What do you think?
Rate this book
Ленинградские сказки #1
The Raven's Children
Russia in 1938 is a place of great terror. Joseph Stalin is in charge. His Secret Police are everywhere, searching for anyone who might be his enemy. People have no idea who they can trust.
Seven-year-old Shura doesn't know about any of this. He's happy in his little home in Leningrad going to school in the mornings, playing with his best friend in the afternoon, fighting with his big sister, spending time with his Mama, Papa and baby brother Bobka.
Until one day everything changes.
Mama and Papa and Bobka disappear without a trace. The whispers of their neighbours are that Mama and Papa were spies, enemies of Stalin and so they have now been taken by something mysterious called The Raven.
Desperate to reunite his family, Shura decides to hunt down The Raven, finding help in the most unexpected places but facing more danger than he has ever known . . .
Seven-year-old Shura doesn't know about any of this. He's happy in his little home in Leningrad going to school in the mornings, playing with his best friend in the afternoon, fighting with his big sister, spending time with his Mama, Papa and baby brother Bobka.
Until one day everything changes.
Mama and Papa and Bobka disappear without a trace. The whispers of their neighbours are that Mama and Papa were spies, enemies of Stalin and so they have now been taken by something mysterious called The Raven.
Desperate to reunite his family, Shura decides to hunt down The Raven, finding help in the most unexpected places but facing more danger than he has ever known . . .
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
13 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Yulia Yakovleva
23 books20 followersYulia Yakovleva is a writer based in Oslo, Norway, who writes in Norwegian and Russian. Her books have received several international awards.
She has written a series of children’s novels – known as “The Leningrad Tales” – that examine aspects of the Stalin era, including political repressions and World War 2. The first book, The Raven’s Children, which was published in 2016 and translated into English by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp in 2018, is set in 1938 and tells of a brother and sister whose parents are taken away during the night. Later “Leningrad Tales” books cover the blockade of Leningrad, World War 2 evacuation, and returning home.
Yakovleva’s series of three adult historical detective novels about Leningrad police investigator Vasily Zaitsev, a character with an interesting moral code, is set in the 1930s. Yakovleva’s Zaitsev books are suspenseful and filled with atmospheric and period-specific details including the smells, quarrels, and density of communal apartments, as well as elements such as art, missing jewels, thoroughbred horses, and the plight of the dekulakized.
Her ABCs of Love, a book for all ages, looks at love through classic Russian literature; a 2020 novel, Poets and Gentlemen, is a sort of manga (in the ranobe subgenre) involving a battle between literary “dream teams” from Russia (Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Chekhov) and Britain (Austin, Shelley, Radcliffe). Her first children book Halens historie written in Norwegian, received the Bologna Ragazzi Award 2014 in Opera Prima category.
Previously, she worked as a ballet critic at the Afisha magazine and wrote a number of books on the Russian ballet’s past and present.
Russian profile here Юлия Яковлева
She has written a series of children’s novels – known as “The Leningrad Tales” – that examine aspects of the Stalin era, including political repressions and World War 2. The first book, The Raven’s Children, which was published in 2016 and translated into English by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp in 2018, is set in 1938 and tells of a brother and sister whose parents are taken away during the night. Later “Leningrad Tales” books cover the blockade of Leningrad, World War 2 evacuation, and returning home.
Yakovleva’s series of three adult historical detective novels about Leningrad police investigator Vasily Zaitsev, a character with an interesting moral code, is set in the 1930s. Yakovleva’s Zaitsev books are suspenseful and filled with atmospheric and period-specific details including the smells, quarrels, and density of communal apartments, as well as elements such as art, missing jewels, thoroughbred horses, and the plight of the dekulakized.
Her ABCs of Love, a book for all ages, looks at love through classic Russian literature; a 2020 novel, Poets and Gentlemen, is a sort of manga (in the ranobe subgenre) involving a battle between literary “dream teams” from Russia (Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Chekhov) and Britain (Austin, Shelley, Radcliffe). Her first children book Halens historie written in Norwegian, received the Bologna Ragazzi Award 2014 in Opera Prima category.
Previously, she worked as a ballet critic at the Afisha magazine and wrote a number of books on the Russian ballet’s past and present.
Russian profile here Юлия Яковлева
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 7, 2021
Yulia Yakovleva’s children’s story’s set in Leningrad in the 1930s. It’s a fantastical tale inspired by the experiences of Yakovleva’s family members, many executed or imprisoned in Russia during the Soviet era. Yakovleva’s portrayal of a young child caught up in historical events beyond their understanding sometimes reminded me of Judith Kerr’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. Yakovleva’s novel's told from Shura’s perspective, a seven-year-old boy whose parents and younger brother suddenly vanish during the night, carried off by the sinister black raven – the nickname for secret police vehicles rounding up suspected enemies of the state. Suddenly he and his remaining sister are outcasts setting out on a perilous journey to solve the mystery of the black raven and find their lost family. On the way they encounter strange scenes, talking birds, and other uncanny creatures. The mix of realist and surrealist elements can sometimes be jarring but mostly it’s a marvellously inventive way of depicting the nightmarish atmosphere of Stalin’s Great Terror. Yukovleva’s recreation of Leningrad, the sights, the culture of Stalinism’s vivid and compelling, often nail-bitingly tense. Translated from Russian by Ruth Amedzai Kemp, this is the first in a number of children’s books, but the only one available in English. I’m already impatient for the next one to appear.
September 22, 2017
Я не очень понимаю, как Юлия Яковлева умудряется писать одновременно столько книг; точнее, понимаю, но, возможно, не совсем одобряю. Тем не менее, пишет она хлестко и объёмно, а недоработки замысла (с чего вдруг эти птицы? мужчина с мороженым? куда делся Валька?) искупаются леденящим ужасом, который охватывает вполне взрослого читателя при мысли о тех временах.
Мне кажется, самое главное в таких рассказах, "based on a true story", — это создать фон для дальнейшего обстоятельного изучения материала или хотя бы интереса к урокам истории, раз уж книга рассчитана на юного читателя. Я бы на месте этого самого читателя теперь боялась учебник открывать, так что просветительская миссия, я считаю, вполне удалась.
Мне кажется, самое главное в таких рассказах, "based on a true story", — это создать фон для дальнейшего обстоятельного изучения материала или хотя бы интереса к урокам истории, раз уж книга рассчитана на юного читателя. Я бы на месте этого самого читателя теперь боялась учебник открывать, так что просветительская миссия, я считаю, вполне удалась.
February 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this story of a young boy living in Leningrad under Stalin in the 1930s. The entire novel is told from the innocent and naive perspective of 7 year old Shura who strongly believes in being a good Soviet citizen. After his family mysteriously vanish he sets out with his sister to find them. Heartbreakingly convinced there has been a mistake that they can easily rectify. Magical realism begins about 1/3 of the way through which I found very odd and unexpected. I didn't really understand the talking birds but the other analogies which came later were very fitting. Whilst at times it was a little on the nose, it became like a horror story as little Shura became more and more aware of the terrifying world around him.
December 13, 2015
Мне не очень понравилась вся эта гоголевская гротесковость про уши и глаза, не развита линия про говорящих птиц, а так - все отлично. То есть мне все понравилось, кроме сказочной части, которая тут очень странно выглядит.
September 10, 2018
[I read an uncorrected, bound proof copy of this novel.]
Generally speaking, I am fascinated by all things Russian and as I had never read (or even heard of) a children's book set in Russia, nor had I ever read something written by a contemporary Russian author, this book captured my interest instantly. I just had to read it.
But oh boy - where do I start with reviewing this book? It's really hard to make sense of at times, but to reveal why that is, would be to spoil much of the book.
Firstly, it wasn't at all what I had expected. I thought I was getting a "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but make it Stalinist," kind of deal, but I was wrong about that (granted, I haven't read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, nor do I intend to, but I'm still pretty sure I was wrong).
Shura, a harmlessly disobedient seven year-old, lives happily in Leningrad with his Mama and Papa and his siblings, older sister Tanya and younger brother Bobka. That is, until, he disobeys his parents a final time by going to see the parade celebrating Ivan Papanin and his team of polar explorers, who returned home after 234 days adrift in the arctic circle. Shura encounters a strange man, who makes odd remarks about the tattered coats of the citizens attending the parade, and asks if Papanin really wanted to be rescued, or if "he got himself stuck there on purpose." It is not until after the man leaves and Shura encounters Tanya that he realises, with alarm, that the man might have been a spy.
It's following this alarming encounter that Papa is suddenly taken away "on a business trip" overnight and Mama begins acting strangely, tearing documents and photographs into small pieces before burning them to ashes. Just one more night passes and Mama and Bobka disappear too. Despite whispers from their neighbours that Mama and Papa were taken away by the Black Raven, Tanya and Shura are convinced that Mama has found the new job she was talking about getting and has already taken Bobka to nursery. Furthermore, when their elderly neighbour knocks on the door to hand them a purse full of money and tells them that their mother left instructions for them to go to their Aunt Vera's, they disregard this as the old lady getting confused and instead agree that their mother left them the money so they could go out for the day and enjoy themselves.
It is only when Tanya convinces Shura to ask a smiling policeman about the Black Raven who took his Papa that they realise something is truly wrong, as the smile disappears from the man's face and he begins to pursue them. Things take a surreal turn as the children realises that not only can the birds of Leningrad understand them, but that they can also respond and they all claim to know where the Black Raven is.
As the book progresses, the reader goes tumbling further into this bizarre and terrifying world of the Stalinist regime, where birds can talk, the walls have ears, and citizens are
hidden in plain sight. Reality and illusion, fact and fantasy all blend into one, as Shura searches desperately for his Mama, Papa and Bobka, and becomes more entangled in the dark underbelly of the USSR's political regime. He frantically tries to make sense of the nonsensical, grey-coloured world he's now living in, alone, confused, and invisible.
Shura is bold and determined, and totally endearing as a protagonist and the plotline is enthralling and often quite nerve-wracking - I could barely put the book down overnight. My only complaint is that the book yields no explanations, but I guess that's really the point of a book set in the Great Purge - no answers were given. The whole book is difficult to make sense of, there is no line between fact and fiction
The Raven's Children is dark and bewildering and I certainly recommend it.
Generally speaking, I am fascinated by all things Russian and as I had never read (or even heard of) a children's book set in Russia, nor had I ever read something written by a contemporary Russian author, this book captured my interest instantly. I just had to read it.
But oh boy - where do I start with reviewing this book? It's really hard to make sense of at times, but to reveal why that is, would be to spoil much of the book.
Firstly, it wasn't at all what I had expected. I thought I was getting a "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but make it Stalinist," kind of deal, but I was wrong about that (granted, I haven't read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, nor do I intend to, but I'm still pretty sure I was wrong).
Shura, a harmlessly disobedient seven year-old, lives happily in Leningrad with his Mama and Papa and his siblings, older sister Tanya and younger brother Bobka. That is, until, he disobeys his parents a final time by going to see the parade celebrating Ivan Papanin and his team of polar explorers, who returned home after 234 days adrift in the arctic circle. Shura encounters a strange man, who makes odd remarks about the tattered coats of the citizens attending the parade, and asks if Papanin really wanted to be rescued, or if "he got himself stuck there on purpose." It is not until after the man leaves and Shura encounters Tanya that he realises, with alarm, that the man might have been a spy.
It's following this alarming encounter that Papa is suddenly taken away "on a business trip" overnight and Mama begins acting strangely, tearing documents and photographs into small pieces before burning them to ashes. Just one more night passes and Mama and Bobka disappear too. Despite whispers from their neighbours that Mama and Papa were taken away by the Black Raven, Tanya and Shura are convinced that Mama has found the new job she was talking about getting and has already taken Bobka to nursery. Furthermore, when their elderly neighbour knocks on the door to hand them a purse full of money and tells them that their mother left instructions for them to go to their Aunt Vera's, they disregard this as the old lady getting confused and instead agree that their mother left them the money so they could go out for the day and enjoy themselves.
It is only when Tanya convinces Shura to ask a smiling policeman about the Black Raven who took his Papa that they realise something is truly wrong, as the smile disappears from the man's face and he begins to pursue them. Things take a surreal turn as the children realises that not only can the birds of Leningrad understand them, but that they can also respond and they all claim to know where the Black Raven is.
As the book progresses, the reader goes tumbling further into this bizarre and terrifying world of the Stalinist regime, where birds can talk, the walls have ears, and citizens are
hidden in plain sight. Reality and illusion, fact and fantasy all blend into one, as Shura searches desperately for his Mama, Papa and Bobka, and becomes more entangled in the dark underbelly of the USSR's political regime. He frantically tries to make sense of the nonsensical, grey-coloured world he's now living in, alone, confused, and invisible.
Shura is bold and determined, and totally endearing as a protagonist and the plotline is enthralling and often quite nerve-wracking - I could barely put the book down overnight. My only complaint is that the book yields no explanations, but I guess that's really the point of a book set in the Great Purge - no answers were given. The whole book is difficult to make sense of, there is no line between fact and fiction
The Raven's Children is dark and bewildering and I certainly recommend it.
November 8, 2024
Я и так все понимаю про тридцатые. Но когда такое через детскую оптику… хотелось просто орать. Сталинская эпоха во всей ее уродливости.
Юлия Яковлева гений допущений. Что подумает 9-летний мальчик, услышав, что его родителей забрал черный ворон? Мы-то ясно, а он пошел разговаривать с птицами… ошибка, во всем разберутся… Как же хотелось орать.
Надо ли читать детям? Многие считают, что нет. А я считаю да. Читать обязательно. Это как “Синяя птица” Метерлинка, которую почему-то переделали в детский спектакль. Что-то поймут, что-то нет, а прививка правды останется. Здоровье нации начинается с детей.
Думала прослушать все 5 книг цикла “Ленинградские сказки”, но не могу, это слишком хорошая эмоционально заряженная проза.
Юлия Яковлева гений допущений. Что подумает 9-летний мальчик, услышав, что его родителей забрал черный ворон? Мы-то ясно, а он пошел разговаривать с птицами… ошибка, во всем разберутся… Как же хотелось орать.
Надо ли читать детям? Многие считают, что нет. А я считаю да. Читать обязательно. Это как “Синяя птица” Метерлинка, которую почему-то переделали в детский спектакль. Что-то поймут, что-то нет, а прививка правды останется. Здоровье нации начинается с детей.
Думала прослушать все 5 книг цикла “Ленинградские сказки”, но не могу, это слишком хорошая эмоционально заряженная проза.
May 18, 2024
— Товарищ милиционер, моего папу унес Черный Ворон, — начал он
Это книга о ребенке, родителей которого забрал Ворон. Как и у тысяч других советских семей, забрал, чтобы сделать их детей своими.
Книга замечательная. Нужен какой-то бекграунд, чтобы все понять, например про десять лет и запрет на телеграммы, или про бирюзовые околыши. Но в целом, она довольно проста.
Магическая часть сюжета выписана хорошо, кроме последней, с телепортом из детского дома сразу в семью. Это несколько натянуто, поэтому 4/5.
Буду читать ещё вторую часть, про Блокаду
Это книга о ребенке, родителей которого забрал Ворон. Как и у тысяч других советских семей, забрал, чтобы сделать их детей своими.
Книга замечательная. Нужен какой-то бекграунд, чтобы все понять, например про десять лет и запрет на телеграммы, или про бирюзовые околыши. Но в целом, она довольно проста.
Магическая часть сюжета выписана хорошо, кроме последней, с телепортом из детского дома сразу в семью. Это несколько натянуто, поэтому 4/5.
Буду читать ещё вторую часть, про Блокаду
November 3, 2018
Highly recommend this book to young readers as well as adults! The main character’s parents and little brother get taken away to a gulag and he is confused by this and goes searching for them. Not only is this a terrible and scary situation from the viewpoint of an eight-year old, but there is also a lightness to his adventures and perceptions, which makes the book easier to read. It is appropriate for a young reader despite the topic.
These days when the U.S. government is imprisoning immigrant children, it is possible to relate to the days of the Soviet gulag. What could a child feel being separated from his parents and experiencing the cold rigidness and strictness of one of those camps? Also, it is a book that can demystify Russia for children and adults. The Russians have been traumatized by years of cruel totalitarian rule. The gulag was a terrible moment in recent history and like the Holocaust should never be forgotten.
I also want to commend the excellent translation by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp.
These days when the U.S. government is imprisoning immigrant children, it is possible to relate to the days of the Soviet gulag. What could a child feel being separated from his parents and experiencing the cold rigidness and strictness of one of those camps? Also, it is a book that can demystify Russia for children and adults. The Russians have been traumatized by years of cruel totalitarian rule. The gulag was a terrible moment in recent history and like the Holocaust should never be forgotten.
I also want to commend the excellent translation by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp.
August 18, 2023
A fantasy tale of children in the Soviet Union who survive Stalin's horrendous Great Purge told in a way that illustrates the psychological impact on them and their families. Invisible people, talking birds, eyes and ears on walls show a shadowy Leningrad that seven-year-old Shura, nine-year-old Tanya and the toddler Bobka stumble into when their parents are kidnapped by the 'Black Raven', a euphemism for the Black Volga. It's a story like no other I have read. History and fantasy walk hand in hand throwing light on this dark period of history. This is my first Yulia Yakoleva in Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp's translation, and I want to read more! I wish the translator's name was on the cover as well. Read because it's a truly unique book.
April 19, 2021
This is a story set during Stalin's government of Russia in the 1930's, known as a time of great terror. The seemingly innocent story is told from the point of view of two young children - seven year old Shura and his older sister Tanya who set out looking for their parents and baby brother who were alleged to be spies and captured by the 'raven'.
Through Shura's eyes, we see what the life of the common man was like in Leningrad in those days, from the living accommodations to the education system and job market. We follow Shura as he tries to track down his parents after their mysterious disappearance in the middle of the night and encounter children's orphanages and hints at labour camps (gulags).
This was a translated work from Russian. The language is easy and accessible as it's a child telling the story but the story itself has deep layers of the contemporary socio-political climate of that era. Pick up this book if you're interested in historical fiction and middle grade books with strong, educational content.
Through Shura's eyes, we see what the life of the common man was like in Leningrad in those days, from the living accommodations to the education system and job market. We follow Shura as he tries to track down his parents after their mysterious disappearance in the middle of the night and encounter children's orphanages and hints at labour camps (gulags).
This was a translated work from Russian. The language is easy and accessible as it's a child telling the story but the story itself has deep layers of the contemporary socio-political climate of that era. Pick up this book if you're interested in historical fiction and middle grade books with strong, educational content.
August 5, 2025
There are a lot of loose ends in the end but what an atmosphere! It reminded me of one of my fave childhood series A Series of Unfortunate Events if it was set against the USSR background.
July 21, 2022
Setting out on the first few pages, in spite of the descriptions, I had no idea I would become as emotionally involved in the young protagonists Yakovleva doles out for us. We're pushed and pulled down the streets of 1938 Leningrad, trying to help our young heroes discover the fates of their parents and youngest sibling, swept up in one of Stalin's more brutal purges.
I've read some reviewers roll their eyes at the introduction of magic realism to help square some of the more difficult passages; let's not forget that the book is written primary for very young readers, and sometimes very real horror portrayed in a very cartoonish manner can serve the author and reader quite well; frankly, it also has the benefit of becoming a grotesque that will trigger the appropriate level of repulsion in older children and adults.
I loved this book. It took me two months to read because it was my walk-to-work read, a chunk here and there at a time. Sometimes I would have to cheat, and sneak a few extra pages once at my desk. The plot would be heartbreaking, were it not for the ingenuity and resilience of the children - one child in particular; no spoilers though.
I thought the ending seemed perhaps a bit slapdash at first, but after giving this a few hours to settle, I think it's a delicious way to leave the reader hungry for the next in the series, this time (so I'm led to believe) taking place in 1941 Leningrad. I'm guessing that will be no less of a struggle.
I'm looking forward to reading the English translation of this book next - my Russian is far from perfect, and I'm absolutely positive that there are nuances I left on the page; the translation is provided through the talents of Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, whose work I have a ton of respect for.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series! Five stars.
I've read some reviewers roll their eyes at the introduction of magic realism to help square some of the more difficult passages; let's not forget that the book is written primary for very young readers, and sometimes very real horror portrayed in a very cartoonish manner can serve the author and reader quite well; frankly, it also has the benefit of becoming a grotesque that will trigger the appropriate level of repulsion in older children and adults.
I loved this book. It took me two months to read because it was my walk-to-work read, a chunk here and there at a time. Sometimes I would have to cheat, and sneak a few extra pages once at my desk. The plot would be heartbreaking, were it not for the ingenuity and resilience of the children - one child in particular; no spoilers though.
I thought the ending seemed perhaps a bit slapdash at first, but after giving this a few hours to settle, I think it's a delicious way to leave the reader hungry for the next in the series, this time (so I'm led to believe) taking place in 1941 Leningrad. I'm guessing that will be no less of a struggle.
I'm looking forward to reading the English translation of this book next - my Russian is far from perfect, and I'm absolutely positive that there are nuances I left on the page; the translation is provided through the talents of Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, whose work I have a ton of respect for.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series! Five stars.
January 19, 2019
Lordy this was a bit of a struggle! It wasn’t until about half way through that I began to think it may be a translated work (and yes it indeed is), and I fear that A LOT has gone missing in translation. As it is, this is a bit clunky and I’m not sure of its target audience- its mystical and fantastical eyes and ears in the wall, talking birds and invisible people may be too sophisticated for children to understand and too simplistic for adults. It’s suggested age is 9-12 and does come with an excellent set of teacher questions.
It’s set in 1938 in Russia under the oppressive Stalin regime. Shura’s parents are taken as political prisoners in the middle of the night and he’s left alone with his sister. Naively, they decide to try and find them but end up in all sorts of trouble.
This is such an interesting part of history and such important stories that need to be told, but I think a straight telling would have been better so as not to downplay this importance. I’d love to hear from others who’ve read it or from any kids who’ve read it and loved it! Let me know.
It’s set in 1938 in Russia under the oppressive Stalin regime. Shura’s parents are taken as political prisoners in the middle of the night and he’s left alone with his sister. Naively, they decide to try and find them but end up in all sorts of trouble.
This is such an interesting part of history and such important stories that need to be told, but I think a straight telling would have been better so as not to downplay this importance. I’d love to hear from others who’ve read it or from any kids who’ve read it and loved it! Let me know.
October 17, 2022
Действие повести происходит в довоенном Ленинграде в разгар Сталинских репрессий.
У главного героя Шурки исчезают родители. И они сами становятся прозрачными для общества. Ходят слухи, что всех исчезнувших забирает «Черный ворон», и Шурка с сестрой бегает по городу и опрашивает всех птиц про своих родителей. И все действительно что-то знают. Дальше сюжет разворачивается как в хорошем детективе, я прочитала книгу в два присеста.
Книга издана в Издательстве Самокат, и про Воронов там есть целая серия книг (ПЯТЬ), про блокаду и так далее. Дети ворона - первая в этой серии. Повесть Дети Ворона (а она именно повесть, не сказка!) была отмечена и премией Ясная поляна в 2016 и даже попала в шорт-лист.
Картинок кстати в ней вообще нет ни одной! Это минус:(
При всем сказанном, ДЕТИ ВОРОНА считаю отличным примером книги, как формы осознания/переработки/признания неудобного прошлого. Её упоминает даже Эппле в нашей с вами любимой книге Неудобное прошлое
У главного героя Шурки исчезают родители. И они сами становятся прозрачными для общества. Ходят слухи, что всех исчезнувших забирает «Черный ворон», и Шурка с сестрой бегает по городу и опрашивает всех птиц про своих родителей. И все действительно что-то знают. Дальше сюжет разворачивается как в хорошем детективе, я прочитала книгу в два присеста.
Книга издана в Издательстве Самокат, и про Воронов там есть целая серия книг (ПЯТЬ), про блокаду и так далее. Дети ворона - первая в этой серии. Повесть Дети Ворона (а она именно повесть, не сказка!) была отмечена и премией Ясная поляна в 2016 и даже попала в шорт-лист.
Картинок кстати в ней вообще нет ни одной! Это минус:(
При всем сказанном, ДЕТИ ВОРОНА считаю отличным примером книги, как формы осознания/переработки/признания неудобного прошлого. Её упоминает даже Эппле в нашей с вами любимой книге Неудобное прошлое
November 16, 2016
В страшные будни советские случались страшные страшности. Чёрные вороны могли маму с папой унести. Это самая страшная страшность. И мама с папой больше никогда не возвращались. Поэтому их нужно найти, расспросив округу и вызнав, куда уносят вороны людей. А коли вороны, то значит к воронам и нужно идти. Стоило читателю доехать по сюжетным рельсам Юлии Яковлевой до станции с птицами, как адекватное восприятие закончилось и началась фантасмагория. Не городская легенда, не мистическая история, не фэнтези и не сказка, а именно фантасмагория, не содержащая в себе начало и не имеющая конца, как не содержит сути, вместо неё омонимизированные повествовательные элементы.
(c) Trounin
(c) Trounin
April 27, 2020
Woah. That was INTENSE.
I wonder if this is considered a children’s book in Russia. The metaphor is both simple and deeply complex. It left me wanting to read more about the darkest periods of Russian history.
I guess I’d call it magical realism? But also historical fiction. And the ending.... oh my.
Very good.
I wonder if this is considered a children’s book in Russia. The metaphor is both simple and deeply complex. It left me wanting to read more about the darkest periods of Russian history.
I guess I’d call it magical realism? But also historical fiction. And the ending.... oh my.
Very good.
August 20, 2023
Если бы Юлия Яковлева в какой-то момент не бросила мне сюжетный спасательный круг, я бы так и застряла в состоянии молчаливого крика. Между взрослым, который всё понимает и ужасается, и ребёнком, который ничего не понимает, и ужасается ещё больше.
Не уверена, что «ленинградские сказки» для детей подходят, но на взрослого действует отлично
Не уверена, что «ленинградские сказки» для детей подходят, но на взрослого действует отлично
July 17, 2018
Russia was in a very dark period from the mid to late 30’s under the leadership of Stalin. Much akin to what Orwell described in 1984, this period in Russia is filled with fear, general distrust, paranoia, and dread. A glimpse behind the curtain reveals that all this simply reflects Stalin’s own state of mind at that time as a result of the murder of his close ally and senior party member Sergey Kirov in late 1934. Obviously affected and shaken by the incident, he’d taken to excessively improving his personal security and avoided going out in public as much as possible. He also went on to form NKVD troika (which eventually became the KGB) that were instrumental in the death and assassination of many who were deemed spies and enemies of the state, thus leading to that period of time in Russian history that has come to be known as The Great Terror. The Raven’s Children is set upon this period in time. What’s interesting though, is that the book seems to be targeted at children.
The story starts off with the antics of young boys, playing near the railroads full of innocence and mischief which should make anyone nostalgic enough. Needless to say, things quickly escalate and pretty soon veers into the reality of the time where everyone is fearful of spies or at least of being perceived as spies. As with Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, The Raven’s Children alternates between what’s real and what’s not so real in the midst of 7-year-old Shura's harsh life. Though it doesn’t become clearly evident when it actually happens, the story crosses a point in where reality ceases (or inter-mingles) with the fantasy and it does take the reader by surprise as up until that point, there was no indication that this was the route it was going to go. The initial pages are an interesting study of the working class Russia in the late 30’s. This genre switch may come across as a strength in the narrative (or a weakness, depending on how you look at it) but at parts, it does seem to undermine the initial emotional investment with the main characters. Still, it was interesting to discover an intriguing world within a world (sometimes referred to as “the other side” or “Not-Leningrad”) where charming characters (both people and animals) makes appearances.
Heavy symbolism and metaphors present itself (e.g. ears growing out of walls) but the story does not dwell into such literary devices too much instead of just providing a passing reference to it. Similar imageries presented towards the last act continues to be abstract as well and it will be interesting to understand how children would react to this book, but there are definitely much for an adult to think and deliberate about. As with all stories with a touch of magical realism, the ending seems ambiguous and a little open-ended and this may just be because there are simply no good ways to bring such tales to a satisfying end. It was definitely an interesting read, and perhaps much has been lost in translation but a Murakami fan would probably enjoy this more.
The story starts off with the antics of young boys, playing near the railroads full of innocence and mischief which should make anyone nostalgic enough. Needless to say, things quickly escalate and pretty soon veers into the reality of the time where everyone is fearful of spies or at least of being perceived as spies. As with Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, The Raven’s Children alternates between what’s real and what’s not so real in the midst of 7-year-old Shura's harsh life. Though it doesn’t become clearly evident when it actually happens, the story crosses a point in where reality ceases (or inter-mingles) with the fantasy and it does take the reader by surprise as up until that point, there was no indication that this was the route it was going to go. The initial pages are an interesting study of the working class Russia in the late 30’s. This genre switch may come across as a strength in the narrative (or a weakness, depending on how you look at it) but at parts, it does seem to undermine the initial emotional investment with the main characters. Still, it was interesting to discover an intriguing world within a world (sometimes referred to as “the other side” or “Not-Leningrad”) where charming characters (both people and animals) makes appearances.
Heavy symbolism and metaphors present itself (e.g. ears growing out of walls) but the story does not dwell into such literary devices too much instead of just providing a passing reference to it. Similar imageries presented towards the last act continues to be abstract as well and it will be interesting to understand how children would react to this book, but there are definitely much for an adult to think and deliberate about. As with all stories with a touch of magical realism, the ending seems ambiguous and a little open-ended and this may just be because there are simply no good ways to bring such tales to a satisfying end. It was definitely an interesting read, and perhaps much has been lost in translation but a Murakami fan would probably enjoy this more.
April 16, 2021
Táto kniha mi veľmi pripomínala Chlapec v pásikavom pyžame. V hlavnej úlohe sme mali taktiež malého chlapca, ktorý nás sprevádzal príbehom a nechal nás svet a históriu vidieť jeho nevinnými očami a musím uznať, že sa Shura sa mi ako hlavný hrdina páčil viac než Bruno. Jeho detská nátura a naivita nebola taká neskutočne okatá ako Brunová. Mohli sme si ju všimnúť hlavne v tom, ako deti opakovali čokoľvek, čo počuli od dospelých, aj keď tomu poriadne nerozumeli (v Amerike je veľa zlodejov, lebo to písali v novinách...).
Kniha sa odohrával v Rusku, rok 1938. A aj keď je príbeh zasadený v Sovietskej Únii a viac by toho povedal ruskému čitateľovi, nemyslím si, že by bolo na škodu, ak by ho čítali aj ostatní. Prekladateľka odviedla skvelú prácu, keď sa snažila, aby bol text univerzálny a mohol si ho prečítať nielen britský, ale aj akýkoľvek iný čitateľ. No uznávam, že mohla odviesť lepšiu prácu, čo sa týkalo celkovej štylistiky textu. Viem, že opakovanie mien a zámen je v angličtine častejšie ako v slovenčine, ale toto už bolo príliš aj na anglický text. Škoda, že sa s touto stránkou textu nepohrala viac a "neučesala ju".
Pri The Raven's Children skritizujem najviac asi samotný dej. Zatiaľ čo kniha sa čítala naozaj dobre a rýchlo, dej bol veľmi mätúci. Od polovice knihy som naozaj nevedela, čo sa deje. Netušila som, čo si chlapec vymýšľa a čo už sú autorkine metafory na históriu. Na konci má čitateľ ešte viac otázok ako na začiatku. Dej bol neukončený, nevysvetlený. A celkový sled udalostí od začiatku do konca nedával veľký zmysel. Želala by som si, aby editori urobili pri tejto knihe lepšiu prácu.
Ak sa vám páčil Chlapec v pásikavom pyžame, tak by sa vám mohla páčiť aj táto kniha. Zatiaľ čo deti sa vydajú na dobrodružstvo spolu so Shurom, dospeláci nazrú viac za oponu a budú vidieť, aký má príbeh skutočný zmysel.
Kniha sa odohrával v Rusku, rok 1938. A aj keď je príbeh zasadený v Sovietskej Únii a viac by toho povedal ruskému čitateľovi, nemyslím si, že by bolo na škodu, ak by ho čítali aj ostatní. Prekladateľka odviedla skvelú prácu, keď sa snažila, aby bol text univerzálny a mohol si ho prečítať nielen britský, ale aj akýkoľvek iný čitateľ. No uznávam, že mohla odviesť lepšiu prácu, čo sa týkalo celkovej štylistiky textu. Viem, že opakovanie mien a zámen je v angličtine častejšie ako v slovenčine, ale toto už bolo príliš aj na anglický text. Škoda, že sa s touto stránkou textu nepohrala viac a "neučesala ju".
Pri The Raven's Children skritizujem najviac asi samotný dej. Zatiaľ čo kniha sa čítala naozaj dobre a rýchlo, dej bol veľmi mätúci. Od polovice knihy som naozaj nevedela, čo sa deje. Netušila som, čo si chlapec vymýšľa a čo už sú autorkine metafory na históriu. Na konci má čitateľ ešte viac otázok ako na začiatku. Dej bol neukončený, nevysvetlený. A celkový sled udalostí od začiatku do konca nedával veľký zmysel. Želala by som si, aby editori urobili pri tejto knihe lepšiu prácu.
Ak sa vám páčil Chlapec v pásikavom pyžame, tak by sa vám mohla páčiť aj táto kniha. Zatiaľ čo deti sa vydajú na dobrodružstvo spolu so Shurom, dospeláci nazrú viac za oponu a budú vidieť, aký má príbeh skutočný zmysel.
December 25, 2020
I also read an uncorrected version of the book, and so my review may not reflect the actual book itself.
It is similar to 1984 (Orwell) and 1Q84 (Murakami), but it lacked the power, details, worldbuilding and other aspects of these powerful books.
I had very mixed feelings about the book. Theoretically, as someone from a post-soviet country, I understood some references, and I can appreciate the idea behind the book, i.e. spreading information about living in the Soviet Union in 1940s, and Soviet Union in general. However, even with that it was a lot to process, and I still did not understand most of it. Only approximately one third in the book I realised that it was fantasy and set in a fictional reality (despite it still being Leningrad / St Petersburg). And the plot was quite messy. Of course, it is all presented through a 7 year-old child's perspective, but it was still hard to process.
Reading it felt like I was reading a book for a literature class, but not being able to understand the plot and the elements on my own. I appreciated the idea, and was interested in finding out about various elements of the soviet life/ideology, but it still felt like a very forced read that I could not figure out or fully enjoy.
It is similar to 1984 (Orwell) and 1Q84 (Murakami), but it lacked the power, details, worldbuilding and other aspects of these powerful books.
I had very mixed feelings about the book. Theoretically, as someone from a post-soviet country, I understood some references, and I can appreciate the idea behind the book, i.e. spreading information about living in the Soviet Union in 1940s, and Soviet Union in general. However, even with that it was a lot to process, and I still did not understand most of it. Only approximately one third in the book I realised that it was fantasy and set in a fictional reality (despite it still being Leningrad / St Petersburg). And the plot was quite messy. Of course, it is all presented through a 7 year-old child's perspective, but it was still hard to process.
Reading it felt like I was reading a book for a literature class, but not being able to understand the plot and the elements on my own. I appreciated the idea, and was interested in finding out about various elements of the soviet life/ideology, but it still felt like a very forced read that I could not figure out or fully enjoy.
April 30, 2020
It looks like there's no entry here for the original Russian-language version, Дети ворона, so I'll use this one. This was intense! The story starts out in the ordinary world--ordinary for 1938 USSR, where Shurka lives an ordinary life with his family and friend. The one truly scary thing in his world are spies--especially when he thinks he may have met one who bought him some ice cream and spends a night sure he's going to be dead by morning of poison.
But that imaginary fear pales next to the reality of first his father disappearing, then waking up to find his mother and little brother gone too, taken by a mysterious figure called The Black Raven, as far as Shurka knows. At this point Shurka's world gets positively surreal, as only a Stalinist nightmare can be, as he joins the crowds of people waiting outside the grey house of the Black Raven, hoping he'll release their innocent family members.
But that imaginary fear pales next to the reality of first his father disappearing, then waking up to find his mother and little brother gone too, taken by a mysterious figure called The Black Raven, as far as Shurka knows. At this point Shurka's world gets positively surreal, as only a Stalinist nightmare can be, as he joins the crowds of people waiting outside the grey house of the Black Raven, hoping he'll release their innocent family members.
August 13, 2022
As good as I knew it would be. I chose to read this after having slowly crept my way through the original Russian, and was pleased to find I'd followed along quite well.
What a chilling little piece of kid-lit. Darker than what you would expect for the age group portrayed in the book (seven years old) but reflective of the terrifying Stalin era for those reported to be an enemy of the state. Masterful translation by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp.
If you're thinking of picking it up for the little ones, do yourself a favor and give it a read yourself to make sure they're the right age. Magical realism takes the edge off of some of the darker passages, but what's more striking and resonant is the unspoken fear of the children upon discovering both parents and a younger sibling have simply disappeared.
What a chilling little piece of kid-lit. Darker than what you would expect for the age group portrayed in the book (seven years old) but reflective of the terrifying Stalin era for those reported to be an enemy of the state. Masterful translation by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp.
If you're thinking of picking it up for the little ones, do yourself a favor and give it a read yourself to make sure they're the right age. Magical realism takes the edge off of some of the darker passages, but what's more striking and resonant is the unspoken fear of the children upon discovering both parents and a younger sibling have simply disappeared.
November 4, 2018
A gripping, moving, and eye-opening story of a young boy finding his way through a suddenly hostile world. I loved the character of Shura, and the book cleverly lets you see things through his eyes while letting you make your own inferences about what's really happening in 1930s Leningrad. Whether or not you're familiar with the setting, I would highly recommend this beautifully written novel. (It's an elegant edition too - I love the red page edges!)
March 16, 2022
An important newer work in Young Adult literature which tells the story of Stalin's purges from the point of view of a child. This will make an excellent addition to the bookshelf for teachers and students who are studying this topic. The author is Russian, and the story is fiction, it is connected to her own family's history. The style may be different than what some readers are used to, but the fantastical nature of it will appeal to some. Full of symbolism. A must read.
March 24, 2025
Новый для меня автор и сразу захватило. Книга была выбрана не мной, и сама я вряд ли бы ее выбрала, но магический реализм придал совершенно новый ракурс этому периоду истории. Казалось бы все здесь уже было сказано много раз, а автору удалось осветить все по-новому глазами ребенка.
“Так вот что значит – не бояться, – думал Шурка. – Это значит – очень-очень бояться, но всё равно идти вперёд, только вперёд.”
Обязательно прочитаю остальные сказки.
“Так вот что значит – не бояться, – думал Шурка. – Это значит – очень-очень бояться, но всё равно идти вперёд, только вперёд.”
Обязательно прочитаю остальные сказки.
November 25, 2018
I wasn’t too sure about this at first. It’s begins quite jumpy and lacks flow, but half way through the plot really takes over and the realisation of what happened to the children of those arrested during The Terror takes over. It’s a clever way of addressing such a horrific event in a way that will engage and inform children of this tragic period in history.
September 25, 2019
Thought-provoking and at times rather surreal. The story started off as historical fiction and then quickly turned into magical realism set in the Soviet Union during Stalin’s political repressions. Definitely an interesting read but maybe a bit too tricky for kids who don’t have any pre-knowledge about Russian history.
March 18, 2024
The Raven's Children is the tale of two children whose parents and younger brother disappeared in Stalin's regime, and their attempts to both survive and make sense of what has happened. It is an interesting work, and being told the story through the eyes and interpretation of children is a fascinating plot device, although it does go a bit askew in the latter part of the book, in my opinion.
August 26, 2018
Highly recommended. Review to appear in Magpies magazine.
November 26, 2018
An interesting read set in Stalin’s Russia. Review on my blog to come.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews