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ciaranfitz27's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
imflyingtomars's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
clairemartin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
indigofitz_0's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
milesjmoran's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
toastandhoes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ronanmcd's review against another edition
5.0
There's more than a touch of Lady Chatterley & Oliver Mellors about the relationship between the main characters.
This fixes a bond that is strained at every turn, as class and war intervene with tragic hopelessness. The writing is understated and powerful, the characters to some extent mindless cyphers pulled and pushed by circumstance.
Ultimately it's bleakly nihilistic in its constant denial of the characters' wishes to simply be who they are. Alec in particular cannot even begin to answer this question.
Looking through the other reviews here, it is often panned, in almost every case by younger readers made to read it in school, in particular for Irish state exams. This is a damning indictment of the educational system, removing the power and insight from such a wonderful book.
This fixes a bond that is strained at every turn, as class and war intervene with tragic hopelessness. The writing is understated and powerful, the characters to some extent mindless cyphers pulled and pushed by circumstance.
Ultimately it's bleakly nihilistic in its constant denial of the characters' wishes to simply be who they are. Alec in particular cannot even begin to answer this question.
Looking through the other reviews here, it is often panned, in almost every case by younger readers made to read it in school, in particular for Irish state exams. This is a damning indictment of the educational system, removing the power and insight from such a wonderful book.