Leningrad: The People’s War
(Leningrad, Book 1)
By Rachel R. Heil
Leningrad, 1941. As Europe crumbles under the German war machine, the people of the Soviet Union watch. There are whispers of war but not loud enough for the civilians of Leningrad to notice. Instead, they keep their heads down and try to avoid the ever-watching eyes of their own oppressive government.
University student Tatiana Ivankova tries to look ahead to the future after a family tragedy that characterizes life under the brutal regime. But, when the rumors that have been circulating the country become a terrifying reality, Tatiana realizes that the greatest fear may not be the enemy but what her fellow citizens are prepared to do to each other to survive.
As his men plow through the Russian countryside, Heinrich Nottebohm is told to follow orders and ask no questions, even if such commands go against his own principles. His superiors hold over him a past event that continues to destroy him with every day that passes. But, when given the opportunity to take an act of defiance, Heinrich will jump at the chance, ignoring what the end results could be.
Leningrad: The People’s War tells the harrowing beginning of a war that forever changed the landscape of a city, told through the eyes of both sides in a tale of courage, love, and sacrifice.
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I have heard so much about this book and when I was asked if I would like a copy I did not hesitate but instead shouted give me, give me, give me (I did say yes please as well, I am British don't you know). With book in hand, I made myself a cup of tea and used my afternoon off (when I was meant to be cleaning the house) to read instead - the book wasn't going to read itself, was it? And so, I began and what follows is my thoughts.
I don't think I have the words to give this book justice. I was expecting a heart-rendering story, but what I was not expecting was the absolute horror of what life must have been like for those who were forced to live in Leningrad during the German siege of 1941. What makes matters so much worse for the residents is that they are living under the rule of Stalin and the dreaded NKVD. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like to live under a tyrannical ruler only to be faced with a fascist army - as several characters nervously mutter in this book, could the Germans be any worse? Between the relentless German bombing and the Societ rationing that damned its people to a slow and painful death, it is hard to imagine that in amongst the chaos is a young woman who will do whatever she can to keep the authorities attention away from her family.
Tatiana Ivankova does everything she can to ensure that her family is looked over by the NKVD - if it means volunteering to do air raid duties then so be it. Unfortunately, Josef Krasnoff, who is a journalist for the Lenigradskaya Pravda, has other ideas for her. Josef begins this novel whose attentions to Tatiana are unwelcomed, but as the novel progresses he convinces her that he can keep her family safe and unfortunately she believes him. Josef is so indoctrinated in the whole Stalin narrative, that he sees no harm in putting Tatiana in serious danger. From the first introduction, Josef made my skin crawl but by the end of the novel, I really hated him. He does not care for Tatiana at all, he only cares about how good it would make him look.
Tatiana is a lovey protagonist and one I immediately connected with. She is an ordinary woman in an extraordinary time, but she rises to each challenge and yet somehow still manages to keep her humanity. She is a lovely person who is forced to do terrible things. I really felt for her.
The story does show both sides of the siege, the Soviet and the German. The author has done nothing to gloss over the horrors of what the German Army inflicted upon soviet citizens, but it also shows that not all German generals were bloodthirsty unemphatic monsters. There are some characters that I really despised, but then others whom I liked. Having both sides of the story certainly kept me turning those pages.
This book is a really enthralling read, although you must have tissues at the ready. Likewise, it is not one of those books that can easily be put down. It is also a very emotional read. The book does not end, as it is only book one of the series, but it certainly has made me impatient to get my hands on book 2. All in all, I think this book will appeal to those who enjoy realistic books set during the World War Two era.
I received my copy from The Coffee Pot Book Club but you can grab yours from yours from Amazon If you have #KindleUnlimited subscription then you can read this novel for FREE!
Rachel R. Heil
Rachel R. Heil is a historical fiction writer who always dreamed of being an author. After years of dreaming, she finally decided to turn this dream into a reality with her first novel, and series, Behind the Darkened Glass. Rachel is an avid history fan, primarily focused on twentieth century history and particularly World War Two-era events. In addition to her love for history, Rachel loves following the British Royal Family and traveling the world, which only opens the door to learning more about a country's history. Rachel resides in Wisconsin.
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