You know I really hate books like this. But I love them too.
"In the midst of all that terror, the shouts and the footfalls and the squeal of our heals You know I really hate books like this. But I love them too.
"In the midst of all that terror, the shouts and the footfalls and the squeal of our heals on the wooden steps, there was something else, something strange. Kolya was laughing." I haven't been reading a lot lately, and its been even longer since I have genuinely enjoyed a book so much. I owe this partly to the amazing characters, but also to the exquisite narrative.
I hated him even more, the cheerful swaggering brute, happy and fresh at six in the morning as if he'd just returned from a two week holiday at the Black Sea." The characters are well crafted and interesting to interact with.I enjoyed reading about all of them. It did not take me long to realize I love Kolya's character. His character has all the charm and magic you'd want not just in a character but in a human being without feeling gimmicky. His presence brings humor and hope to the story. "He kicks the second sack and the boy inside says, 'Woof!' Pretending to be a -" Kolya pointed at me to finish the sentence.
" A cow." But Lev, Lev gives the story a life Its not fair to give Kolya praise without first giving it to Lev. While Lev's character is great in his own way it's his narrative that made the story for me. I can see Kolya and love him because Lev is the one introducing him. Experiencing the story from Lev's perspective is precisely why I love the things I do. I love their friendship and I love their adventure.
"But if the subject demand intensity, it should get intensity." Make no mistake. Just because I said the book is humorous and has many lighthearted and pleasant exchanges doesn't take away from the intensity. The story is intense, but only when it needs to be. There are moments when I can feel the dread seeping into my gut, moments my heart was stuck in my throat,moments when said heart was beating so fast you'd think it would never stop only for moments later it felt like my heart had stopped moving altogether.
" I became like an animal, with no thoughts in my head, nothing but fear to drive me." This book was intense. intense with laughter and friendship.Intense with joy and sadness and fear. But the intensity does not crush you, it is not some tale melodramatically spun to crush your soul. Its just a story, told just the way it should be.
Life in unexpected, and the story sequence takes advantage of that fact and throws some amazing things at us.Its fun, its shocking at times and it makes for a great read.
I'd like to get into some spoilers and please don't read them unless you've read the book.We have all taken the bait once or twice and read spoilers and survived, so you think eh?Why not? THIS IS NOT THAT KIND OF SPOILER SECTION THERE IS NO RETURN ONCE YOU'VE READ THEM!
(view spoiler)[ Before I launch into it and talk about the ending, which needs talking about, I want to bring up that moment when Kolya finally has his shit. The legendary shit. And he's like ecstatic.He's got his eggs, there just outside the city. hey survived Nazis and now after what 13 days? He has his victory shit.I remember thinking 'Now he can die a happy man lol' I think that because I'm thinking the end is nigh. They set out for eggs and against all odds. He's got them! They survived cannibals, the cold, Nazis and imprisonment.They get to go home and accomplish something. Im thinking this is great! And then hes shot. In the ass. By his own people.
He's Kolya, so he's cracking jokes and I think its hilarious.He made me feel like it was hilarious. You think at this point they are invincible.He's a great soldier, hes laughing and trying to keep Lev from panicking.If something was going to kill him it wouldn't be this, right?
I'm not worried He said that and I started crying.Really crying. It didn't even occur to me that he wouldn't make it.But at that point it hit me and I don't know why but I was utterly blindsided. Its been a day since I finished. I still can't get it out of my system.That moment. Right before everything goes to hell when everything was perfect. I was so happy when I read it. Everytime I think about it now,I think that moment is the most tragic.
I'm never going to forget it. I'll tell my children about that shit, because it is the most extraordinary moment in this story.I'm sure they would think it too. (hide spoiler)]
So for the non spoiler version of the end. Well there is none go read the book for yourself. [image]...more
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