Mount TBR 2013 Reading Challenge discussion

Buddy read with Sera and anyone else who wants to join in!

Thanks, Michelle! Looks like we've picked another winner. I am only 27 pages in and very interested in the story. So far each part has been post-WWI and WWII, respectively.

I know... It is a page turner. I am curious how the very first story links to Leo. Have you guessed that yet?

I have read it so won't be joining in but I can tell you I thought it was a great read! Enjoy :)

I've read it but I would love to join in the discussion. It was a fascinating book.

Tasha, no worries.

Esther, I am glad that you will be joining in.

I am fascinated by Leo; I can't imagine how devastating it must be when you find that (view spoiler)[you are supporting a system that ultimately doesn't care about fairness or equality - his wife being denounced as a spy was such a turning point in the book - up until then I am sure he thought he ( and his family) was safe - who do you think was the one that added Raisa to the veterinarian's 'list'? - I assumed it was not Vasili but the party leader who she rejected - that was a whole skin crawling episode (hide spoiler)] I can't believe that this is Smith's first book. There is also a movie version to be released in 2014!

I have been reading this book with my husband too; right from the beginning I told him that I thought this story would make a great film.

Personally I have always been fascinated by real views from behind the lies; ie. stories about life in Russia (under communist rule), Cuba, North Korea, etc.

I am on page 70.




This story is so good. I think that the death of the first kid at the beginning is linked to the death of Arkady. Smith is doing a nice job setting the mood of Russia during each time period. I feel paranoid about everything in the story because of how quickly people were forced to turn on each other.

Sera wrote: "I am on page 70.
This story is so good. I think that the death of the first kid at the beginning is linked to the death of Arkady. Smith is doing a nice job setting the mood of Russia during ..."
I am on page 240 or so...good guess as to the first story!....we drove back from NYC today and I read all the way home. I couldn't put it down even though I was so sleepy (the hotel we stayed in was so tiny - luxury hotels have a WIDE range for sure and I didn't get enough sleep the last two nights).
Isn't it crazy how quickly you could have someone turn on you during this time? I can't even imagine living in that type of environment. At first I didn't like Leo; I think I have totally changed my mind. What are your feelings?

A few years ago we went to Budapest and visited the Terror House Museum; it was sobering to see where and how individuals were tortured for crimes against the state. I don't know if I could have been as brave as those in this book.

Memento Park in Budapest now houses a lot of the statues that idealized communism - I do hope they are preserved so that we never forget what a terrible era this is/was....We later made our way to Prague and visited the Museum of Communism. The propaganda was fascinating - all effort was dedicated for country and life was portrayed as ideal - plenty of food, no crime and guaranteed work. Sacrifice for the greater good was sold so completely even as people were starving to death.

I'm around page 200 or so now. I didn't appreciate that the book is really Leo's story and the deaths of the two young people a subplot of the book. I had always thought that it was going to simply be about the latter.

I like Leo. I find it difficult to judge him or anyone else in the book (except for Vasili who seems to thrive in his role as aggressor) because most people are faced with the "damned if you do, and damned if you don't" dilemma. However, until Leo goes through himself what he has put others through does he truly appreciate the trail of misery that he has left behind him.

I was surprised that he stood up for Raisa, until it was later revealed that he did so because he thought that she was with child. What's your take on her?

You have visited some incredible places! I'm envious of your travel. The one thing that I always tell people is that absolute communism has never worked in any society in the world. What's most interesting to me is how commonplace famine is to these regimes when the state is supposed to be ensuring that its citizens are fed. North Korea, China and Russia are just a few examples of this outcome.

I thought the same thing too. I was wondering where it was going at the beginning.

I despise Vasili. I can almost picture him (from my movie database in my head :) - he actually denounced his own brother to promote his own career. Very despicable.

We went to Budapest/Czech Republic because it was so darn cheap versus Western Europe. The cost of hotels and food is so inexpensive compared to other countries - at the time they hadn't changed over to the Euro. I encourage everyone to go just to see; it's amazing how the switch was flipped for these folks going from communism to capitalism almost overnight. We rode a train from Budapest to Prague and met two men who worked for the Hungarian government; we spoke for almost 6 hours about our different countries. I couldn't shut up because I was so curious and kept asking questions. They explained how everyone was still in shock because they had always had the state making decisions for them - especially the older generation and now they were left to basically fend for themselves.

Communism is interesting. In theory, it 'should' work, unfortunately it breeds secrecy, paranoia, power struggles and a disregard for human life. Such brain washing and it can't work at on a large scale - just like in the book where people were punished for going to work late or for being sick - it becomes a system of total distrust/inefficiency. There was a documentary a while back on North Korea that was shocking...there were children starving and picking up dirt off the road to eat. The inefficiencies and inequalities are incredible. In capitalism competition and profit drives efficiency - although for me the inequalities for some groups is still hard to handle.

I like Raisa now - at first, I didn't, but she has grown on me. I feel more sorry for Leo and how taken he was with the system. I felt that at least Raisa was more savvy and based her decisions on survival.

Where are you now? I loved this book! Cheers to another good pick.

I finished this book last night. I couldn't stop reading it and stayed up past my bedtime to do so.

I like Raisa very much and I agree that she brought a cool element to her partnership with Leo. I was stunned about Leo's childhood - what is wrong with people? But I guess that when people are hungry and their children are hungry, they are more likely to do unbelievable and horrific things.

I really liked how the book ended, setting up the next one in the series. I found that Smith was a clever author. I kept thinking that he was going to go over the top to the point where the story would become unlikely (in addition to unbelievable), but instead, he had everything well-thought out to make the whole thing plausible.

I think that Eastern Europe is still an inexpensive place to visit. I would love to go - hopefully, once my daughter gets to be a little older.

As for Andrei, well, he became quite a mess, once again, reminding me that as a parent, we have a huge impact on the psyche of our children and their mental well being in adulthood.

I loved this book, too! Here's a toast to us. We've been extremely fortunate to have read so many excellent books together.

Don't forget House of Leaves in October :)

Also, if you haven't read this one yet, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, please add it to the list. It shows similarities to the Smith's book in how life is like in communist/totalitarist regimes.

I did that too...I stayed up and read and read. For a first time author, I was really impressed. He seemed to understand how to tie so much of the history of the MGB to Leo's thoughts to make it all plausible.
In the end when (view spoiler)[Leo is vindicated and made a hero (hide spoiler)] was so logical in an illogical system. Andrei was pathetic but I felt for him too (did I really say that!) - he was such a little boy when he was scarred for life by incidents that were beyond what humans should have to endure.

Yes, a double toast. We have done very well in our choices. I can't wait for House of Leaves and October is one of my most favorite months! It is perfect for reading and this books fits in well.

Right now I am reading a book on China but it doesn't grab me like this one did.

I am still thinking about this book - it was really good.

Now that you mention it, the book has kind of a happy ending (as much as that is possible), and yes, the winds of change happen quickly in Communist Russia.

I am back to focusing on Lonesome Dove. It's a beast and I want to get a good way through it because I want to start The Divine Comedy with of my book clubs on September 1. I want to keep having two chunksters going at the same time to as much of a minimum as possible. Until I have only TDC going, then I'll add another book, most likely The Likeness or Pigs In Heaven. What's on tap for you next?

I found the most stunning parts of the book were the descriptions of the Soviet system and the fact that once you were accused your innocence just seemed to be further proof of your guilt.
A friend described this book as being one of the most depressing he had read and I would agree. As much as I already knew about the Soviets I was still horrified.

Also I tend to avoid books which describe their protagonists as 'taking a journey' but I did feel that both Raisa and Leo took a journey in this book.(view spoiler)[ Raisa was self-righteous in her,almost self-imposed, position as a victim of Leo's oppression. At first she judged he for what he was and later learned to love him for who he became while Leo learnt to be honest with himself, to stop justifying the terrible things he was doing. I also admired Leo for not giving-in but instead using his final resources to solve such a horrendous crime when he new the state would do nothing. (hide spoiler)]

Great points, Esther. Living in such a regime would have led me to have such hopelessness. I really admire people who can persevere under such horrific circumstances.

It was amazing to read about Leo and Raisa's transformation and how they were able to find their way back to each other.

I have another rec for you guys that is really, really good.

Sashenka

I read it after Child 44 and found it had a similar feeling about it but even better, imo.

Thanks for the recommendation, Tasha. I've put the book on my Amazon Wish List.

You are welcome! I hope you enjoy it. :)