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#netherlands
review
LeafingThroughLife
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

Well-written with beautiful depictions of idyllic Dutch countryside, its deeply unlikable characters, paranoid staid Isabel and artificial encroaching Eva, made this book initially hard to get into. I saw the first “twist” coming but it‘s the second one that takes this book from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Passion, paranoia, and revenge intermingle in this story of the long shadow of history. Well done.

AmyG Wonderful book. 2d
26 likes1 comment
blurb
wow_reads
Mishka | Edward van de Vendel, Anoush Elman
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“Originally written in Dutch and told through Roya‘s eyes, this award-winning book is funny, sweet and touching. Readers will enjoy the playful moments between Roya, her brothers, and Mishka, particularly as Roya discovers Mishka‘s unique way of expressing deep comfort and security.“ Read more about this USBBY Outstanding International Book here: https://wowlit.org/on-line-publications/review/xvii-2/7/

review
Gleefulreader
An Untouched House | Willem Frederik Hermans
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Pickpick

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.)

Gleefulreader It forces the reader to face the atrocities committed by the Allies and victors of World War II, and that the chaos and horrors of war leave no one unaffected - it is only that the victors who have the ability to sanitize their own actions. Deeply unsettling. 5d
Suet624 War is inhumane. 5d
BarbaraBB Great review 5d
20 likes3 comments
review
IuliaC
Grand Hotel Europa | Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
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Mehso-so

"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.

review
BookishRedhead
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Pickpick

(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!

review
fredthemoose
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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.

BarbaraBB Eddie Vedder was so cool in those days! 2w
Ruthiella Have you read this book @TheBookHippie ? 2w
TheBookHippie I did and I was EH…. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ my love remains though ♥️🙃 2w
See All 10 Comments
TheBookHippie @BarbaraBB He is STILL cool 😂♥️✊🏼 he still puts on amazing concerts 🎉 2w
fredthemoose @BarbaraBB He was and is! My Gen X heart will always have a soft spot for him and 90s grunge in general 2w
fredthemoose @TheBookHippie I totally agree—the book was not nearly as good as the subject! 2w
TheBookHippie @fredthemoose just saw him less than a year ago for a couple of concerts he was on fire. 🔥 2w
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie @fredthemoose That‘s true, he still rocks and I still love Pearl Jam, but Eddie Vedder more and more looks and sounds like Bruce Springsteen - who I like a lot less than Pearl Jam 😀 2w
fredthemoose @BarbaraBB oooh… I‘d never thought of that before but you totally have a point… 2w
BarbaraBB @fredthemoose I‘m sorry to have brought this up. I hope you can un-see it ☺️ 2w
43 likes10 comments
review
fredthemoose
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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

Tamra I agree, I wasn‘t all that enthusiastic. Felt like it was trying too hard to be literary. 2w
45 likes1 comment
blurb
dabbe
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💔💔💔 3w
ShelleyBooksie Such a powerful book. 3w
See All 6 Comments
dabbe @ShelleyBooksie 🎯💔🎯 3w
Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 3w
dabbe @Eggs TY! ♥️💔♥️ 3w
46 likes6 comments
review
Imagen_leigh
Girl in the Blue Coat | Monica Hesse
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Pickpick

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.

review
JillR
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

“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)

squirrelbrain That‘s exactly how I felt about this too! 3w
TrishB A great read 👍🏻 3w
sarahbarnes Yes! So good. 3w
Chelsea.Poole Well put! Same here. 3w
Centique Totally agree! 7d
47 likes5 comments