This book is as close to literary perfection as I have found all year! However, know this: there is violence, there is profanity, it is stark but it's all appropriate for the setting (the Siege of Leningrad) and it's not gratuitous. I love, love, love this author..his
…more ability to draw strong characters, to evoke an era, and to so skillfully weave together the larger context as it relate to the prime characters is amazing! I will be recommending this book to all who seek a great story that packs a punch. This author is just plain fabulous. If you want something real, look no further. (less)