Customer Reviews: Read 80 more reviews...
 So emotional, it's in my top ten! December 28, 2008
It has been almost a year since I finished reading this amazing book, and I can still vividly remember the power of emotion it contained.
From the very first page I was totally hooked. It tells two, interweaved tales . The first is set in 1992, and follows Leo Deakin, who wakes up in a South American hospital to discover that his girlfriend has died in the bus crash he survived. As he begins to remember what happened, he is plagued by the guilt that he was in some way to blame for her death.
The second story is set in 1917, and follows Mortis Daniecki, as he escapes from a POW camp and makes an epic journey across Europe, to return to the love of his life.
The story of Leo, is semi auto-biographical, as the author, Danny Scheinmann, also lost his girlfriend at a young age. Mortis's story is based on the real events of Danny Scheinmann's Grandfather's life, as explained in an epilogue to the book. I think that the fact the author has experienced a lot of the events described in the book really shows. The raw emotion is hard to ignore; it is the small, well observed details that make it all so realistic. I don't think I have ever read a book which explores the issues of grief and love so well.
I highly recommend this book, it is one of my favourite books of 2008, and will probably be in my all time top ten, along with "A Fine Balance", "Fingersmith" and "Water for Elephants".
Love and History December 7, 2008
I loved this book and read it in just a few days. What do they usually say on the back cover? Unputdownable? Terrible word, but for, it hits the nail on the head with this book. Some previous reviewers thought that there was too much emphasis on Leo's suffering in trying to get over Eleni's death. Well, maybe so, but I thought the description of the terrible emotions he goes through was exceptional. I've lost people close to me, and when Leo talked to flies and ants as if they were his lost love, I smiled with sad recognition. And hey, you must admit, it's verging on the comic how he gets tangled up with his landlady!
That's the great thing about Danny Scheinmann: he takes you to hell and back but he always gives you a good laugh in between.
What none of the reviews I have read mentions is the historical aspect of the book. I am a European who speaks a few languages and has traveled a fair bit in Europe, and so, despite the fact that I was born well after the Second World War, the journey of Moritz had a tremendous affect on me. There aren't many books these days on the horrors and the tragic developments of the First World War, and none at all that I know of who attempts to describe the chaos in the East among the people of all social levels as the communists take over. And wasn't it brilliant how Moritz compares the horrors of the Bolsheviks with those committed by the Nazi? Plus the human aspect of it all: how on earth do people cope when their whole life is turned upside down: you grow up in one country or empire, go through a war and end up in an entirely new one, first white then red! This book is as if your own grandfather would finally talk about his experience in the war, but of course, they never did.
So, you really have it all here: great language, historic insight and a truly touching story of love, loss and survival. A highly deserved 5 stars, and I really hope Scheinmann keeps writing!
A tender, passionate, well paced, skillfully written story .... November 24, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've read a lot of the other reviews posted and this book seems pretty divisive - not what I expected. I personally loved it - I sobbed through the final chapters. It delivered on everything I expected. I'd call it truly an epic, one I will go back to read again and again. The different strands of the story are very carefully and patiently woven together. The characters are very skillfully portrayed - I felt so much tenderness for Leo's father. In all, this story was so very moving and beautifully written. Those 1 star reviewers must have hearts of made of granite!
Balanced Beautifully between plot and poetry November 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
What I loved most about this book, is that fact that the author managed to write beautifully, and still weave a wonderful plot line, two in fact. I sometimes find books either have the plot, or the writing.
I love the way the two stories parallels eachother, where two men are going through different fights, in different times, over different landscapes
A Fantastic read, I've been suggesting it to all my friends, and even buying it for them just so I can guarantee they will read it
 No page-turner October 28, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
After reading the reviews I have to admit I was hugely disappointed by this book.
It started out promising enough, but I have to admit I was bored half way through and it's taken me near enough 6 weeks to complete!
Don't get me wrong, I loved the sentiment of this book, but felt it could've done with having 100 or so pages being dropped, those being most of the story of Leo & Eleni whom I didn't care about. It was the story of Moritz and Lotte which interested me. I understand that the author needed to find the connection between the characters at the end, but to be honest adding so much detail of Leo & Eleni didn't do the book any justice and I felt it was unnecessary.
All in all, this book was ok, but definately no page-turner. Therefore, I gave this book 2 stars, one for Moritz and one for Lotte who had an amazing love story which had to be told to prove that love really does exist and that some people will go to the ends of the earth to find it.
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