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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
I love WWII fiction and this one really stands out as something unique--partially b/c of the four narrators (which I don't always love--but I fell in love w/all 4 of them!) and partially b/c it was about the German occupation in Kiev, something you don't normally hear about in WWII stories. In fact, none of the main characters were Jewish. It was a wholly unique book---and based on actual events. I thought each character had a personal rich voice, the story was exciting, heart-breaking and still full of hope. Loved it.
(I did get this book as a review copy but had requested to get the book because I love the author and the subject matter. When it arrived I was afraid of what would happen if I didn't like it--thankfully, that wasn't the case. I was swept away instantly. Now, I feel bad b/c I shoulda just bought it!)
(I did get this book as a review copy but had requested to get the book because I love the author and the subject matter. When it arrived I was afraid of what would happen if I didn't like it--thankfully, that wasn't the case. I was swept away instantly. Now, I feel bad b/c I shoulda just bought it!)
Like a River From Its Course is among my favorite historical fiction novels ever. The characters is this book come to life to tell a story you simply cannot forget -- a World War II story from a people and a country that didn’t get as much play in other World War II fiction. Their relationships, courage, fear and growth throughout the novel keep you turning the pages. You find yourself rooting for them, fearing for them, and sharing in their hopes and learning from their trials. Kelli Stuart does a great job making them real, which is not surprising since they are based on her years of interviews and research in the Ukraine. (You can read about the real people upon who these characters were based here: kelli stuart dot com backslash books
I can’t wait to read Stuart’s next book.
I can’t wait to read Stuart’s next book.
Amazing book! I will be traveling to Ukraine later this year and I desired to learn more of their history before going. As I enjoy historical fiction, I chose this book. Kelli Stuart does an amazing job of bringing you into the daily lives of the Ukrainian people during a very dire time in their history. I was unaware until this time what had happened to the people of Ukraine during WWII. Many children were taken from their parents and forced to work in labor camps where they were treated horribly and many died. Some never returned to Ukraine. Those that did were often labeled as traders though they did not go to Germany of their own free will. The story follows the lives of four individuals during this time period. Though there is sadness in the story, there is hope and that is what is so important. To see that even during these darkest days, hope was not lost. Powerful read that I highly recommend.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Oh, my, Like A River from Its Course is a tough book. I almost set it aside several times. Dark topics are addressed in this book. It does not shy away from the horrors of WWII, or of war in general, really. This fact makes the read both challenging and powerful.
Out of the Holocaust came the phrase "Never Forget". Despite my struggles reading some very heavy material (including mass murder, life [and death] in concentration camps, and rape), this book is a needed voice today. Like a River from Its Course helps the reader to remember the Holocaust, and stands as a memorial to Jews and those who helped them during such dark days.
Hope exists in this book, and beauty, amidst the darkness. "There is some good in the world," Sam Gamgee in The Two Towers film version notes, "and it's worth fighting for." This holds absolutely true in Kelli Stuart's work; the good struggles against the bad, and cannot be defeated.
My favorite part of Like a River from Its Course was Ivan Kyrilovich's exploration of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodoxy fascinates me, and I enjoyed Ivan's journey and the frank discussions of the problem of pain and darkness in this world. Highly recommended read.
Oh, my, Like A River from Its Course is a tough book. I almost set it aside several times. Dark topics are addressed in this book. It does not shy away from the horrors of WWII, or of war in general, really. This fact makes the read both challenging and powerful.
Out of the Holocaust came the phrase "Never Forget". Despite my struggles reading some very heavy material (including mass murder, life [and death] in concentration camps, and rape), this book is a needed voice today. Like a River from Its Course helps the reader to remember the Holocaust, and stands as a memorial to Jews and those who helped them during such dark days.
Hope exists in this book, and beauty, amidst the darkness. "There is some good in the world," Sam Gamgee in The Two Towers film version notes, "and it's worth fighting for." This holds absolutely true in Kelli Stuart's work; the good struggles against the bad, and cannot be defeated.
My favorite part of Like a River from Its Course was Ivan Kyrilovich's exploration of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodoxy fascinates me, and I enjoyed Ivan's journey and the frank discussions of the problem of pain and darkness in this world. Highly recommended read.
This is a powerful book, sharing stories of several lives that will impact your very soul. I found myself with breaking heart and tears in my eyes periodically throughout. I'd have to stop often, just to take a break from it's strength. But I also found myself eager to keep reading, to find out what would happen next in each person's story.
If you like history, and are especially interested in the second World War, you will want to read Like a River From Its Course. I might have my high schooler read it, as part of his history course.
If you like history, and are especially interested in the second World War, you will want to read Like a River From Its Course. I might have my high schooler read it, as part of his history course.
This book is much more than a glimpse into the horrors of WWII Ukraine. It feels like a heartfelt love letter to those who suffered. It opens our eyes to the far reaching tentacles of the Nazi regime during that time, and champions the bravery of everyday people (both Ukrainian and German) who fought back against hate.
There is nothing I love more than a story told from the perspective of multiple individuals, and I was completely captivated by these characters in their first chapters. I cared about their stories, connected with their pain, and celebrated their victories, because they were transparent on those pages. Their hearts were exposed. It's natural to doubt, rebel, and anger in the midst of life's tragedies that take us off course. That's something we all understand. But the joy; how can we find the joy?
"Life is a series of trials, all strung together by moments of beauty. But when the string of joy and beauty breaks, what is left to hold life together if there is no God? That's the question you need to be asking." -Father Konstantin, pg. 300
There is nothing I love more than a story told from the perspective of multiple individuals, and I was completely captivated by these characters in their first chapters. I cared about their stories, connected with their pain, and celebrated their victories, because they were transparent on those pages. Their hearts were exposed. It's natural to doubt, rebel, and anger in the midst of life's tragedies that take us off course. That's something we all understand. But the joy; how can we find the joy?
"Life is a series of trials, all strung together by moments of beauty. But when the string of joy and beauty breaks, what is left to hold life together if there is no God? That's the question you need to be asking." -Father Konstantin, pg. 300
I loved learning about Ukraine's part of WWII in Stuart's Like a River From Its Course. This is a honesty and gritty story that almost reads like four separate biographies. I appreciate Stuart's honesty and redemption.
I love Holocaust novels, so it disappointed me that this one was just was alright. It starts out as one would expect, with the atrocities committed during the war, both in general and then also targeted at the Jews. But it quickly turned to being less about acts committed than as it was about the characters' emotional fall outs.
To explain, there are four point of view characters: Ivan, his daughter Masha, Luda, and then Frederick who is a German soldier. Ivan and Luda do experience horrible events in the beginning, but then spent most of the rest of the book inside their own homes, hidden away. Frederick and Masha endure far more, yet Frederick's story ends around a hundred pages earlier than the rest, making me question why it had even been included.
On their own, I did enjoy reading Luda's and Masha's point of views. Luda's is a personal struggle that I cannot imagine most people being able to endure and I was glad to see her come out happy in the end. And Masha's perspective offered more of what I had expected going into the story, someone actively surviving daily life directly under the Nazis.
For someone interested in reading about the emotional struggles suffered during WWII, this may be an enjoyable read. For me, it was not what I expected from such a novel and I felt it would have been better without Ivan or Frederick's perspectives.
I received this book through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.
To explain, there are four point of view characters: Ivan, his daughter Masha, Luda, and then Frederick who is a German soldier. Ivan and Luda do experience horrible events in the beginning, but then spent most of the rest of the book inside their own homes, hidden away. Frederick and Masha endure far more, yet Frederick's story ends around a hundred pages earlier than the rest, making me question why it had even been included.
On their own, I did enjoy reading Luda's and Masha's point of views. Luda's is a personal struggle that I cannot imagine most people being able to endure and I was glad to see her come out happy in the end. And Masha's perspective offered more of what I had expected going into the story, someone actively surviving daily life directly under the Nazis.
For someone interested in reading about the emotional struggles suffered during WWII, this may be an enjoyable read. For me, it was not what I expected from such a novel and I felt it would have been better without Ivan or Frederick's perspectives.
I received this book through Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.
A unique look at World War II through a country that I haven't visited in life or fiction - Ukraine. Told through multiple perspectives that take you into the real nitty gritty of war and how it affects all walks of life in the country where the war actually takes place.
First, what really made me love this book was that not only did you hear from citizens in the occupied country but one of the perspectives was from a German soldier. I am not sure if I have ever read a book that really portrayed why he felt that the war was necessary. I am not sure he convinced me of his cause, but it was at least interesting to see it through his eyes.
I also loved that this was more than a book about war. It was a book about family relationships and love and loss all of those things in between. Yes there was a war going on, but life also moves forward maybe differently but still moves forward while a country is at war. I enjoyed reading about how these families were trying to keep it together and as many things as normal in the midst of chaos.
I read this book in 24 hours in just three sittings and I couldn't put it down. I hope that Kelli Stuart tackles a different topic or spot in time with this detail because it was both thoroughly entertaining and insightful.
First, what really made me love this book was that not only did you hear from citizens in the occupied country but one of the perspectives was from a German soldier. I am not sure if I have ever read a book that really portrayed why he felt that the war was necessary. I am not sure he convinced me of his cause, but it was at least interesting to see it through his eyes.
I also loved that this was more than a book about war. It was a book about family relationships and love and loss all of those things in between. Yes there was a war going on, but life also moves forward maybe differently but still moves forward while a country is at war. I enjoyed reading about how these families were trying to keep it together and as many things as normal in the midst of chaos.
I read this book in 24 hours in just three sittings and I couldn't put it down. I hope that Kelli Stuart tackles a different topic or spot in time with this detail because it was both thoroughly entertaining and insightful.