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What Members Thought
What a beautiful book, what an experience. Books like this are the reason why people read. I read this in just over a day, one of them being a workday, and I don't consider myself a speed reader. I could not put this book down. It gripped me.
Someone who knows me well probably wouldn't seek me out and tell me to read this book. It's tough to read. Gritty. I don't usually love that kind of book.
This one was special though. And this review isn't going to do it any kind of justice. You'll just have ...more
Someone who knows me well probably wouldn't seek me out and tell me to read this book. It's tough to read. Gritty. I don't usually love that kind of book.
This one was special though. And this review isn't going to do it any kind of justice. You'll just have ...more
3.5 stars
I've read many stories about the siege of Leningrad, some so beautiful and heartbreaking that they have haunted me for weeks or months after I've read them. When I first started this story, I had a difficult time, I think I was comparing it to other stories...and it was suffering for it.
But then Lev and Koyla began developing this relationship, and this is where the story started for me. It was more about the journey that young Lev was taking during these hard times, and a journey that ...more
I've read many stories about the siege of Leningrad, some so beautiful and heartbreaking that they have haunted me for weeks or months after I've read them. When I first started this story, I had a difficult time, I think I was comparing it to other stories...and it was suffering for it.
But then Lev and Koyla began developing this relationship, and this is where the story started for me. It was more about the journey that young Lev was taking during these hard times, and a journey that ...more
Loved this book! It was like reading a movie, a real pageturner filled with action. I also like that the author was able to incorporate humor in such a gloomy setting.
Very well written and an easy read. Uses somewhat dark comedy to lighten the tragedy and hilight some of the ironies of the situation in Russia during WWII. I was hoping for something with a little more "meat" in terms of historical context and emotional twists and turns but overall enjoyed the book. Not quite a page-turner but definitely a worthy read.
...more
A great story of friendship and courage packed into 258 pages. Well written and very memorable, with very good character development.
Aug 12, 2009
Alisa
marked it as to-read
Dec 02, 2009
Charles
marked it as to-read
Jul 11, 2012
Ginger
marked it as to-read
Sep 01, 2012
Greer
marked it as to-read
Jan 27, 2013
Meghan
rated it
it was amazing
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favorites,
world-book-night-2013,
humor,
poetry,
mystery-and-thriller,
historical-fiction,
animals,
war,
language
Nov 21, 2015
Sarah
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Jun 12, 2019
Johanne
marked it as to-read
Feb 10, 2021
Shiva
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Sep 11, 2024
Mary Anne
marked it as to-read
