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Comments (52)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 52 items
Aug 09, 2022mrjor1e rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Beautifully written, with a story that just keeps drawing the reader in. I never enjoy war stories, so I wouldn't have read it if my book club hadn't chosen it, but I'm very glad we did. So many values questions arise here, such as "is…
Jul 14, 2022MrsLou rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I read this because I saw it was on a banned book list. I do not understand why it is on there. It is an honest but not graphic portrayal of war and the trails of being a sieged city during war. Considering what is going on in the Ukraine…
May 20, 2022rockmenard rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of the most gripping first chapters I have ever read. the rest of the book is good, too. The two main characters go from one life or death event to another. I wanted another 100 pages.
Apr 08, 2022TSMary rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
You know how you keep reading book after book hoping for that special one that grabs ahold of you and won’t let you go? City of Thieves did that for me. And in just 258 pages. How did I miss this one when it came out over 10 years ago?…
Dec 19, 2021bronzefury rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An amazing story of a friendship and survival behind a background of the Nazi brutality laid upon Russians. This story was engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat. Great character build-up and dialogue. I've never heard of David…
Sep 14, 2021
DUE BACK 10-8 CHECKED OUT 9-17-21 ON HOLD 9-14-21
Sep 01, 2021jglager rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
There is a lot of profanity in the beginning chapters, I quit reading, and dismissed it as a book club book for my group. There are 4 letter words such as S..., F..., and the C... word. Our book club group didn't want a book that used…
Jan 17, 2021rclane rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A charming, witty story despite the atrocities depicted. This book traverses a broad spectrum. Very satisfying.
Nov 19, 2020
Excellent read from a favorite author
Oct 29, 2020patricj17 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
absolutely loved this book. what a great story teller! You get to know and love the characters portrayed. Displays the absurdity, the mundanity, and the horror's of war.
Oct 13, 2020jsnikrap rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Unless you knew this book was based on the author's grandfather's experience you wouldn't believe it could possibly be true. A fascinating look at lives in truly desperate circumstances, the resilience and humor of the human spirit, great…
Sep 30, 2020DanglingConversations rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A wonderful story of a world tragedy couched in a humorous search through the nazi infested country side for a dozen eggs. An excellent read for today's adolescents who are going through the constraints of a world pandemic... it has been a…
Sep 08, 2020KarenDem rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I rarely read books like this with violence and misery. This one engrossed me, however, so I recommend it!
Apr 17, 2020sgcf rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An astonishingly well-crafted story, full of heart-ripping details, poignancy, as well as humour. There is so much humanity woven into the storyline of two young men - whose characters are wholly realized - struggling through the siege of…
Dec 24, 2019lkoppy rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
One of the two best books I read this year. Benioff has a smooth, easy writing style. The story is interesting the whole way through that takes the reader back to WWII. Well defined characters.
Sep 28, 2019
A ridiculous quest. Two quirky young men who become buddies. A devastating depiction of the Siege of Petersburg. Atrocities. Humor. Wonderful complex characters. Dramatic events. A love story. A coming of age story. Strange events:…
Jul 12, 2019lukasevansherman rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I also texted Greg (see below), he was actually pretty indifferent. Set during the siege of Leningrad, this is a darkly comic adventure store from the David Benioff, who wrote the novel on which the film "25th Hour" is based on but will be…
Jun 23, 2019maryellenwilson rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Sent to Greg -- he texted he loved it!
Jan 04, 2019burgundy_bear_280 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
oh my;; i can't recommend this book enough. extremely intense, beautifully written, amazing dialogue- i can't praise it enough. it kept on giving. it incredibly funny but it also pulled in the rawness of life in Russia during WW2. a great…
Dec 04, 2018IndyPL_AnikaW rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Benioff's short novel would be a great selection for a book discussion group. You're never quite sure how much of this tale is fiction and how much comes directly from sitting down and talking about the siege of Leningrad with the…
Apr 21, 2018tirjan rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book. Benioff captures the lives of various people caught up in the horrible Siege of Leningrad. Despite the subject matter being grim to say the least he develops characters and the interplay between them thoughtfully with…
Mar 03, 2018redtayres rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Marin library has, for some reason, slapped a "teen" sticker on this novel. Had I noticed that before checking the book out I probably wouldn't have bothered. Thankfully, I didn't. This novel is one of the best, most enjoyable, and…
Dec 14, 2017ArapahoeAnnaL rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
From the co-creator of the HBO show "Game of Thrones," this well-written addition to the collection of WW II historical fiction portrays two young Russians in a series of adventures during the German siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). …
Melissa_RA_Librarian
Dec 05, 2017Melissa_RA_Librarian rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I really like the friendship that develops between the two characters. Benioff, better known for Game of Thrones is an expert at character development. This story was rich and full of detail, but it is the friendship between the two…
Jan 06, 2017Ash898 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I started this book and couldn't put it down, I've never been a fan of reading stories based around war but even the most harrowing scenes don't last very long and there is a certain comedic feel throughout. It's a short book but I felt…