The Last Book Smuggler

by Birute Putrius

In 1902 Lithuania, a group of rebels armed with books triumphs against the mighty Russian Empire.

Part folktale, part thriller, THE LAST BOOK SMUGGLER tells the story of Ada and her grandfather Viktoras, an old book smuggler tired of his forty-year battle to keep his language alive despite the attempts of the Russian Empire to destroy it. Into their world steps Jonas, a young man in love with Ada and ready to join the underground book smugglers. But there is a traitor in their midst who must stop them or lose everything.

Based on the author's grandfather, who was a book smuggler, the novel deftly captures the politics and dangers of the times while bringing to life an engaging and quirky family, with an element of the supernatural.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 13, 2018

About the author

Birute Putrius, author of Lost Birds and The Last Book Smuggler, lives in California. Her fiction, poetry, and translations have appeared in numerous publications, and her short stories have been optioned for film.

Reviews

[〰️Beth〰️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book for lovers of the written word, in any language.

As a Lithuanian American I was excited to find this book. My family has always been proud of our heritage, especially Lithuanian songs and books. You do not have to be from the Baltic to enjoy this read. Anyone who takes pride in books or language will enjoy this tale.

I have to admit the beginning was slow and I feared my expectations would be met but after few chapters I was drawn into the story. Part folktale, part history, part magical realism, The Last Book Smuggler tells the story of a quirky family at the beginning of the 20th Century in rural Lithuania under Russian occupation where teaching and reading Lithuanian was banned.

At times funny, sad and hopeful but definitely worth the read.

[Jurate Motiejunaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully written story. I must say, I was wary to start - the history of book smugglers in Lithuania is not a happy one, and I was expecting a very historical (i.e. didactic, dry, and only appealing to people like me who know and care about this history) story. Was I wrong! "The Last Book Smuggler" is a romance, a thriller, a magical realist story that will educate the readers in a completely unobtrusive way about the history of Lithuania, its struggle to retain the language despite the Russian colonization, and the daily lives of Lithuanians in early 20th century.

The romance is touching without being cheesy. The thriller is captivating and motivated by both personal (family traditions, love) and political aspirations (preserving the written Lithuanian word). The setting will take you through different seasons and places, and it will not only make you feel like you are in a Lithuanian village, but also see it through the prism Lithuanians' devout love for trees, mushrooms, and folk tales.

The characters are authentic and are a homage, with a new twist, to canonical Lithuanian writers who have unearthed "the diamonds" among Lithuanian peasants. They grow as the story develops, and you will cheer for strong women, stubborn men, and, of course, the book smugglers.

My favorite and completely unexpected part was the magical realist twist to rustic Lithuanian life. This story will pull you into Lithuanian pagan mythology, folk superstitions, and make you look at nature in a new way. The narrator's nostalgic and sometimes cheeky tone has made it a refreshing and exciting read.

[Janet C-B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of a peasant family set in Lithuania in 1902. The historical period is during the Russian occupation of Lithuania, when there was a ban on Lithuanian newspapers, books and suppression of the Lithuanian language. The story encompasses romance, adventure, family life and Lithuanian folklore. I found it a slow moving story, but I learned a lot about Lithuanian history during the early 1900’s. I read this book as part of an Around the World reading challenge.
I rate it 3 stars.

[Vanessa Freshwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal story inspired by true historical events. Beautifully written about a piece of history that many don’t know about: book smuggling during Soviet oppression. Love, loss and risk during difficult times pre WWI. Highly recommend!

[Linda Dickinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gift from my daughter-in-law who is Lithuanian. I enjoyed the historical fiction story and especially admired the passion that the book smugglers embodied for the preservation of their language and culture. Parts of the book (young lovers, family strife, traditions) reminded me of Fiddler on the Roof. I appreciated reading a bit about the history of Jews in Lithuania as I am Jewish myself.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and well written account of the trails and tribulations of Lithuanian farm life in the beginning of the twentieth century as seen by a young woman and her grandfather. Both are engaged in the smuggling of literature written in their native language, a practice that was illegal in the days of the Czars. They struggle not only against the Russian police, but also against gossiping neighbors, a scheming member of the "gentry", and a strange poltergeist that takes up residence in the family's pantry. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

[Sandra The Old Woman in a Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a disastrous attempt at reading a classic Lithuanian novel for my around-the-world tour, Vilnius Poker, I settled on Putrius’ more accessible novel. Much, much better. This is the type of novel I seek out for my armchair tourism. The Last Book Smuggler is written as a family saga, centered around Lithuania’s infamous efforts to preserve their language and literature when it was banned by Russian occupiers. The story unfolds in a linear fashion and feels somewhat like a Baltic Pride and Prejudice with a heavy layering of traditional folk tales, proverbs, and wisdom. It’s perfect for people wanting to better understand (or get to know for the first time) Lithuanian history and culture. I also found the descriptions of the landscape gave a strong physical sense of place to the story.

Overall the book was a little more romance than I prefer and the the petulant, pouting, swooning, gossiping women rather tired me at times. But all in all I enjoyed the novel from beginning to end.

[Alesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about rural Lithuanian in this book, a simple little story packed with history. It’s 1902 and the Russian tsar, who rules Lithuanian, has outlawed books or schooling in the local language. The farmers have developed a smuggling route to bring in books and periodicals, risking their lives.

The Russian captain in charge of the town bribes a nobleman who is down on his luck due to a gambling addiction to ferret out information on the smugglers by romancing a local beauty. Will she succumb to his evil manipulations? Or will she stay true to her love for the handsome smuggler hero?

Oh wait — there’s a traditional imp causing magical troubles in the pantry. And a mini-sermon on how Lithuanian is derived from the same root as Sanskrit.

Wonderful information, packed into a predictable but satisfying story.

[Amelia King · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading a book about Lithuania during this time and having bits and pieces of Lithuanian history, folklore, and traditions strewn in as well. I enjoyed it but it was amateurish in the writing. It was at times predictable and quite frankly had almost nothing about book smuggling in it, which was disappointing. I also hated the ending- it seemed like the author wanted it to end a certain way and so a lot of events were thrown into the last 2 pages of the book! It did not progress well- just a lot happened at the end and I hated that Ada had to wait longer for her wedding.

Overall, an enjoyable read that was surprisingly light at times.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. Well written and informative about an important part of Lithuania's history. At times, a little contrived and didactic just to make sure the reader is up on the facts. But, all's well that ends well with a satisfying ending.

This quote from another person's review of a different book, captures a weakness of this book by demonstrating the opposite: "....X's novels are the product of enormous research, but she rarely shows her work..."

[Linda Slonksnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of history packed into a well-written story. Set between 1902 and 1904, Ada’s grandfather teaches her many life lessons. This book speaks to the history of Lithuania, the struggles of keeping ones own language alive during Russian occupation, Lithuanian folklore, and young love.

The writing is smooth, the story enchanting. The writer obviously completed a lot of research.

[Nijole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read

Well-written story enlightens on customs & culture of a time gone by. A little difficult with scenes in which six or more people mentioned as the people are sometimes referred to by name and, in other instances by pronouns.

[Rasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful gem of a book. Interesting characters, and the writing transports you back to another time and place. I loved it.

[Agne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The topic is really cool and touching personally and I'm happy I read it. However, it seems that the historical and cultural tidbits are forced into the book and felt a bit awkward to read.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. Not only because it was a peek at what Lithuania would have been like when my ancestors lived there, but also because it was wonderfully written story. Thank you to the author for sharing this story

[Cai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing writing, amazing story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read this and was utterly captivated by how good this story is and I adore the main character so much and you will too!

[Marie Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was honestly so charming. It was like a fairy tale. No one is terribly complex, but everyone is likeable and the small town is a fully realized setting that you become immersed in. I learned a lot about Lithuania along the way too.

[Jennifer Virskus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by true events, The Last Book Smuggler is a story that you probably have never heard of, but it's a story you should know about. During Tsarist Russia, Russification made it illegal to read and write in Lithuanian (and the languages of other occupied territories). This novel portrays the complicated relationship between Lithuanians and Russia, a 20th century David and Goliath story. You will get a sense of what it was like to live in Lithuania under Russification, as well as a sense of the deep and spiritual culture that survives today. After you read this book, you may very well want to visit Lithuania—and you should!