Review of The Spoon

[Chiwelite Obioma Mgbeoji]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Spoon" by Lisa Voelker.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Spoon is the story of Hungarian families struggling for survival during the wars that birthed the country's revolution. The struggle for freedom did not come without sacrifices, as many of the students who protested were killed. Tired of the dictatorial rule of the Soviet government, some students planned a peaceful protest to register their grievances against the government. They printed fliers and pasted them on the street walls at night, following the refusal of the newspapers to help publish their manifestos.

Their protest yielded a result that lasted only briefly, as the Soviet troops returned to attack the Hungarians again to overthrow the newly instituted democratic government. Peter, one of the pioneers of the freedom fighters movement, had to escape for fear of being apprehended by the Soviet troops. The Vargo family lost all their wealth and relocated to Megyer, a small village whose occupants were mainly farmers. The unrest and the quest for independence geared university students and other patriots into protest. In the face of these struggles, will Peter and Rebeka eventually live the life they have been dreaming of?

There are several positive aspects of the book. The book contains a strong exposition of the sacrifices made for freedom and independence. The book also shows the strength and healthy culture of the Hungarians. I couldn't help but paint a picture of the scenes in my head as I read through the story, admiring the bond that exists amongst family, both nuclear and extended, the unity and cooperation among them, and above all, their unwavering quest for education. The author captured the emotions of her readers with her craftiness, correlating events that spark hope and pain. She developed characters so fitting for the events. Also, The Spoon is a book of history dating back to the 1990s. The author, Lisa Voelker, crafted some powerful themes of war, grief, a quest for freedom, patriotism, hope, and courage. Lisa has been able to use The Spoon to reveal the agony of the Hungarians in their revolutionary journey and how the Soviet Union dominated the land for many years and restricted the citizen's right to freedom of speech and even to life.

If there are negative aspects in the book, they will be reduced to just one. There is complexity in relating chapters and events, which could make an impatient reader lose interest in the book before reaching the last chapter.

I could only identify two errors in the book. This shows the level of professionalism and diligence employed in the editing of the book. I will be rating the book 5 out of 5 stars. Despite the negative aspect identified above, the book, as a book of history, both educates the readers on certain history and also teaches certain morals. I will recommend the book to students both in secondary and Tertiary institutions and to anyone who is a lover of history.

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The Spoon
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[Dee French]

This review prides a good summary of what appears to be a historical fiction book of Hungarian’s struggles for freedom against the Soviet Union. The reviewer compliments the author on the development of the characters and drawing the emotions of the circumstances of the characters which helps to keep the readers engaged. Well done.

[Umesh Bhatt]

The book seems to be themed on the background of the Hungarian independence struggle. A good treat for History scholars.
Thanks for a nice review.