It is a nice book to start reading about what happen to gay men during WWII. It is short, it doesn't go that deep into the things it talks about. I foIt is a nice book to start reading about what happen to gay men during WWII. It is short, it doesn't go that deep into the things it talks about. I found it a bit confusing at times, so, it was nice that they added a chronology of events at the end of the book.
This part of history always gets erased. I didn't talk about it at school, I rarely see it written or talked about. It is important not to forget how these brave men fought and tried to survive....more
I just finished this book. I'm not even sure why I opened the review option on goodreads.
Let's just say I'm so glad I read it.
This book talks about I just finished this book. I'm not even sure why I opened the review option on goodreads.
Let's just say I'm so glad I read it.
This book talks about so many important things. Bisexuality, women wanting pleasure, women fighting for what they want, complex, human and flawed characters (not perfect at all!!!) and relationships. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made think about so many famous people nowadays.
I loved reading about such a strong woman. It is still so rare to find characters like Evelyn Hugo even nowadays. I get the feeling if she was a real person, she would still be as polemic today as in the time the book was set. And that really says something about the need of characters like her.
I was almost giving it 5*, but I found Monique's character to be a bit put off sometimes and the fact that I knew what was coming (view spoiler)[with harry and monique's dad (hide spoiler)] was a bit ... meh.
Even tho, maybe I'll come back later and change the stars I gave this book, because it is not everyday you find a story that manage to touch your very own core.
P.S: Also... the last line of the book?? That line could get all my stars!! Really, what a brilliant way to finish an amazing book!...more
Yesterday I was feeling SO bored with this book, that I couldn't even write a review. The only thing I was thinking was: YES, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, I Yesterday I was feeling SO bored with this book, that I couldn't even write a review. The only thing I was thinking was: YES, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, I FINISHED IT. BYE. (AND FOLKS, I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE FAMOUS SEX SCENE BECAUSE I WAS SO DONE WITH THE WRITING STYLE OF THIS BOOK)
I'll try to start with the good things, since there are not a lot of them.
To be completely honest, I think the story started quite nicely, maybe a bit confusing with all the names and code names, but it looked promising: funny, easy to read, with interesting characters. I was really INTERESTED in reading about the way Simon and Sandra were working undercover together (excited to know that we would have a woman and a man working together and that there wouldn't be any romance there) and, I enjoyed the team's interactions, the way they all seemed so familiar and always playing around (at the beginning, i repeat).
Even tho, I think the only REAL good thing of the book was Jeremy Archer. He is such a funny and smart character, sometimes quite unreal , but he was fun to read! AND he was the only character that got a physical description! POINTS FOR YOU, JEREMY. I'm kinda sad I found him in this book and not in a different one.
Now, let's go to the things I didn't like.
To begin with, in my opinion, the author is not the best author out there. She barely offered any description of the characters, sometimes the narrative was a bit confusing (another revising would be good for the book, but as Nessa said, It's a free book, so I can't really complain about that), the relationships and the characters weren't that deep... It didn't really make me feel connected with any of them.
It also made me sad that I ended up not really enjoy the dynamic in the Templar group. At first they were funny, but after that first impact, they kinda got on my nerves, especially with all the DUMB comments about Sandra's body.... Like, pals, calm down. The girl has boobs, congratulations for noticing it.
Another thing I didn't like was the way they treated Jeremy (view spoiler)[ when he goes to the office and offers his help (hide spoiler)] It was rude and not funny at all. Not really professional of them.
And talking about Jeremy, let me tell you, without him, the team wouldn't get anywhere... and it made me feel like... this was really bad writing, because... Okay, Jeremy is a skilled thief, but the team members are supposed to be good at their job as well. They have trainning and experience?
Next in the list is SIMON, let's talk about Simon... or maybe not. I didn't like him. Therefore, I won't spend any more time around him. Go be a jerk in someone else's review, Simon. (okay, he was not THAT bad, I just don't care about him.)
NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW UNREALISTIC the action scenes were. LIKE, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW SIMON EXPLODED HEADS WITH A SINGLE GUNSHOT or (view spoiler)[HOW SIMON WAS PASSED OUT AND THE VILLAIN COULDN'T FIND HIM, even tho they were in the same room (hide spoiler)] or (view spoiler)[HOW THEY WERE THERE, TRYING TO STOP THE LAUNCHING AND ONLY A FEW GUARDS APPEARED (hide spoiler)] or ... wait, I'll stop here or I would have to quote all the action scenes, because, surprise surprise, NONE OF THEM MADE SENSE.
I'm getting too long on this review, so, I'll just talk about two more scenes that really made me roll my eyes:
1. Simon and Jeremy making out (view spoiler)[ in the vents, right on top of a guard, right when they needed to be silent... like, talk about nice timing... AND THE GUARD JUST WENT AWAY (hide spoiler)] I think he refused to be a part of this senseless plot.
2. How could Jeremy (view spoiler)[ just disappear from the hospital, after loosing so much blood, after getting an operation.... ? (hide spoiler)] I guess he is not only a very skilled thief, he also possess really good magical abilities.
OKAY, FOLKS, I'LL STOP TALKING AND JUST ENJOY THE FACT THAT I MANAGED TO READ THIS TILL THE END. I don't think i'll read the next books.
I honestly teared up reading this! It is so GOOD to see my beautiful son Laurent all happy and free, stOMG PEOPLE, I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SHORT STORY!
I honestly teared up reading this! It is so GOOD to see my beautiful son Laurent all happy and free, strategizing and going around being the humanist he is, with Damen... And to see them so in love! How much fun did they have tho? :)
Charls IS SO FUNNY! I love that he has all the clues to see that Lamen is Damen, yet, he just doesn't get it! HOW COULD SOMEONE WITH NO SKILLS BE THE KING (I can't! Charls kills me everytime)
I WAS not NOT nooot expecting the plot twist! Really, C.S. Pacat is fantastic! She's amazing!...more
Ohhh! This was such a beautiful reading! SO FULL OF EMOTIONS!
This fanfic is really well written and in character! I can totally imagine Les Amis in HOhhh! This was such a beautiful reading! SO FULL OF EMOTIONS!
This fanfic is really well written and in character! I can totally imagine Les Amis in Highschool, with their small group trying to fight for human rights!
I fell in love with each one of the characters ALL OVER AGAIN! But especially with Jehan! He is so precious, so strong and yet innocent... so kind and different... so brave!
And Joly! Our fanboy! Talking about Tv shows and Space facts!!!
Eponine was so independent and trying so hard for her little brother! Showing that even with a very bad situation at home, she could make beautiful things! Her friendship with Musichetta felt so natural and beautiful!
Don't even let me start with Combeferre!!! Inventing his own language when he was a kid, and being compared to a teacher!!
But I think what I enjoyed the best in this fic was the slow progress in Grantaire's mental health. How comfortable he grew to be... how his self-esteem started to change a bit, how he started to draw again, how he opened up to the possibility of therapy!
It was endearing to read about Enjolras (secretly a dork! :D) and how oblivious both of them were!
Oh boys!!! the best fake relationship fic i've ever read! ...more
I admit I was not convinced about this book. After a friend kept insisting I should read it, I tried 2 times before I managed to go through the first I admit I was not convinced about this book. After a friend kept insisting I should read it, I tried 2 times before I managed to go through the first chapter. I'm really glad I didn't give up (Thank you, Leah!)
This is the kind of book that always makes me fall in love with the Young Adult Lit! So beautifully written, with some clichés (let's be honest!) and with smart plots! Where the romance is possible and it is present, but as a beautiful background for the story and not as the main focus. Just beautiful touches of feelings and emotions, painting the plot and thickening it... Background stories influencing choices and behaviours... It's really well done!
I'll try to make it simple and say what I really liked about it:
1. Complex Female Characters I really love the way Leigh wrote all the main characters. Giving a lot of details for each one of them. But I specially like how complex and strong the female characters are. How real and relatable!
We have Nina, described as being a roundy girl. She is always described as beautiful and seductive, someone who manipulates men flirts with everyone and uses her charms and slyness to meet her ends. And, guess what, NOT ONCE, her weight is viewed as a problem. Really, it is refreshing. She is such a smart person!
Then, we have Inej: a dark skinned girl, who is one of the most important members of the gang. She is so brave and skilled, never giving up even when a lot of bad things happened to her... I really love how, even tho we know she is brave, how (view spoiler)[petrified she was when she met Tante Heleen, that's what happens in reality when you face something that hurt you, something that made your life hell. It's how victims react! (hide spoiler)]. I also love how she asks Kaz to respect her.
2. The Others (LOL i'm sorry, but i love the characters too much) i had to make a special topic to my girls So, I'm basically in love with all of them.
I love Kaz, how his past made him the way he is... how emotionally constipated he is. I also love how realistic his reactions to Inej are. (view spoiler)[his reaction when Inej touched his cheek... how conflicted he was. REALISTIC, MY FOLKS. (hide spoiler)] He sometimes... gets on my nerves. He is too pragmatic. Too cold. Too... too much. He is hella smart and tricky! Well, he's a survivor! I loved reading his struggles... (view spoiler)[especially when it came to human contact (hide spoiler)].
I love Jesper (more than I thought I would). He is so funny and smart (even tho, sometimes he doesn't really act like it). I'm assuming he is bisexual and I'M HOPING HE WILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUNSHINE OF THE GROUP because they are adorable. Sometimes I really feel sorry for him... How he feels when he compares Kaz's relationship with Inej and Kaz's relationship with him. I really like how much of a flirt he is.
Matthias! I really like his character development. He is so real. He is the guy who grew up hating a race and learns how to break the stereotypes, the ideas that were sacred to him... his own xenophobia. And that is so difficult for a person who had his education... i love how attracted he is to Nina and how much he fights against it!
And finally, my small ray of sunshine, Wylan. He is adorable. I love him... He is so intelligent, and innocent, and brave... It ends up being funny reading about him, sounding so much younger than the rest of the characters (even tho, they have pratically the same age)...
3. Topics shown and the reality of it The book also talks about some serious issues, not directly, but shown with the characters actions, reactions, lifestories...
You will read about addiction! Two different kinds of it and its consequences. The first, with Jesper (view spoiler)[and his game addiction. The constant loss of money, the need to have another "lucky night", the need of adrenaline, the lies to his family...) (hide spoiler)], then, with Nina (view spoiler)[when she is suffering the efects of the withdrawal of Jurda Parem (=quimical drugs): the physical effects AND the psychological effects. The lost of control, the need to have more... desperation, mood changes... (hide spoiler)]. It is really nice the author didn't make it easier than it is in reality.
You will read about Xenophobia/Slavery: How one race fears the other, how they want to impose their own power, to subdue the other... How fear and ignorance are connected with fear. (And this makes me love Matthias more. I love one quote he said to Nina: “They fear you as I once feared you,” he said. “As you once feared me. We are all someone’s monster, Nina.” <- it is not an excuse to the events described by the book tho.)
4. The adventure This book made me anxious sometimes! I was so over the edge with them! I wanted to know how the plan would work (sorry, Kaz, I'm not as smart as you)... and I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN JESPER PROVED HE WAS IMPORTANT.
5. The implications of Jurda Parem This is really interesting... the social economical situation gets totally changed if this drug gets... "real". All the fight for power, all the fear, all control...
The thing is: the characters struggles felt so real, the story was really entrancing, and with that ending, I just wanted to read the second book! So, that's what I'm doing now! :D ...more