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sasper87's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Undertaking opens with Peter, an ordinary German soldier, marrying Katharina. The two have never met. He is desperate for the honeymoon leave, an escape from the battlefield. Her parents are keen for her to have the financial security of a soldier’s pension. When they finally meet, and despite the inauspicious beginnings, they start to forge a genuine and meaningful connection. But then Peter is sent back to Russia while Katharina starts to gain a foothold in Nazi society in Berlin. I liked the way this explored the horrors of war from the German perspective, while not shying away from their individual culpability. The ending of the book absolutely infuriated me, but also felt sadly realistic and appropriate. While I enjoyed much of this novel it was too dialogue heavy to be a total win.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War
zotty's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and War