The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel
by Debra Dean
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Book Reviews of The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel
Book Review: Beauty transcends everything
Summary: 5 Stars
I often think people give 5 stars too freely, but this is a book that truly deserves it. For me it is usually the characters that carry or drown a novel, but in this case the characters themselves are not too important. They remain as placeholders in a novel that although achingly detailed in its description of the war and its effects on the citizens has a dreamlike quality to it. The bits descibing certain artwork fit seamlessly and appropriately into the narrative and are pieces of art themselves. A beautiful novel celebrating the gloriousness of little things backdropped by both a period of horrible wartime and ordinary life for an impact rarely seen in debut novels. Alzheimers is shown as heartbreaking yet with hidden benefits.Book Review: Poignant, lovely book!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a beautifully written, touching first novel! Ms. Dean's gift of moving back and forth, from past to present (and occasionally blending the two) was so effective in illustrating Marina's descent into Alzheimer's. As one who is currently experiencing the natural decline of an elderly father, I found comfort and some degree of understanding in the author's treatment of Marina's way of living in the past and experiencing confusion in the present. The vivid descriptions of Russian life during the siege of Leningrad and the priceless treasures in the Hermitage reminded me of why I love art history. Altogether, an extremely satisfying read...I look forward to the author's next work!Book Review: Beautiful Writing
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently performed a reading and concert for the Kings English Bookstore in Salt Lake City. Before leaving the store, owner Betsy Burton asked me to select any book I'd like from their amazing inventory. Overwhelmed and pressed for time, I asked her to select one for me. Betsy chose Debra Dean's book as one of her picks of the year, and with good reason. With simple elegance and some of the most gorgeous descriptions of art (many of the scenes take place in The Hermitage Museum during the siege of Leningrad) The Madonnas of Leningrad explores the beautiful strength and terrifying fragility of one woman's mind as she falls victim to Alzheimers disease.Book Review: A Memory Palace Back to Reality
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a beautiful strange mixture of a sad, poignant tale of a beautiful young women in Leningrad in 1941 awaiting the German takeover and her life now as an old woman who is fighting dementia and remembering the horror and beauty of that time.
The author has a wonderful grasp of art history and critique and uses that knowledge extensively as she tells of Marina's memories of that time in Russia when just before the imminent arrival of the Germans, she was a docent at the Hermitage Museum. The recollection of these countless paintings is her link to the past and her link to her sanity.
It is a beautiful prosaic story.
Book Review: Hope endures in Madonnas of Leningrad
Summary: 5 Stars
The grand, gilded frames hang empty on the walls of the Hermitage, a witness of hope for restoration of the paintings packed away for protection during the siege of Leningrad. Perhaps they are also a metaphor for the Marina's life - once filled with beauty and meaning, now under siege by a relentless enemy, Alzheimer's.
The Madonnas of Leningrad shines like a jewel from its many facets - art history and appreciation, human drama and war, the mystery of the inner person and the heartbreak of Alzheimer's. I was captivated from the first page to the last sentence of this book about beauty, this beautiful book.