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" Vollmann continues to write beautiful stories about horrible things. Parts of this book are outstanding, while others painfully slow. "

" I don't give up on many books (maybe 2 others in my life). But this book was just brutal. I don't know if I wasn't in the mood, but I could not get into it... "

" This book is told in slow-paced vignettes, so give yourself some time to go through it and appreciate the language. It helps to have a working knowledge of the USSR, as the book fictionalizes the inner thoughts of the main players during the USSR's troubled history. The story that takes the spotlight is that of Shostakovitch the composer's love for an elusive Elena. Also moving is the story of a Russian general, hero until he is captured by the Germans and collaborates with them, realizing that war is a nightmare of deception and impotent communication no matter which side you're on. I also like the story of a young SS officer who works subtlety to hinder the "final solution." Read this book in pieces (there are few paragraph breaks and the inner-monologue style of the book is its strength and weakness) and only if you already have an interest in Russian history, appreciating Volmann's imaginative retelling of history, and you won't be disappointed. "

" I thought the section about Gerstein, the conflicted supplier of gas to death camps was the best part. After were the tales of Paulus and Vlasov, the generals who were captured and switched allegiences. Unfortunately, Vollman spends more time on Shostakovich, the composer involved in a love triangle. "

" Wow! Really rather excellent, and, I'd say, almost certainly the best book I've read since the last Vollmann book I read. "

" Worth reading, though I wouldn't imagine most people would be willing to slog through it. "

" Parables about people (known to us and unknown) at moments of decision. It's the War and Peace of the battles between the Hitlerites and the Stalinites. You get Spain, you get wartime Berlin. You get wartime Leningrad, Moscow. You get war war war and a little Shostakovich. "

" There needs to be a sixth star for this book "

" Well written, but dense. It took me a long time to get through this book, and I typically read books quickly. Reading War and Peace, to which this has been compared, is probably a good idea, but I'm not sure I'm up to it. "

" made my head explode, but wow! "

" i don't like vollman "

" warmed up to this 700 page epic after the first 250 pages. it's a series of intertwined stories set during the 20th century entirely about people the ussr & germany and mostly during and after wwII. "

" I read and reread this book many times and every time I realize more and more how brilliant it really is. I would recommend to anyone reading it to not give up on it the first time you read it. "

" i've never so quickly lost interest in a book, in all my life. maybe unfair to review it based on 10 pages, but. "

" A lot to chew. I admit that I had to work to get through the middle third or so. This is one ambitious book. Long jagged dream sequences, stream of consciousness, always new characters. I learned a lot about totalitarianism, the appeal and the horrible consequences. "

" very challenging book to read but it sent me off in the direction of other books about the eastern front and russia. specifically about vasily grossman.... "

" I just don't get this guy. Tried reading it; wouldn't want to finish. "

" Overlong and repetitive, which is a shame because several of the WWII stories are amazing. "

" I liked this book a lot, but my reading did not do it justice. It was primarily a commute book, and though I could read a small chapter at a time, I felt that I was often too distracted to really get past the book's density. Still, the best reading I've done on the spirit of the Eastern Front. "

" Are humans supposed to read this? Or did the author get paid by the word to decorate toilet paper? "

" A gorgeous symphony of a book. "

" very challenging book to read but it sent me off in the direction of other books about the eastern front and russia. specifically about vasily grossman.... "

" more like three and a half stars. Learned a lot, can't say I enjoyed it since it was such a challenge "

" I so wanted to like this book, but I have given up. Every time I thought I understood who the protagonist was or what the main story was, it would shift focus. Maybe someone else will get it. I don't. "