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ukleafs's review against another edition
1.0
Written in the last days of Stalin’s rule and sadly it shows. The author was obviously terrified of upsetting “Uncle Joe” and being arrested and perhaps tortured and killed. This book is long and tedious and full of Soviet propaganda. Life and Fate written after Stalin’s death during a time the author presumably felt safer is a much much better book.
readmetwotimes's review against another edition
3.0
Russo. Mattone. Guerra. E qui finiscono le analogie con Guerra e pace.
Sono stata davvero molto, molto indecisa sulla valutazione, perché durante la lettura ho avuto momenti da "splendido!!" e momenti da "se vabbè". Siccome mi sento nelle viscere che mi piacerà di più Vita e destino, non arrotondo a 4 le 3,5* che vorrei dare.
Il libro è bello, niente da dire. L'unica cosa che manca è un/una protagonista...
Sono stata davvero molto, molto indecisa sulla valutazione, perché durante la lettura ho avuto momenti da "splendido!!" e momenti da "se vabbè". Siccome mi sento nelle viscere che mi piacerà di più Vita e destino, non arrotondo a 4 le 3,5* che vorrei dare.
Il libro è bello, niente da dire. L'unica cosa che manca è un/una protagonista...
sophieboddington's review against another edition
5.0
One of those rare prequels that truly enhances the story. The more frequent moments and memories of happiness only add to the tragedy. Yes, Grossman laced it with enough Soviet propaganda to ensure that it could be published, and yes, it is epic in length and scope (i.e. enough to make your arms ache after reading it for a while); but beyond this it is a story of the tiny moments of goodness that make our lives mean something, and a poignant exploration of love and loss.
rooafza's review against another edition
5.0
The War and Peace of the Second World War written by a tragic author.
tittypete's review against another edition
4.0
Multiple POVs starting with the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union. We get family drama, factory and science scenes, dudes in the shit, even some Germans. Ends as the siege of Stalingrad is in full swing. There were some fantastic sections that got the business end of the highlighter. Made the Soviet Union seem sort of noble which was an interesting and uncommon perspective. Real fuckin long but chapters were tidy and short.
justin_zigenis's review against another edition
5.0
"There is power that can raise huge cities from the dust, but no power in the world can lift the almost weightless eyelashes that have closed over the eyes of a dead child."
Content aside, this book amazed me at how steady the pace was. Every time I felt the narrative slowing down, amid the war drama, destruction of cities, strategic dialogue between commanders, it picked up again with passages of strikingly tender humanity. And then there was always a mixture of both...
"The entire building had shattered. Windowpanes were imploding and chunks of plaster falling to the floor. Vera shrank, covered her face with her hands; she was afraid that fling shards of glass might scar her lips or her cheeks and that Viktorov would never want to kiss her again."
Highly recommended.
Content aside, this book amazed me at how steady the pace was. Every time I felt the narrative slowing down, amid the war drama, destruction of cities, strategic dialogue between commanders, it picked up again with passages of strikingly tender humanity. And then there was always a mixture of both...
"The entire building had shattered. Windowpanes were imploding and chunks of plaster falling to the floor. Vera shrank, covered her face with her hands; she was afraid that fling shards of glass might scar her lips or her cheeks and that Viktorov would never want to kiss her again."
Highly recommended.
_carlibri_'s review against another edition
5.0
Scriverò qualcosa una volta che avrò terminato la lettura di Vita e destino.
Di fronte a un capolavoro del genere, comunque, ogni parola è superflua.
Di fronte a un capolavoro del genere, comunque, ogni parola è superflua.
oaysis134's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
alexbirsan's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
jhouses's review against another edition
2.0
Vaya por delante que no me he leído el libro. Lo empecé y lo tuve que dejar, superado por el "efecto patronímico". Se trara de una grave enfermedad que yo padezco que me impide disfrutar de los libros rusos. Es encontrarme un par de cientos de personajes con nombres como Feodor Vassilievich Pretencisoff al los que a veces llaman Pretenciosoff, sus interlocutores Feodor Vassilievich y su familia Fufisha y bloquearme como lector. Detectado por primera vez en "Guerra y Paz" (abandonado) y causando estragos en "Anna Karenina" y "Crimen y Castigo" (acabados a base de fuerza de voluntad), de nuevo me alejó de este libro hasta que cayó en mis manos la adaptación de la BBC con reparto de grandes estrellas. "Esta es la mía", me dije. "A Kenneth Brannagh lo voy a distinguir" añadí.
El resultado a sido un poco impresionista. He sacado trazos de la novela y si entorno los ojos me hago una idea de por dande van los tiros (muchos, es lo que tiene una batalla) pero tampoco ha sido menos confuso. Resumir este tocho en tres horas es lo que tiene.
Ahora voy a por "Vida y Destino" que por lo menos no es tan prosoviética.
El resultado a sido un poco impresionista. He sacado trazos de la novela y si entorno los ojos me hago una idea de por dande van los tiros (muchos, es lo que tiene una batalla) pero tampoco ha sido menos confuso. Resumir este tocho en tres horas es lo que tiene.
Ahora voy a por "Vida y Destino" que por lo menos no es tan prosoviética.