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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
emotional
funny
sad
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
City of Thieves is set during the Nazi siege of Leningrad. Lev, the protagonist, is a naive and ethical young man who lands himself in jail in the first few pages. In jail he meets his alter ego, Kolya. Benioff deals with a heavy topic deftly and surprisingly lightly, reminding us of the human spirit's capacity for resilience, resourcefulness, and ultimately, hope. The ragtag pair of Lev and Kolya as they journey through the frozen Russian countryside are endearing and believable. I loved it and deeply admire this funny, sad and wonderful novel.
Read it because it apparently has inspired "The Last of Us" video games. It's the outrageous story of two boys / young men being send on a fool's errand to find a dozen eggs in World War II Leningrad. The novel begins with the narrator, supposedly David Benioff, Interviewring his grandfather Lev and then writing down the story, the narrator becomes young Lev. Yet this is all fake, Benioff's grandfathers were born in the US. While the framing is satisfying, don't be misled by this pseudo historical touch of it.
I cannot rate the authenticity of the novel but I found the entire story, despite all the horrors and gore, just too unrealistic, too cinematic, too orderly. I also disliked how women were depicted and the entire selling point of "boys becoming men" just disgusts me.
As you can probably tell, I did not really enjoy the novel. It was fascinating but it was also just too much fiction... I feel like the seriousness of the situation, of the war, was not taken seriously? Playing chess with an evil Nazi? Finding a dozen eggs in Leningrad when everybody is starving? This love story?
Oh, but for "The Last of Us". I don't really see the connection apart from the confusing, apocalyptic setting? I don't know.
3 stars maybe. Max.
I cannot rate the authenticity of the novel but I found the entire story, despite all the horrors and gore, just too unrealistic, too cinematic, too orderly. I also disliked how women were depicted and the entire selling point of "boys becoming men" just disgusts me.
As you can probably tell, I did not really enjoy the novel. It was fascinating but it was also just too much fiction... I feel like the seriousness of the situation, of the war, was not taken seriously? Playing chess with an evil Nazi? Finding a dozen eggs in Leningrad when everybody is starving? This love story?
Oh, but for "The Last of Us". I don't really see the connection apart from the confusing, apocalyptic setting? I don't know.
3 stars maybe. Max.
Funny, tragic. A horrible setting, but a fast-moving, entertaining tale of two unlikely friends and their adventure during the siege of Leningrad.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Found this slow to start, but by the end, I found myself enjoying it.
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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:
No