Did you like the TV version though? I thought Ewan McGregor was quite charming in it.

Anonymous wrote:God I hated this book. I didn’t think it was boring, I thought it was grating as hell.

I think it was because he was just a rich guy eating soft boiled eggs in a luxury hotel while the world burned. Also, I hated the fact that every female character he encountered was relentlessly “beautiful” and effortlessly talented. It had the kind of unearned privilege that suffuses the Harry Potter series but on steroids

Too much MCS, amirite?

That part I didn't mind. That's why I read books. I just found the entire idea of the book to be so implausible that I couldn't get into it at all.

God I hated this book. I didn’t think it was boring, I thought it was grating as hell.

I think it was because he was just a rich guy eating soft boiled eggs in a luxury hotel while the world burned. Also, I hated the fact that every female character he encountered was relentlessly “beautiful” and effortlessly talented. It had the kind of unearned privilege that suffuses the Harry Potter series but on steroids

I liked it but I’ve lived in Moscow and have studied Russian history some so it touched on some themes I’m interested in.
I agree with PP’s friend that it isn’t really what I’d call an accurate depiction of life in the Soviet Union, but it clearly wasn’t intended to be.
I loved city of thieves — that one felt a little closer to actual history for me but I don’t know how accurate it was. It seemed consistent with what I know from that time period.

Loved it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some Russians I talked to said the book makes the Soviet Union look better than it was - not enough research done by the author.

Supposedly he had never been to Moscow.

So? The author of All the Light You Cannot See didn’t go to WWII France and wasn’t a blind girl or Nazi boy.

You should be glad this forum is anonymous because you'd just reveal your stupidity.

"Mr. Doerr studied diaries and letters written during the war and traveled to Germany, Paris and St.-Malo, the port city in Brittany where much of the story is set."

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/27/books/anth...see-hits-it-big.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finally!! I have been waiting for someone to say this.

Everyone raves about it and I just couldn't get into it at all. Stopped pretty early on.

You should be glad this forum is anonymous because you'd just reveal your stupidity.

"Mr. Doerr studied diaries and letters written during the war and traveled to Germany, Paris and St.-Malo, the port city in Brittany where much of the story is set."

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/27/books/anthonys-doerrs-all-the-light-we-cannot-see-hits-it-big.html

Of sorry PP, I didn't mean to post it under your comment. I completely agree with you that the book is unreadable.

Anonymous wrote:Finally!! I have been waiting for someone to say this.

Everyone raves about it and I just couldn't get into it at all. Stopped pretty early on.

You should be glad this forum is anonymous because you'd just reveal your stupidity.

"Mr. Doerr studied diaries and letters written during the war and traveled to Germany, Paris and St.-Malo, the port city in Brittany where much of the story is set."

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/27/books/anthonys-doerrs-all-the-light-we-cannot-see-hits-it-big.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some Russians I talked to said the book makes the Soviet Union look better than it was - not enough research done by the author.

Supposedly he had never been to Moscow.

So? The author of All the Light You Cannot See didn’t go to WWII France and wasn’t a blind girl or Nazi boy.

Sure, but it doesn't prevent you from doing your homework.

Finally!! I have been waiting for someone to say this.

Everyone raves about it and I just couldn't get into it at all. Stopped pretty early on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some Russians I talked to said the book makes the Soviet Union look better than it was - not enough research done by the author.

Supposedly he had never been to Moscow.

So? The author of All the Light You Cannot See didn’t go to WWII France and wasn’t a blind girl or Nazi boy.

Anonymous wrote:Some Russians I talked to said the book makes the Soviet Union look better than it was - not enough research done by the author.

Supposedly he had never been to Moscow.

Some Russians I talked to said the book makes the Soviet Union look better than it was - not enough research done by the author.

Anonymous wrote:There. I had to make myself finish it because everyone else loved it and I kept waiting to be amazed and instead I was bored!!

Good for you for finishing. I couldn't read his road trip book.

Anonymous wrote:I didn't love it but I did love Lincoln Highway. After LH, I went back to A Gentleman in Moscow and appreciated it more the second time.

This was a DNF for me. It was SO long and I felt like nothing was happening!