Leningrad, June, 1941. Germany invades Russia and the lives of the
seven members of the Metanov family, living in a two-roomed
apartment, change forever. Only the youngest, 17-year-old Tatiana,
will survive the siege of the city. Along with having to endure the
cold, hunger and illness, she is bearing a secret; the love between
her and the boyfriend of her older sister, Daria. Meeting the
soldier, Alexander, by chance in the street, their instant
attraction for each other is concealed, at Tatiana's insistence.
Only when Daria dies can their love be enjoyed, but even then, the
lovers' survival depends on the secret of Alexander's family
background never being revealed; a secret known only to themselves
and to the jealous, unreliable fellow soldier, Dimitri. Simons was
praised for her debut novel Tully in 1995 and for her subsequent
books. At over 600 pages there might be a better, shorter novel
buried somewhere inside this book but in spite of that, if you have
room in your luggage for such a weighty tome, this will make a
superior beach read. (Kirkus UK)
Leningrad 1941: the white nights of summer illuminate a city of fallen grandeur whose beautiful palaces and stately avenues speak of a different age, when Leningrad was known as St. Petersburg.
Two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha, share the same bed, living in one room with their brother and parents. It is a hard, impoverished life, yet the Metanovs know many who are not as fortunate as they.
The family routine is shattered on 22 June 1941 when Hitler invades Russia. For the Metanovs, for Leningrad and for Tatiana, life will never be the same again. On that fateful day, Tatiana meets a brash young officer named Alexander.
Tatiana and her family suffer as Hitler's army advances on Leningrad, and the Russian winter closes in. With bombs falling and the city under siege, Tatiana and Alexander are drawn to each other in an impossible love. It is a love that could tear Tatiana's family apart, a love that carries a secret that could mean death for anyone who hears it.
Confronted on one hand by Hitler's unstoppable war machine, and on the other by a Soviet system determined to crush the human spirit, Tatiana and Alexander are pitted against the very tide of history, at a turning point in the century that made the modern world.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
Brilliance...
Sun, 12 Jun 2016 | Review
by: AshB
I honestly don't have the words which will describe the brilliance of this book.
Each page filled with so much story, emotion, passion, heartache, death...
I've never been a fan of historical fiction. This has been my first and by God, this story is the best I have read in all my life! You gain a clear vision of how excruciating war was- merciless. You follow two people so young, yet so incredibly in love and consumed with one another.
The innocence of Tatiana starting off as cute and innocent, yet the mental strength, determination and will for life she encompasses is absolutely breathtakingly magnificent.
The love Tatiana and Alexander share is raw, consuming, passionate and heartwrenchingly sad, but this is a love which gives you that inner strength being able to move oceans and mountains.
This book does not deserve five stars, it deserves a nobel prize! Each scene described perfectly. Character building. The plot. Absolutely everthing is perfect in this book.
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes (2) |
No (0)
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
