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joaniesickler's review against another edition
3.0
The Hermitage in Leningrad is one museum I am now prepared and very excited to see some day. The story of the rescue of it's extraordinary contents from German bombing in WWII is riveting. And the present-day context keeps the action moving. Recommended by a Mpls Institute of Art docent friend of mine.
outoftheblue14's review against another edition
4.0
The novel is set half in 1941, at the time of the Nazi siege aroung Leningrad, and half in the present. In 1941, Marina was ayoung tourist guide working for the Ermitage museum, accompanying the tourists from room to room. Her love for art and beauty is second only for her love for Dimitrij, a young soldier protecting the city.
In the present, Marina and Dimitrij are an old married couple attending the wedding of their granddaughter. Marina has been suffering from Alzheimer's, and half of the time she can't remember what happens to her, but she can still clearly picture in her mind the war in Leningrad and the beautiful works of art of the museum.
This is a moving book about a woman and her love for art. I liked it very much.
In the present, Marina and Dimitrij are an old married couple attending the wedding of their granddaughter. Marina has been suffering from Alzheimer's, and half of the time she can't remember what happens to her, but she can still clearly picture in her mind the war in Leningrad and the beautiful works of art of the museum.
This is a moving book about a woman and her love for art. I liked it very much.
nb61's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
Too scattered. She carried a pregnancy to term and had a healthy baby while starving in the Siege of Leningrad? What happened to the art work? Did they need her memory palace?
danireys's review against another edition
4.0
I think I may have only given this book 3 stars if it hadn't been for the way this book tied into my memories of the Hermitage. I was in Russia a bit over a year ago now. I love Russia, and my month long trip was a dream come true. I spent a couple days in the Hermitage, and it was not nearly enough. I read this book not because of Russia, but because I am reading for the Mental Health Awareness Challenge, and this book was towards Alzheimer's. I wish I got more of the emotions and feelings about this women going through her disease, but what I got was lovely as well. I really love how the women can see the beauty in everything now---- dust floating in the air, the sun rays coming in. How many of us take the time to appreciate the beauty life has to offer?
I think the author did a great job in portraying the main character slipping in and out of reality. I really enjoy (and I use this lightly because it's heart breaking) how she did a particular scene where the character feels like she is reliving her past and present at the same moment. The book in general is beautifully written. Her descriptions and word choice brings about a whole host of emotions throughout the novel.
Despite this, the book feels disjointed and choppy, but this has to be taken with a grain of salt because it is supposed to be. The women is going deeper and deeper into her disease and so one moment she is with everyone and the next reliving her past with the siege of Leningrad.
I'd like to know more about things in the story and incidents that took place; there's so much to the story that I'd like to continue. I feel like this could be my real life, begging my grandmother to tell me more stories and yet she simply does not or does not remember. I find it a huge shame, though understandable, that in this book the children know nothing of their parents' life during the war.
Overall I think the book is good. I would've liked more though. But I still recommend this book--- especially if anyone has visited the Hermitage before. It's amazing how a few words the author write brings up clear memories of things I've seen in the museum. I am not a huge art fan, so I looked, but didn't study most of the paintings. I love the statues, and walls & ceilings, the Egyptian art, the armor, and I even clearly remember the paintings of the dead game---- I think I was particularly morbid back then. Everything I LOVED was of death, or the cut open game, or whatnot. I was drawn in by the portrayal of these things that were not beautiful but rather haunting or so ordinary that it took someone taking to time to portray it to make you see the beauty in it. Anyways, I'm rambling about things other than the book now. I do hope others read the book to experience these things as well.
I think the author did a great job in portraying the main character slipping in and out of reality. I really enjoy (and I use this lightly because it's heart breaking) how she did a particular scene where the character feels like she is reliving her past and present at the same moment. The book in general is beautifully written. Her descriptions and word choice brings about a whole host of emotions throughout the novel.
Despite this, the book feels disjointed and choppy, but this has to be taken with a grain of salt because it is supposed to be. The women is going deeper and deeper into her disease and so one moment she is with everyone and the next reliving her past with the siege of Leningrad.
I'd like to know more about things in the story and incidents that took place; there's so much to the story that I'd like to continue. I feel like this could be my real life, begging my grandmother to tell me more stories and yet she simply does not or does not remember. I find it a huge shame, though understandable, that in this book the children know nothing of their parents' life during the war.
Overall I think the book is good. I would've liked more though. But I still recommend this book--- especially if anyone has visited the Hermitage before. It's amazing how a few words the author write brings up clear memories of things I've seen in the museum. I am not a huge art fan, so I looked, but didn't study most of the paintings. I love the statues, and walls & ceilings, the Egyptian art, the armor, and I even clearly remember the paintings of the dead game---- I think I was particularly morbid back then. Everything I LOVED was of death, or the cut open game, or whatnot. I was drawn in by the portrayal of these things that were not beautiful but rather haunting or so ordinary that it took someone taking to time to portray it to make you see the beauty in it. Anyways, I'm rambling about things other than the book now. I do hope others read the book to experience these things as well.
k_winchester's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
This was overall lovely, interesting, and at many times quite heartbreaking for a variety of reasons.
I was delighted to recognize many of the art terms in here - my art history classes paid off! š I ended up looking up stuff about the siege of Leningrad that I didn't know, and the way Marina's past unfolds in that frame of wartime is incredible and very, very clearly based in real history. (I'm not usually very into historical fiction but this was really great and well done). The way the book flows between Marina struggling in the present with Alzheimer's as well as remembering her past during the war, is lovely and sad.
There were a few especially weird moments/scenes here and there, but I really liked the way the main kinda themes appeared together throughout: art (and the power it cab have to help people cope), war/tragedy, family, the struggle of alzheimer's, hope.
I was delighted to recognize many of the art terms in here - my art history classes paid off! š I ended up looking up stuff about the siege of Leningrad that I didn't know, and the way Marina's past unfolds in that frame of wartime is incredible and very, very clearly based in real history. (I'm not usually very into historical fiction but this was really great and well done). The way the book flows between Marina struggling in the present with Alzheimer's as well as remembering her past during the war, is lovely and sad.
There were a few especially weird moments/scenes here and there, but I really liked the way the main kinda themes appeared together throughout: art (and the power it cab have to help people cope), war/tragedy, family, the struggle of alzheimer's, hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Dementia, Grief, and War
Minor: Sexual content
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars - Excellent book about a woman's descent into Alzheimer's, that focuses on what she DOES remember - her life as an art curator at the Hermitage during the Seige of Leningrad.
Dean weaves a lovely portrait of a womanās descent into Alzheimerās and her ālifeā in a world no one else comprehends. At the same time, she informs us of the Seige of Leningrad and the heroic efforts of the staff of the Hermitage to save the priceless art works stored there.
Of course, I cannot help but think of my mother. From her few bursts of conversation, speaking about documents, etc, she must be reliving her years at work. I have to wonder, what secrets was she privy to? What will we never understand about her life, though we were there with her in that time frame?
And there are many questions left for the reader, as they are for the family who survives Marina.
I think of all the things I donāt know about my parents ā how they met, what their lives were like before we were a family ā and now Iāll never know because they can no longer answer those questions.
Iām not at all distressed by this book. The last chapter says it best: āMarina herself has left, though no one is able to pinpoint exactly when that happened, only that at some point she was no longer there.ā Two years ago I was nearly frantic with worry and concern about my parents. Now I am completely at peace with the process. I completely understand how Helen feels. I wish I understood how my mother feels.
Dean weaves a lovely portrait of a womanās descent into Alzheimerās and her ālifeā in a world no one else comprehends. At the same time, she informs us of the Seige of Leningrad and the heroic efforts of the staff of the Hermitage to save the priceless art works stored there.
Of course, I cannot help but think of my mother. From her few bursts of conversation, speaking about documents, etc, she must be reliving her years at work. I have to wonder, what secrets was she privy to? What will we never understand about her life, though we were there with her in that time frame?
And there are many questions left for the reader, as they are for the family who survives Marina.
Spoiler
Who was āthe godā who fathered Andrei? Did Dimitri ever really know the child was not his? Or is that just a trick of Marinaās mind? What happened to Olga? To Anya (who taught her about building a memory palace)? To Dimitri? (Heās not mentioned in the last chapter as having said his good-byes ā¦ did he already pass on?) How did she get to the camp?I think of all the things I donāt know about my parents ā how they met, what their lives were like before we were a family ā and now Iāll never know because they can no longer answer those questions.
Iām not at all distressed by this book. The last chapter says it best: āMarina herself has left, though no one is able to pinpoint exactly when that happened, only that at some point she was no longer there.ā Two years ago I was nearly frantic with worry and concern about my parents. Now I am completely at peace with the process. I completely understand how Helen feels. I wish I understood how my mother feels.
bookishauntie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kraley's review against another edition
5.0
This was an excellent book. We have all read our share of WWII books, but this was different for me. It was set both in present time and in Stalinās Leningrad. I never knew (or have forgotten) that the Germans held the city in siege for 900 days. The author painted an amazing picture of the bitter cold and the hunger, not to mention the art of the Hermitage. This was all set as a juxtaposition of a woman well on the path of Alzheimerās. What a bitter pill. How frightening to be so confused and how ashamed Marina was when she couldnāt remember. The author married these stories perfectly. I did leave with some questions, but I will treat them as holes in my memory.
liketheday's review against another edition
2.0
The story follows our protagonist, Marina, in the present day and in her past when she was in Leningrad during World War II. Back then, she was a docent at a museum and was kept on to pack up all of the artwork and ship out what could be shipped out to save it from the German bombs.
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barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
3.0
A huge plus to reading on a device is being able to immediately look up the various paintings mentioned in the novel. I know very little about the Russian side of WW2, and though this is just a snapshot of it, I appreciate learning new things.