ARA Review by RuthMitchell of The Cruel Romance
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RuthMitchell
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ARA Review by RuthMitchell of The Cruel Romance
[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, The Cruel Romance.]
Marina Osipova writes brilliantly and without shirking the peculiar cruelties of war. The protagonist in The Cruel Romance is Serafima, a young woman who pays an unjust price for living in the harsh world of war-torn Russia during WWII. We follow her difficult journey as she is subjected to indignity after indignity when Germans occupy her small village. Starvation, an extremely harsh winter climate, and physical peril are constant threats.
Caught in the peculiar trap of loving a strapping young soldier who is sent off to war, her future is uncertain and her living conditions untenable. Still, Serafima prevails despite the many obstacles in her way. The Russian peasant faces poverty, made more extreme by the bleak realities of war, with heroic determination to provide for herself and her son. Osipova has created a story with many unsuspecting plot twists and as I finished the novel, I remained uncertain if it wasn’t a true story, it was so convincingly told.
I give this unusual story 5 out of 5 stars because of its extraordinary plot, the author’s commitment to showing us the natural, sometimes serene, sometimes harsh and punishing Russian countryside in contrast to the depravations of the war, and also for the ability shown in the characters to accept their destiny and prevail despite horrific circumstances. The novel brought to life the incendiary details of a people caught in a conflict, not of their making and how they survived despite the harsh and volatile environment war creates. Women as a whole, are more vulnerable in times of warfare. The author uniquely portrays this by inviting us into Serafima’s thoughts and sometimes surprising actions as she navigates her harsh and unfair circumstances.
Even if you are an avid reader of historical war novels, you will be intrigued by Osipova’s unique portrayal of her characters. I highly recommend this read.
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View The Cruel Romance on Bookshelves
Marina Osipova writes brilliantly and without shirking the peculiar cruelties of war. The protagonist in The Cruel Romance is Serafima, a young woman who pays an unjust price for living in the harsh world of war-torn Russia during WWII. We follow her difficult journey as she is subjected to indignity after indignity when Germans occupy her small village. Starvation, an extremely harsh winter climate, and physical peril are constant threats.
Caught in the peculiar trap of loving a strapping young soldier who is sent off to war, her future is uncertain and her living conditions untenable. Still, Serafima prevails despite the many obstacles in her way. The Russian peasant faces poverty, made more extreme by the bleak realities of war, with heroic determination to provide for herself and her son. Osipova has created a story with many unsuspecting plot twists and as I finished the novel, I remained uncertain if it wasn’t a true story, it was so convincingly told.
I give this unusual story 5 out of 5 stars because of its extraordinary plot, the author’s commitment to showing us the natural, sometimes serene, sometimes harsh and punishing Russian countryside in contrast to the depravations of the war, and also for the ability shown in the characters to accept their destiny and prevail despite horrific circumstances. The novel brought to life the incendiary details of a people caught in a conflict, not of their making and how they survived despite the harsh and volatile environment war creates. Women as a whole, are more vulnerable in times of warfare. The author uniquely portrays this by inviting us into Serafima’s thoughts and sometimes surprising actions as she navigates her harsh and unfair circumstances.
Even if you are an avid reader of historical war novels, you will be intrigued by Osipova’s unique portrayal of her characters. I highly recommend this read.
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View The Cruel Romance on Bookshelves
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What a wonderful present from Ruth Mitchell right for New Year! I highly appreciate the reviewer’s thoughtful reaction to the subtleties of the story, her generous appreciation of what I, as the author, tried to convey to readers. It would be so nice to see this wonderful review on Amazon! My high appreciation and happy New Year to Ruth and OnlineBookClub people.
