Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

When The World Was Ours: A book about finding hope in the darkest of times by Liz Kessler

7 reviews

allisonsmith120's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

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thebookaddict's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Wat een boek. Ik heb deze gelezen voor mijn minor en ik ben er enorm van onder de indruk. Dit boek vertelt het verhaal van drie kinderen in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. En het mooie vind ik dat ze allemaal een enorm verschillend verhaallijn hebben. Mijn favoriete verhaallijn was die van Elsa, haar verhaallijn heeft het meeste indruk op mij gemaakt, omdat ze in 1 klap alles kwijtgeraakt is, terwijl ze een hoopvolle toekomst tegemoet ging. Het was ook hartverscheurend wat zij allemaal heeft moeten doorstaan vergeleken haar vrienden. Ik vond het wel jammer dat de vriendschap zo snel weg was. Uit het oog uit het hart.... aan Max zijn kant snap ik het, maar ik had de brieven tussen de vrienden misschien nog willen lezen. Het geeft een mooi inzicht over hoe de kleinste dingetjes kunnen zorgen voor een klein sprankje hoop. Voor de rest een prachtig verhaal over verschillende kanten van de oorlog en hoe deze impact heeft gehad. Ik had het einde ook niet zien aankomen. Ik las ergens dat dit boek ook bedoeld is voor de Bovenbouw, maar ik zelf denk dat hij daar iets te heftig voor is. Ik zou hem aanraden vanaf eind klas 1 of klas 2.

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muppetymelody's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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drcrankypantsphd's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The book opens on Leo and his friends Elsa and Max, an inseparable trio, riding the Ferris Wheel in the heard of Vienna for his birthday. It’s the late thirties and Hitler is rising to power in Germany, though his reach has not quite solidified in Austria and the three friends enjoy the day, with Leo’s father pulling an English couple visiting Vienna, the Stewarts, into the birthday festivities.

Relatively soon after Leo’s birthday, Elsa and her family, who are Jewish, decide the threat posed by Hitler is too great and they flee to Czechoslovakia, the first of the trio to leave. She continues to write Leo and Max weekly, though Leo and Max both face challenges in Vienna. For Max, it is losing the girl he care for while also wrestling with his father’s disapproval. For Leo, it is being separated from his father by the Nazis, recently descending upon Vienna, and the challenge to leave Austria to safety with his mother. All three friends experience the horrors of World War II in different ways.

The three friends allow for a variety of possibilities to compare and contrast their experiences, allowing the reader to consider the role of timing and, quite frankly, luck in being able to navigate the war. There is something of a deux ex machina at the conclusion of the book as

Max is shot by another young Nazi rather than following through on the task of shooting Elsa. One of the themes was how Max was groomed by his Nazi father, shifting from the caring and gentle boy at the start of the novel, to a hardened Nazi who had found belonging among their ranks. It felt disingenuous to undo the character work Max had done over the course of the novel. As readers, we lose Elsa regardless and Max’s death doesn’t redeem him.

Overall, an engaging foray into WWII with engaging characters who are well-drawn and a plot that, due to the triple plot line, moves along at an engaging clip.

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