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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Great story. Very different. Terrific characters
Great book!
This book was one of my favorites! I didn’t know at the time that the author is/was a screenwriter but I kept thinking how cinematic the book was.
The characters felt like old friends by the end of the book that I will miss. The setting was brutal, unbelievable how anyone ever survived . Many images still haunt me. But I am not sorry I read it .
Great story well told. Written in the style of The Help.
Entertaining WWII era book.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great characters and storytelling. This is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve read it.
While steeped in the horror of WWIi, this book is more about the resiliance of the human spirit. I found it uplifting.
One of my favorites!
I just couldn’t get into the story. My rule is if I’m not captivated by page 50, I’m done. There are too many other good books out there.
The pairing of an awol soldier and a street child, to undertake a frivolous mission, in a city at war and under seige, takes great imagination and even greater skill to produce a. book this appealing.
Kudos to David Benioff for making this page turner!
Just an original , entertaining novel. Good story and one of my favorite books. I read it about 10 years ago and never heard of David Benioff..now we all know he is one of the writers of Games of Thrones on HBO… Or should I say producer..anyhow read this book. It truly is unforgettable
Loved! I’ve read it four times’
Excellent
Beautiful treatment of a tragic time. Loved the characters and the author’s ability to use humor and anticipation to guide the reader through some hard to read episodes.
Author leaves you with so much to think about long after you’ve finished the book.
Terrific read — unlikely plot that really worked thanks to memorable characters and compelling writing. I enjoyed it start to finish.
Though there were times–quite a few–when I begged for a pick up in pace, the book did wonderful things with the two main characters. They were both rich and fat with complexities and surprises. They were both wonderfully able to retain the best of humanity while trying to survive in the worst of it. It’s worth reading.
One of my favorite books of all-time! Captivating—funny and tragic at the same time. The encounter with the Nazi officer made my hair rise!
A book that reads so fast. Unforgettable characters and plot. Truly a classic work.