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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Historical fiction, dark war humor in a Catch-22 sense. The budding friendship and interactions between the main two characters was terrific.
A fun, fairly straightforward story with the ending that you'll be expecting. But sometimes that's what you need. I quite enjoyed this short novel, in which something was always happening, even if plenty of parts happened very conveniently at the right time to introduce a new risky situation or again to get our hero out of danger. Lev and Kolya's friendship is endearing throughout. I think you can definitely feel David Benioff's background in screen work as the whole thing could easily be transferred to the big screen, and is probably the right length for a film too.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really good! However, this was not an easy book to read. It is a part-fiction, part-true, WWII novel that takes place during the Siege of Leningrad.
Ever since I read The Bronze Horseman, I have been fascinated by accounts of the Siege of Leningrad. I can't imagine living/surviving through this incredibly awful situation.
City of Thieves is a different take on the Siege. Two unlucky, young men who were arrested in Leningrad during the Siege, were offered the chance at freedom if they perform a seemingly impossible task- find and bring back one dozen eggs for the colonel's daughter's wedding cake.
As these two young men adventure out to try and complete this task, they inevitably run into all kinds of obstacles. The writing is fantastic. I felt that even though there were some really difficult scenes in this book, they were handled very well. Additionally, the relationships in this book were so well-developed. It's no wonder this author is a screenwriter/producer for one of the most-watched TV shows out there (Game of Thrones).
The ending took me by surprise. I will keep it vague so as not to spoil anything. The very last chapter was so good. And I loved the glimpse of life after the The Siege ended.
This book is a good choice for those who enjoy reading WWII fiction.
Ever since I read The Bronze Horseman, I have been fascinated by accounts of the Siege of Leningrad. I can't imagine living/surviving through this incredibly awful situation.
City of Thieves is a different take on the Siege. Two unlucky, young men who were arrested in Leningrad during the Siege, were offered the chance at freedom if they perform a seemingly impossible task- find and bring back one dozen eggs for the colonel's daughter's wedding cake.
As these two young men adventure out to try and complete this task, they inevitably run into all kinds of obstacles. The writing is fantastic. I felt that even though there were some really difficult scenes in this book, they were handled very well. Additionally, the relationships in this book were so well-developed. It's no wonder this author is a screenwriter/producer for one of the most-watched TV shows out there (Game of Thrones).
The ending took me by surprise. I will keep it vague so as not to spoil anything. The very last chapter was so good. And I loved the glimpse of life after the The Siege ended.
This book is a good choice for those who enjoy reading WWII fiction.
Fantastic story, wonderful dialogue, beautifully written.
Set in WWII Russia during the siege of Leningrad an army deserter and a local thief are given the nearly impossible task of securing a dozen eggs shows the horrors of war and the resourcefulness of youth. A page-turner.
Meh. Huckleberry Finn vs. the Nazis. A much better novel set in Russia was "The People's Act of Love." I just was not drawn into this book.
Mediocre adventure story set in Stalingrad during the second world war. Readable but unengaging; cardboard-cutout characters. The author clearly had one eye on a money-making film adaptation when he was writing it.
The type of paperback that you shove into your jacket pocket and steal a glance at whenever you get the opportunity. Benioff transports you to the streets of beleaguered Leningrad, following an unlikely duo of a thief and deserter who are tasked with an absurd task in order to reclaim their freedom. The type of story you can imagine coming from a grandparent who experienced the war; warm, witty, full of human bravery and weakness.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No