This book was a breath of fresh air. There are countless stories centered around WWII, but this is the first time I've come across that wasn't based around England, America, or Germany. Reading this book, though it may be fictional, enlightened me to aspects of history regarding both Poland and Ukraine that I never knew before. The American education system tends to be singularly focused, so I'm very happy this book landed in my hands and I was able to become familiar with another perspective in history.
The story itself was gripping from the get-go. I picked up the book to get one or two chapters in before bed and found myself on the edge of my seat until the last page. The characters are immediately likeable, and their strained relationships make for great tension that carries through the entire book.
I think my only gripe was the romance. I was definitely interested in Maria and Kostya's dynamic from their first interaction, but I felt the development of their romantic feelings was rushed. I wish there had been more time for their dynamic to develop since, even though I was rooting for them, I still feel like they could have just as easily remained friends.
All in all, this is an extremely exciting, informative read. I'm happy I got the opportunity to read it when I did and look forward to diving into the author's backlist.
The story itself was gripping from the get-go. I picked up the book to get one or two chapters in before bed and found myself on the edge of my seat until the last page. The characters are immediately likeable, and their strained relationships make for great tension that carries through the entire book.
I think my only gripe was the romance. I was definitely interested in Maria and Kostya's dynamic from their first interaction, but I felt the development of their romantic feelings was rushed. I wish there had been more time for their dynamic to develop since, even though I was rooting for them, I still feel like they could have just as easily remained friends.
All in all, this is an extremely exciting, informative read. I'm happy I got the opportunity to read it when I did and look forward to diving into the author's backlist.