2.96k reviews for:

City of Thieves

David Benioff

4.23 AVERAGE


One of the best books I've ever read. Every word was a gem. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.

I cannot imagine this story being any better, or better written! It would be a mistake to read any articles about the book before finishing it.

City of Thieves," penned by David Benioff, is a captivating narrative set in Russia during the waning days of World War II. The story follows a teenage boy thrust into the chaos of war, tasked with an improbable mission alongside a charismatic soldier.

Benioff's storytelling is a delightful blend of humor and heart, with moments that had me audibly chuckling as I turned the pages. The dynamic between Lev and Koyla is a standout, their chemistry adding depth and charm to the narrative.

While thoroughly enjoying the book, my only lament is its brevity; however, this contributes to the story's overall satisfaction. "City of Thieves" stands as a testament to Benioff's mastery of storytelling, leaving readers enthralled from start to finish.
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

A perfectly formed, beautifully written, excellently plotted book. The protagonists both win you over fully very quickly. The story is simple enough, but captures the brutality of the Siege of Leningrad well, veering skilfully between tragedy and real humour. I loved this book, and read it in about 12 hours. Just brilliant!

Why isn't everyone talking about this beautiful little book? Sure, it is gory and has several crass threads wending their way across the tableau. But, Benioff's tale is captivating at every moment, simultaneously funny and scary, so well crafted. I want to write a book like this one.

This is the first book I've read this summer that you might categorize as "fun", despite the fact that "City of Thieves" is an extremely sad story. Benioff's writing shines here, in relaying an anecdotal journey based on the real life experience of his grandfather. The intrigue, however, lies not in the truth or fiction of the account, but rather in the way that the characters reflect genuine humanity.

Lev comes of age in a brutally swift transition between awkward teenage boy and cold blooded (ok, so not as hard core as it sounds) German-killer, all framed within the context of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during WWII. The concept of people surviving in what is essentially a ghost town of a major international city is terribly interesting to me, and Benioff has a gift for portraying the bleak and desolate in a way that invites more curiosity than disgust.

A page turner until the very end, definitely recommend it for a good summer read. Actually, I could see myself enjoying this immensely during the cold winter months as well.

Thanks, Linda. Really liked this story. Not sure how much of it is true - it certainly is amazing. Some very funny parts in the book for it being about the German occupation of Russia.

City of Thieves by David Benioff is no work of art or masterpiece of literature, but it is just a completely enthralling historical fiction novel. There are some mildly fantastical elements to the journey that Lev and Kolya go through to rid themselves of a death sentence by trying to find a dozen eggs for a Colonel in the middle of the siege of Stalingrad. Even with these fictional bits, the setting feels very grounded with a good sense of place. The prose has a familiarity to it that makes the streets of Stalingrad really pop in the imagination.

The relationship between the main three characters, Lev, Kolya, and Vika really brings together the whole novel. Kolya provides most of the entertainment as he is controlled by his hormones about 80% of the time and has a quick wit and tongue in an endearing way.

I'd recommend it for anyone looking for an entertaining read.

Im Buch "Stadt der Diebe" geht es um die Geschichte von David Benioffs Großvater, der zur Zeit des Zweiten Weltkrieges in Lenningrad um das Überleben kämpfte.

Lew Beniow war 17, als er eines Tages einen erfrohrenen deutschen Fallschirmspringer findet,. Mit Freunden plündert er diesen und wird dabei von der Polizei erwischt und ins Gefängnis gebracht. Dort trifft er auf den 19 jährigen Deserteur Kolija. Mit diesem bekommt er eine 2te Chance, denn normalerweise steht auf beide Straftaten, plündern und dessertieren, die Todesstrafe.
Sie erhalten von einem Oberst den Auftrag 12 Eier für die Hochzeit seiner Tochter zu organisieren. Falls sie dies nicht schaffen, werden sie erschossen.
Am Anfang sehen die jungen Männer diese Aufgabe noch als ein Leichtes an, müssen aber sehr schnell erkennen, dass in Lenningrad auf Grund des Krieges keine Eier mehr zu finden sind.
Sie machen sich auf einen beschwerlichen Weg und werden nach und nach Freunde.

Dieses Buch hat mir sehr gefallen, es erzählt die Geschichte von Krieg und Freundschaft und wie sehr das Russische Volk unter dem Krieg gelitten hat.