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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
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MN Book Lover
Depressing but meaningful
A 17-year-old boy has lived in an institution since infancy, having been born grossly deformed as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. No explanation is given of how he became well-educated, but he is able to analyze his life and those around him in a context that indicates great awareness of the world. When a girl comes to the institution who is dying of leukemia, their friendship becomes the first meaningful one of his life (with the exception of one of the nurses). As he sees her through her death, he finds so much of himself that he had thought was absent. An interesting commentary on post-Soviet life, the victims of Chernobyl, and human relationships.
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Valerie C. (Chico, CA)
Tragedy with Humor
If you can get past the underlying tragic lives in this novel, you will find humor, love, and humanity. There is no way I can call this an enjoyable book due to the underlying darkness, but the writing and insights into human behavior are exceptional.
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Chris H. (Wauwatosa, WI)
Ivan's Story
This is a beautiful story of the complications of life. A story of true acceptance and true love - both on many levels.
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Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA)
Hard Times in Belarus
I found The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko a hard book to read. It has the social outrage of Dickens and the brooding introspection of Dostoevsky. But the characters are unforgettable. And the book is a reminder that humans are the most adaptable of animals. And in the gray dusk of the story, there are bright flashes of grace and love. After reading this book, I made a list of things that I'm recently grateful for. One of them was reading this book.
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Terye B. (Boulder Creek, CA)
Ivan Isaenko Becomes Visible
We are introduced to Ivan Isaenko by way of his diary. Ivan is a patient at the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children, which treats the medical conditions of children suffering from the effects of catastrophic radiation following a nuclear explosion in 1986. Ivan suffers with unformed or partially formed limbs, and has lived at the hospital since birth. The hospital is all that he has known, and through the years has developed a way to cope and catalog in his mind all that goes on. Then, one day, a young girl his age comes in, outwardly she doesn't seem to suffer through the disastrous effects of radiation, but is indeed very ill with leukemia. Ivan takes to his diary, to explain himself to his new friend Polina, and then to make sure he marks the time he has left with her.
The voice of this novel is that of a young man, suffering, then alive with caring for another person, a first for Ivan. The story is eloquently told, thorough exquisite writing we are there with Ivan in his wonderment, his brashness and his pain of loss. There are wonderful characters in this book, Nurses who are cruel and overworked, and nurses that touch Ivan and help Ivan come to terms with adulthood. I found this to be a quick read, and enjoyed the story immensely. In so many books that I enjoy I am hesitant to finish, worried that I won't be satisfied by the ending, but Scott Stambach gave Ivan justice at the end. This is a book that I highly recommend. You will laugh, cringe...and cry.
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Joane W. (Berlin, MD)
The invisible life of Ivan isaenko
This book is about a physically handicapped but intelligent boy attempting to survive in a depressing and occasionally gross atmosphere. He creates various situations to get the attention and hopefully response from the other inmates. Somewhat of a love story too. I liked the book.
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Beverly S. (Chesterton, IN)
A Very Unusual Love Story
I found this book to have a slow start for me, but once I connected to Ivan and his story I loved this book. Ivan lives in a hospital for gravely ill children. His best friend is one of the nurses and she supplies him with occasional alcohol, special foods and treats and she keeps him supplied with special books. Ivan falls in love with Polina, a new patient with leukemia. Their special relationship is a beautiful story with a heartbreaking ending. This book is a fast read, but this story will stay in your heart for a long, long time. Enjoy!
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