ella_hempstock777's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.75
lgwritermn's review against another edition
3.0
This was a little harder read for me. I didn't have the time that I have in the past to read it straight through, so maybe that is why. There were some parts that I zoned out. This book contains a lot of political background, which is good for the most part so the reader can understand the conflicts and history behind the war between Chechnya and Russia. Seierstad once again goes inside the lives of those affected by horrible atrocities between two ethnic groups.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I wish more American reporting was like this book. Yes, I know Seirstad is from Norway but I can wish.
This is a good luck at how war effects and affects society on a micro and macro level. The focus is a married couple who have taken in orphans, but Seierstad focuses on other families as well. This is actual more gripping than Bookseller of Kabul and quite is rather more brutal.
This is a good luck at how war effects and affects society on a micro and macro level. The focus is a married couple who have taken in orphans, but Seierstad focuses on other families as well. This is actual more gripping than Bookseller of Kabul and quite is rather more brutal.
maybelennlenn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
dkeane2007's review against another edition
3.0
I know very little about the Chechan war and this provided a nice summary of the events of the last 15 years. Not always an easy read, but very informative.
bookwormbecks's review against another edition
3.0
Like many other reviewers have said, this book is like a history lesson. I studied history in college but never took any courses on Russia, and I don't remember ever hearing anything about the events in Chechnya on the news. Some of Seierstad's writing on the different leaders and military tactics is a little bland, but when she is telling the stories of the children, women, all those affected by the war...she really shines. I did not enjoy this book as much as The Bookseller of Kabul, but I continue to be in awe of Asne Seierstad. I look forward to reading her other books.
elikolina's review against another edition
3.0
It's good to read books like the Angel of Groznyi every once in a while, it prevents you from hiding your head in the sand and pretending like nothing is wrong with the world. The downside is, of course, that you will fell more than a bit frustrated at not being able to do anything about it, but at least you won't be taking things for granted for a while.
This one was one of those heart-breaking but compelling read you just cannot give up on. I do not know enough about the area in question to make a call on how biased, if at all, this book was, but no matter what it made at least me feel like railing at the injustice of it all and be thankful of my own good fortune of living in a country where such things do not happen.
This one was one of those heart-breaking but compelling read you just cannot give up on. I do not know enough about the area in question to make a call on how biased, if at all, this book was, but no matter what it made at least me feel like railing at the injustice of it all and be thankful of my own good fortune of living in a country where such things do not happen.