David Benioff's second novel City of Thieves is inspired by the author's grandfather's stories about World War II and the Leningrad siege. Benioff begins with a frame narrative in which he introduces us to his grandfather, "the knife fighter, who killed two Germans before he was eighteen." We assume that the story that follows details the grandfather's experiences during the war.
Benioff's grandfather, Lev Beniov, narrates a story that occurred when he was younger, forcing him to grow up when he was only 17 years old. Lev is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a Russian army deserter named Kolya. Lev and Kolya are offered the chance to save themselves from execution: Find a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet official to use in a wedding cake. In a city under the duress of siege, in which people are forced to practice cannibalism to survive, finding 12 eggs is a near impossible task.
The duo of Lev and Kolya approach the assignment with an enthusiasm that can only accompany the "your life depends upon it" kind of mission. Lev, an awkward wannabe poet, is both awed and irritated by the handsome Kolya: his crude and nonchalant nature is sometimes a little too much, especially in the face of overwhelming despair. But the duo has wonderful chemistry - a fact that becomes especially important when the pair attracts the attention of two cannibals.
Benioff weaves a deft narrative that combines a coming-of-age story with a historical thriller. It's obvious that the author has done his research: For example, a tragic-comic gallows scene, and nip-and-tuck dialogue concerning a house of prostitutes offer small details without overwhelming the reader with historical back story.
David Benioff is most famous as a screenplay writer. His credits include movies such as Troy, The Kite Runner and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He's married to beautiful film actress Amanda Peet and isn't too bad on the eyes himself. His first novel, The 25th Hour, was turned into a movie of the same title, starring Edward Norton and directed by Spike Lee. Benioff's cinematic experience leaves its mark on City of Thieves, as it is evident that he has a gift for creating fast-paced chase scenes and sweeping, climatic battles. His dialogue, often dry and witty, is spot on, and travels at breakneck speed. After this novel gets on track, which happens somewhere within the first 20 pages, it is impossible to put down.
Benioff offers no pretensions at high literature. His varied supporting cast is often caricatured; his resolution ties everything up a little too neatly; there are a few moments that come off as corny. But Benioff's obvious attention to research, his knack for dialogue and his breakneck action sequences makes the novel incredibly entertaining - perfect for a quick Winter Break read.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
