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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this book. It's a well-told tale with some interesting characters - how two unlikely people become friends when force to take on an impossible task (finding a dozen eggs in Leningrad during the siege).
It's not a lighthearted read but I couldn't put the book down. Definitely would reccommend.
From the opening moments of City of Thieves I was instantly hooked. I loved the two main characters (Lev & Kolya) and the different places they were in their young lives. Set in Russia during WWII this book is so different than any other I had ever read before.
The story does take some predictable turns towards the end but all in all I really enjoyed the book. Not to mention the stellar narration by Ron Perlman who really needs to do more narration.
The story does take some predictable turns towards the end but all in all I really enjoyed the book. Not to mention the stellar narration by Ron Perlman who really needs to do more narration.
4.5 stars but I'm going to round up because I love a good historical fiction. I also love that he based this on his grandfather's life. Heartbreaking at times this is such a well written and fascinating book.
I really enjoyed this one down to the very last page. There's one thing though: I often wish there was some kind of warning system or rating for violence and cruelty in books. While I would expect both in any WWII novel, there was a particularly gruesome scene that I'm sure many readers will be remembering for the rest of their lives. Knowing what I know now, if I had the chance, I would choose not to read this otherwise wonderful book simply because I'd prefer to remove this image from my mind. (Benioff is a screen writer for Game of Thrones, which I don't watch for the same reason so that might be something of an indicator if you're unsure.)
If you're not as faint-hearted however, this is an amazing story well told. It made me feel the cold of Russian winters, the ever-present hunger in a city suffering under German siege and the many different kinds of fear any war will bring upon people. Nevertheless, apart from the above-mentioned scene(s), this is not a grim read, it's sad and funny and paradoxical and in any case - gripping.
If you're not as faint-hearted however, this is an amazing story well told. It made me feel the cold of Russian winters, the ever-present hunger in a city suffering under German siege and the many different kinds of fear any war will bring upon people. Nevertheless, apart from the above-mentioned scene(s), this is not a grim read, it's sad and funny and paradoxical and in any case - gripping.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Set during WWII in a Russia desperately trying to fend off the German invaders, a deserter and a looter are sent on a mission to procure a dozen eggs for the colonel's daughter's upcoming wedding.
Amidst all of the depictions of war, the death, fear, famine and brutality, is an amazing story of camaraderie and resilience. There were even moments that I caught myself chuckling out loud at some of the dialogue between characters. Even with all of the depravity of wartime, the story is wonderful and flows continuously along. I couldn't put it down.
The ending is slightly predictable, but the ending itself doesn't really matter; it's the journey to get there that does.
Amidst all of the depictions of war, the death, fear, famine and brutality, is an amazing story of camaraderie and resilience. There were even moments that I caught myself chuckling out loud at some of the dialogue between characters. Even with all of the depravity of wartime, the story is wonderful and flows continuously along. I couldn't put it down.
The ending is slightly predictable, but the ending itself doesn't really matter; it's the journey to get there that does.
Two young men (a deserter and a looter) are charged with a mission: bring back a dozen eggs to make a wedding cake by the deadline and keep their lives. While the premise of this WWII-era book is promising and the characters charismatic and interesting, I just can't recommend it because it is so filled with vulgarity.
Knowing what I know now when I went downstairs to dinner, thirty minutes left in this book -- would I have scarfed down my rice and potatoes, downed my glass of (high-fructose corn-syrup free, real sugar) Pepsi, and bounded from the table back to the sweet release of my room with such fiery vigor? No. I would have swallowed each grain of rice individually, asked a myriad of questions about whether the potatoes were free-range, used the Pepsi in a 23-day marathon science experiment comparing the effects of sugar on the brain, and shuffled languidly up the stairs and to the end of the hall where my door sits.