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puzzles_and_pie's review against another edition
5.0
This book gutted me. It's a collection of short oral histories from dozens of people who were children during the German invasion of Russia in WWII. Only just now translated into English, it was published in Russian in the 1980s.
Trigger warnings for all the horrors of war, as experienced by children. I listened to the audiobook version, which uses several narrators speaking English with Russian accents. Some of the stories are extremely difficult to listen to, but I think it's more important than ever to hear these accounts.
Trigger warnings for all the horrors of war, as experienced by children. I listened to the audiobook version, which uses several narrators speaking English with Russian accents. Some of the stories are extremely difficult to listen to, but I think it's more important than ever to hear these accounts.
cff223's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.75
cdivish's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking accounts of children who survived World War II. Although not everyone’s heartbreak is the same, from losing a parent or seeing a house burned or witnessing horrific acts of brutality, each one made me cry. This is an important book for remembering.
krumpetsky's review against another edition
5.0
Dévorée par les larmes dans le roulement du métro qui faisait écho aux roulements des trains, ceux qui rapatrient les enfants plus loin du front mais aussi ceux qui les emmènent en camps de concentration. Les souvenirs enfantins de l'atrocité de la guerre qui se répondent les uns aux autres.
anveri's review against another edition
3.0
It was interesting but that's about it. I've never really been a huge fan of history books completely driven by the 1st person narrative unless it was an interview i.e. [b:The Subtenant/to Outwit God/2 Books in 1 Volume|958761|The Subtenant/to Outwit God/2 Books in 1 Volume|Hanna Krall|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|943669] or [b:Into That Darkness: An Examination of Conscience|562714|Into That Darkness An Examination of Conscience|Gitta Sereny|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566091799l/562714._SX50_.jpg|2605252]. I have a background in Soviet history and study the Stlainist era extensively in undergrad and this did not really add anything to my knowledge. I think the perspective of children in wartime is valuable but I think those less familiar with this history will get more out of it than those coming in with a lot of background knowledge.
imaginarymeetings's review against another edition
5.0
My heart has been broken and mended for almost every chapter. The little boy who, being as starved as the rest of his family, suggests they try to cook his most precious belonging, a toy duck for dinner. The kids who had witnessed their own family being taken away and massacred. The children who didn't have the childhood they deserved. The worst thing is that this costly and brutal kind of war still exists. These were the Alan Kurdis and Omran Daqneeshs of WWII. An exceedingly powerful book about a timeless tragedy.