Welcome to Litsy!

A very short volume that challenges our perceptions of those we think of as “the good side” in World War II. The nameless narrator is fighting alongside Dutch partisans and others when he leaves the unit and ends up at a large empty house. He settles in and German troops arrive to billet there. Eventually they leave and the unit he was with returns and the novel descends into a climax of violence. (Cont‘d in comments.)

"If we don't remember all that we want to forget, we are exposed to the danger of forgetting to forget certain things."

This one starts so promising but then it feels all over the place in terms of writing and ideas. The narrator arrives at an old-style grand hotel that seems to have lost its past glory and the story moves back and forth between the time of his stay in the hotel, and his memories with his former lover Clio.

(By the same author)
Interesting and funny.
Fun way to learn about the slang to add into your learning.
The cartoons make it more funny!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Totally fine and nothing special. Book about Perl Jam told by a music critic and without new interviews or perspectives of the band. I wanted something that didn‘t ask much of me and this fit the bill. If you‘re into music biographies and/or Pearl Jam, it‘s worth a look.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked this, although maybe a bit less than others here. Interesting story of two women, or a woman and a family in the aftermath of post-WWII Netherlands. The subject and twist were interesting and the book was well written. I found the resolution of the main relationship not believable, which left me a little less enthusiastic than I might have been otherwise. #WPF25

#dynamicds
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

💔💔💔

I love historical fiction and am glad to find such a great read in the YA section! Reading through this novel I was hanging on every word wondering about this girl in the blue coat and how she disappeared. I‘d like to think that by reading these types of historical fiction, I will have an idea of what to do if I were in a similar situation. But, one can never know for sure what they would do in such rough and dangerous times.

“An exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes.” I started out being clever, thinking I knew what this was about, where it was going. It turns out I really didn‘t, and I LOVED realising I‘d misjudged it entirely. I‘m not saying anything more for fear of spoilers. It‘s not an easy read in terms of the subject, on several levels, but after a slow start I couldn‘t put it down, it delivers a real gut-punch. Loved it (love the cover too)

This book was loved by so many friends last year that I didnt think it could live up to the hype. Well it more than did that. I‘ll be surprised if this isnt the best book i read this year. Glorious writing and complex characters, a sprawling old house and a spiralling tension. I thought it was PERFECT.

4/5 🌟

Atmospheric, intriguing and a solid debut novel.