Reviews

Дети мои by Guzel Yakhina

lenaoknihach's review against another edition

4.0

„Chtěla jsem vyprávět o světě povolžských Němců - živém, svébytném a opravdovém - o světě, který kdysi vytvořili přistěhovalí lidé v cizí zemi, ale dnes je zapomenutý v minulosti. Je to také příběh o tom, jak velká láska vyvolává strach v našich srdcích a zároveň ho pomáhá překonat. “
— Guzel Jachina

Proč jsem se tak dlouho vyhýbala této ruské spisovatelce?

Příběh Jakoba Ivanoviče Bacha mě zasáhl tam uvnitř a donutil mě hledat další informace o ruských dějinách 20. století. Přesně to mám na knihách nejradši. Že si díky nim rozšiřuji obzory a dozvídám se něco nového.

Vím, že se popisy břehů Volhy a okolí, myšlenky a pocity postav nemusí líbit všem, ale kouzelněji je snad autorka popsat ani nemohla. Podivuhodný folklór s prvky magického realismu dohromady tvoří neskutečně silný příběh, který byste si měli přečíst.

Prozatím Děti Volhy nemůžu porovnat s autorčiným předchozím bestsellerem Zulejka otevírá oči. Ale jen prozatím.

cricca's review against another edition

emotional informative relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

21andreea11's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

suckermtn's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition

4.0

In the mid-18th century, Catherine the Great invited German settlers to come to Russia from her native country. And come they did, building neat villages along the Volga River and speaking a mishmash of German dialects and never really connecting with their Russian neighbors. Guzel Yakhina uses the family of one teacher and his family to show us how this once-thriving community was destroyed by revolution, war, and Stalin's wild paranoia.

Yakhina's characters use folk tales and magic realism to cope and and try to understand what is happening to them. Some Volga Germans returned to Germany--a completely foreign country since they left before the country was unified--and others immigrated to the U.S. Teacher Jacob Bach will be witness to everything that destroys his world.

The Volga Germans pop up in history as. one of those ethnic groups Stalin forcibly removed to Siberia and central Asia. "A Volga Tale" gives voice to these people and their experience, their destruction and survival.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

tjh23's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

apleiades17's review against another edition

5.0

"Anntche îi ducea dorul, şi asta a fost prima tristețe de adult din viața ei. În fiecare dimineață se trezea și retrăia suferinţa despărţirii de singurul ei prieten. Suferința aceasta creștea cu fiecare ceas al noii zile și în scurt timp a inundat și camera fetiței, și salonul, și casa întreagă, şi curtea, și livada presărată cu flori de măr. Neștiind să stăpânească suferința asta care pătrundea peste tot, Anntche răbda cât o ţineau puterile, iar când puterile îi secau, fugea de la fermă; uneori spre seară, alteori la amiază, în zilele cele mai grele dimineața, îndată ce se trezea. Alerga prin pădure, strigând după prietenul pierdut şi nădăjduind, dacă nu să-l găsească, atunci măcar să ajungă în locurile
în care nu pătrunsese încă tristeţea ei. Strădaniile îi erau zadarnice tristețea era pretutindeni, iar Vaska, nicăieri."

grifen87's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jovanafinlebrun's review against another edition

4.0

Bijzonder boek. Ik ging er met totaal andere verwachtingen in maar werd erg verrast. En zo stonden er nog meer verrassingen te wachten op me. Iedere keer neemt het verhaal toch een wat andere wending dan je denkt of brengt de schrijfster het verhaal op een unieke manier. Tot de laatste bladzijdes aan toe waar ik wederom weer iets las wat ik echt niet zag aankomen. Daardoor een heel sprankelend boek.

Het verhaal wordt bijna dromerig en sprookjesachtig gebracht maar gaat wel zware thema’s aan zoals verlies, rouw, loslaten, ouderschap en het maken van fouten. Dit tegen de achtergrond van een bikkelharde maatschappij. Hoe de schrijfster deze combi heeft kunnen verwerken in een boek zonder het zwaar te maken vind ik heel bijzonder gedaan.

Toen ik een vriend dit boek aanraadde zei hij: “Zijn er ook Russische boeken zie niet goed geschreven zijn dan?” Tja ik kan er eigenlijk ook geen opnoemen. Maar Guzel Jachina mag gewoon serieus meedoen in het rijtje!

alekspartina's review against another edition

5.0

Язык, сюжет, историческая составляющая и размеренность повествования, которое казалось бы медленно, но верно пропитывает тебя ужасом, окунает в реальность и оставляет с печалью и (каким-то образом) улыбкой к концу прочтения – все это оставило меня в тихом восторге и неприличном от «Дети мои».

Первые 30% книги держали меня в жутком напряжении и (возможно со мной и не согласятся) после определенного кульминационного момента все оставшиеся 70% книги хоть и прочитываются медленно и степенно, но сквозь эти слова, строки, страницы и годы передаётся не только ужас всего происходящего, но и безграничная грусть и боль и за главных героев, и за второстепенных, и за немецких колонистов, и за вдохновлённых коммунистов, и за всю страну, страны, народы, республики, за всех «ее детей».

Спасибо за этот роман.