Our hero, Sasha, is a ten year old in Stalin's Moscow. His father is a highly praised officer in the secret police and Sasha is about to become a Young Pioneer. But then it all goes wrong.
The book provides a grim and historically accurate view of Soviet Russia during the Great Terror. Through the description of life in Sasha's apartment and in the interactions at his school we see the mixed harshness and optimism of everyday life. We also see the complex clouds of betrayal and complicity as people work to survive. Everyone is tainted. The school children are expected to denounce one another and are threatened with retribution if they fail to report an "enemy". Sasha tries to hang back, but even he allows others to take the blame for his mistakes. There are also unexpected brighter spots: at least two adults try to non-obviously provide Sasha with help, while overtly appearing callous.
I'm not sure how many of the murky betrayals (and redemptions) the average 10-12 year old reader is likely to catch. Perhaps not all of them, but probably enough to be somewhat disturbed and unsure. That was certainly the effect on me! This may well be the author's intent, as a way of communicating the uncertainty and doubt of the era. It is certainly a book which requires thought rather than simply passive reading.
The narrative flows well: swift, fluid, cleverly descriptive and very readable.
Overall this book may require a little adult guidance and interpretation, but it seems like a very useful introduction to some of the harshness of 20th century history. Both individuals and countries can sometimes go off the rails, without there being any easy solution, and that is a useful thing to understand.
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Reviews with images
It drew me in; well written.
Guessing my read was easily under 2 hours today; but each time I needed to set it down, I was hoping to be able to quickly pick it up again to discover what would happen next.The well written story drew this age 40’s reader in; I don’t think that my school age kids will want to put it down either. I anticipate great conversations over the main character’s thoughts about his world & the circumstances that he experiences.I plan to offer this book to our school’s administrator as a suggestion for our student’s summer reading list.
Top reviews from other countries
Derek Snider
Acting packed exiting storyline! It is very surprising and exiting. It it not boring at all.
Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2022Julia Gutierrez
Excelente compra y muy práctica
Reviewed in Mexico on October 8, 2018
Michael J.
Very vivid, a sort of equivalent to 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch' for children
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2016Lou
Living in the Soviet Union, as seen by a 10 year old
Reviewed in France on February 28, 2014