I really, really wanted to love this book but I'm afraid that for whatever reason it just didn't happen for me. I think it's an incredible and worthwhile story and definitely one worth telling so it isn't forgotten but I just didn't connect to it.
The author has done a brilliant job of bringing this story to a young audience. It's a difficult subject and could be really horrific but as it is aimed at younger readers a very light touch has been used. That's not to say things are glossed over, the reader is very aware of what's going on, it's more that the focus is elsewhere. It's too horrible for Ella and Rose to think about all of the time and it would probably be too much for the reader as well. Instead there are little glimpses and brief incidents which show what's going on without being explicit.
Most of the story is taken up with Ella and Rose and how they distract themselves from what's going on around them and just try to survive. Ella retreats into dressmaking while Rose escapes in her head to fantasy and stories. The contrast between them and how they deal with things is fascinating to read. Rose is probably the more likeable and frustrating of the two. She's kind and caring and makes sacrifice after sacrifice for the other women (often at the expense of her own health). Ella is much harder and not as easy to like. She's determined to survive by any means and can be selfish and self serving. Willing to put others down so that she survives. Given the position she's in however I can't honestly say I wouldn't do the same, I have no idea. These moral dilemmas and questions were probably the highlight of the story for me.
The story itself is probably a little on the slow side and I personally found that it lacked the tension and emotion that I expected. Other than Ella, the characters didn't seem very fleshed out and consequently I didn't feel as much for them as I thought I would have. I was expecting this to be horrifying and heartbreaking but other than a few tears at one point it never really happened for me. It may just have been the mood I was in when I was reading it or it may have been that I couldn't connect to Ella but I just didn't feel what I really think I should have.
I do think it's a wonderful story and is very well written so I would recommend, I just wish it'd worked better for me. I should also add that this is one of the most beautiful books I've come across. I loved the illustrations on the pages and the cover is so much prettier in reality than in the pictures.
The author has done a brilliant job of bringing this story to a young audience. It's a difficult subject and could be really horrific but as it is aimed at younger readers a very light touch has been used. That's not to say things are glossed over, the reader is very aware of what's going on, it's more that the focus is elsewhere. It's too horrible for Ella and Rose to think about all of the time and it would probably be too much for the reader as well. Instead there are little glimpses and brief incidents which show what's going on without being explicit.
Most of the story is taken up with Ella and Rose and how they distract themselves from what's going on around them and just try to survive. Ella retreats into dressmaking while Rose escapes in her head to fantasy and stories. The contrast between them and how they deal with things is fascinating to read. Rose is probably the more likeable and frustrating of the two. She's kind and caring and makes sacrifice after sacrifice for the other women (often at the expense of her own health). Ella is much harder and not as easy to like. She's determined to survive by any means and can be selfish and self serving. Willing to put others down so that she survives. Given the position she's in however I can't honestly say I wouldn't do the same, I have no idea. These moral dilemmas and questions were probably the highlight of the story for me.
The story itself is probably a little on the slow side and I personally found that it lacked the tension and emotion that I expected. Other than Ella, the characters didn't seem very fleshed out and consequently I didn't feel as much for them as I thought I would have. I was expecting this to be horrifying and heartbreaking but other than a few tears at one point it never really happened for me. It may just have been the mood I was in when I was reading it or it may have been that I couldn't connect to Ella but I just didn't feel what I really think I should have.
I do think it's a wonderful story and is very well written so I would recommend, I just wish it'd worked better for me. I should also add that this is one of the most beautiful books I've come across. I loved the illustrations on the pages and the cover is so much prettier in reality than in the pictures.