Congratulations to Rachel Heil, HFC's newest recipient of the "Highly Recommended" award from The Historical Fiction Company!
LENINGRAD: THE PEOPLE'S WAR by Rachel Heil
Review
Leningrad, 1941.
As Europe crumbles under the German war machine, the people of the Soviet Union watch. There are whispers of war but not loud enough for the civilians of Leningrad to notice. Instead, they keep their heads down and try to avoid the ever-watching eyes of their own oppressive government. University student Tatiana Ivankova tries to look ahead to the future after a family tragedy that characterizes life under the brutal regime. But, when the rumuors that have been circulating the country become a terrifying reality, Tatiana realizes that the greatest fear may not be the enemy but what her fellow citizens are prepared to do to each other to survive. As his men plough through the Russian countryside, Heinrich Nottebohm is told to follow orders and ask no questions, even if such commands go against his own principles. His superiors hold over him a past event that continues to destroy him with every day that passes. But, when given the opportunity to take an act of defiance, Heinrich will jump at the chance, ignoring what the end results could be. Leningrad: The People’s War tells the harrowing beginning of a war that forever changed the landscape of a city, told through the eyes of both sides in a tale of courage, love, and sacrifice.
This story is vast in the telling and relays a story in history many do not know... that of the Siege of Leningrad by the German forces during WWII. We see history through the eyes of one young woman, Tatiana Ivankova, and realize that the wobbly alliance Stalin made with Hitler is worthless. Tatiana’s family is persecuted by the Russian government, and not only her family but all the citizens are prodded around like cattle by authorities wishing to control their actions and their thoughts. This is the grey world of Leningrad, depicted in stark historical accuracy by Heil – a society of whispers, of the disallowance of free thought, the political propaganda of Pravda, and the fear from the members of the NKVD, from Tatiana’s own government, whilst the onslaught and Hitler’s approaching German machine closes a vice around the city.
Survival is at the heart of this story, and Heil does not hide from splaying all the difficult atrocities wrought upon Leningrad – starvation, brutality, loss of life, fear, pressure, and compromise. The devil is in the details... and the details implode with everything this young girl goes through to survive, for not only herself but her whole family. Constant fear weaves like a continuous thread through the words and you are forced to recognize that the citizens of Leningrad are caught between a rock and a hard place. Rely on the warped Communist regime under Stalin to protect them even while being persecuted by that same government, or turn to the insane blood-thirsty empire of Hitler? Tatiana feels this conflict with every decision she makes and each time she steps out of the door of her family’s home.
Hitler’s tactic for the city was starvation, to bring the city to its knees by the systematic genocide of the population. There were times when reading this history was difficult but pushing on through the story revealed how it is human nature to want to survive, even under the most deplorable conditions. Oftentimes this harrowing story reminded me of stories about Auschwitz, such as Schindler’s List.
From Tatiana’s point-of-view, she detests the dangerous dictatorship of Stalin after losing two family members to the regime’s cruel tactics. She determines to whatever necessary to ensure the safety of her family, even working alongside Pravda reporter, Josef Krasnoff, whose interest in her hints at something more. She is forced into an unusual work detail, a group of women fighters trained to protect the city from the approaching armies. Conscripted. As much as she hates the training, she becomes quite good at it and becomes the star of the Pravda newspaper after destroying a German tank and soldiers with a Molotov cocktail. And yet, in all this despair and dreary existence, Tatiana is a woman of strength and courage. If you could imagine being in her shoes, where survival was on every breath you take, each morning you awake, and every night you slept, you can see how she becomes a character to admire and to imitate. She is vulnerable and powerless at times, contrasted against the times she is strong and fearless.
Later, when she is captured by the Germans, thinking death is imminent, she shows more fortitude and survival skills by agreeing to spy for them (or does she?) Through her eyes you see this entire war as a game played on a chess board with her as a disposable pawn. Yet, her interest in the German officer, Heinrich Nottebohm, is a curious tangent thrown into the mix of darkness. Love amid war? And with an enemy?
Heinrich has his own secret past, and his own doubts and questions about Hitler’s government. Both he and Tatiana share a connection, both disgusted with the authorities they must serve but unsure of how to make any kind of life outside of the chaos raining down around them. I must say, this was a very interesting relationship between them, and I am interested to see this develop as time goes on and if Heil continues this saga into another book.
Both Tatiana and Heinrich see beyond the propaganda from both governments. Lies, misinformation, cruelty, pressure... all tactics by those seeking power and crushing the ordinary citizens under their feet. Some believed the propaganda and became fierce supporters of Stalin and Hitler... but as this book and as history has shown, propaganda creates paranoia and can be used in whatever government then and now.
By the time I reached the ending, I was fully invested in their story and was disappointed to see the last line as I kept turning the page to see if I missed something. After reading the author notes and seeing that this is book one of a series, I am so looking forward to the rest of Tatiana’s story.
If you love Russian history entwined with WWII, then this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
Dee Marley – HFC CEO / Book Reviewer
The Historical Fiction Company
Editorial Review for “Leningrad: The People’s War” by Rachel Heil
Reviewed 7/12/2021
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