Hilarious, Moving, and Sad: Why ‘City of Thieves’ is so Good
World War II Russia is the backdrop to a beautifully-written story
I’ve read several World War II novels recently, including Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse-Five. City of Thieves, unlike these two, is set in the Soviet Union during the second world war, and focuses on two young Russian men who are trying to survive. Despite this grim setting, author David Benioff weaves a great deal of humor into the narrative, creating a final product that is hilarious, but also deeply sad and incredibly compelling.
The main plot points involve Lev and Kolya, two teenagers who end up on the wrong side of the Soviet authorities in Leningrad. Instead of death or forced labor though, a Colonel promises them their freedom if they can find a dozen eggs to make a cake for his daughter. This is where the humor and absurdity come into play — in the midst of one of the worst conflicts the world has ever seen, two young men try to find a carton of eggs to make a birthday cake. Benioff’s characters react to this impossible and ridiculous task with appropriate outrage and sarcasm, and the ensuing dialog is part of what elevates this book as a whole.
Despite moments of levity, this is still a deeply sad book. Many people die throughout its relatively short page count, and the oppressive bleakness of World War II Russia undergirds every event and line of dialog. Lev and Kolya are never more than a few steps ahead of death, and it’s clear that this takes a lot out of them. This doesn’t mean that the occasionally light moments feel out of place or insensitive though. They come across as a powerful coping mechanism from two people faced with an impossible demand.
As the plot progresses and Lev and Kolya make their way through several different events, it becomes more and more clear that Benioff is a master writer. His two protagonists are the best written of the bunch, but City of Thieves is filled with an interesting supporting cast that makes the diverse locations feel real and lived-in. Benioff’s world is alternatively sad and humorous, but it always feels like a real place that is deeply compelling.
I found this book because its influence on The Last of Us, and there are clear similarities — interesting dialog, a bleak world, an impossible task — between the two. City of Thieves stands on its own, though, and it’s well worth a read from anyone. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, war-torn settings, or just books with well-developed characters.
