Resistance [NOOK Book]

Too Much Detail Not Enough Romance

Reading the back of this book I was totally drawn into what I thought would be a great romance. Well all the details in the beginnig about the planes etc. really killed the romance. When the romance actually happened it lacked depth and passion. The ending was terrible and nothing was really wrapped up well. I am disappointed in Resistance as all the other books I have read by Anita Shreve have been amazing. I hope her new book is better.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

One of my all time favorite books

I absolutely loved this book. I bought it because I enjoyed other books by Shreve. I had not even read the back cover when I started reading this book. It was riveting from the very beginning. I loved the history lessons that were woven between the story of love, determination, survival and sacrifice. I have a heightened sense of patriotism and respect for those who served in the armed forces and also those who were behind the scenes. My heart ached for a love that could not be. I usually don't identify with books that have male main characters. This book transcended gender lines and touches the 'human' in all of us.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Wait It Out...

The book was surprising on many levels. That it should start off so slowly was surprising considering an American plane landed perilously close to enemy territory and it's up to the Resistance movement in Belgium to help out the survivors. Having that as the premise of the first third of the book, should, in and of itself, be pretty exciting, but it was rather dull. What was further surprising was that the author revealed her ability for suspense, excitement, and emotion later in the book. The last two thirds of the book were incredibly tender and the interactions between the characters were heartbreaking - as was their courage. The end was full of twists and surprises. Overall, if you can get past the first hundred or so pages - it's worth the read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unbareably Depressing!!!

The beginning dragged an awful lot. The middle picked up and became juicy finally after reading every painstaking detail of the crash and Ted's background. The storyline seemed caotic and unorganized. I hate books that jump from present to past and to different perspectives. It made me think of the caos of A Tale of Two Cities, but Resistance was not nearly as bad.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Missing in the end

I really enjoyed this book. It was given to me as a gift & I'm glad because I never would have picked it for myself. I liked the storyline, but I wish there was less details in the beginning and more towards the end. I loved the book, but felt the ending was lacking. The story wrapped up but too much was left to the reader.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

An amazing story that leaves you wanting more

More of a history lesson than a romance novel.

I have read a few of Anita Shreve's books and this one is not my favorite. I still really enjoyed it, in fact I finished it in two days. It is very suspenseful and each break leaves you hanging, wanting more. There is a lot of detail given, especially about the war, the planes, the logistics of the resistance groups, but much less about the actual romance between the two characters. I enjoy that I learned a lot reading this piece, but was not impressed with the lack of the love story.
The ending also did not satisfy me. Suspenseful, yes. And realistic, I suppose too, but still lacking the romance that we were promised.

WW II assistance to downed allied fliers by the resistance movement

Resistance refers to the civilians throughout Europe, in particular Belgium, who helped downed fliers disregarding their own safety and discovery by the Germans and others that were German sympathizers. These brave rescuers would hide these men in their homes, usually a hidden room in their homes or barns, get the usually needed medical help, feed and clothe them, and try to keep their "roomers" to themselves and a very few trusted that were part of the resistance network. Many allied pilots and crewmembers stayed alive only because of the actions of these brave souls.

Many times other civilians were also hidden if they were Jewish or were hunted by the Germans for some other reason. This hiding was just as dangerous. If any of these anti-German residents were discovered, they usually faced immediate execution or a trip to a German prison or concentration camp. If the Germans knew of a hidden person and no one would turn them in, there would be retribution to those in the nearest town, usually killing ten citizens for every person known and still not discovered.

Other times some of those, as in Resistance, fell in love with their saviors, many times not knowing if it was true love of just the fact that someone was there. Some of the husbands would have to leave their wife and home and disappear to do some more rescuing or move some along the line back to their own nation when that path seemed safe. In Resistance, Ted, an injured pilot rescued from the woods by a young boy, was taken eventually to Clair and Henri's home and hidden in an attic room. Ted needed medical help and received it from another resistance woman who snuck into their house to offer the aid. When Henri left, Ted and Clair found an attraction to each other that at first felt wrong but became near normal for them after Henri was gone for a few days. Forbidden love!

The resistance force, as well as all that lived in German occupied nations such as Belgium, lived in very primitive situations where food was very scarce, animals they had on their farms were being taken by the Germans as they needed them, and any other basic living needs were almost non-existent. They lived a very hard brutal life. But the help they gave the allied soldiers meant so much to all those involved. This book goes into detail and allows the reader to suffer as all those brave resistance friends and the pilots and their crews that survived in various kinds of injured distress.

Another great read from Anita Shreve

She is a dependable writer, always know when you pick up one of her books that you won't be dissapointed. This book is no exception, catches your attention right away and keeps you holding on until the very end.

Very fast-paced book

Not only is this book short when compared to others, it reads very quickly so is perfect for a rainy day.

This book had me from the first page and I ended up reading it in a day, but the one thing I was disappointed in was the fact that towards the end it all wrapped up rather quickly. It felt almost as if the author had tired of writing this story and wrote the ending in 5 pages rather than drawing it out a bit more and adding some explanations.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good read

I'll admit, I selected this book based on the fact that it was going to be a short read. However, it turned out to be a good read.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

How it really was.........

Poignant, moving, sad but true.......nonetheless, a love story

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A good read!

Resistance was a good read, my only regret was that there wasn't more.

fantastic

I couldn't put this book down and finished in two days. I love historical romances / dramas so this was perfect for me. Yes, the flying sequences and crash description were a bit long but I felt that it gave a bit of depth to Ted's character. And since I am taking flying lessons myself I didn't mind one bit. Others reviews have criticized the ending - not explaining whether Ted figured out if it was Claire who had betrayed him. But the way I interpreted the scene where Ted sees Claire in the infirmary and doesn't acknowledged her confirms that Ted realized she hadn't named him because if she had she would have been killed already. It would have been nice to know why neither of them tried to contact the other after the war but one can assume they were both trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

A Pretty Great Read...

Anita Shreve written a beautiful story out of it. I enjoyed the setting. And how this romance between Clair & Ted formed in fierce time of war. Their feelings & tension for eachother was tender. I just wish that there was more info about the ending. So it was a love and lost tale I'd recommend this novel to anyone. I give it 4 stars.

Engaging but something was missing

I definitely liked the book. I read All He Ever Wanted and really enjoyed that one but this one was different. I know that the circumstances of Ted and Claire's relationship were difficult, to say the least, but found myself wanting to know more about what happened after Ted left Belgium. I know that we find out a bit from his son but who knows how he ever felt about not knowing whether Claire had betrayed him or not. Despite this feeling of not having enough information at the ending, I enjoyed the book. I read it in less than a week and enjoyed the characters but was sometimes put off by the descriptions of the atrocities that were occurring during the war (although, I realize that things like this happen every day in this world).

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Powerful Book

I have already read one of Anita Shreve's books and I thought that the book was wonderful. This book is powerful and mind-catching. The interesting this is that it usually takes me about two weeks to read a book, however I was able to read this book in two and a half days. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. Everyone must read this book

Very Powerful read

When I read a book I enjoy I proceed to read everything the author has written. I started to read All He Ever Wanted about 3 weeks ago and loved it. Resistence is my favorite. The setting is described just so I thought if I closed my eyes I could imagine actually being there. It is powerful emotionally, war is cruel and Shreve captured it perfectly. I can't wait to read more

Great Read

You will not want to put this one down.

A MUST READ

I like this book very much, the story, the characters, the background... everything. Although it's set during the war, Shreve is still able to carve a beautiful story out of it. I think at the core of every novels by Shreve is a love story, pure and simple even in times as dark as the war. I'm not someone who love romance novels and definitely Shreve's works are NOT, nevertheless, I found myself being sucked into the story and clamouring to find out what happened to the two lovers in the end. A must read.