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4.46 AVERAGE
4.46 AVERAGE
Life and Fate? What a pretentious title. How can any one book cover such grandiose concepts?
I assure you, though, that Grossman's book lives up to the title with flying colors. I read literature to answer the question: "What does it mean to be human?" Literature provides readers with new experiences, from which readers can understand this question a little more. Life and Fate answers this question better than Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and, most importantly, Tolstoy, without a doubt. Sure, Grossman is grim, and Life and Fate can really weigh on readers. But it truly is better than the classic, great Russian novels. It captures the spirits of the times very well. From the gulags of Siberia to the ruins of Stalingrad, it's life in a book.
Still, I cannot recommend this book to everyone. You need a basic understanding of the early Soviet Union to be able to really understand things. Just to list a bunch of historical happenings that came up in chronological order: the Russian Revolutions (of course); the Russian Civil War and the Whites; New Economic Policy under Lenin; Lenin's death and his Testament against Stalin; collectivization, dekulakization, and the famine of 1929; the industrialization of the 1930s; the Great Purge of 1937; and finally, a simple understanding of the course of World War II. If that wasn't already enough, you should know the names of Yezhov, Beria, Malenkov, Himmler, Paulus, Zhukov, and Chuykov. This book is for a specific audience, and I can say for certain that Life and Fate cannot find popularity in a general audience. I'd say this book is more for those interested in history rather than those interested in literature generally.
I assure you, though, that Grossman's book lives up to the title with flying colors. I read literature to answer the question: "What does it mean to be human?" Literature provides readers with new experiences, from which readers can understand this question a little more. Life and Fate answers this question better than Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and, most importantly, Tolstoy, without a doubt. Sure, Grossman is grim, and Life and Fate can really weigh on readers. But it truly is better than the classic, great Russian novels. It captures the spirits of the times very well. From the gulags of Siberia to the ruins of Stalingrad, it's life in a book.
Still, I cannot recommend this book to everyone. You need a basic understanding of the early Soviet Union to be able to really understand things. Just to list a bunch of historical happenings that came up in chronological order: the Russian Revolutions (of course); the Russian Civil War and the Whites; New Economic Policy under Lenin; Lenin's death and his Testament against Stalin; collectivization, dekulakization, and the famine of 1929; the industrialization of the 1930s; the Great Purge of 1937; and finally, a simple understanding of the course of World War II. If that wasn't already enough, you should know the names of Yezhov, Beria, Malenkov, Himmler, Paulus, Zhukov, and Chuykov. This book is for a specific audience, and I can say for certain that Life and Fate cannot find popularity in a general audience. I'd say this book is more for those interested in history rather than those interested in literature generally.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
wow. it took me almost 8 months to finish this book, but i sped through the last 2/3rds in the last week. so sprawling. such an important picture of ww2 that americans really don’t learn about. life is freedom!
“i believe that it is not only man’s power that will evolve, but also his soul, his capacity for love.”
“i believe that it is not only man’s power that will evolve, but also his soul, his capacity for love.”
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
A truly special book, its a real moving and life affirming experience. Not many words left that I can use to describe it.
Not enough stars to give this one. Brilliant story telling combined with great moral complexity, a piece of “historical fiction” with few equals.
I seem to be an a largely unintentional Russian streak. Virtually all of my favorite books for the last 12 months have been written by Russians:
- Fathers and Sons (Turgenev)
- Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky)
- Lolita (Nabokov)
- Life and Fate (Grossman)
And I’m doing a re-read of The Master and Margarita (Bulgakov) for a UChicago class later this summer.
I seem to be an a largely unintentional Russian streak. Virtually all of my favorite books for the last 12 months have been written by Russians:
- Fathers and Sons (Turgenev)
- Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky)
- Lolita (Nabokov)
- Life and Fate (Grossman)
And I’m doing a re-read of The Master and Margarita (Bulgakov) for a UChicago class later this summer.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
4.5 stars
super depressing and beautifully written. exactly what was needed.
super depressing and beautifully written. exactly what was needed.
Excellent, so grateful I stumbled upon this. No points here for feminism - the depiction of women is terribly '50s - and even that seems fitting somehow to the time and the soldiers' viewpoints, as well as the Soviet academy of sciences. Very good read.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad