Bettie's Books

bookshelves: autumn-2013, published-2013, slavic, berlin, historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, cults-societies-brotherhoods, recreational-homicide, families, serial-killer, wwii, skoolzy-stuff, politics, ouch, nazi-related, lifestyles-deathstyles, cover-love, bullies, betrayal

Read from September 03 to 27, 2013



On LibraryThing this isbn shows the title 'Love in the Age of Ice'


Sent by the author for a review and already I can honestly say that the physical appearace of this hardback, complete with stunning dust-jacket imagery and inside diagram of Moscow 1945, is a treat.

Initialed by author
List of characters

To my parents April and Stephen
and my son Sasha,
the oldest and the youngest.

Acknowledgements
Prologue

Opening, where I give you Glinka's 'Glory' (Славься, славься, святая Русь!) to have on in the backgound as you read:

The best school in Moscow, thought Andrei Kurbsky on his first day at School 801 on Ostozhenka, and, by some miraculous blessing, I've just made it here.

A slow building absurd story that, by the halfway mark, is unputdownable. This is a stand alone book although it does share some characters in common with Sashenka, which I haven't read yet. At the end of the read we find that this is loosely based on actual incidents. The lunacy and brutality of that place and time in history is just so hard to wrap one's head around.

"But,But, But," you cry, "aren't you going to outline the plot for us?"
"No. The description goes as far as is possible without spoilering."

Искушение" Л.Утесов "Temptation Rag" Utesov Jazz Band 1938 also has its place within this story.

This story does feel, at times, cobbled together, so the purist rating would be 4*, however I enjoyed it so much a 5* line-up is more accurate. Fully recommended, especially to those who enjoy learning about Stalin's Russia.

Cross-posted to GoodReads, LibraryThing, aNobii, BookLikes

5* Jerusalem
5* One Night in Winter
Wish List: Sashenka

8 likes