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By: HAMIL 029
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2026-04-24 10:59:10 |
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Most of the group enjoyed this novel for the way it portrayed a time in history and for its sympathetic characters. Cleave does overload the book with issues to some minds - war, class differences in society and the army, racial prejudice, women's rights. He is very good on historical detail, almost too good - hardly anyone spoke without lighting a cigarette, for example. We were divided about the style of writing - is it excellent or too wordy? And are the tragic events too frequent? It did lead to an excellent discussion. |
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By: AUCK 137
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2026-03-23 12:46:42 |
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Our group was split evenly over Everyone Brave is Forgiven. The positive members enjoyed the book and thought it was well-written with some very descriptive parts. These members felt that the novel captured the big and little things that covered the best and worst of love and war. The less than positive group found the literary style disjointed - at times thinly written similar to a popular romance title, and in others the author's lexically ambitious prose sent readers searching for a dictionary. |
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By: RAUM 003
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2025-12-19 17:04:38 |
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Very well written - enjoyed by all the group. |
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By: CHCH 020
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2025-06-10 19:11:55 |
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Everyone in the group loved this book - the cleverest book we have read for some time. The descriptions of the London blitz, the evacuation of Dunkirk (less than a page) and the siege of Malta were superbly described and unlike other books have previously done, was bought home for us. All of it made more readable by the banter and well crafted characters. Part of the book's strength was the author's descriptions and development of the relationships. Would completely recommend it. |
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By: HOKITIK 004
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2024-08-28 22:02:15 |
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A good read but a few didn't finish it, and some were a little disappointed in the second half. However, we all agreed the witty banter was clever, the information regarding Malta interesting, and the discussion drew out many personal family war stories and some surprising facts. |
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By: FEILD 005
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2023-08-17 10:41:28 |
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Mixed reviews. Lots never managed to read complete book. Others found it hard to get into at the start, but once they got into it they loved it . |
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By: FEILD 001
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2021-08-25 14:34:09 |
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We loved this book. A riveting read. The reader becomes so much a part of the story. |
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By: WESTO 001
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2021-02-23 15:06:14 |
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Everyone enjoyed this book, well written. Real characters flawed and exceptional. |
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By: WHITBY 002
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2019-07-10 13:55:19 |
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We loved this book - an engaging story with well drawn characters, the banter between them, typical of the day when unpleasant topics were never discussed directly, was very entertaining. This humour did not detract from the devastating effects of the war, each affected in some way, and the deprivations suffered in London and particularly, Malta, which was quite an education for us all. Hope to find some more of his books listed in the catalogue! Highly recommended. |
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By: AUCK 008
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2019-03-18 12:50:14 |
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Everyone spoke positively on this book. One member was a 9 year old in Holland during the war, and she felt the descriptions were very authentic. We also loved the often very funny dialogues between the different people. |
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By: PALMN 029
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2018-10-18 20:16:10 |
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Almost everyone enjoyed the book which was well written. The author gives you a real sense of each character without telling you things. The subject of the book is fascinating, and makes you think of what it was like in London during the Blitz for the people left behind - the men who did not join, the people who volunteered, and the black people who had to deal with terrible discrimination making the effects of the war worse. |
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By: AUCK 271
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2018-09-14 13:20:14 |
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A great read. Characters flawed and real. The stiff upper lip British way was evident. Three of our group were born in England, and the story was a help to them in understanding their parents. |
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By: ASHB 004
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2018-09-14 13:18:23 |
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We loved the book - many of us had read the book before, but enjoyed it even more the second time. Clever and witty - it gave us amazing insights into Malta and London during the war. Beautiful descriptions, fabulous characterisation and imagery. |
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By: WELL 142
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2018-09-14 13:11:23 |
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This book was much enjoyed by all the members of the group. We had a very good discussion about the topic, the language, and how for some this was the best novel read about war, any war. |
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By: DUNED 086
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2018-07-30 13:57:07 |
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The majority of the group loved this book and its characters. Those who didn't like it couldn't get into the story and found it dull. The members who liked it found it interesting to see the war's effects on the different characters. |
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By: AUCK 273
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2018-07-30 13:54:46 |
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Loved this book, and had a great discussion. |
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By: WELL 041
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2018-07-30 13:54:17 |
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Fulfilled all our expectations of a superbly written book. We were all swept through this fascinating read and drawn intimately into WWII, especially the Malta blockade, which we knew little about. Wonderful descriptions, no hyperbole. A great read and highly recommended. |
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