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216th out of 494 books
—
631 voters
Ice Road
Loyalties, beliefs, love, family ties: all are tested to the limit in one of the most devastating moments of human history - the siege of Leningrad during World War II. Boris Aleksandrovich, a well-meaning bureaucrat, thinks he can negotiate between idealism and politics. His daughter learns otherwise when, as a young woman in love, she is almost crushed by her father's co...more
Paperback, 534 pages
Published
(first published January 1st 2006)
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Aug 29, 2007
Nuzhat
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who like character driven stories.
A chance purchase from Readings that turned out to be actually quite good. The narrative spans across almost a decade and the reader must maintain a more than elementary interest in pre-war Russian history to digest all of the details.
However, this is a character driven novel and Slovo makes the most of her insight in to the human mind with each characters she weaves in to the story. The characters don't come from the story, the stories come from them; they are gritty, funny, ugly yet fragile a...more
However, this is a character driven novel and Slovo makes the most of her insight in to the human mind with each characters she weaves in to the story. The characters don't come from the story, the stories come from them; they are gritty, funny, ugly yet fragile a...more
Review published in the New Zealand Herald, 15 May 2004
Ice Road
Gillian Slovo
(Little, Brown)
Reviewed by Philippa Jamieson
Somewhere in the Arctic, 1933. The Chelyuskin is on a scientific and patriotic mission through polar waters from the Soviet Union's west to its far east, but the forces of nature are too great, and the ship becomes ice-bound. There is nothing its crew can do but wait for help to arrive. On board is Irina Davydovna, a cleaner of humble origins. Facing death on the voyage gives h...more
Ice Road
Gillian Slovo
(Little, Brown)
Reviewed by Philippa Jamieson
Somewhere in the Arctic, 1933. The Chelyuskin is on a scientific and patriotic mission through polar waters from the Soviet Union's west to its far east, but the forces of nature are too great, and the ship becomes ice-bound. There is nothing its crew can do but wait for help to arrive. On board is Irina Davydovna, a cleaner of humble origins. Facing death on the voyage gives h...more
I was very affected by this book. It was surprisingly well researched, but I was also very impressed by how the pain and suffering of generation under Stalin came out so vividly in the human stories. The characters will haunt you long after you are done with the book. And had I mention how well researched it was? This is part of my culture and history, so I do know. Funny, I dont know if the writer intended that, but one of the main characters Natasha felt as if she was in a sense inspired by th...more
Leningrad is in the grip of winter. Winter with a capitol W. In The Ice Road, by Gillain Slovo it is always winter. The winter of 1933 brings more than the usual grumblings about food and fuel shortages, politics in whats left of the revolution's aftermath and what your neighbor might possibly be up to. When the city's feared and respected leader, Kirov is assassinated, the already vicious and corrupt Stalin government spins out of control. Over the course of the next ten years, perpetual outsid...more
Books are so interesting when they are from a time and culture not familiar to one. This particular story takes place during the siege of Leningrad during WWII. The characters are very human and we start with Natasha young and in love and where her life goes from there. Unfortunately that happy time doesn't last but she does find life worth living for she has a young daughter counting on her.
There are various other characters in the book, all with their own stories. I enjoyed the book very muc...more
There are various other characters in the book, all with their own stories. I enjoyed the book very muc...more
I would really like to give this 3.5 stars but 4 will have to do.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel and I ended up really enjoying it. There are several narrators, a device I appreciate, and the story kept me interested throughout the 500+ pages of the novel.
The plot follows several citizens of Leningrad over a ten year time period during Stalin's reign. I thought Slovo captured the paranoia and fear of that time very well and her characters were believable. My complaints are that she...more
I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel and I ended up really enjoying it. There are several narrators, a device I appreciate, and the story kept me interested throughout the 500+ pages of the novel.
The plot follows several citizens of Leningrad over a ten year time period during Stalin's reign. I thought Slovo captured the paranoia and fear of that time very well and her characters were believable. My complaints are that she...more
This book has it all really. I really enjoyed the relationships in the story, how they evolved and came to be. The struggle of war-time paces through this book, giving it grit and honesty.
lovely tale featuring big historical events but told from a small story perspective
Life through the purges & war of Stalin's Russia through the eyes of 2 women. Brilliant. Almost a Russian Thomas Hardy, but with a hint of hope that perhaps never existed under Communism.
Way to wreck the story for others.
Jul 29, 2011
Sara
marked it as to-read
04 short list-orange prize
I really enjoyed this book. Set during a period of Russian History that I suspect most of us know little about - pre WWII - it shows the struggle of a family and a country. Beautiful, and painful and sad, but also uplifting. This is not a happy story, but is a compelling one. Read with one of my reading groups and it instigated one of our most wide-ranging and earnest discussions about life and the fate of individuals and countries.
A wonderful powerful saga about Russia through the Revolution and into the hardships of WWII as seen through the eyes of a varied cast of characters. I enjoyed this book very much and it was a good insight into the politics of the times.
3.5
This is a beautiful book that I heartily recommend. I am very interested in Russian history over the Stalin years and this novel brought the whole period vividly to life for me. Read it and weep!
No idea why this was on my 'to read' list but I quite enjoyed it anyway!! Leningrad under Stalin, from the 20s to the 40s. Good characters.
fantastic book--takes place in 1934--russia. historical fiction. herione is a cleaning woman.
Feb 24, 2010
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Novelist Gillian Slovo was born in 1952 in South Africa, the daughter of Joe Slovo, leader of the South African Communist party, and Ruth First, a journalist who was murdered in 1982.
Gillian Slovo has lived in England since 1964, working as a writer, journalist and film producer. Her first novel, Morbid Symptoms (1984), began a series of crime fiction featuring female detective Kate Baeier. Other...more
More about Gillian Slovo...
Gillian Slovo has lived in England since 1964, working as a writer, journalist and film producer. Her first novel, Morbid Symptoms (1984), began a series of crime fiction featuring female detective Kate Baeier. Other...more
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