bookshelves: currently-reading
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bookshelves: 2009-books
It is a sweet little book about a Russian woman who works in the Hermitage Museum during the bombing of Leningrad during World War II.
I was surprised to learn how many masterpieces were housed in this museum, but of course, as my husband pointed out the czars were elitist and very "Frenchified", so they probably thought hoarding art was the way to go.
The book flashes back and flashes to the present where Marina is suffering from Alzhemier's Disease.
It is a sad horrible story about what they people in Russia experienced during the war, but it is also a story of hope,
Best quote....
"No one weeps anymore, or if they do, it is over small things, inconsequential moments that catch them unprepared..... What is heartbreaking is that there is still beauty in the world." (page 161).
Everyone they love is dying, and those that are alive are weak, emaciated, hungry, and plain tired, but they push through it and survive. In one scene, there are starving women and men in a steam/bath, and the women realize that Marina is pregnant. Each of them wants to touch her belly and feel the bad because in the middle of it all, a child has been conceived, hope has been born, and maybe Marina is an embodiment of the madonna story. ]]>
"another book about WW2 from a totally different perspective. I am enjoying it."
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Rosemary wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Rosemary wrote: "Brenda wrote: "okay you're on! but, I am running out of things to say....lol!"
Too many things piling up, I'm afraid I might not make it this year. But we'll see. ..."
my writing is not a linear story. it is complicated and more episodic than narrative, so it isn't that easy to throw something in there. i can add more to each episode but i need to regroup and re analyze what i am writing. that i have to save for revisions.
BUT, I did manage to crank out 2,220 for a grand total of 34,412! ]]>
Anyone interested in discussing this book in more detail?
If yes, here's question #1
Who did you sympathize with more, Julia or Valentina? Did your sympathies change as the story moved on? ]]>
The Tsarina's Daughter
Here's another good one on the topic. ]]>
The Truth About Love
Read my review. ;-) ]]>
bookshelves: to-read
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