A review by katiecatbooks
When the Doves Disappeared, by Sofi Oksanen
4.0
Historical fiction. Estonia. Multiple perspectives.
Story: The story begins in 1941 on the battlefield in a forest. Roland is stepping over fallen soldiers in search of his cousin, Edgar. The two men leave their group to go help refugees and check on their fiancee, wife, and family back in the countryside.
Characters: This book has a lot of characters and sometimes they can be hard to keep track of. Roland is the only character written in first person, all the rest are written in third person. He is very patriotic and wants an independent Estonia. Edgar is described as weak and different from all the other guys. He would much rather be reading a spy novel than holding a gun. Juudit is a young woman and all she dreams about is a husband, pretty hair and to go out dancing. She ended up with Edgar, who shattered her dreams after showing no interest in her after they were married. Rosalie is Roland's fiance, and everyone expects the two to have a happy marriage with many children.
Language: In addition to many perspectives, the story jumps around to different times and places. This can be rather confusing and so the book requires some concentration while reading. There are a ton of details and descriptions in this book that, on the one hand are overwhelming, and on the other, make the reader stop and think or look things up to learn more. Some stories like part of Juudit's, are a bit lighter and almost fluffy, while others, like Edgar's, are very dark and twisted. This book will appeal to many, in many different ways.
I read this for a book club. I'd read Purge years before and wasn't a big fan, but I found this book more accessible and interesting. I enjoyed Edgar's thrilling story and learning more about Estonian history. Recommend.
Story: The story begins in 1941 on the battlefield in a forest. Roland is stepping over fallen soldiers in search of his cousin, Edgar. The two men leave their group to go help refugees and check on their fiancee, wife, and family back in the countryside.
Characters: This book has a lot of characters and sometimes they can be hard to keep track of. Roland is the only character written in first person, all the rest are written in third person. He is very patriotic and wants an independent Estonia. Edgar is described as weak and different from all the other guys. He would much rather be reading a spy novel than holding a gun. Juudit is a young woman and all she dreams about is a husband, pretty hair and to go out dancing. She ended up with Edgar, who shattered her dreams after showing no interest in her after they were married. Rosalie is Roland's fiance, and everyone expects the two to have a happy marriage with many children.
Language: In addition to many perspectives, the story jumps around to different times and places. This can be rather confusing and so the book requires some concentration while reading. There are a ton of details and descriptions in this book that, on the one hand are overwhelming, and on the other, make the reader stop and think or look things up to learn more. Some stories like part of Juudit's, are a bit lighter and almost fluffy, while others, like Edgar's, are very dark and twisted. This book will appeal to many, in many different ways.
I read this for a book club. I'd read Purge years before and wasn't a big fan, but I found this book more accessible and interesting. I enjoyed Edgar's thrilling story and learning more about Estonian history. Recommend.