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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I picked this up on a whim because it was short and I wanted to ease a bit more into historical fiction. I loved this. It has a fairy-tale atmosphere that was reminiscent of The Bear and The Nightingale or something Guillermo Del Toro would have done. The prose was absolutely gorgeous and my copy has so many tabs for lines that I absolutely loved. This will definitely be a re-read later on down the line and I highly recommend it.
Beautifully written and heartbreaking. I wanted, if not a happier ending, then a hopeful ending. But you just don't get a lot of those in novels about war. Fucking war...
4/5
bence güzeldi yazarın anlatım dilinin naif olmasını çok sevdi. kitabın konusu kitap hırsızına benziyor falan demiş insanlar ama ben iki kitabın tek ortak yönünün aynı dönemde (2. dünya savaşı) geçmeleri olduğunu düşünüyorum. benim puan kırmamın sebebine gelirsek yazar sonu o kadar açık bitirdi ki... kırlangıç adam aslında kim (ben nükleer alanda çalıştığını düşünüyorum), greta kim, bebek ayakkabısı vs vs hiçbir şey açıklanmadı ama yazar belki bizim de bu adamı anna kadar tanımamızı istiyordur diye yorumladım.
bence güzeldi yazarın anlatım dilinin naif olmasını çok sevdi. kitabın konusu kitap hırsızına benziyor falan demiş insanlar ama ben iki kitabın tek ortak yönünün aynı dönemde (2. dünya savaşı) geçmeleri olduğunu düşünüyorum. benim puan kırmamın sebebine gelirsek yazar sonu o kadar açık bitirdi ki... kırlangıç adam aslında kim (ben nükleer alanda çalıştığını düşünüyorum), greta kim, bebek ayakkabısı vs vs hiçbir şey açıklanmadı ama yazar belki bizim de bu adamı anna kadar tanımamızı istiyordur diye yorumladım.
at it’s best, this novel was sweet, beautiful and heartbreaking. however, towards the end, the story lost traction and left me feeling underwhelmed.
Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit is a story about a little girl named Anna and a mysterious man that she meets. They help each other to survive, when traveling a father needs a daughter as much as a daughter needs a father, and they travel across Poland. The Swallow man teaches Anna the way of the road and how to survive. Along their journey they meet many people and learn about the reality of war (and life). This book is very good, thought-provoking, and gives a child's perspective of the war, when the book starts out Anna is around 7 or 8. This book is like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in the way that it gives a new perspective on war and how ideas are viewed. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked The Book Thief or a new perspective on what it takes to survive.
A short, beautifully written novel filled with clever metaphors, mysterious characters, and a captivating, fictional account of survival during WWII. Similar to The Book Thief, this story is about a girl's survival with help from the mysterious Swallow Man - a stranger who protects her from the horrors of war by leading her across Poland and telling magical tales of wolves and bears and rare birds. While I found the ending a bit of a let down compared to the rest of the novel, I would quickly recommend Anna and the Swallow Man to any reader. This book has the potential to become a new classic.
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At first glance, I didn't know what to make of Anna and the Swallow Man. Was it Young Adult or Middle Grade? Upon reading the book, I realized it didn't matter. Either way, it was a captivating story of a seven year old girl surviving the darkest of times with the help of an enigmatic man.
Set during the Second World War in Poland, this tale begins with young Anna Lania, left completely alone and nowhere to go when her father was taken by the Germans. Then she encounters the Swallow Man, a mysteriously beguiling stranger. Anna follows him into a journey and together they travel to get lost and escape the perils of the hostile warfare happening.
I found Anna's narrative impressive- eloquent in that it tells the story in such a poignant voice but with a certain innocence that makes it believable she's still a child. Anna and the Swallow Man isn't heavy with dialogue, more introspective and observant and I think that fitted really well with the what the story conveyed as well as the mood it projected. There's this sad, haunting tone to the book as well as in Anna herself and it broke my heart, especially as the tale moved forward and she had to see and experience so much tragedy and darkness.
The character and concept of the Swallow Man made the story magical and fairytale-like. So many secrets surround him and while I would have preferred if the story delved into his backstory deeper, it explained enough to glimpse who he was and who he is and develop his character. Although I couldn't really see why Anna was so compelled to follow him and his rules, I did appreciate the wisdom and guidance he gave her.
It's rare for me to read historical novels, let alone consider them a favourite but it's undeniable how highly I commend this book. With such stunning prose, multi-faceted characters and a truly complex tale- Anna and the Swallow Man proves that literature is powerful and beautiful even as it recounts the devastating era of war.
At first glance, I didn't know what to make of Anna and the Swallow Man. Was it Young Adult or Middle Grade? Upon reading the book, I realized it didn't matter. Either way, it was a captivating story of a seven year old girl surviving the darkest of times with the help of an enigmatic man.
“I know it's not good for a girl to be without a father these days. But is it any better for a father to be without a daughter?”
Set during the Second World War in Poland, this tale begins with young Anna Lania, left completely alone and nowhere to go when her father was taken by the Germans. Then she encounters the Swallow Man, a mysteriously beguiling stranger. Anna follows him into a journey and together they travel to get lost and escape the perils of the hostile warfare happening.
“To be found is to be gone forever.”
I found Anna's narrative impressive- eloquent in that it tells the story in such a poignant voice but with a certain innocence that makes it believable she's still a child. Anna and the Swallow Man isn't heavy with dialogue, more introspective and observant and I think that fitted really well with the what the story conveyed as well as the mood it projected. There's this sad, haunting tone to the book as well as in Anna herself and it broke my heart, especially as the tale moved forward and she had to see and experience so much tragedy and darkness.
The character and concept of the Swallow Man made the story magical and fairytale-like. So many secrets surround him and while I would have preferred if the story delved into his backstory deeper, it explained enough to glimpse who he was and who he is and develop his character. Although I couldn't really see why Anna was so compelled to follow him and his rules, I did appreciate the wisdom and guidance he gave her.
“A question holds all the potential of the living universe within it... If you continue to seek questions, you cannot stray far off the proper road.”
It's rare for me to read historical novels, let alone consider them a favourite but it's undeniable how highly I commend this book. With such stunning prose, multi-faceted characters and a truly complex tale- Anna and the Swallow Man proves that literature is powerful and beautiful even as it recounts the devastating era of war.
Touching story of a young girl, Anna, who's left on her own when her father is arrested during WWII. Anna's ensuing adventures with the Swallow Man are difficult to read at times, but definitely worthwhile. The language of the book was beautiful and quiet. Definitely pick this one up.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
I was in love with this book for the first 80 or so pages. I loved the swallow man. I loved him, and I loved the way he talked to Anna. I loved both of them. But the story seemed to not have much of a point, which would be okay if there wasn't added unexplained mystery. There was no explanation behind a lot of things, and then the ending was so abrupt that it kind of upset me. We didn't get to find out the answer to so many things that had been brought up throughout the story and played fairly large roles in the book. And then just like that it was over.
I loved the writing, and I loved aspects of the story but I'm left feeling kind of cheated
I loved the writing, and I loved aspects of the story but I'm left feeling kind of cheated