The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The War I Finally Won is a continuation of the story set forth in The War that Saved My Life. Ada, Susan, and Jamie have moved into a cottage. The story picks up in the middle of WWII and they end up having a girl, who is Jewish and from Germany, to live with them. It adds to topics that were established with the first book and touches on a few more such as religion and bigotry. This is a story of loss, connection, love, and reconnection. Ada had to deal with her emotions and she gets help from those that surround her, including from unexpected places. I knew what I was getting into this one, so I was a little more prepared to deal with Ada and her issues bothering me. I forced myself to understand where she was coming from and I tried not to let her irritate me too much. It was tough because she was frustrating and exhausting. I don’t have kids and I am not sure if I ever will and so her inability to understand and her attitude was foreign to me. In theory and logically I get it but, in the moment, I didn’t like her. I loved how on the second page it mentions the two different wars that were being fought in the novel. I liked the play on words. There were also plenty of good lessons and messages throughout that Kimberly Brubaker Bradley did a great job integrating. Some of them involve when you are going through a tough time, the only way to approach it is to keep going, straight through as well as to not judge someone based solely on where they came from. There were also plenty of funny moments including a German invasion reference and sad, teary moments talking about coming undone. I say overall I liked this one better than the first one because I was able to prepare myself for Ada, Jamie wasn’t as grating, and I felt there were more emotional situations. It also felt heartwarming and like a big hug at moments. It is a good duology and I can totally understand the appeal. It talks about adult things and blends it well from a kid’s perspective. I don’t think I am a huge fan of books geared towards a younger audience in general, so I take that into consideration as well.
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Tag: love
My Favorite Novel Ever And Being Overcome With Emotion
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this novel. I cannot think of one that I have loved as much as this one ever, so this might be my favorite novel of all time. I felt this immediate draw to pick it back up every time that I set it down. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is undeniably powerful, funny, and devastating. It is poignant, consuming, and clever. I cannot say enough good words about it. There aren’t enough good words to describe it. I would say that I am speechless but all I want to do is sing all the praises from the highest of the mountains so that everyone can hear. Even before the actual story starts it provides a chuckle but the actual story begins in Ireland in the 1940s with a woman who found herself in an unwed, pregnant situation and was forced to leave her hometown. She meets a guy on the way to Dublin and ends up living with him for a short bit until a tragic and joyous event occurs. The book actually follows her son and provides a detailed account of his life over the next 70 or so years. I have such an affinity for Cyril, the son. I saw myself so deeply in him, I felt such a connection, that it could have been me living that life. The characters were so well developed that I had no trouble identifying or remembering them. The picture was painted with such clarity and detail. I was hooked from the first sentence and it just continued from there. What a first chapter! It sunk its hooks into me quickly and deeply. I also loved how this book was structured. It is an epic tale as it traverses multiple countries and decades. You are immersed in the time and characters as if you were there. John Boyne is one of the best writers I have ever read. I don’t think I have read anything by him thus far, but I cannot wait to see what else is out there. He has this way of hinting and nodding to something but not outright saying it, that makes you feel in on a secret that only the two of you know. His use of context is superb. It is subtle but it fills you with quiet glee. He also has this unbelievable artistry to weave connections throughout, from the first chapter to the last. It is done with such grace and elegance that you don’t see it coming. It comes out of left field but it is so realistic. It is like it was inevitable. I would stop in my tracks and then I would just sigh at how right it felt. There are plenty of moments that left me gobsmacked with my mouth held agape in shock. I had to look around, even if I was alone, wondering who else was flabbergasted by what was on the page. I wanted to discuss in whispers what just occurred. Furies was also a riot. I found myself laughing out loud, so hard. I would even get myself to laugh just thinking about it when I set the book down. There is so much witty repartee. The quips, asides, and comebacks are plentiful that sometimes I could not handle it. My stomach hurt and I had tears from how clever the writing was. For example, “turning to her with all the warmth of Lizzie Borden dropping in to say goodnight to her parents.” There were also plenty of gut-wrenching and devastating moments that left me helpless and in tears as well. I had to stop reading at some points because I couldn’t see the words through my tears. They were dripping down my face. At times I couldn’t breathe because I was overcome with deep anguish. The overpouring of emotions that this novel can evoke in a person are mind-blowing. I have never had such a reaction to the written word that I felt throughout my body, ever in my life. It is the most human book. I smile and laugh, become wistful and melancholy just thinking of the novel still. My inability to convey how breathtaking and powerful this novel was, devastates me. This is my favorite novel ever.
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