You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Mr Benioff, I need to forgive you for GOT last season because you have written a book that I feel will be a favorite of all time.
Find a book that changes your mood for the whole day after you put it down. Find it and keep it close. Share it and cherish it. For me, this was one of those books.
What a journey this was. It tore my chest apart in certain moments.
Gandalf says "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" (unless you don't mind spoilers!)
First of all, these characters were just something else. Kolya I just cannot find the right words. It's too fresh and it left me weak in the knees. He was one of a kind.
I did enjoy Lev's point of view. Benioff stream of consciousness with Lev was credible and thought-provoking. Lev might say something out loud for example and then question what he had just said in his mind as most of us often do which made him feel so tangible. I did pick up a couple of times on the quantity of sexual pining Lev does toward any woman he came across. I get it, he's a young boy deprived of so many of those human interactions and experiences that those of us who know no war are lucky to experience but still, I kept noticing it. Initially with some annoyance and then just as something so innate to Lev that it became like reading about him walking. Just something he does. But, just to be honest, I think that the quantity of sexual content in the novel is a bit far-fetched for a hypothetical memoire and considering that we are to believe that this is the grandpa's story told to his nephew. I just have some doubts that the grandfather would spend so much time going into so many details on how much any girl he met aroused him and what he wanted to do with her. He might say "I fancied her" but would he really go on a whole monologue and describe his sexual fantasy so starkly to the nephew? And I know that in the book the grandfather gives the author the go-ahead to embellish the story but still...it's what made me think: nah, this is not a true story, he is making it up (indeed it is made up by the way).
Not that in the end mattered much because, while I owe myself to be honest even when I love something on its potential perceived flaws, there were so many more things I loved about this story than I did not.
Every scene and encounter was a wonder. Such a hard read because it held truths. It made me appreciate how privileged I am.
So many small back and forth between Lev and Kolya or Kolya's statements made my mind consider so many important points. Like Kolya's discussing the hypocrisy of famous people in encouraging others to fight and then go hide in safety. Or Lev admission that murder was a means for him to finally gain power and did not leave much space for guilt and remorse. Kolya's never-to-be book. And what the general told Lev in the last few pages regarding not saying anything? Do I need to say anything else? The general would say no.
Darling! I was so upset about the rooster.
The animal cruelty was hard to read for me. But also the war is cruel and I by no means think he should have skipped over it. Some things are hard to read and still need to be read, but boy did it hurt!
Zoya bit? Sucker punched me. That house with the girls in the middle of the woods will not leave my thoughts anytime soon. Kolya's last moments I know never will.
I did predict correctly who Lev would eventually marry. Halfway through the novel I wrote in my notes: "I love Vik,I mean if she dies I'd be destroyed. And Kolya. I know he's probably a goner but he did leave a mark". I was already so in love with his character and I knew it was likely to end badly but I had no idea what a mark Kolya would leave by the end.
Indeed, when the time came, I wasn't ready. I literally groaned and burst into tears and kept crying throughout the last 20 or so pages. It devastated me. I think it's a loss I'm going to carry as if I knew Kolya personally too. And in a sense, I did. I knew him throughout his existence, didn't I? If you have read this book, then you know him too that well.
I had a good feeling about this book before opening the first page, to be honest.
I didn't struggle to see behind the prose and execution of this novel the man that had brought us GOT (and worked on Troy).
Kolya, Vik and Lev stole my heart and City of Thieves is the proof that a novel doesn't have to be perfect (but I'd argue this probably almost is perfect); it just needs to be meaningful.
*quick FYI: I have a booktube channel! You can find me at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKINi_gWxRVjojxMeKtKi1Q*
Find a book that changes your mood for the whole day after you put it down. Find it and keep it close. Share it and cherish it. For me, this was one of those books.
What a journey this was. It tore my chest apart in certain moments.
Gandalf says "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" (unless you don't mind spoilers!)
First of all, these characters were just something else. Kolya I just cannot find the right words. It's too fresh and it left me weak in the knees. He was one of a kind.
I did enjoy Lev's point of view. Benioff stream of consciousness with Lev was credible and thought-provoking. Lev might say something out loud for example and then question what he had just said in his mind as most of us often do which made him feel so tangible. I did pick up a couple of times on the quantity of sexual pining Lev does toward any woman he came across. I get it, he's a young boy deprived of so many of those human interactions and experiences that those of us who know no war are lucky to experience but still, I kept noticing it. Initially with some annoyance and then just as something so innate to Lev that it became like reading about him walking. Just something he does. But, just to be honest, I think that the quantity of sexual content in the novel is a bit far-fetched for a hypothetical memoire and considering that we are to believe that this is the grandpa's story told to his nephew. I just have some doubts that the grandfather would spend so much time going into so many details on how much any girl he met aroused him and what he wanted to do with her. He might say "I fancied her" but would he really go on a whole monologue and describe his sexual fantasy so starkly to the nephew? And I know that in the book the grandfather gives the author the go-ahead to embellish the story but still...it's what made me think: nah, this is not a true story, he is making it up (indeed it is made up by the way).
Not that in the end mattered much because, while I owe myself to be honest even when I love something on its potential perceived flaws, there were so many more things I loved about this story than I did not.
Every scene and encounter was a wonder. Such a hard read because it held truths. It made me appreciate how privileged I am.
So many small back and forth between Lev and Kolya or Kolya's statements made my mind consider so many important points. Like Kolya's discussing the hypocrisy of famous people in encouraging others to fight and then go hide in safety. Or Lev admission that murder was a means for him to finally gain power and did not leave much space for guilt and remorse. Kolya's never-to-be book. And what the general told Lev in the last few pages regarding not saying anything? Do I need to say anything else? The general would say no.
Darling! I was so upset about the rooster.
The animal cruelty was hard to read for me. But also the war is cruel and I by no means think he should have skipped over it. Some things are hard to read and still need to be read, but boy did it hurt!
Zoya bit? Sucker punched me. That house with the girls in the middle of the woods will not leave my thoughts anytime soon. Kolya's last moments I know never will.
I did predict correctly who Lev would eventually marry. Halfway through the novel I wrote in my notes: "I love Vik,I mean if she dies I'd be destroyed. And Kolya. I know he's probably a goner but he did leave a mark". I was already so in love with his character and I knew it was likely to end badly but I had no idea what a mark Kolya would leave by the end.
Indeed, when the time came, I wasn't ready. I literally groaned and burst into tears and kept crying throughout the last 20 or so pages. It devastated me. I think it's a loss I'm going to carry as if I knew Kolya personally too. And in a sense, I did. I knew him throughout his existence, didn't I? If you have read this book, then you know him too that well.
I had a good feeling about this book before opening the first page, to be honest.
I didn't struggle to see behind the prose and execution of this novel the man that had brought us GOT (and worked on Troy).
Kolya, Vik and Lev stole my heart and City of Thieves is the proof that a novel doesn't have to be perfect (but I'd argue this probably almost is perfect); it just needs to be meaningful.
*quick FYI: I have a booktube channel! You can find me at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKINi_gWxRVjojxMeKtKi1Q*
My review is basically "wow". I've never read another book like this. I'm going to read it again in a while, to enjoy the author's brilliant and witty use of the language.
The year's not up yet but I'm declaring this my favorite book that I've read in 2024. I wish I had learned of it sooner. This time would probably be my 2nd or 3rd reading.
The year's not up yet but I'm declaring this my favorite book that I've read in 2024. I wish I had learned of it sooner. This time would probably be my 2nd or 3rd reading.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Probably one of the best historical fiction novels I have read in a while. Superb writing, character development, and story arc. I enjoyed the preface of the book which gave a greater understanding of where Benioff was at in writing this story and the heavy influence his grandparents played. The story is set during the Nazi's siege of Leningrad and follows Lev and Kolya, both arrested and sharing the same cell, as they embark on a journey to save their lives at a wild directive of a Soviet colonel: find a dozen eggs in a matter of days. Lev and Kolya face crazy odds and even crazier encounters to make for one hell of a good read.
This will make a good movie. It's a fairly good novel, but very clearly a screenplay treatment fleshed out because the budget would've been too much. Still, the central relationship works and the novel ends in a satisfyingly cinematic fashion.
For all the hype, I didn’t love this book. To be honest, it often bored me. Maybe my expectations were too high since so many people love it so much.
LOVE this book. Loved the main characters and their deep friendship, loved the storyline, loved the historical setting and loved the humor the author was able to bring to the page despite the dark surroundings. I wish the book was longer. And I wish there was a sequel written from Vika’s point of view.
I haven't read any takes on the Russian Front of WWII so I didn't feel any of my normal WWII fatigue with this book.
The seemingly silly plot, two criminals must find a dozen eggs in wore-torn Russia, was in stark contrast to how brutal and crass the book was. It was a really quick read (I read it in a day) and Mr. Benioff's writing style was very engaging but still the c-bombs that were dropped casually and the gory details that seemed to happen every chapter were a bit jarring. The ending too was a bit predictable.
All that said, it was a pretty good read.
The seemingly silly plot, two criminals must find a dozen eggs in wore-torn Russia, was in stark contrast to how brutal and crass the book was. It was a really quick read (I read it in a day) and Mr. Benioff's writing style was very engaging but still the c-bombs that were dropped casually and the gory details that seemed to happen every chapter were a bit jarring. The ending too was a bit predictable.
All that said, it was a pretty good read.