A review by trgeyer
Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder

3.0

Never has a book made me so despondent and disheartened with human behavior. While the subject matter does not lend itself to many (if any) upbeat moments, Snyder does not to find them. The introduction spells out what is ahead, and the reader gets what is promised - a detailing of the systematic extermination of Jews and Central Europeans. Despite knowing about WWII and the Holocaust, I failed to recognize the magnitude of the atrocities that took place in the land between Germany and Russia during that time period. Snyder sets out to detail how truly awful this time in history was and he succeeds. However, I wish there were more pages devoted to the sentiments of the people and what was being done to end the misery. An important read, but it was written in a cold and academic style that left me completely numb.