What do you think?
Rate this book
The Katyn Order
The German war machine is in retreat as the Russians advance. In Warsaw, Resistance fighters rise up against their Nazi occupiers, but the Germans retaliate, ruthlessly leveling the once-beautiful city. American Adam Nowak has been dropped into Poland by British intelligence as an assassin and Resistance fighter. During the Warsaw Uprising he meets Natalia, a covert operative who has lost everything-just as he has. Amid the Allied power struggle left by Germanyâ s defeat, Adam and Natalia join in a desperate hunt for the 1940 Soviet order authorizing the murders of 20,000 Polish army officers and civilians. If they can find the Katyn Order before the Russians do, they just might change the fate of Poland.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Douglas W. Jacobson
7 books45 followersDoug Jacobson is a World War Two history enthusiast who travels extensivley in Europe. Doug's bebut novel, NIGHT OF FLAMES, was inspired by his belgian relatives and his Polish heritage. The theme of Doug's interest in WW2 is the courage and determination of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events.
NIGHT OF FLAMES received the 2008 "Outstanding Achievement Award" from the Wisconsin Library Association.
Doug's second book, THE KATYN ORDER, is a historical fiction/thriller also set in World War Two and is centered around one of history's most heinous war crimes. THE KATYN ORDER was released in May, 2011.
NIGHT OF FLAMES received the 2008 "Outstanding Achievement Award" from the Wisconsin Library Association.
Doug's second book, THE KATYN ORDER, is a historical fiction/thriller also set in World War Two and is centered around one of history's most heinous war crimes. THE KATYN ORDER was released in May, 2011.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 28, 2012
Vacillated between 2.5 and 3 on this one. The second half of the book concerning the search for a mysterious Kathy order document was more exciting than the first. I was hoping for a better read with respect to the Warsaw Uprising, in which my parents fought -- along with a 13 year old named Mikki Bandyta (pseudonym - actually Zolman Hochman). The two main protagonists reminded me a bit of my parents. My dad was dropped behind enemy lines, having been trained by the SOE as a Cichociemny and he was a saboteur and technical expert. He met my mother in the Uprising, as well as Mikki, do the stories here are close.
But, the first half of the book was not nearly as gripping as the second. I am not sure what happened. Perhaps Jacobson was not as interested in the character and relationship development aspect of the two main characters as he was in the frantic search for the Katyn document.
There are a number of annoying aspects in this book. The first has to do with my sense that Jacobson, despite his meticulous historical accuracy, had never been to some of the places that he wrote about. E.g. The Mariaski Church in Krakow is flush to the sidewalk, hence one cannot bound up the stairs of it.
Also, there is a section in which the protagonists are discussing the lack of antibiotics. I think not. Safe antibiotics were not widely available until '45-46 and then certainly not in war torn Poland during the uprising in '44. This is another boo-boo that indicates poor editing on his publisher's part -- they should have caught this.
He dropped the words "dark and silent" which is roughly the translation of Chichociemni, but never elaborates on it. Perhaps he simply meant dark and silent, but for those of us who know about the Cichociemni, it jarred. He also referred to the SOE, but for those who know little about WW II history, the SOE required some elaboration.
His editor also fell down on the job. There were many grammatical errors, the most annoying to me being the use of the word "like" instead of "as if."
The value in this novel lies in the fact that it concerns history that is not well known outside of old Polonia in the U.S. Despite the best efforts of Poles, it is also history that many in Poland would like to put behind them.
The book is also a quantum leap better than his first effort, "Night of Flames." I hope that he continues writing and making improvements to his story telling skills. It is commendable that someone is taking this history and crafting something that is geared to disseminating it to the public.
But, the first half of the book was not nearly as gripping as the second. I am not sure what happened. Perhaps Jacobson was not as interested in the character and relationship development aspect of the two main characters as he was in the frantic search for the Katyn document.
There are a number of annoying aspects in this book. The first has to do with my sense that Jacobson, despite his meticulous historical accuracy, had never been to some of the places that he wrote about. E.g. The Mariaski Church in Krakow is flush to the sidewalk, hence one cannot bound up the stairs of it.
Also, there is a section in which the protagonists are discussing the lack of antibiotics. I think not. Safe antibiotics were not widely available until '45-46 and then certainly not in war torn Poland during the uprising in '44. This is another boo-boo that indicates poor editing on his publisher's part -- they should have caught this.
He dropped the words "dark and silent" which is roughly the translation of Chichociemni, but never elaborates on it. Perhaps he simply meant dark and silent, but for those of us who know about the Cichociemni, it jarred. He also referred to the SOE, but for those who know little about WW II history, the SOE required some elaboration.
His editor also fell down on the job. There were many grammatical errors, the most annoying to me being the use of the word "like" instead of "as if."
The value in this novel lies in the fact that it concerns history that is not well known outside of old Polonia in the U.S. Despite the best efforts of Poles, it is also history that many in Poland would like to put behind them.
The book is also a quantum leap better than his first effort, "Night of Flames." I hope that he continues writing and making improvements to his story telling skills. It is commendable that someone is taking this history and crafting something that is geared to disseminating it to the public.
February 22, 2014
I enjoyed this novel. It had a great setting, intriguing characters, and edge of your seat suspense inherent to all spy novels. Yet, when all is said and done, I was disappointed at the ending. The story really seems to have just cut off and the reader is left blinking wondering what happened.
I liked the characters of Natalia, Adam, and Rabbit. They were very fleshed out and three-dimensional in some very trying circumstances. I was engaged enough by them to be sucked into their struggle to survive and find the missing evidence against the Russians needed to keep Poland free. The author did an admirable job breathing life into these three leading characters.
The choice of setting this novel in Nazi-occupied Poland, specifically the Warsaw Uprising of '44, and immediately after the war with Russia solidifying its hold on Poland was an engrossing change from the typical. Most Resistance novels like this I've come across are set in Nazi-occupied France, Belguim, or Holland. Poland was a nice change of pace.
And boy does the author not hold back on the horrors of war and the anxiety of Soviet oppression! The tank scene towards the beginning of the novel where Natalia and Adam meet? Dude... still shudder thinking about that. The author brings all the terror, pain, and loss inherent to this time frame and setting to horrific life. It brings a realism to the story that is both shocking and sticks with the reader.
I felt the ending left something to be desired, really. When all is said and done, the story ends pretty much where it began. And while it's probably realistic in that not everything gets resolved in favor of our heroes, I just feel that in our fiction we need a bit more resolution. I don't know... In the end, I just felt disappointed at how the story ended. So much loss and for not much result...
This novel stands as a middle of the road spy thriller. The reader is kept on the edge of their seat, engaged with the characters and the setting. But ultimately, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth in how little resolution I really got. The twist in the end almost made me throw my Kindle across the room in frustration. I don't know if I'd recommend this book or not since resolution and payout is so important for a spy thriller, at least for me. But the characters, suspense, and setting are wonderful. So I'll leave it up to the individual.
I liked the characters of Natalia, Adam, and Rabbit. They were very fleshed out and three-dimensional in some very trying circumstances. I was engaged enough by them to be sucked into their struggle to survive and find the missing evidence against the Russians needed to keep Poland free. The author did an admirable job breathing life into these three leading characters.
The choice of setting this novel in Nazi-occupied Poland, specifically the Warsaw Uprising of '44, and immediately after the war with Russia solidifying its hold on Poland was an engrossing change from the typical. Most Resistance novels like this I've come across are set in Nazi-occupied France, Belguim, or Holland. Poland was a nice change of pace.
And boy does the author not hold back on the horrors of war and the anxiety of Soviet oppression! The tank scene towards the beginning of the novel where Natalia and Adam meet? Dude... still shudder thinking about that. The author brings all the terror, pain, and loss inherent to this time frame and setting to horrific life. It brings a realism to the story that is both shocking and sticks with the reader.
I felt the ending left something to be desired, really. When all is said and done, the story ends pretty much where it began. And while it's probably realistic in that not everything gets resolved in favor of our heroes, I just feel that in our fiction we need a bit more resolution. I don't know... In the end, I just felt disappointed at how the story ended. So much loss and for not much result...
This novel stands as a middle of the road spy thriller. The reader is kept on the edge of their seat, engaged with the characters and the setting. But ultimately, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth in how little resolution I really got. The twist in the end almost made me throw my Kindle across the room in frustration. I don't know if I'd recommend this book or not since resolution and payout is so important for a spy thriller, at least for me. But the characters, suspense, and setting are wonderful. So I'll leave it up to the individual.
May 28, 2011
This exciting thriller set in Word War II plunges readers into the life of an assassin aiding the Polish underground during the Warsaw Rising of 1944. Towards the end of the war, Poland’s government-in-exile in London instructed Poland’s underground army, the AK, to fight the Nazis for control of Warsaw. The Russians refused to help the Poles save the city or its people. Jacobson captures the horror of the war for the AK and the almost complete destruction of a great old city. After the end of the War in Europe, the British Secret Service sends the assassin, an American citizen born in Poland, to Germany and ultimately to Poland to locate a document from 1940, the Katyn Order. The Brits hope to use the document, which would show that Stalin ordered the killing of Polish Army officers and civilians, to prevent the Russians from taking over Poland. This part of the book focuses on spying and reunites the assassin with his love interest in the AK. Most of the literature I have read about WWII is written from the British, French or American point of view. I found the historical information on the Warsaw Uprising and the Russian occupation of Poland after the war fascinating and give the author kudos for introducing readers to a fairly obscure (at least to many Americans) part of the WWII story. Jacobson does a good job of writing historical fiction in a thriller format that pulls readers in and keeps them turning the pages. His development of characters and the love story is less successful but more than satisfactory for this genre. [I received this book as part of the Goodreads First-Reads program.]
June 16, 2011
I've recently started reading one book upstairs and one book downstairs, but usually one of the books takes over and I carry it around until I'm finished. This time, The Katyn Order overtook The Imperfectionists (which I am also enjoying). It tells some of the lesser-known stories of World War II, focusing on the Warsaw Uprising and the Katyn Order, which was signed by Stalin and authorized the execution of 20,000 Polish military officers, lawyers, and other educated people. When the bodies were discovered, Russia and Germany were both blaming it on the other country. The protagonist, Adam, is searching for a copy of the order to have proof that Russia was the aggressor.
I found this book hard to put down, despite the war atrocities and cruelty that occurred. The romance is a secondary story, and Jacobson brings the fear and desperation of the 1940s to life. He doesn't hesitate to let bad things happen to characters that you like. He'll be at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of the Book on Friday, and I'm looking forward to his talk.
I found this book hard to put down, despite the war atrocities and cruelty that occurred. The romance is a secondary story, and Jacobson brings the fear and desperation of the 1940s to life. He doesn't hesitate to let bad things happen to characters that you like. He'll be at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of the Book on Friday, and I'm looking forward to his talk.
March 18, 2012
Beautiful, deeply moving, passionate, with vividly described places and people - The Katyn Order was absolutely phenomenal. I loved it. In fact, I enjoyed it far more than I ever expected! Jacobson's virtuosic storytelling will have you hooked from page one - you won't be able to put this book down. Highly recommended!
March 9, 2024
Great Read
Great read from start to finish
Enjoyed it very much and was pleased to learn a little of Polish history as well.
Great read from start to finish
Enjoyed it very much and was pleased to learn a little of Polish history as well.
July 8, 2011
When I was researching for my thesis, "Rhetorical Strategies of the Third Reich," I mostly concentrated on how Hitler and the Nazi Party used various forms of propaganda against the German people in a effort to turn them to the Hitlerian worldview. Included in this were the efforts to turn the people against the Jews using insidious methods at targets of all ages. For instance, comic books and coloring books for children that depicted the Jews as rats, etc.
I am well aware of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by the Jews in 1943. But, as far as the actual war is concerned, I probably know no more than the average person has gleaned from watching movies over the years. I was, therefore, anxious to read this book about incidents in the war I had never imagined. The story is told in three parts.
The first incident in the book is a short prologue telling of the execution of 4,000 Polish officers in the Katyn Forest in 1940. Buried in a mass grave this atrocity was carried out by the Russians, not the Germans. An additional 23,000 members of the Polish intelligentsia were executed at various sites in Russia. This is a known fact. (The mass grave of the Polish officers was discovered in 1943 and the Russians and the Germans accused each other of committing these murders.)
The second part concerns the attempt by the AK, Poland's home army, to take control of the city of Warsaw in 1944 when it became clear that the Germans were losing the war. The impetus for the Warsaw Rising was a desire to have complete control of the city before the Russians arrived. The author tells this story by focusing on three fictional combatants: Adam, AKA Wolf, a Polish-born American citizen, who is working under the British Secret Service as a sniper; Natalia, a young Polish woman who works as a conductor on the railroad and smuggles documents, and; Rabbit, a boy who lost his family at the tender age of 8. The experience of trying to survive in a constant state of war has turned him into a fierce and canny fighter at the age of 13. Their lives intersect during the struggle for the city.
When it is clear that the battle is lost Natalia and Rabbit escape to the countryside. Adam, severely wounded, is picked up by a submarine and taken to England.
The third part of the book occurs after the war. Adam and the British believe the document exists that will prove Russia was behind the murders in the Katyn Forest and elsewhere. Adam's hope is that the document can be found before the distribution of Europe that will take place at the Potsdam Conference and enable Poland to be saved from Stalin's domination.
Remembering that Natalia once smuggled documents he hopes to find her and discover the conduit she used to deliver papers. The few remaining members of the AK are contacted and Natalia is found hiding in Krakow.
Adam enters the disputed city of Berlin as a member of the War Crimes group. Meanwhile, Natalia has learned that Adam's Polish uncle, believed to have died in a concentration camp, had been released into the custody of his old law correspondent, Hans Frank, the German governor of Poland. She also learns that his journal might have a clue to the document.
Adam enters Krakow, connects with Natalia and Rabbit, and the search is on for the document.
I won't tell you the outcome. I will say that the final page totally upended me. Nevertheless, this was a very informative and satisfying novel. It tells the story of the war within a war fought by the Poles that is probably not known by many besides scholars. It also highlights the jockeying for position in disputed areas after the war. Highly recommended.
Note: In 2010, a plane crashed in Russia killing the Polish president and 90 other Polish officials. They were on their way to a memorial for the Polish officers in the Katyn Forest.
I am well aware of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by the Jews in 1943. But, as far as the actual war is concerned, I probably know no more than the average person has gleaned from watching movies over the years. I was, therefore, anxious to read this book about incidents in the war I had never imagined. The story is told in three parts.
The first incident in the book is a short prologue telling of the execution of 4,000 Polish officers in the Katyn Forest in 1940. Buried in a mass grave this atrocity was carried out by the Russians, not the Germans. An additional 23,000 members of the Polish intelligentsia were executed at various sites in Russia. This is a known fact. (The mass grave of the Polish officers was discovered in 1943 and the Russians and the Germans accused each other of committing these murders.)
The second part concerns the attempt by the AK, Poland's home army, to take control of the city of Warsaw in 1944 when it became clear that the Germans were losing the war. The impetus for the Warsaw Rising was a desire to have complete control of the city before the Russians arrived. The author tells this story by focusing on three fictional combatants: Adam, AKA Wolf, a Polish-born American citizen, who is working under the British Secret Service as a sniper; Natalia, a young Polish woman who works as a conductor on the railroad and smuggles documents, and; Rabbit, a boy who lost his family at the tender age of 8. The experience of trying to survive in a constant state of war has turned him into a fierce and canny fighter at the age of 13. Their lives intersect during the struggle for the city.
When it is clear that the battle is lost Natalia and Rabbit escape to the countryside. Adam, severely wounded, is picked up by a submarine and taken to England.
The third part of the book occurs after the war. Adam and the British believe the document exists that will prove Russia was behind the murders in the Katyn Forest and elsewhere. Adam's hope is that the document can be found before the distribution of Europe that will take place at the Potsdam Conference and enable Poland to be saved from Stalin's domination.
Remembering that Natalia once smuggled documents he hopes to find her and discover the conduit she used to deliver papers. The few remaining members of the AK are contacted and Natalia is found hiding in Krakow.
Adam enters the disputed city of Berlin as a member of the War Crimes group. Meanwhile, Natalia has learned that Adam's Polish uncle, believed to have died in a concentration camp, had been released into the custody of his old law correspondent, Hans Frank, the German governor of Poland. She also learns that his journal might have a clue to the document.
Adam enters Krakow, connects with Natalia and Rabbit, and the search is on for the document.
I won't tell you the outcome. I will say that the final page totally upended me. Nevertheless, this was a very informative and satisfying novel. It tells the story of the war within a war fought by the Poles that is probably not known by many besides scholars. It also highlights the jockeying for position in disputed areas after the war. Highly recommended.
Note: In 2010, a plane crashed in Russia killing the Polish president and 90 other Polish officials. They were on their way to a memorial for the Polish officers in the Katyn Forest.
June 30, 2011
The Katyn Order is an historical fiction set in WWII.
Natalia is a resistance fighter for the Armia Krajowa (AK), Poland's home army and she has risen up against her Nazi oppressors to take back Warsaw during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Germany is losing the war and the Red Army is set to take control of the situation by strategically placing themselves around the city.
The AK's situation is bleak, their food and water supplies are running low, their weapons are out-of-date, ammunition is scarce, and their bodies are piling up. With the Red Army stationed at the Vistula River, the AK are torn between that of salvation that they may bring or will they be captured, as once the Russians were adversaries with Germany, and the AK haven't forgotten. As the Nazi's rampage the city, killing everyone in sight, it's up to the AK to maintain the ground they have taken back from the Germans.
Adam Nowak, aka Wolf, is a Polish born American citizen who was trained by Britain's elite, to become an assassin. He is the best sharpshooter the AK have and proves it by successfully removing several SS officers in order for the AK to advance ground and gain weapons caches. When Adam saves Natalia from an invasion, he cannot get her out of his mind. When the two meet again, they become friends and she is able to bring out his past in order for him to confront his demons.
Someone has slaughtered over 20,000 men of the Polish army and left them in a mass grave. When it is discovered, the Russians blame the Germans for the atrocity. After Natalia and Adam find a document stating what actually occurred, they know that they must do everything they are able in order for the truth to prevail. Will they survive long enough for Poland to remain her own country, stopping the Russians from claiming it as Soviet territory or will the Order remain unsurfaced forever?
I found this book to be well researched and had many interesting historical references. Reading about the events that occurred was appalling, the details given were quite graphic and one's imagination has no problem recreating the scenes being described. The heartaches and hardships of the resistance fighters gives a humanistic edge to the stories, as you realize everyone has a back story and you cannot resist wanting to know everyone's, for you don't know if, on the next page, that person was going to survive.
I liked the characters of Natalia, Adam and Rabbit, each of them brought something to the book by becoming real in the readers eyes. Rabbit was my favourite character, here is a child who, by the fates that surround him, have become a man. His front is a brave one and when we get to glimpse the side of him that reminds you he is but a child, your heart breaks. The friendship between the three was very rewarding to read and the aftermath of the war may leave you with a tear or two.
The Katyn Order was a commendable read, filled with historical data that may have your researching on your own account. I would suggest it to anyone who likes a good historical dramatic fiction.
Natalia is a resistance fighter for the Armia Krajowa (AK), Poland's home army and she has risen up against her Nazi oppressors to take back Warsaw during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Germany is losing the war and the Red Army is set to take control of the situation by strategically placing themselves around the city.
The AK's situation is bleak, their food and water supplies are running low, their weapons are out-of-date, ammunition is scarce, and their bodies are piling up. With the Red Army stationed at the Vistula River, the AK are torn between that of salvation that they may bring or will they be captured, as once the Russians were adversaries with Germany, and the AK haven't forgotten. As the Nazi's rampage the city, killing everyone in sight, it's up to the AK to maintain the ground they have taken back from the Germans.
Adam Nowak, aka Wolf, is a Polish born American citizen who was trained by Britain's elite, to become an assassin. He is the best sharpshooter the AK have and proves it by successfully removing several SS officers in order for the AK to advance ground and gain weapons caches. When Adam saves Natalia from an invasion, he cannot get her out of his mind. When the two meet again, they become friends and she is able to bring out his past in order for him to confront his demons.
Someone has slaughtered over 20,000 men of the Polish army and left them in a mass grave. When it is discovered, the Russians blame the Germans for the atrocity. After Natalia and Adam find a document stating what actually occurred, they know that they must do everything they are able in order for the truth to prevail. Will they survive long enough for Poland to remain her own country, stopping the Russians from claiming it as Soviet territory or will the Order remain unsurfaced forever?
I found this book to be well researched and had many interesting historical references. Reading about the events that occurred was appalling, the details given were quite graphic and one's imagination has no problem recreating the scenes being described. The heartaches and hardships of the resistance fighters gives a humanistic edge to the stories, as you realize everyone has a back story and you cannot resist wanting to know everyone's, for you don't know if, on the next page, that person was going to survive.
I liked the characters of Natalia, Adam and Rabbit, each of them brought something to the book by becoming real in the readers eyes. Rabbit was my favourite character, here is a child who, by the fates that surround him, have become a man. His front is a brave one and when we get to glimpse the side of him that reminds you he is but a child, your heart breaks. The friendship between the three was very rewarding to read and the aftermath of the war may leave you with a tear or two.
The Katyn Order was a commendable read, filled with historical data that may have your researching on your own account. I would suggest it to anyone who likes a good historical dramatic fiction.
July 23, 2012
I'm a sucker for a good WWII-set thriller or crime book, and that's just what this is -- good, but not great. The story opens in Warsaw in the fall of 1944, as the German army is being driven back by the Soviets. With the Soviets almost at the gates of Warsaw, the underground Polish home army launches what became known as the Warsaw Rising (not to be confused with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of the previous year). The first third or so of the book details the desperate attempts by the Polish citizen-soldiers to keep control of the city from the Germans. Among the fighters are Polish-American sniper Adam, and the feisty female soldier Natalia. Amid the action, their paths cross and the two lonely souls are drawn to each other. The desperate action is well told, and the reader gets a very real sense of the noose being tightened around the necks of the beleaguered resistance, who keep hoping that the Russians will cross the Vistula and finish the Germans.
The book then shifts to the immediate post-war period, in which Adam finds himself working for British Intelligence to track down the fate of his uncle, who might have important information that could influence Poland's future. A serviceable espionage plot follows, as he has to uncover things the NKVD would rather keep hidden, and Natalia attempts to stay hidden from the NKVD agents crawling all over Poland trying to root out any last vestiges of independence fighters. As they both become embroiled in the hunt for the titular document (the real-life order issued by Stalin to execute 22,000 Polish soldiers, policemen, and intelligentsia), which may save Poland from Soviet control, they are brought back together again. Although they are aided by a Soviet general of Polish background, they are also ruthlessly pursued by a nasty NKVD officer who needs to suppress the document.
The book is not exactly nuanced, as Adam is a kind of cardboard hero, and the various Poles who help him display all manner of heroic qualities. The blossoming love affair between him and Natalia is pretty cheesy, as is the role of any number of compatriots who die tear-jerking deaths. But it's hard to be too churlish about a book that brings to light an evil moment in history, and much of the period detail is quite interesting in its own right. I was especially interested in the indigenous Gorale people of Poland's southern highlands, who play a large part in the last third of the book. It's a competent page-turner that should appeal to anyone who likes WWII-set fiction and especially those interested in getting a dose modern Polish history in their entertainment.
The book then shifts to the immediate post-war period, in which Adam finds himself working for British Intelligence to track down the fate of his uncle, who might have important information that could influence Poland's future. A serviceable espionage plot follows, as he has to uncover things the NKVD would rather keep hidden, and Natalia attempts to stay hidden from the NKVD agents crawling all over Poland trying to root out any last vestiges of independence fighters. As they both become embroiled in the hunt for the titular document (the real-life order issued by Stalin to execute 22,000 Polish soldiers, policemen, and intelligentsia), which may save Poland from Soviet control, they are brought back together again. Although they are aided by a Soviet general of Polish background, they are also ruthlessly pursued by a nasty NKVD officer who needs to suppress the document.
The book is not exactly nuanced, as Adam is a kind of cardboard hero, and the various Poles who help him display all manner of heroic qualities. The blossoming love affair between him and Natalia is pretty cheesy, as is the role of any number of compatriots who die tear-jerking deaths. But it's hard to be too churlish about a book that brings to light an evil moment in history, and much of the period detail is quite interesting in its own right. I was especially interested in the indigenous Gorale people of Poland's southern highlands, who play a large part in the last third of the book. It's a competent page-turner that should appeal to anyone who likes WWII-set fiction and especially those interested in getting a dose modern Polish history in their entertainment.
October 23, 2011
It's books like this that make me grateful for, well, books. Invariably there is always something that is new for me, and an event like this is one that we cannot forget. To do so, yet again does a disservice to the victims and their families, families who waited in vain for their loved ones to come home, never knowing that they had been mercilessly slaughtered.
Adam and Natalia were characters I immediately liked, along with a young teenager nicknamed Rabbit, a skillful messenger and a general jack-of-all-trades, who particularly stuck with me. Reading about history can sometimes be a dry experience, but with Jacobson's knowledgeable and masterful storytelling, The Katyn Order instead becomes an absorbing and suspenseful ride through the end of World War II. It's a thoughtful exposé of the truths surrounding this event, while at the same time positioning a fictional story as its primary driver, which keeps the reader excited to continue reading and learning at the same time. It's this device that makes it difficult to put the book down, and The Katyn Order provided me with that same result - once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. When I had to put it down, I continued to think about the story, the brutality of war, particularly World War II, and the graphic moments that were included successfully served to provide me with just enough insight into the experiences that Adam and Natalia went through together and separately. The barbaric execution of Polish officers still makes me speechless with the intense sense of mournfulness of the act.
While there were some moments of the love story between Adam and Natalia that had me shaking my head in disbelief, I had to question myself and ask what I would really do if I was falling in love and war raged around me. Because of this, I couldn't say I would or wouldn't act in the same way that the main characters did, and I'd like to think I'd be smart and run my butt off, far and away from certain death, but...maybe not. Maybe I would be completely overwhelmed with the magnitude of all of the emotions that war would force on me. So maybe I would just have a moment with a mysterious man while I was fighting to save my country and fighting for my people against horrible injustices. Now that I think about it, why not?
Adam and Natalia were characters I immediately liked, along with a young teenager nicknamed Rabbit, a skillful messenger and a general jack-of-all-trades, who particularly stuck with me. Reading about history can sometimes be a dry experience, but with Jacobson's knowledgeable and masterful storytelling, The Katyn Order instead becomes an absorbing and suspenseful ride through the end of World War II. It's a thoughtful exposé of the truths surrounding this event, while at the same time positioning a fictional story as its primary driver, which keeps the reader excited to continue reading and learning at the same time. It's this device that makes it difficult to put the book down, and The Katyn Order provided me with that same result - once I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. When I had to put it down, I continued to think about the story, the brutality of war, particularly World War II, and the graphic moments that were included successfully served to provide me with just enough insight into the experiences that Adam and Natalia went through together and separately. The barbaric execution of Polish officers still makes me speechless with the intense sense of mournfulness of the act.
While there were some moments of the love story between Adam and Natalia that had me shaking my head in disbelief, I had to question myself and ask what I would really do if I was falling in love and war raged around me. Because of this, I couldn't say I would or wouldn't act in the same way that the main characters did, and I'd like to think I'd be smart and run my butt off, far and away from certain death, but...maybe not. Maybe I would be completely overwhelmed with the magnitude of all of the emotions that war would force on me. So maybe I would just have a moment with a mysterious man while I was fighting to save my country and fighting for my people against horrible injustices. Now that I think about it, why not?
July 1, 2011
Really liked this book. I liked the fact that it told a story that is lesser known about WWII. I liked that it had a time frame to follow with a date listed for each chapter. I liked that it told the story from a few different perspectives. I enjoyed how the stories of each of the narratives intertwined to really see the different aspects of the story. Anyone who enjoys a well written World War II story will really enjoy this book.
Now, for the meat of what it is about:
This story starts out in the Katyn Forest in 1940 and then jumps a few years,August 1944, towards the main fight in Warsaw between the Germans and the Resistance. The descriptions of the fighting the the ruthlessness of the Germans really made one feel like you were there experiencing the terror and the horribleness of the fight. The Resistance and the fact that they put forward such a good fight and knew what they were fighting for was very well written.
The story then goes on through the end of the war to looking for a document dealing with where the book begins - The Katyn Forest. This document was meant to be part of the convention at Potsdam Germany. The sorrow and the heartache that is in this book was very well written. The feelings that I had while reading this book had me hollering at the characters. Don't do that - he does know - watch out.
The last several chapters of this book really brought this story together and made it feel finished. It also had me doing research because this is a lesser known part of the war. It was interesting for me to learn about this part of the war. It also opened up about the Russians that I had always wondered about. Made me do a lot of research, so that I could have a better understanding of the story.
Well written story that was very enjoyable and opened my eyes to a lot of things.
Now, for the meat of what it is about:
This story starts out in the Katyn Forest in 1940 and then jumps a few years,August 1944, towards the main fight in Warsaw between the Germans and the Resistance. The descriptions of the fighting the the ruthlessness of the Germans really made one feel like you were there experiencing the terror and the horribleness of the fight. The Resistance and the fact that they put forward such a good fight and knew what they were fighting for was very well written.
The story then goes on through the end of the war to looking for a document dealing with where the book begins - The Katyn Forest. This document was meant to be part of the convention at Potsdam Germany. The sorrow and the heartache that is in this book was very well written. The feelings that I had while reading this book had me hollering at the characters. Don't do that - he does know - watch out.
The last several chapters of this book really brought this story together and made it feel finished. It also had me doing research because this is a lesser known part of the war. It was interesting for me to learn about this part of the war. It also opened up about the Russians that I had always wondered about. Made me do a lot of research, so that I could have a better understanding of the story.
Well written story that was very enjoyable and opened my eyes to a lot of things.
July 26, 2012
This is the reason I read historical fiction--for books just like this. This is a book that is crafted with immeasurable care and precision, and it will leave you knowing more about something that is not normally discussed--the Katyn Massacre, an actual historical event.
As I began the book, I was horrified at what I read. I always hear about the German atrocities, but I have heard very little about what the Russians did. I had no idea about what happened in Polish history, and there were many times I almost did not want to read the descriptions. The author was quite realistic in the way he wrote about the events in the book, and I came to care for many of the characters.
The profanity in the book is often raw at times, but I found I could often get past that. I was a little upset when there was a sex scene (not described, but not necessary), but that is the Christian part of me who gets tired of characters in books having sex without getting married. I did not let either of these issues cause the rating of the book to go down.
I was impressed with the author's writing of this book. He clearly researched it well, and I feel that I am a more informed person now. I somehow missed any of the modern discussion of this event, and I discussed many of the issues with my mom who knew a little more than I did about the Russian atrocities (but still not much). This is a book I can whole-heartedly recommend to historical fiction lovers out there. There is some romance in the book, but that is not the focus. If you are looking to read something that will open your eyes to some historical details you did not know, this is the book for you.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
As I began the book, I was horrified at what I read. I always hear about the German atrocities, but I have heard very little about what the Russians did. I had no idea about what happened in Polish history, and there were many times I almost did not want to read the descriptions. The author was quite realistic in the way he wrote about the events in the book, and I came to care for many of the characters.
The profanity in the book is often raw at times, but I found I could often get past that. I was a little upset when there was a sex scene (not described, but not necessary), but that is the Christian part of me who gets tired of characters in books having sex without getting married. I did not let either of these issues cause the rating of the book to go down.
I was impressed with the author's writing of this book. He clearly researched it well, and I feel that I am a more informed person now. I somehow missed any of the modern discussion of this event, and I discussed many of the issues with my mom who knew a little more than I did about the Russian atrocities (but still not much). This is a book I can whole-heartedly recommend to historical fiction lovers out there. There is some romance in the book, but that is not the focus. If you are looking to read something that will open your eyes to some historical details you did not know, this is the book for you.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
July 2, 2014
It was just my luck when I found this book on the library's e-book list. There was no waiting list (not necessarily a good sign), so I took my chances and downloaded it. It was just my luck, as this book turned out to be one of the best historical novels I have ever read; it fed into my historical novel preferences.
Those preferences include: a setting in the World War II era (1940, and 1945-6 in this book), a little known actual WWII happening (the Katyn Massacre of Polish Soldiers)on which this story is based, intricate detail about an anti-movement (the Polish resistance, the AK), graphically explicit descriptions of great European cities (in this case, war-torn Berlin, Warsaw and Krakow) intrigue and deception (this is the heart of this story led by Adam (Polish American) and Natalie (Polish) vs. the invading Nazis and more vehemently against the invading Russians, and an involved third party who unwillingly become involved (mountain people of Slovakia).
This book was written in a style and manner that places you in the story -- you can smell the sewers the AK used to travel from one part of the city to another, you tear up seeing the war-torn destruction of the cathedrals, churches and other revered buildings, you get nervous riding the train because you know you are being watched by someone in a black uniform.
This book would make a great movie, assuming it would stick to the plot and is not sensationalized. My only complaint about this book is about the last section when the "final fight" involved the outside group, the Slovakians. I felt as though this part was overdone, not in character with the way the rest of the book was written. It was almost as though it was scripted for a big finale movie scene. This could have been a five-star book if the last scenes were style-congruent with the rest of the book.
Those preferences include: a setting in the World War II era (1940, and 1945-6 in this book), a little known actual WWII happening (the Katyn Massacre of Polish Soldiers)on which this story is based, intricate detail about an anti-movement (the Polish resistance, the AK), graphically explicit descriptions of great European cities (in this case, war-torn Berlin, Warsaw and Krakow) intrigue and deception (this is the heart of this story led by Adam (Polish American) and Natalie (Polish) vs. the invading Nazis and more vehemently against the invading Russians, and an involved third party who unwillingly become involved (mountain people of Slovakia).
This book was written in a style and manner that places you in the story -- you can smell the sewers the AK used to travel from one part of the city to another, you tear up seeing the war-torn destruction of the cathedrals, churches and other revered buildings, you get nervous riding the train because you know you are being watched by someone in a black uniform.
This book would make a great movie, assuming it would stick to the plot and is not sensationalized. My only complaint about this book is about the last section when the "final fight" involved the outside group, the Slovakians. I felt as though this part was overdone, not in character with the way the rest of the book was written. It was almost as though it was scripted for a big finale movie scene. This could have been a five-star book if the last scenes were style-congruent with the rest of the book.
November 17, 2011
Basically, this book is what my husband likes to watch in movies. Rampant death and destruction, humans acting like beasts, violence on every page and cities in total ruin. The book begins with the Warsaw Rising (first historical event I hadn't known about--different than the earlier ghetto uprising), during which several thousand Polish resistance members fought a losing, weeks-long block-to-block battle with the Nazis while the Russians, ostensibly allies of the Poles, chilled out on the opposite side of the river and watched the city burn. The narrative picks up a few months later as two of the surviving Resistance fighters end up on an epic quest that leads them from Berlin's luxurious Adlon Hotel to a sequestered mountaintop hamlet, through the churches of Krakow, with a stop in newly-liberated Sachsenhausen. All the while they are tracked by a diabolical Russian who is trying to prevent them from finding evidence of his complicity in the Katyn massacre (second historical event I hadn't known about).
The story is a page-turner--I read over 100 pages daily in a few weeknights--but the character development and overall context seem a bit thin. The above-mentioned husband was watching one of the Indiana Jones movies while I was reading the book, and it had a lot of parallels with the novel's climactic scene in a (made-up) library. Meanwhile, the two main characters aren't developed much beyond having had their families tragically murdered and seeking vengeance. Beyond them, almost every other major character dies, Poles (with one exception) are portrayed as brave victims, Russians and Germans (with 1-2 exceptions each) as heartless killers, and Ukrainians as straight-up brutes.
The story is a page-turner--I read over 100 pages daily in a few weeknights--but the character development and overall context seem a bit thin. The above-mentioned husband was watching one of the Indiana Jones movies while I was reading the book, and it had a lot of parallels with the novel's climactic scene in a (made-up) library. Meanwhile, the two main characters aren't developed much beyond having had their families tragically murdered and seeking vengeance. Beyond them, almost every other major character dies, Poles (with one exception) are portrayed as brave victims, Russians and Germans (with 1-2 exceptions each) as heartless killers, and Ukrainians as straight-up brutes.
August 24, 2011
A die-hard fan of historical fiction, this book was right up my alley. While this book is fiction, it is important to not that the Katyn Order - the murder of Polish officers and civilians - does exist and did happen. I especially enjoy fiction that weaves in truth and it was obvious that Jacobson has done his research.
Previously, I had not know of this particular piece of WWII history and found the details both interesting and disturbing.
This book is a wonderful, non-stop thriller that I could easily imagine being made into a movie. The characters are real and complex and the action is exciting and engaging.
I must admit, there was quite a twist at the end of the novel. However, considering the events of this particular period of our history, I probably should not have been as surprised as I found myself to be.
My only criticism of the book is the relationship that develops between Adam and Natalia. Somehow it just seemed somewhat forced to me. While I found Natalia to be a believable character in the novel apart from her interactions with Adam, there were times that I found her behavior uncharacteristic and inconsistent when she was with Adam.
However, their relationship only takes up a small portion of the novel, so it is hardly a reason not to read the book. In my opinion, it came across as any great action movie that has to have a little romance thrown in for good measure. :-)
Previously, I had not know of this particular piece of WWII history and found the details both interesting and disturbing.
This book is a wonderful, non-stop thriller that I could easily imagine being made into a movie. The characters are real and complex and the action is exciting and engaging.
I must admit, there was quite a twist at the end of the novel. However, considering the events of this particular period of our history, I probably should not have been as surprised as I found myself to be.
My only criticism of the book is the relationship that develops between Adam and Natalia. Somehow it just seemed somewhat forced to me. While I found Natalia to be a believable character in the novel apart from her interactions with Adam, there were times that I found her behavior uncharacteristic and inconsistent when she was with Adam.
However, their relationship only takes up a small portion of the novel, so it is hardly a reason not to read the book. In my opinion, it came across as any great action movie that has to have a little romance thrown in for good measure. :-)
June 26, 2011
The author tells 2 separate stories. The first 40% of the book tells of the Warsaw Rising in which the Germans basically ran over the Polish freedom fighters (AK) with a merciless siege. The Poles did inflict heavy damage on the Germans in their losing cause.
The story then shifts to a mysterious document written by the Russians and signed by Stalin that authorized the extermination of 27,000 Poles. About 4,000 Polish officers died in the Katyn forest as a result of the Katyn Order.
I found the story to be reasonably well written except that the author is repetitive in descriptions and sometimes far too descriptive causing the story to bog down.
The ending bothered me to a great extent. I kept reading to find out what happened as a result of the Katyn Order being found by the hero Adam. It was like the ending fell off a cliff, or the author got tired of the storyline, or the completion date arrived too soon. I was very disappointed at the conclusion.
I learned several historical lessons but so much of the book was fiction that I found myself wanting more of history. The entire premise of the book was fiction since it is unknown if the Katyn Order was an actual document. The author even went so far as to include a fictional journal at the end in what may be read by some as being an accurate depiction. If it were not for the Author's note at the very end of the book, the reader could easily be lulled into believing the book was based in fact rather than fiction.
The story then shifts to a mysterious document written by the Russians and signed by Stalin that authorized the extermination of 27,000 Poles. About 4,000 Polish officers died in the Katyn forest as a result of the Katyn Order.
I found the story to be reasonably well written except that the author is repetitive in descriptions and sometimes far too descriptive causing the story to bog down.
The ending bothered me to a great extent. I kept reading to find out what happened as a result of the Katyn Order being found by the hero Adam. It was like the ending fell off a cliff, or the author got tired of the storyline, or the completion date arrived too soon. I was very disappointed at the conclusion.
I learned several historical lessons but so much of the book was fiction that I found myself wanting more of history. The entire premise of the book was fiction since it is unknown if the Katyn Order was an actual document. The author even went so far as to include a fictional journal at the end in what may be read by some as being an accurate depiction. If it were not for the Author's note at the very end of the book, the reader could easily be lulled into believing the book was based in fact rather than fiction.
July 20, 2013
In the summer of 1944, as the Wehrmacht began its bitter retreat from Russia, the Polish Home Army staged an insurrection to retake Warsaw. Though initially successful, ultimately the Germans savagely crushed the revolt, executed all the insurgents they could find, and leveled Warsaw. Against this backdrop is told the story of Adam Nowak, a Polish-born American and operative of the British SOE, working as a member of the Polish resistance, and Natalia, a young Polish woman who has lost her entire family in the war. The Poles know that as bad as the German occupation has been, life under the Soviets will be no better. It's known that the Russian NKVD secretly carried out the executions of more than 20,000 Polish army officers, intellectuals, and civic leaders in 1943 - an order signed by Stalin himself. If a copy of that order could be found and published to the world, the Americans and British might have the leverage to keep the Russians out of Poland.
The Warsaw Uprising (not to be confused with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising a year earlier) is a heroic episode little known in America. It's an effective backdrop for this tautly told tale of the Polish struggle for liberty, of violence and needless death and destruction, and of the grim machinations of international politics at the end of the Second World War. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and the story line is compelling though a bit predictable. Worth reading.
The Warsaw Uprising (not to be confused with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising a year earlier) is a heroic episode little known in America. It's an effective backdrop for this tautly told tale of the Polish struggle for liberty, of violence and needless death and destruction, and of the grim machinations of international politics at the end of the Second World War. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and the story line is compelling though a bit predictable. Worth reading.
July 25, 2011
The Katyn Order is an interesting thriller set in the heart of World War II. The story follows Adam Nowak, also known as Wolf, as he works to help save Poland from both the Nazis and the Russians. The first part of the book takes place during the war. The rest of the book shifts to a post-war situation where Adam turns from skilled sniper to covert agent in order to find proof of an order to commit a massacre in the Katyn Forest.
What I appreciated most about this book is the level of research that the author did in order to tell a fictional story in a factual setting. So many fictional stories during WWII either completely ignore the facts or reinvent history in order to suit the story. This book doesn't do that, but rather tells the tale of what could have been had this order existed on paper.
The one thing that I didn't like was the way the story ended on such a cliffhanger--even though I know to remain historically accurate, the story had to end in that manner. But for anyone that likes to read about WWII, this is a solid story to pick up.
*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
What I appreciated most about this book is the level of research that the author did in order to tell a fictional story in a factual setting. So many fictional stories during WWII either completely ignore the facts or reinvent history in order to suit the story. This book doesn't do that, but rather tells the tale of what could have been had this order existed on paper.
The one thing that I didn't like was the way the story ended on such a cliffhanger--even though I know to remain historically accurate, the story had to end in that manner. But for anyone that likes to read about WWII, this is a solid story to pick up.
*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
July 5, 2012
Well written and extremely informative. The setting is Warsaw, Poland during the resistance movement against the Nazi regime. The Russians are advancing toward Warsaw and the Germans destroy everything in sight before they arrive. The city is under constant attack, even hospitals are leveled. Adam Nowak is an American who has been dropped into Poland by British Intelligence as an assassina and Resistance fighter. He had been raised in America, but returned to his native Poland to live with his uncle, a noted historian and professor. Adam meets Natalia and Rabbit, both AK fighters. After Germany's defeat, the Allied Powers meet in Potsdam to work out a plan for Poland. Adam learns of an order from the Russians' leader Stalin to murder 20,000 Polish Army officers and civilians. The search is on to locate the Katyn Order hidden someone by Adam's uncle. The Katyn Order was a reality and more than 20,000 Polish Army officers and civilians were secertly murdered by the Soviet NKVD during April and May of 1940. The contoversy was finally resolved when Mikhail Gorbachev publicly acknowledged the Soviet Union's responsibilty.
March 8, 2012
Oof! this was great but terrifying, and drew me in right from the beginning! I had to keep reminding myself that while based on true events, and well researched, it is fiction! I love how the women fighters were featured. Often they're given more supporting roles, but here they were front and centre and treated as important and respectfully as the men. I also like who the author never lets you forget you're in the middle of a war, but subtly, with the ground shaking, or the sound of shells int he background. I also really like the nuances of the characters, on all sides. I did find it very american-centric; it seems like the only Allies to exist were Britain, US and Russia:P and i found the ending rather unsatisfying, although i guess it's historically accurate, and it's not something that could be easily tied up:P but i was definitely going Errg!! and left wondering:P However, the author's note oes explain a lot, not just about the ending, but the whole thing.
February 9, 2012
This book is divided into 2 parts - the conflict in Warsaw and the quest for the Katyn Order that follows. The Katyn Order is full of rich description and visual language making it a pleasure to read. I found the second half of the book to be more exciting than the first, and as such I couldn't put it down once I hit the halfway point. The book is a reminder of the exceptional atrocities faced by those in Poland from both the German and Russian fronts. The massacre in Katyn forest is central to the plot but not THE plot, and Jacobson has created an intricate story around the grief of his characters regarding Katyn. This book offers a little of everything - historical fiction, mystery, romance, politics... I am a fan of historical fiction and fiction/non-fiction around WW1 and WW2, so I particularly like how this book introduced me to the Polish AK and the post war confusion in Poland. Highly recommended!
October 2, 2012
Compelling spy novel with a few twists and turns that I had not expected. Polish-born American Adam Nowak (code name: Wolf),is sent by the SOE to assist the Polish underground in the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis but is haunted by his own personal losses and is bent on revenge. Polish underground member Natalia (code name: the Conductor) finds herself completely alone after losing all of her family wanting the Nazis out of Poland as well, but distrusting the Russians even more after witnessing first-hand what they are capable of. As the Soviet Army closes in, the retreat of the Nazis may not mean freedom and Adam & Natalia's lives intersect/intertwine time and time again in ways that they could not possibly have forseen as they frantically search for documents and proof of a massacre earlier in the war in the Katyn Forest that powerful parties do not want exposed.
September 21, 2011
A solid historical about an event I knew little about before. I appreciated the look at Poland - trapped between the Nazis and Stalin's Russia at the end of WWII. Jacobson does a great job of detailing the mess of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 (not to be confused with the Ghetto Uprising of 1943 - I know, I thought they were the same before this book!). The reactions of the Resistance and the abuse that the Polish suffered from both sides was very well portrayed.
The suspense built around the location of the Katyn Order did strain a bit, and the villain, though wholly believable, was rather nasty. But, overall, the characterization was spot-on, and the ending just vague enough - not necessarily sad, but with a bit of hope.
The suspense built around the location of the Katyn Order did strain a bit, and the villain, though wholly believable, was rather nasty. But, overall, the characterization was spot-on, and the ending just vague enough - not necessarily sad, but with a bit of hope.
August 9, 2011
Talk about a book making you feel like you are there experiencing the events. This is a very gripping novel. For those that are into war themed books I would very much recommend this novel. I brought this with me to a soccer tournament and found it difficult to put down. It is so descriptive that I actually shuddered at some of the things that were happening. This made my heart break at points and had me rooting for the main characters to conquer their enemies at other times. It made me wonder if I could have been strong enough at that time to survive.
I have found another author to add to my list and eagerly await for the next book.
I have found another author to add to my list and eagerly await for the next book.
June 5, 2011
I got this book through Goodreads First Reads. I wish I could give it three and a half stars. I found it to be a very enjoyable read. The descriptions were well done, and it had some great moments of suspense. I only gave it three stars because I found that I really didn't connect to the characters as much as I did the setting. I had a nagging feeling I wouldn't have liked it so much if it didn't tie in with Russian history, which I love.
January 24, 2012
So I won this book through goodreads First Reads giveaways! And I'm glad I did. I've never learned anything about WWI and WWII then Nazi's and the Holocaust. This book told the story of the vicious war between the Polish and Russians and the horrors the Polish faced. It took me a while to get through but I have no complaints. It was a pretty good read from beginning to end!
January 30, 2013
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book in the very beginning, but it didn't take long until I was totally engrossed in the story. The characters are excellent and the story is based on actual events in history that I did not know about (or forgot after high school LOL). I would highly recommend this read as a great story and a fun way to learn some history. :-)
June 6, 2011
I won this book in a contest giveaway and dragged my feet reading it because I'm not much into historical war stories but I could not put this book down. This a non-stop WWII historical thriller.
The story is skillfully executed, richly detailed with a love story set against the odds during the grotesque reality of the Warsaw Uprising. A must read especially for the history buff !
The story is skillfully executed, richly detailed with a love story set against the odds during the grotesque reality of the Warsaw Uprising. A must read especially for the history buff !
June 25, 2011
This was a great book, I'm glad I won it, I enjoyed the history, and the characters, though the ending was a bit sad, because there was a lot of deaths throughout the book, and it makes me think whether or not they were worth it or not. But yeah, I loved it!
May 26, 2011
I liked this book a lot. Fictional action packed love story, mystery, suspenseful, but based on actual mass execution of Polish offficers and nationals in the Katyn forest in Russia, by the Russians in March of 1940.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews