In City of Thieves, David Benioff gives us many great characters including Lev, a boy of the city and Kolya, a flamboyant writer and reluctant soldier. He gives these two an impossible task, secure a dozen eggs for a colonel’s daughter’s wedding cake. Sound implausible? Guess again. This is Leningrad and these two were caught on the streets where and when they weren’t supposed to be. To earn their freedom they have to get the eggs. What follows is an often brutal, shocking, but sometimes amusing tale of these two as they go behind German lines to get the eggs.
While the plot follows a familiar path, it is so well drawn, the characters so believable and enthralling, that the reader can count on great satisfaction throughout. Benioff’s screenwriting talent shines through to a high degree and this is one of the things that makes the book great. You are right there, all the way to the irony laden ending.
This book is not for squeamish readers. Nothing is over the top, but there are a few scenes that will make your gut flip and flop. It is testament to Benioff’s writing skill that they do not detract from the story but rather are salted in, lending credibility and realism to what is certainly beyond the absurdities of war.
Worth every penny!
The Bent Page 