From the critically acclaimed author of The 25th Hour and When the Nines Roll Over and co-creator of the HBO series Game of Thrones, a captivating novel about war, courage, survival — and a remarkable friendship that ripples across a lifetime. During the Nazis’ brutal siege of Leningrad, Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead … as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in his daughter’s wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbelievable deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.
By turns insightful and funny, thrilling and terrifying, the New York Times bestseller City of Thieves is a gripping, cinematic World War II adventure and an intimate coming-of-age story with an utterly contemporary feel for how boys become men.
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City of Thieves is one of my favorite types of books: a rollicking coming-of-age story, equal parts playful and somber. Although I turned the final page several days ago, the main characters, Kolya and Lev, have stuck around in my head — bickering about chess and women and Russian literature, hiding from German soldiers, and scouring the besieged cityscape for a dozen eggs.
While I found the story to be predictable, I didn’t mind — I was along the ride for the characters’ deep and refreshing perspectives. I feel far richer after gathering these insightful little gems along the road as the plot meandered through the Russian winter, from civilians’ grounding anecdotes of war to Lev’s self-deprecating mutterings as he awkwardly courts a girl.
“City of Thieves” (published 2008) is one of the best books I have read in a long, long time. Its author is the co-screenwriter of “Game of Thrones,” David Benioff. Set against the grim background of the siege of Leningrad (St. Petersburg), a seemingly mismatched team of two young men must scavenge that starved city for luxury food items demanded by a Russian army officer.
Despite its vivid portrayal of that city’s conditions, the book is nevertheless relentlessly entertaining and often humorous. Humorous you ask?? Entertaining? That is Benioff’s genius.
Great story with humor in a time when half the world was in turmoil. The task, aquire eggs at a time when even finding a crust of bread was irrational. Even walking down the street could be fatal. This novel is a must read.
I read this book for the first time a number of years ago. I came across it again recently and I thought: This is a book for the present moment if ever there was one. The story is set in Leningrad, aka St. Petersburg, Russia during WW2. The city is encircled by the German army in a siege that will last 900 days (and, please God, don’t let social spacing last anywhere near that long). The story involves two primary characters who are given an impossible task in a city that’s starving: Find a dozen fresh eggs, ingredients needed to make a wedding cake for the daughter of a military bigshot. Bring the eggs back within six days or be executed. The setting of a ruined city is horrific. The humor, of which there’s plenty, is dark The characters are believable, and the ending is entirely apt. Read this and you’ll think that staying at home and having your groceries delivered isn’t so terrible.
This book drew me in from the very beginning. It did so, simply because it was different. I liked how the author started out by sharing how the story was told to him and I appreciated that it was a true story about his grandparents. I am always drawn into a novel when the author has that personal connection to the main character/characters.
City of Thieves takes us to the Soviet Union in 1942. Leningrad has been cut off from the rest of the country and people are starving as food and supplies have no way into the city. Lev is a 17 year old kid who decided to stay and protect his city instead of fleeing with his mother and sister before it was too late. Lev gets caught looting by the Russian police and gets thrown in jail.
In jail he meets Kolya, a Russian deserter and instead of killing them, the Colonel allows them to keep their lives as long as they bring him a dozen eggs in 4 days time to bake a cake for his daughter’s wedding.
Lev and Kolya embark on a crazy journey through war-torn Leningrad and beyond to find the eggs. I enjoyed the humor and the coming of age scenes that made this novel authentic to me. The language and thoughts of a 17 year old Russian boy, were spot on. Although Lev and Kolya were so different in so many ways, the author showed us a true and honest progression of their unusual friendship and by the time the novel finished it seemed like they had been friends for much longer.
I would recommend this historical fiction to anyone interested in learning more about Russian history during WWII and particularly the siege of Leningrad.
Loved this book. This is one of very few that when I see it in a thrift store, or a Friends of the Library store, (I haunt these stores on a regular bases, my wife says I have a genuine problem) I buy them. I give the book to friends and fellow lovers of books. Not one has said they didn’t love it.
During the battle of Stalingrad in WWII two young adults are captured by their own side and sentenced to death. A Col. in the military, stays the order if the two find some chicken eggs for a cake. It’s a great premise and wonderfully executed.
Highly recommend.
I absolutely loved this book. The two MCs were so well-written and engaging. Their adventure behind enemy lines during the horrific siege/battle for Lev’s city was exciting and I enjoyed every chapter.
It will make you smile. It will make you cry. It’s a great story that captures one of the most horrible times in history. It’s a must read.
Very enjoyable read.
Although this book is gory & gruesome in the coldest of Russian winters, it is a must read.
Descriptive & Intriguing. Would def read more of his books.
Enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I’ve been taking a break from books that take place during WWII but had heard good things and was not disappointed, I really loved the characters and their dynamics. I appreciated the author’s introduction and while it did have me questioning what was real vs fake throughout it was still an entertaining read. #VikaMyHero
Read 12.8.2020
This was a tough book – IMO, there are better books set in this time frame out there. Better coming of age in war books. And after all the trauma to have THAT ending was extremely disappointing.
This book was recommended to me, and I’m so glad I picked it up. I normally avoid war novels, but this whimsical tale is much more than a WWII story, and it ultimately leaves the reader smiling, despite many horrible events. Kolya and Lev are wonderful, memorable characters, and their dialogue made me laugh even in terrifying scenes. Great writing here.
Terrific
I loved this book so much, I recommended it to our book club for our shared yearly meeting with our partners. City of Thieves breathed life into a historical event and made it real. If you are offended by swearing, however, be forewarned.
A very original story about 2 young boys who go in search of eggs during the famine of Leningrad. Authors are the writers for Game of Thrones.
David Benioff has captured the feeling of a classic Russian story. There are a few heartless characters, one handsome dashing soldier and an innocent young man that struggles with the day to day insanity of wartime in Russia. Even the humor has that insane quality that’s found in books by Dostoevsky and other Russian greats. How an American managed to do this I have no idea, but he did. He even managed to deliver a poignant moment that gave me chills and that doesn’t happen too often. For the reviewers that found fault with some of the sexual innuendos or the coarse references to a gender or race – you’re reading a story about two young men during wartime!
I absolutely, loved the book. I had no idea where the story would take me, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the journey. Kudos to you Mr. Benioff, “City of Thieves” is a great book.
City of Thieves is an amazing tale focusing on the most absurd premise: Two boys must get eggs for a wedding cake. It is a recipe of excellent storytelling and plot. It is well written, engaging, and I felt invested in the characters the entire time.
I really enjoyed this book despite the setting. The first book in a long time that I was thoroughly engaged in the story, the characters and the historical setting. Loved this book.