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The Witch of Stalingrad
As the German Blitzkrieg brings the Soviet Union to its knees in 1942, a regiment of women aviators flies out at night in flimsy aircraft without parachutes or radios to harass the Wehrmacht troops. The Germans call them “Night Witches” and the best of them is Lilya Drachenko. From the other end of the world, photojournalist Alex Preston arrives to “get the story” for the American press and witnesses sacrifice, hardship, and desperate courage among the Soviet women that is foreign to her. So also are their politics. While the conservative journalist and the communist Lilya clash politically, Stalingrad, the most savage battle of the 20th century, brings them together, until enemy capture and the lethal Russian winter tears them apart again.
264 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2015
3 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Justine Saracen
14 books34 followersFrom the author's website: How a mild-mannered academic went astray and began writing lesbian fiction:
A recovered academic, Justine Saracen started out producing dreary theses, dissertations and articles for esoteric literary journals. Writing fiction, it turned out, was way more fun. With seven historical thrillers now under her literary belt, she has moved from Ancient Egyptian theology (The 100th Generation) to the Crusades (2007 Lammy-nominated Vulture’s Kiss) to the Roman Renaissance.
Sistine Heresy, which conjures up a thoroughly blasphemic backstory to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes, won a 2009 Independent Publisher’s Award (IPPY) and was a finalist in the ForeWord Book of the Year Award.
A few centuries farther along, WWII thriller Mephisto Aria, was a finalist in the EPIC award competition, won Rainbow awards for Best Historical Novel and Best Writing Style, and took the 2011 Golden Crown first prize for best historical novel.
The Eddie Izzard inspired novel, Sarah, Son of God followed soon after. In the story within a story, a transgendered beauty takes us through Stonewall- rioting New York, Venice under the Inquisition, and Nero’s Rome. The novel won the Rainbow First Prize for Best Transgendered Novel.
Her second WWII thriller Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright, which follows the lives of four homosexuals during the Third Reich, won the 2012 Rainbow First Prize for Historical Novel. Having lived in Germany and taught courses on 20th Century German history, Justine is deeply engaged in the moral issues of the ‘urge to war’ and the ease with which it infects.
Beloved Gomorrah, appearing March 2013, marks a return to her critique of Bible myths – in this case an LGBT version of Sodom and Gomorrah -- though it also involves a lot of Red Sea diving and the dangerous allure of a certain Hollywood actress.
Saracen lives on a “charming little winding street in Brussels.” Being an adopted European has brought her close to the memories of WWII and engendered a sort of obsession with the war years. Waiting for the Violins, her work in progress, tells of an English nurse, nearly killed while fleeing Dunkirk, who returns as a British spy and joins forces with the Belgian resistance. In a year of constant terror, she discovers both betrayal and heroism and learns how very costly love can be.
When dwelling in reality, Justine’s favorite pursuits are scuba diving and listening to opera.
A recovered academic, Justine Saracen started out producing dreary theses, dissertations and articles for esoteric literary journals. Writing fiction, it turned out, was way more fun. With seven historical thrillers now under her literary belt, she has moved from Ancient Egyptian theology (The 100th Generation) to the Crusades (2007 Lammy-nominated Vulture’s Kiss) to the Roman Renaissance.
Sistine Heresy, which conjures up a thoroughly blasphemic backstory to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes, won a 2009 Independent Publisher’s Award (IPPY) and was a finalist in the ForeWord Book of the Year Award.
A few centuries farther along, WWII thriller Mephisto Aria, was a finalist in the EPIC award competition, won Rainbow awards for Best Historical Novel and Best Writing Style, and took the 2011 Golden Crown first prize for best historical novel.
The Eddie Izzard inspired novel, Sarah, Son of God followed soon after. In the story within a story, a transgendered beauty takes us through Stonewall- rioting New York, Venice under the Inquisition, and Nero’s Rome. The novel won the Rainbow First Prize for Best Transgendered Novel.
Her second WWII thriller Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright, which follows the lives of four homosexuals during the Third Reich, won the 2012 Rainbow First Prize for Historical Novel. Having lived in Germany and taught courses on 20th Century German history, Justine is deeply engaged in the moral issues of the ‘urge to war’ and the ease with which it infects.
Beloved Gomorrah, appearing March 2013, marks a return to her critique of Bible myths – in this case an LGBT version of Sodom and Gomorrah -- though it also involves a lot of Red Sea diving and the dangerous allure of a certain Hollywood actress.
Saracen lives on a “charming little winding street in Brussels.” Being an adopted European has brought her close to the memories of WWII and engendered a sort of obsession with the war years. Waiting for the Violins, her work in progress, tells of an English nurse, nearly killed while fleeing Dunkirk, who returns as a British spy and joins forces with the Belgian resistance. In a year of constant terror, she discovers both betrayal and heroism and learns how very costly love can be.
When dwelling in reality, Justine’s favorite pursuits are scuba diving and listening to opera.
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February 4, 2020
I’m not sure what happened with this novel. I mean between it and me. It has to be an issue of me and it, since so many others read and loved this book. And there’s easily seen reasons why I should have liked this book a lot more than I did. Author, genre (historical fiction/military fiction/lesbian fiction), setting (Eastern front during WWII (mostly)), characters, etc.
This is the fifth book I’ve read by this author, and the first I’ve given a rating below 4 stars (as per Goodreads system). Hmm, didn’t realize that until I just looked: I’ve given three of the five books 4.25 stars, one book got a rating of 4.75 and then there’s this book here. Which I’m not 100% sure where to rate, but might just leave it at 3 stars. Basically, I’m saying, this one should probably have ended near 4.25 stars, especially considering the other positive aspects it had to it. Yet it didn’t.
I’ve probably mentioned this before somewhere or another, but one of my grandfather’s fought in WWII (not exactly a unique thing, I know), and rose to the rank of general before retiring (a lot less of a common aspect). So I ended up reading a lot more military fiction in my young years; specifically fiction set during WWII because of both my grandfather and mother (I never did ask if her father’s connection with the war caused her to read so much WWII spy fiction). My mother’s why I read so much WWII set spy fiction, grandfather’s why I read so much military fiction set in WWII times (no, they didn’t sit me down and say ‘READ THESE BOOKS!!!’, they just happen to have either read, or bought and stored in reach of me books of the type mentioned. And I found them and read them (that’s also how I read a Bob Dole humor book (grandfather), and ‘The Joy of Sex’ (parents)). So reading something set during WWII is something of my ‘thing’, and it the book should have especially appealed to me as it has been a while since I have done so. Yet, while there were some good scenes, I was mostly bored.
Which is basically the sum total of what I got from this book. Boredom. Which is quite confusing all the way around. It’s possible that part of the issue is this is the fourth WWII set book I’ve read by this author. But then, I’ve read something like thirty-four (give or take one book) WWII books by the same author, W.E.B. Griffin, and rather liked them. And while that’s spread across four series, it still involves series books, while Saracen’s books have been stand-alone’s (though characters occasionally make cameos – I do not recall any making any cameo’s in this one, though). So it probably isn’t an issue of the same author in the same topic area. Nor is it burnout because, as I noted above, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in WWII, and a longish while since I’ve read a book by this author.
Well, this was a long rambling bunch of words to note that I do not know why, exactly, I did not like this book as much as, for reasons given, I should have. Eh.
A woman who was born in Russia (St. Petersberg, aka Leningrad), but left as a kid with her family around the time the royal family was slaughtered, is a photojournalist. She is sent to the Soviet Union to cover the war. While there she bumps into someone, who knows someone, and she ends up setting up a meeting with Stalin to take his picture. While in there to do so, a famous Russian aviator arrives to demand of Stalin certain things. Stalin apparently is okay with this female aviator demanding stuff of him. One thing leads to another, and because of this chance encounter, the woman (names help, I now have two women in this paragraph and no name for either) who is a photojournalist goes with the woman who is a pilot to photograph female pilots and airfields and stuff. This photojournalist woman has the quite American name of Alex Preston despite having been born in Russia (she also has a Russian name, and it’s important in the book). And is one of the two main point of views in the book. I assume she’s somewhere around 21 since I know the other main point of view character is somewhere around 21 near the end of the book. Hopefully Alex isn’t something like 36, and Lilya was something like 16 when they first meet.
The other main point of view character was doing something or other when she learned of female pilots in the military, and jumps at the chance to join. So does. Some part of the book takes place in a military pilot school. I am being vague because it took me almost a month to read this book, and, quite frankly, I can’t remember what she was doing, or how she got into flying. It’s repeated a lot, though, that her father was executed by Stalin – this is a stain on her record, but she ‘did enough’ to allow herself to get into flight school. Right, so this would be Lilya Drachenko, based on a real life ‘Night Witch’. Neither the fictional character nor the real person, though, spent a lot of time as a ‘Night Witch’, though. Since that specific name was given by the Germans to the women who flew wooden biplanes at night and dropped bombs on the Germans. Both versions of Lilya continued as a military pilot, just, mostly, during the day. I think both with fighter units. Oh, and since I mentioned it – Alex is also based on a real person – who also, in real life, took a photo of Stalin.
The two meet when Alex ends up visiting the Night Witches. And I stopped reading, the first time, while Alex waiting for a special visit with Lilya. I do not remember how much sexual tension/obsession with … well not sex so much as . . . what, kissing? Holding hands? Physical connection in general? Occurs in this author’s work, but there was certainly enough in this book to make me aware of the issue (and probably an ocean less than those that want thoughts of a sexual nature). I’ve no idea what I’m saying or how to say it so, moving on.
I think there’s a comment in the book by one or the other character, probably Alex, about how the two main characters had probably spent, really, something like three close moments, more less close moments (days?) in the almost three years they’ve known each other, yet they both know they love each other. If they really said something like that, then they’d be somewhat wrong as the book shows them together more often than that, but yes – over the roughly 3 years this book covers, the two women spend most of the book apart. It’s possible this is one of those times I actually wanted to spend more time with the two of them together? That’s not something I’d normally think about or comment on in a review. Hmms. Lost this paragraph, I did.
Right, so. WWII. Two women. Both born in Russia. Both had parents who got into trouble with the Soviets (Alex’s father worked for the Tsar). One grew up in the USA. Other in Russia. They meet, briefly, two women ‘pass in the night’, as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem would put it. Well, “Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, / Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness…”. The end. Or something, though tossing in the poem probably mislead things. And I never even mentioned Alex’s boyfriend Terry or the OSS. Eh, well, whatever. Or Lilya’s mother.
Rating: 3… 3.33
January 31 2020
(writing 2020 always makes me feel so old, especially as I’ve still, at this point, have lived more of my life in a different century than the current one; while there are full grown adults who spent zero years in a different century, though they cannot legally drink yet . . . at least in the USA . . . I think, it’s been too many decades since it mattered…)
This is the fifth book I’ve read by this author, and the first I’ve given a rating below 4 stars (as per Goodreads system). Hmm, didn’t realize that until I just looked: I’ve given three of the five books 4.25 stars, one book got a rating of 4.75 and then there’s this book here. Which I’m not 100% sure where to rate, but might just leave it at 3 stars. Basically, I’m saying, this one should probably have ended near 4.25 stars, especially considering the other positive aspects it had to it. Yet it didn’t.
I’ve probably mentioned this before somewhere or another, but one of my grandfather’s fought in WWII (not exactly a unique thing, I know), and rose to the rank of general before retiring (a lot less of a common aspect). So I ended up reading a lot more military fiction in my young years; specifically fiction set during WWII because of both my grandfather and mother (I never did ask if her father’s connection with the war caused her to read so much WWII spy fiction). My mother’s why I read so much WWII set spy fiction, grandfather’s why I read so much military fiction set in WWII times (no, they didn’t sit me down and say ‘READ THESE BOOKS!!!’, they just happen to have either read, or bought and stored in reach of me books of the type mentioned. And I found them and read them (that’s also how I read a Bob Dole humor book (grandfather), and ‘The Joy of Sex’ (parents)). So reading something set during WWII is something of my ‘thing’, and it the book should have especially appealed to me as it has been a while since I have done so. Yet, while there were some good scenes, I was mostly bored.
Which is basically the sum total of what I got from this book. Boredom. Which is quite confusing all the way around. It’s possible that part of the issue is this is the fourth WWII set book I’ve read by this author. But then, I’ve read something like thirty-four (give or take one book) WWII books by the same author, W.E.B. Griffin, and rather liked them. And while that’s spread across four series, it still involves series books, while Saracen’s books have been stand-alone’s (though characters occasionally make cameos – I do not recall any making any cameo’s in this one, though). So it probably isn’t an issue of the same author in the same topic area. Nor is it burnout because, as I noted above, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in WWII, and a longish while since I’ve read a book by this author.
Well, this was a long rambling bunch of words to note that I do not know why, exactly, I did not like this book as much as, for reasons given, I should have. Eh.
A woman who was born in Russia (St. Petersberg, aka Leningrad), but left as a kid with her family around the time the royal family was slaughtered, is a photojournalist. She is sent to the Soviet Union to cover the war. While there she bumps into someone, who knows someone, and she ends up setting up a meeting with Stalin to take his picture. While in there to do so, a famous Russian aviator arrives to demand of Stalin certain things. Stalin apparently is okay with this female aviator demanding stuff of him. One thing leads to another, and because of this chance encounter, the woman (names help, I now have two women in this paragraph and no name for either) who is a photojournalist goes with the woman who is a pilot to photograph female pilots and airfields and stuff. This photojournalist woman has the quite American name of Alex Preston despite having been born in Russia (she also has a Russian name, and it’s important in the book). And is one of the two main point of views in the book. I assume she’s somewhere around 21 since I know the other main point of view character is somewhere around 21 near the end of the book. Hopefully Alex isn’t something like 36, and Lilya was something like 16 when they first meet.
The other main point of view character was doing something or other when she learned of female pilots in the military, and jumps at the chance to join. So does. Some part of the book takes place in a military pilot school. I am being vague because it took me almost a month to read this book, and, quite frankly, I can’t remember what she was doing, or how she got into flying. It’s repeated a lot, though, that her father was executed by Stalin – this is a stain on her record, but she ‘did enough’ to allow herself to get into flight school. Right, so this would be Lilya Drachenko, based on a real life ‘Night Witch’. Neither the fictional character nor the real person, though, spent a lot of time as a ‘Night Witch’, though. Since that specific name was given by the Germans to the women who flew wooden biplanes at night and dropped bombs on the Germans. Both versions of Lilya continued as a military pilot, just, mostly, during the day. I think both with fighter units. Oh, and since I mentioned it – Alex is also based on a real person – who also, in real life, took a photo of Stalin.
The two meet when Alex ends up visiting the Night Witches. And I stopped reading, the first time, while Alex waiting for a special visit with Lilya. I do not remember how much sexual tension/obsession with … well not sex so much as . . . what, kissing? Holding hands? Physical connection in general? Occurs in this author’s work, but there was certainly enough in this book to make me aware of the issue (and probably an ocean less than those that want thoughts of a sexual nature). I’ve no idea what I’m saying or how to say it so, moving on.
I think there’s a comment in the book by one or the other character, probably Alex, about how the two main characters had probably spent, really, something like three close moments, more less close moments (days?) in the almost three years they’ve known each other, yet they both know they love each other. If they really said something like that, then they’d be somewhat wrong as the book shows them together more often than that, but yes – over the roughly 3 years this book covers, the two women spend most of the book apart. It’s possible this is one of those times I actually wanted to spend more time with the two of them together? That’s not something I’d normally think about or comment on in a review. Hmms. Lost this paragraph, I did.
Right, so. WWII. Two women. Both born in Russia. Both had parents who got into trouble with the Soviets (Alex’s father worked for the Tsar). One grew up in the USA. Other in Russia. They meet, briefly, two women ‘pass in the night’, as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem would put it. Well, “Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, / Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness…”. The end. Or something, though tossing in the poem probably mislead things. And I never even mentioned Alex’s boyfriend Terry or the OSS. Eh, well, whatever. Or Lilya’s mother.
Rating: 3… 3.33
January 31 2020
(writing 2020 always makes me feel so old, especially as I’ve still, at this point, have lived more of my life in a different century than the current one; while there are full grown adults who spent zero years in a different century, though they cannot legally drink yet . . . at least in the USA . . . I think, it’s been too many decades since it mattered…)
July 22, 2024
I’m so sick of world war 2 stories… and movies and shows! Probably because they way too often tell the story from one perspective only. This book told the little known story of the night witches, the Russian female pilots who fought the Germans during WWII. And it was a fabulous story to read, mixing the real events of the war and women that existed in a thrilling fictional tale. The romance, although central to the story, wasn’t the big pull for me. It all happened pretty fast and I didn’t really feel the connection. The actual writing is 3 stars, there isn’t much depth and emotion, but the story is so wonderful that it gets another star!
March 26, 2015
What a rollercoaster ride! Ms. Saracen's most adventurous tale to date.
4.75 stars
4.75 stars
December 6, 2019
This book was a sort of an early Christmas present. Loved Lilya and Alex, and all the historical details and the sheer level of adventure.
March 24, 2015
I chose this novel to read because of the Night Witches. People who follow this blog will already know who they were--Russian women pilots during WWII who flew at night, relying solely on distance, flight time, and compasses to drop bombs on the invading Germans. They were some of the most remarkable women in aviation history. This novel, however, not only shows us their bravery and determination, but also that of other women. This book is full of amazing, admirable women and I was pleased with each one, from the war correspondent who must fly a plane in battle--something she doesn't expect, to the medics who carry the wounded under fire, to the POWS in camp who huddle around their tied-up comrade to prevent her from freezing to death, this story honors them all.
And while I've read many Russian-themed WWII novels, I still walked away from this book having picked up a few new tidbits about life during the war there, like the fact they painted the Kremlin to look like a row of houses and Lenin's tomb looked like a village cottage.
Honored also in this tale and whom I was pleased to learn about is Marina Raskova, famous navigator who founded the three female air regiments we meet in this book: the Night Witches, the fighters, the dive bombers.
The story is told following two women: an American war correspondent/photographer with a Russian family history and a Night Witch who is actually so much more: a fighter pilot, a POW, a soldier. There is a wonderful romance between them, a very sweet, tasteful romance, none of that insta-love. Their love seems to grow from mutual respect and admiration, as well as physical attraction, and they make the most of the time they have together.
There's food for thought, about politics, love, how we think and how our thoughts change due to the things we experience.
If I have a single complaint, it's that the physical relationship between the women seemed a bit "off". I couldn't help but notice that Alex was always the giver of pleasure and Lilya the receiver and I pondered if this was because of age or something else. But then some people receive pleasure by giving it. Something else the story made me think about.
Full review and favorite quote: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
And while I've read many Russian-themed WWII novels, I still walked away from this book having picked up a few new tidbits about life during the war there, like the fact they painted the Kremlin to look like a row of houses and Lenin's tomb looked like a village cottage.
Honored also in this tale and whom I was pleased to learn about is Marina Raskova, famous navigator who founded the three female air regiments we meet in this book: the Night Witches, the fighters, the dive bombers.
The story is told following two women: an American war correspondent/photographer with a Russian family history and a Night Witch who is actually so much more: a fighter pilot, a POW, a soldier. There is a wonderful romance between them, a very sweet, tasteful romance, none of that insta-love. Their love seems to grow from mutual respect and admiration, as well as physical attraction, and they make the most of the time they have together.
There's food for thought, about politics, love, how we think and how our thoughts change due to the things we experience.
If I have a single complaint, it's that the physical relationship between the women seemed a bit "off". I couldn't help but notice that Alex was always the giver of pleasure and Lilya the receiver and I pondered if this was because of age or something else. But then some people receive pleasure by giving it. Something else the story made me think about.
Full review and favorite quote: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
October 9, 2017
it is such a pleasure to stumble upon this book because i am a historical fiction junkie and reading a story of this genre which is not only superbly written but also gay is such a gift from heaven. i totally love every page of this book. it teaches me a lot about the fearless, praiseworthy witches of stalingrad whom i didn't know a lot of before, and honestly, what is better than a group of kickass women aviators shooting down enemies from their sky?
it is such a heartfelt, gripping war story. i feel for both of the main characters, Lilya and Alex, with all of my heart. their attraction, their burst of passion which always seems to be constricted by the harshness of war, their crippling fear and longing when they are separated, everything tugs right at your heartstrings.
it is, however, not a straight-up romance novel. it is mostly plot-driven, and sometimes the main characters spend more time apart than they do together, each fighting for their own lives and struggles. it is what makes the book wonderful for me, and when they finally do meet each other again between the insanities of war, god, all the bets are off, the chemistry is shooting right out of your screen (or page, in this case)
overall, i will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction slash lesbian romance. it is easily on my top 10 favorite lesbian books so far. i will be keeping an eye for more of Justine Saracen's work.
it is such a heartfelt, gripping war story. i feel for both of the main characters, Lilya and Alex, with all of my heart. their attraction, their burst of passion which always seems to be constricted by the harshness of war, their crippling fear and longing when they are separated, everything tugs right at your heartstrings.
it is, however, not a straight-up romance novel. it is mostly plot-driven, and sometimes the main characters spend more time apart than they do together, each fighting for their own lives and struggles. it is what makes the book wonderful for me, and when they finally do meet each other again between the insanities of war, god, all the bets are off, the chemistry is shooting right out of your screen (or page, in this case)
overall, i will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction slash lesbian romance. it is easily on my top 10 favorite lesbian books so far. i will be keeping an eye for more of Justine Saracen's work.
January 4, 2016
I kind of burned out on historical romances a few years ago, and was never into WWII romance in the first place. However, when I heard one of the women was in the NIght Witches, I had to check it out. Oh man, am I glad I did. The book is a little lighter on the romance than what I usually read from this publisher, but it was still very good. Overall I'd definitely recommend this book.
December 28, 2016
3,5 rounded up to 4
December 8, 2020
Great read
I loved the history of this war of Russia during this period the female pilots and the press coverage. It was very interesting to hear from the Russian perspective and the clash between socialist/communist/ capitalist ideologies. The ethical moral societal dilemmas that these women faced were well delineated. I loved the characters and really enjoyed the romance that developed. It was informative adventurous suspenseful thought provoking and I was sure until the end how it would culminate. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book
I loved the history of this war of Russia during this period the female pilots and the press coverage. It was very interesting to hear from the Russian perspective and the clash between socialist/communist/ capitalist ideologies. The ethical moral societal dilemmas that these women faced were well delineated. I loved the characters and really enjoyed the romance that developed. It was informative adventurous suspenseful thought provoking and I was sure until the end how it would culminate. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book
October 23, 2016
Bravo! As with her previous books, Saracen takes us back in time to acquaint and re-acquaint us to History and it's heroines. Well done.
November 23, 2017
Loved it.
December 5, 2021
(George Washington voice) I cannot tell a lie... I skimread the last 150 pages out of a combined desire not to give up and an unwillingness to actually consume the rest. Sorry, Saracen.
April 21, 2015
This is an astounding, dramatic, and delineated story of Russian women pilots in World War II. It initially focuses on their training, but they become essential and active military people performing many sorties that help push the Nazi-Germans out of Russia. Eventually tagging along with the all-women air division is a photojournalist who is remarkably talented and captures several amazing pictures that make it through the censoring process and back to the United States. The photojournalist and one of the female aviators connect serendipitously and become a superbly hot duo. The intensity of their liaison is a marvelous focal point that weaves in and out of the entire story. Delicious!
Lilya Grigorevna Drachenko joins the military as a trainee pilot initially, but eventually reaches the upper echelons as an ace. She is devoted to her mother, Major Raskova, and Alex, who introduces Lilya to some intense sexual ecstasies. Lilya is an unexpected jewel with a volatile personality. It is breathtaking to follow her growth, her tenacity, and her passion. She is also a vibrant woman who really shines as an impressive representative for those fighting to save the motherland. She experiences and lives through an extraordinary set of challenges. It made me prouder of my Russian heritage on my mother\'s side. Magnificent!
Alex Preston, formally known as Alexandra Vasil\'evna Petrovna, is an American photojournalist and fluent in Russian. When Alex meets and befriends the administrator for the lend-lease program and a slick manipulator, they manage to arrange an audience with Premier Stalin. Alex gets some very fine pictures plus the go-ahead to photograph the new women\'s aviation regiment…a total coup! Alex goes through some breathtaking twists and turns. Plus, when she makes that loving connection with Lilya, this assignment becomes heads and shoulders above any she has ever completed previously. Some of the challenges she faces plus the machinations necessary to stay alive and on point were glorious. The postscript adds some eye-opening and delightful background data including the fact that Alex was based on Margaret Bourke-White. Remarkable!
This book is a solid winner. I recommend it with no reservation. I previously read this author\'s ‘Waiting for the Violins’, which I also found quite staggering and engaging. I hope to read more of Ms. Saracen\'s work in the future, both previous and future works. In conclusion, ‘The Witch of Stalingrad’ is phenomenal!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Lilya Grigorevna Drachenko joins the military as a trainee pilot initially, but eventually reaches the upper echelons as an ace. She is devoted to her mother, Major Raskova, and Alex, who introduces Lilya to some intense sexual ecstasies. Lilya is an unexpected jewel with a volatile personality. It is breathtaking to follow her growth, her tenacity, and her passion. She is also a vibrant woman who really shines as an impressive representative for those fighting to save the motherland. She experiences and lives through an extraordinary set of challenges. It made me prouder of my Russian heritage on my mother\'s side. Magnificent!
Alex Preston, formally known as Alexandra Vasil\'evna Petrovna, is an American photojournalist and fluent in Russian. When Alex meets and befriends the administrator for the lend-lease program and a slick manipulator, they manage to arrange an audience with Premier Stalin. Alex gets some very fine pictures plus the go-ahead to photograph the new women\'s aviation regiment…a total coup! Alex goes through some breathtaking twists and turns. Plus, when she makes that loving connection with Lilya, this assignment becomes heads and shoulders above any she has ever completed previously. Some of the challenges she faces plus the machinations necessary to stay alive and on point were glorious. The postscript adds some eye-opening and delightful background data including the fact that Alex was based on Margaret Bourke-White. Remarkable!
This book is a solid winner. I recommend it with no reservation. I previously read this author\'s ‘Waiting for the Violins’, which I also found quite staggering and engaging. I hope to read more of Ms. Saracen\'s work in the future, both previous and future works. In conclusion, ‘The Witch of Stalingrad’ is phenomenal!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 7, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.
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THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD initially captured my interest because of the night witches. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of them before, because now I’m fascinated! Once I dove into this book, I dove just as quickly into researching the night witches, and I was pleased to learn the author based many of her characters on real Soviet pilots.
The book is told from the perspectives of two different women: Lilya Drachenko, Soviet pilot extraordinaire and night witch, and Alex Preston, American photojournalist and a former Russian. Throughout the course of THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD, both women question the beliefs they’ve grown up with as well as question what their futures could be. There is a lot of character growth in this book, which is something I enjoy.
THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD is way more than just a wartime romance. At first, I didn’t expect such depth and historical accuracy, but I was delighted to find it. This book is gritty, a realistic look at life in a warzone. There’s details on living under Stalin for the Russians, lots of piloting from night witch flying to fighter battles, and even time in a concentration camp. If you have any interest in the Soviet side of WWII, or the night witches, I’d recommend this book for that alone.
Lilya and Alex do become attracted to one another, but also spend a lot of the book apart, due to the war and their respective duties. Their relationship is sweet and realistic, with a few hints of explicitness that fit into the time period. Aside from Lilya and Alex, this book is full of strong women, female friendships, and women supporting each other. I like how the author put her own spin on “women can’t do X or Y,” showing over and over again that yes, they can. And I loved when Alex went off on General Patton. I’d quote, but I don’t want to spoil it. I’ll just say it’s fantastic.
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Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
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THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD initially captured my interest because of the night witches. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of them before, because now I’m fascinated! Once I dove into this book, I dove just as quickly into researching the night witches, and I was pleased to learn the author based many of her characters on real Soviet pilots.
The book is told from the perspectives of two different women: Lilya Drachenko, Soviet pilot extraordinaire and night witch, and Alex Preston, American photojournalist and a former Russian. Throughout the course of THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD, both women question the beliefs they’ve grown up with as well as question what their futures could be. There is a lot of character growth in this book, which is something I enjoy.
THE WITCH OF STALINGRAD is way more than just a wartime romance. At first, I didn’t expect such depth and historical accuracy, but I was delighted to find it. This book is gritty, a realistic look at life in a warzone. There’s details on living under Stalin for the Russians, lots of piloting from night witch flying to fighter battles, and even time in a concentration camp. If you have any interest in the Soviet side of WWII, or the night witches, I’d recommend this book for that alone.
Lilya and Alex do become attracted to one another, but also spend a lot of the book apart, due to the war and their respective duties. Their relationship is sweet and realistic, with a few hints of explicitness that fit into the time period. Aside from Lilya and Alex, this book is full of strong women, female friendships, and women supporting each other. I like how the author put her own spin on “women can’t do X or Y,” showing over and over again that yes, they can. And I loved when Alex went off on General Patton. I’d quote, but I don’t want to spoil it. I’ll just say it’s fantastic.
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Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
April 2, 2016
I loved this book. The author's attention to detail and devotion to including as much true history in her stories as possible, help make them all the more compelling and interesting. Her characters are 100% believable, often imperfect, as people occasionally are, but always people worth reading about. Her stories whet my appetite for learning more about the history of the world and the amazing people whom conventional historians overlooked. A lovely romance included within the pages of intriguing historical fiction makes this a total win on all fronts for me. Well done Justine Saracen, well done.
December 16, 2015
I enjoyed this book about a group of Soviet women aviators in World War II. This is another aspect of World War II that I knew nothing about. Justine Saracen provides a vivid picture of the discomforts and difficulties the women had to endure. The story revolves around American photojournalist Alex Preston and pilot Lilya Drachenko, one of the aviators labeled "Night Witches" by the Germans. Wartime romance often creates challenges; Saracen sets one erotic scene in a plane, in total darkness, and in subzero temperatures, and makes it work.
October 2, 2015
I really admire Justine Saracen for all the research she does and shares with us readers. This one is no exception - so many new things I learned about WWII. And it was kind of nice to meet Stalin personally, at last! :) The love story was a bit lacking, and the ending of the novel slightly improbable, but I was happy too!
March 12, 2015
There are not enough stars to say how much I liked this novel. The historic background of this book is fascinating, harrowing and amazing all at the same time. Do yourselves a favour and fly out and read it"
February 16, 2016
I usually try not to read similar books close together but this one told me to read it so I did. Covering a more unknown part of World War II history - the Night Witches - Russian women pilots.
Great read if you like historical fiction, World War II, and/or women's history.
Great read if you like historical fiction, World War II, and/or women's history.
December 16, 2015
The Witch of Stalingrad by Justine Saracen: http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwid... 2015 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
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