t get caught.”
Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of sexual abuse.
This is a novel set in East Germany in the 1980’s. It follows Lena a young woman who is being raised by her Aunt after her parents died in an accident. She also spends time visiting her Uncle Erich who is an author however one day he disappears along with all traces of him. His books and even record of his birth are missing and every time she attempts to discuss her uncle she is told he does not exist. So she starts her own investigation. Lena works at night in the Stasi headquarters so the people in East Germany do not trust her as they believe she is a spy. In a heart-breaking twist in the end Lena was put back in the hospital and she was not able to escape however after the Berlin Wall fell her Aunt is then able to get her out from the hospital. This is a well written novel that had a tense and moving plot. However it took me a while to get into it and I felt the plot really slowed down in the middle but I became invested in the plot during the last 75% - I was completely gripped and I was hoping that Lena had the chance to escape. I also think that this is a well researched novel. Throughout the whole novel I felt bad for Lena for everything she was going through. I loved the character of Uncle Erich and I was devastated when it was revealed that he had died.
However there were a few comments throughout the book with regards to mental health and body image that were problematic and made me uncomfortable.
Overall this is a well-researched novel that I enjoyed but it took me a while to get into and the plot slowed down in the middle.
3.5 stars
“They’re hunters , Lena. They know how to watch and wait , and they know big game when they see it. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t get caught.”
Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of sexual abuse.
This is a novel set in East Germany in the 1980’s. It follows Lena a young woman who is being raised by her Aunt after her parents died in an accident. She also spends time visiting her Uncle Erich who is an author however one day he disappears along with all traces of him. His books and even record of his birth are missing and every time she attempts to discuss her uncle she is told he does not exist. So she starts her own investigation. Lena works at night in the Stasi headquarters so the people in East Germany do not trust her as they believe she is a spy. In a heart-breaking twist in the end Lena was put back in the hospital and she was not able to escape however after the Berlin Wall fell her Aunt is then able to get her out from the hospital. This is a well written novel that had a tense and moving plot. However it took me a while to get into it and I felt the plot really slowed down in the middle but I became invested in the plot during the last 75% - I was completely gripped and I was hoping that Lena had the chance to escape. I also think that this is a well researched novel. Throughout the whole novel I felt bad for Lena for everything she was going through. I loved the character of Uncle Erich and I was devastated when it was revealed that he had died.
However there were a few comments throughout the book with regards to mental health and body image that were problematic and made me uncomfortable.
Overall this is a well-researched novel that I enjoyed but it took me a while to get into and the plot slowed down in the middle.