Six Days in Leningrad is the memoir of the famous author of ‘The Bronze Horseman’ series, Paulina Simons. It is about the journey behind ‘The Bronze Horseman’. Paulina was born in Russia and soon after she started writing her first story, she traveled from the U.S. to Leningrad with her father to do some research. (Note: Leningrad is now known as St. Petersburg).
It had been a quarter of a century since Paulina and her father visited their homeland and it was not what they expected. They found a city that looked war torn as if it had gone back in time. They saw buildings in disarray, bombed fields that wouldn’t grow food, and huge families living together in small rooms. Despite that, they also met up with old family friends that were still as warm and inviting as ever.
Six Days in Leningrad is the story of Paulina Simons family history and the nation they came from. Though it has a slow start, it is a poignant story and history that reads very much, like a novel. At times I felt like I was there with Paulina and her father, witnessing what has become of her childhood home.
My grandparents fled from Russia as Jews being persecuted. They wouldn’t talk about it but I imagine from the few words they did speak, that they were in one of the Jewish ghettos. I hate to imagine what they went through and know they wanted to protect us from their reality. I have read quite a bit about Russia and its history. I don’t feel any kind of tie to it but am curious about it, as I am about many countries and their histories.
4/5
I received a ebook from Edelweiss and this is my honest review.
About Paulina Simons
Paullina Simons was born in Leningrad, USSR, in 1963. At the age of ten her family immigrated to the United States. Growing up in Russia Paullina dreamt of someday becoming a writer. Her dream was put on hold as she learned English and overcame the shock of a new culture.
After graduating from university and after various jobs including working as a financial journalist and as a translator, Paullina wrote her first novel Tully. Through word of mouth that book was welcomed by readers all over the world.
She continued with more novels, including Red Leaves, Eleven Hours, The Bronze Horseman, The Bridge to Holy Cross (also known as Tatiana and Alexander), The Summer Garden and The Girl in Times Square (also known as Lily). Many of Paullina’s novels have reached international bestseller lists.
Apart from her novels, Paullina has also written a cookbook, Tatiana’s Table, which is a collection of recipes, short stories and recollections from her best selling trilogy of novels, The Bronze Horseman, The Bridge to Holy Cross, (also known as Tatiana and Alexander) and The Summer Garden.
