Review of The House of Spark

[Kayla Archer]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The House of Spark" by Luminita Laflash.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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“Not this country, this government, this ideology. We are this country: you, me, Mircea – all of us. And we are fighting back, just like Jenica was fighting back” (LaFlash 69). Luminita LaFlash’s The House of Spark is a fictional tale about Romania during the 1950s when it was occupied by the Soviet Union.

The story begins with a desperate woman stepping in front of the President’s motor car during a parade. Almost killing and injuring many from this action, the President decides to speak with this woman to find out why she acted so rashly. Flashback to a year before, we are introduced to four college students: Jenica, Virginia, Mircea, and Doina. Virginia rushes to a statue called The House of Spark where she is to meet her boyfriend, Jenica, for a concert. Unfortunately, Jenica never arrives. This leads to months of searching and investigating by the three friends who desperately try to uncover what has happened to Jenica. Knowing their actions to be under sharp scrutiny of the Securitate, the friends secretly find strange notes and messages containing numbers, drawings of the floare de colt, and mentions of cigarettes.

Jenica has been arrested, tried, and sentenced to life in prison. No one knows what his charges are. His police file mysteriously disappears. His lawyers are murdered or threatened when they prod too much. Jenica’s ex-roommate ends up dead. And everyone dreads what the Securitate will do next.

I found The House of Spark to represent an exceptionally written story about the Romanian people during the reign of the Soviet Union. LaFlash, a Romanian citizen herself, writes with conviction and precision as she paints a picture of the fear citizens felt each day Communism dominated their land. LaFlash’s use of suspense and thrill made this story one that was hard to put down.

I appreciated LaFlash’s writing style. She allowed her characters to be true to their Romanian heritage and dialogue. The names, mannerisms, and actions were authentic to Romanian customs. Her story displayed civilization in such a way that I never considered. It was fascinating and informative how this country lived under Soviet rule.

There is nothing I disliked about this story. I enjoy historical fiction, and this story was intriguing on so many levels. It enlightened me on things of which I was unaware. It contained a compelling storyline while revealing an atmosphere of fear so many citizens felt. There was no profanity that deterred the message. This book was revised well, and few errors were spotted. I am excited to award this story a 4 out of 4 stars!

This is a terrific story for those who enjoy historical fiction, especially that of Russia, Romania, and the influence of the Soviet Union during the 1950s. I believe students would note this to be a beneficial story when studying Communism. Many will enjoy this book for its message and clarity about a governmental influence in the East.

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The House of Spark
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[Cheryl Erickson]

This is a captivating review! I am anxious to read it and find out how it all turns out. I am interested to learn more about Romania and Russia during this time period. Well done!

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

Romanian culture has always been full of live and vigor, in my opinion. It seems like this book may be something I would want to read, given the details in your review. Great job!

[Stephanie Runyon]

I've read Flight of the Spark and it was quite interesting. I believe this book is the precursor and it sets the heritage and what Jenica faces. Nice review.

[Hager Salem]

Wow! I can't even imagine how hard it was for Jenica to go through all of this.