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lalawoman416's review against another edition
5.0
The place? Soviet Russia. The setting? The aftermath of Chernobyl. The players? Grigory, a Russian surgeon throwing himself into work in order to forget the memories of his past. Maria, the doctor's rebellious past. Alina, Maria's sister and a single mother to a prodigy trying to make ends meet. Yevgeni, the unwilling prodigy.
Steadfast Grigory met and fell in love with headstrong, rebellious Maria in a bleak, cold world where every move is scrutinized and every thought is regulated. Maria finds herself trapped and ends up breaking Grigory's heart in a misguided attempt to save him. Grigory throws himself into work to avoid thinking about the loneliness that awaits at home. Disaster strikes in Chernobyl and Grigory heads west to volunteers his services. He finds incompetence at every turn. The bureaucrats in charge are too scared to admit government fault in the Chernobyl disaster and so are perfectly content to allow people to die as a result. When Grigory tries to question them, he finds himself in a precarious position.
Since leaving Grigory, Maria, meanwhile, has been keeping her head down working in a factory and living with her sister, Alina, and nephew, Yevgeni. Maria puts in her time at a factory and places all her hopes into Yevgeni and his prodigious piano playing talent. All Yevgeni wants to do is play piano but, even at 9 years of age, understands the ways of the corrupt world and the need to please the people in charge of the neighborhood. Soon, he must make a decision between pursuing his dreams and playing the political games.
I adored the characters - their heartbreak, their decisions, their experiences. Each had a distinct way of coping witht he world they live in. Highly recommended.
Steadfast Grigory met and fell in love with headstrong, rebellious Maria in a bleak, cold world where every move is scrutinized and every thought is regulated. Maria finds herself trapped and ends up breaking Grigory's heart in a misguided attempt to save him. Grigory throws himself into work to avoid thinking about the loneliness that awaits at home. Disaster strikes in Chernobyl and Grigory heads west to volunteers his services. He finds incompetence at every turn. The bureaucrats in charge are too scared to admit government fault in the Chernobyl disaster and so are perfectly content to allow people to die as a result. When Grigory tries to question them, he finds himself in a precarious position.
Since leaving Grigory, Maria, meanwhile, has been keeping her head down working in a factory and living with her sister, Alina, and nephew, Yevgeni. Maria puts in her time at a factory and places all her hopes into Yevgeni and his prodigious piano playing talent. All Yevgeni wants to do is play piano but, even at 9 years of age, understands the ways of the corrupt world and the need to please the people in charge of the neighborhood. Soon, he must make a decision between pursuing his dreams and playing the political games.
I adored the characters - their heartbreak, their decisions, their experiences. Each had a distinct way of coping witht he world they live in. Highly recommended.
alexrosecandle's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
naharobed's review against another edition
3.0
A bleak novel about the Soviet Union during the time of the Cold War and the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster.
This novel, while slow-paced, has a lot going on. We follow a multitude of different characters, in different parts of the Soviet Union, and their struggles dealing with the unrest and despair cause by a fear-driven regime. The book is not really plot-driven, but is more focused on using these characters to paint a political narrative of the ineptitude of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. We get a real sense of how harsh and oppressive the system was. Citizens never spoke out against the government and if they did, the consequences were severe. The government was so preoccupied with maintaining a certain image that they neglected the needs of the people.
What I really loved about this book was the writing. The author's prose is beautiful, especially when you take into consideration the subject matter he is writing about. He manages to capture the tone and atmosphere of the landscape. I only wish that we got to know some of the characters more deeply. We really delve into the background and minds of certain characters, but others are kind of neglected and I'm left curious about what happens to them. Also, I was really immersed in the story whilst reading it, but when I put it down I didn't really feel compelled to pick it up again.
This novel, while slow-paced, has a lot going on. We follow a multitude of different characters, in different parts of the Soviet Union, and their struggles dealing with the unrest and despair cause by a fear-driven regime. The book is not really plot-driven, but is more focused on using these characters to paint a political narrative of the ineptitude of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. We get a real sense of how harsh and oppressive the system was. Citizens never spoke out against the government and if they did, the consequences were severe. The government was so preoccupied with maintaining a certain image that they neglected the needs of the people.
What I really loved about this book was the writing. The author's prose is beautiful, especially when you take into consideration the subject matter he is writing about. He manages to capture the tone and atmosphere of the landscape. I only wish that we got to know some of the characters more deeply. We really delve into the background and minds of certain characters, but others are kind of neglected and I'm left curious about what happens to them. Also, I was really immersed in the story whilst reading it, but when I put it down I didn't really feel compelled to pick it up again.
elanna76's review against another edition
4.0
Whatever one may think of Irish people, it is a matter of fact that they are good at writing.
Among the recent novels I read in the last few years, this is maybe the only one worth a mention by this point of view.
And it's a good novel under many other aspects, too. Plot is well devised and well developed, characters are beliavable and fascinating, the depiction of the terminal years of the USSR is realistic and honest, Chernobyl tragedy and its impact on the lives of normal people are decribed with sobriety and deep empathy at the same time. All in this story is great, lofty, tragic and deeply human, yet never rethoric; no undue enphasis comes to spoil the overall effect.
Maybe the ending is a bit mild. You know what? All that beautiful people full of love deserved a decent epilogue, at least for some of them if not, for the sake of realism, for all of them.
This is a story of human dignity and salvation.
Yes, five stars. This book is worth risking misjudgement on the bright side.
Among the recent novels I read in the last few years, this is maybe the only one worth a mention by this point of view.
And it's a good novel under many other aspects, too. Plot is well devised and well developed, characters are beliavable and fascinating, the depiction of the terminal years of the USSR is realistic and honest, Chernobyl tragedy and its impact on the lives of normal people are decribed with sobriety and deep empathy at the same time. All in this story is great, lofty, tragic and deeply human, yet never rethoric; no undue enphasis comes to spoil the overall effect.
Maybe the ending is a bit mild. You know what? All that beautiful people full of love deserved a decent epilogue, at least for some of them if not, for the sake of realism, for all of them.
This is a story of human dignity and salvation.
Yes, five stars. This book is worth risking misjudgement on the bright side.
amycrea's review against another edition
3.0
2.5, maybe. Too many characters that aren't fleshed out, a romance that feels shoehorned in. The parts about Chernobyl itself were great, but so much else felt unfocused. I agree with other reviewers who recommend reading Voices from Chernobyl.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
4.0
When a reactor explodes at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, life changes for hundreds of thousands. A doctor leaves his home to go work the front lines, treating those that are sick. He seems to be the only one that truly understands the impact of radiation and doesn't believe everything that the government is saying about what is going on. A young boy practices almost every day because he has such talent at the piano. Living with his mom and aunt, it becomes hard to make ends meet after the disaster and practices need to be cut short. Then there's the family that lives close to the plant and the father helps clear the forest after the accident. Obviously he becomes very sick and the mom and her two children are left in makeshift huts for their new home.
This book is like a graceful and careful dance, with each character's story touching another. Usually I like character-driven stories and really want to be able to connect with at least one of the characters. For this book, I felt that it was more situation-driven. I think the characters could have been almost anyone, it was about what they were going through and how they managed the disaster. There is a chapter in this book that doesn't have any of the main characters from the story but was one of the most riveting chapters I've read in a long time. It described what happened right after the accident and how actions that seemed innocent actually would have killed the people that did it, knowing what we now know about Chernobyl.
There was a lot of history in this novel that I wasn't aware of about the disaster. Details were provided on how the Soviet Union did not protect their citizens during the disaster time which is interesting to learn about, especially given the current news with Russia.
A fantastically written book about a very interesting subject.
This book is like a graceful and careful dance, with each character's story touching another. Usually I like character-driven stories and really want to be able to connect with at least one of the characters. For this book, I felt that it was more situation-driven. I think the characters could have been almost anyone, it was about what they were going through and how they managed the disaster. There is a chapter in this book that doesn't have any of the main characters from the story but was one of the most riveting chapters I've read in a long time. It described what happened right after the accident and how actions that seemed innocent actually would have killed the people that did it, knowing what we now know about Chernobyl.
There was a lot of history in this novel that I wasn't aware of about the disaster. Details were provided on how the Soviet Union did not protect their citizens during the disaster time which is interesting to learn about, especially given the current news with Russia.
A fantastically written book about a very interesting subject.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful, atmospheric writing. And not atmospheric in the you-find-this-word-in-a-blurb sense, but truly evocative of an area of the world so impacted by man-made radiation and fall-out that it cannot belong to our normal frame of reference.
Great debut novel.
Great debut novel.
constantreader471's review
3.0
I found it hard to get into this book. The first fifty pages were slow going. I found the subject matter very depressing,i.e.,huge numbers of people dying unnecessarily after the Chernobyl disaster. I did like the author's description of the vivid colors in the sky. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars(rounded down to 3).
teachingkids1982's review against another edition
5.0
Wow... Breathtaking. Superb. Moving. Eye opening. Historical. Emotional. 5⭐
readhikerepeat's review against another edition
5.0
If you were to read the description of All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, you would be led to believe that it is a sweeping story about last days of the Soviet Union. Though this is true, it fails to truly capture the intimate storylines of its three main characters: a former journalist working in a factory, a young piano player forced from his home, and a doctor who will sacrifice himself for the good of others, that drive the story. When the infamous nuclear disaster occurs at Chernobyl Power Plant, all three of their lives are thrown into turmoil as they navigate the waters of their new uncharted lives.
There are a million reasons to love this book. First, its honest portrayal of the stark reality of the damage radiation can cause is difficult but important to read in order to place the lives of its characters into context. Second, it paints the picture of what life was like in 1986 – from poverty to the suppression of free speech to the emphasis collective action. While Chernobyl serves as the catalyst for the story, its primary purpose is as the anchor that the others’ stories rotate around, rather than being a plot in itself. Third, McKeon is able to place the reader into the setting without casting judgement on it, which is a difficult task for many authors. Lastly, the rich complexity of the characters, flaws and call, bring them to life so that the reader falls instantly in love with both the good and the bad.
For the full review, please visit The Book Wheel.
There are a million reasons to love this book. First, its honest portrayal of the stark reality of the damage radiation can cause is difficult but important to read in order to place the lives of its characters into context. Second, it paints the picture of what life was like in 1986 – from poverty to the suppression of free speech to the emphasis collective action. While Chernobyl serves as the catalyst for the story, its primary purpose is as the anchor that the others’ stories rotate around, rather than being a plot in itself. Third, McKeon is able to place the reader into the setting without casting judgement on it, which is a difficult task for many authors. Lastly, the rich complexity of the characters, flaws and call, bring them to life so that the reader falls instantly in love with both the good and the bad.
For the full review, please visit The Book Wheel.