Review: Great story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 19, 2014
I was sent an early copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review and a little bit of proofreading. This book is not yet for sale, since it will be published next June 22nd, so stay in tune.Fictional memoir of Maurice Bury, the author’s father-in-law, in which we read how he got recruited by the Russian army while he was peacefully leaving in a little town in Ukraine. When Maurice gets to the army, he discovers that the soldier’s life is one of the hardest lives, especially if there is a war in the making. Three months later, he is a very young Lieutenant whose main mission is to keep his soldiers alive. He leads him to battle, but things don’t go as expected and they have to start the retreat. Hunger, disease, filthiness, and boots that disintegrate with every single step they take. Survival is essential. Things cannot get worse, right? Well, they do because they got caught and made prisoners. Now Maurice’s first goal in life will be to escape. Will he manage to do that? Will he manage to keep all his “boys” alive?This memoir in fictional form has been quite a great read. Scott Bury’s writing flows quite effortlessly and makes you feel almost the same feelings the protagonist is conveying. The accuracy of the data revealed along the book shows that the author has done a ton of research. It would have been impossible to write this book without all that information we get from the development of the activities of the Russian army during the first years of World War II. The story is gripping and emotional. So well written that it will make you suffer and cry with Maurice, and also laugh with him and celebrate when the story requires it. Characterization is great too: memorable and distinctive characters, with characteristic voices and features that make them even more real. Knowing that it is a story based on true events made me appreciate it even more. The hardships those men had to endure will really give you goosebumps while reading this thrilling story.I cannot wait until the next instalment of this story is published too.