The Madonnas of Leningrad

Last updated
The Madonnas of Leningrad
The Madonnas of Leningrad.jpg
Author Debra Dean
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish
Genre Historical fiction
Published2006 (William Morrow)
Media typePrint (Hardback)
Pages231
ISBN 9780060825300
OCLC 60589207

The Madonnas of Leningrad, Debra Dean's first novel, tells the story of Marina, a docent at the State Hermitage Museum during the 900-day Siege of Leningrad. Marina's clear and detailed recollections of the Hermitage collection and the war are interspersed with her current dementia-impaired life in Seattle, Washington as she prepares to attend a granddaughter's wedding. The novel uses the vivid memories of the past to contrast with the struggles of an Alzheimer's victim in dealing with everyday life.

Contents

Publication

Reception

The Madonnas of Leningrad received mixed reviews. The Guardian wrote "Debra Dean paints a powerful portrait of a woman with Alzheimer's, a disease that makes the past an increasingly persistent intrusion on the present." [1] A review by the Historical Novel Society called it "a beautifully-written novel, a haunting tribute to the power of memory to help us survive in the worst of times." [2] and Ruth Rendell described it as "marvellous". [3] The New York Times observed that "The story is a little too schematic, and Dean's writing a little uneven", but also said that "it largely avoids the sentimentality that mars so much writing about the old and infirm." [4]

The Madonnas of Leningrad has also been reviewed by BookPage, [5] Publishers Weekly , [6] and Kirkus Reviews . [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Rendell</span> English writer (1930–2015)

Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries.

<i>The Speaker of Mandarin</i>

The Speaker of Mandarin is a detective novel by British crime writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1983. It is the 12th novel in her popular Inspector Wexford series. The plot follows the popular Kingsmarkham policeman as he returns from a holiday to China and investigates the death of another tourist.

<i>Some Lie and Some Die</i>

Some Lie And Some Die is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1973. It is the 8th entry in her popular Inspector Wexford series. The book was adapted in 1990 into a TV movie starring Peter Capaldi.

<i>The Blood Doctor</i>

The Blood Doctor is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, written under the pseudonym Barbara Vine.

<i>The Abstinence Teacher</i>

The Abstinence Teacher is a 2007 novel by American author Tom Perrotta. It tells the story of Ruth Ramsey, a divorced sexual education teacher who lives in suburban New Jersey and comes into conflict with the town's conservative population. According to Perrotta, it is "all about sex education and the culture wars." He was inspired to write the novel after reading of the influence of evangelical voters on the 2004 presidential election, stating, "I did feel somewhat inadequate as a novelist, just like I'd missed something huge happening in this country. I really did set out to kind of investigate that world." The novel also touches on other issues such as homophobia and sexism in the suburban setting.

<i>English, August</i> Book by Upamanyu Chatterjee

English, August: An Indian Story is a novel by Indian author Upamanyu Chatterjee. It is written in English and first published in 1988. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 1994. The novel portrays the struggle of a civil servant who is posted in a rural area and is considered to be a very authentic portrayal of the state of Indian youth in the 1980s. Chatterjee, who became a civil servant in 1983, provides key insight into the disparity between rural and urban lived experiences witnessed in his generation. The key character, Agastya Sen, can also be seen in the sequel of this novel The Mammaries of the Welfare State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgardo Vega Yunqué</span> Puerto Rican writer

Edgardo Vega Yunqué was a Puerto Rican novelist and short story writer, who also used the Americanized pen name Ed Vega.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dara Horn</span> American writer, novelist and professor (born 1977)

Dara Horn is an American novelist, essayist, and professor of literature. She has written five novels and in 2021, released a nonfiction essay collection titled People Love Dead Jews, which was a finalist for the 2021 Kirkus Prize in nonfiction. She won the Edward Lewis Wallant Award in 2002, the National Jewish Book Award in 2003 and 2006, and the Harold U. Ribalow Prize in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debra Dean</span> American writer

Debra Lynn Dean is an American writer, best known for her 2006 novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad.

<i>Tigerlilys Orchids</i>

Tigerlily's Orchids is a 2010 book by the British crime-writer Ruth Rendell. It is her 60th published novel.

<i>The Saint Zita Society</i>

The Saint Zita Society is the 62nd novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell, a standalone novel. It is not part of her popular Inspector Wexford series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrej Blatnik</span>

Andrej Blatnik is a Slovene writer, editor, and university professor.

<i>Weedflower</i> 2006 childrens novel by Cynthia Kadohata

Weedflower is a 2006 American children's historical novel by Cynthia Kadohata, the author of the award-winning Kira-Kira. The cover photography of the first edition is by Kamil Vojnar. The story is set in the United States during World War II and told from the perspective of 12-year-old Japanese-American Sumiko. A 6.5-hour-long audiobook version of Weedflower, read by Kimberly Farr, has been published.

<i>The Girl Next Door</i> (Rendell novel)

The Girl Next Door is a novel by British crime author Ruth Rendell which is published in 2014. It was the last of her novels published in her lifetime.

<i>The Memory of Love</i> 2010 novel by Aminatta Forna

The Memory of Love is a 2010 novel by Aminatta Forna about the experiences of three men in Sierra Leone. In 2022, it was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, selected to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

<i>The Map of True Places</i>

The Map of True Places is a 2010 novel by Brunonia Barry. It is about a psychotherapist, Zee Finch, who returns to her family home in Salem, Massachusetts.

<i>The Mirrored World</i>

The Mirrored World is a 2012 novel by Debra Dean that presets a fictionalized account of Xenia of Saint Petersburg.

<i>Confessions of a Falling Woman</i>

Confessions of a Falling Woman and Other Stories is a 2008 short story collection by Debra Dean. It is a 2009 Paterson Fiction Prize winner, and was on the longlist of the 2008 Florida Book Awards.

Mary Elizabeth Hirsh, better known as Mimi Hirsh was an American novelist who wrote under the pen name, M.E. Hirsh. She was born in Waltham, Massachusetts and raised in nearby Newton.

<i>The Imaginary</i> (novel) Childrens book

The Imaginary is a 2014 British children's novel written by A. F. Harrold and illustrated by Emily Gravett. It is about a small girl, Amanda, and her imaginary friend, Rudger. An anime film adaptation by Studio Ponoc has been announced. Initially set for a Q3 2022 release, it was later delayed to 15 December 2023 due to production issues.

References

  1. Elena Seymenliyska (July 2, 2006). "Books: Museum peace". The Guardian. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  2. "The Madonnas of Leningrad". historicalnovelsociety.org. Historical Novel Society. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  3. Arifa Akbar (August 5, 2010). "One Minute With Ruth Rendell" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  4. Gregory Cowles (April 30, 2006). "Sunday Book Review: Fiction Chronicle". New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  5. Leslie Budewitz (April 2006). "The Madonnas of Leningrad: The memory palace". BookPage. BookPage and ProMotion Inc. Retrieved May 26, 2018. an artful story, lovingly told, that illustrates how humans deal with trauma the physical privations and fears of war, and the slow deterioration of the mind itself.
  6. "The Madonnas of Leningrad". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. November 21, 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2018. Although none of the characters emerges particularly vividly (Marina included), memory, the hopes one pins on it and the letting go one must do around it all take on real poignancy, giving the story a satisfying fullness.
  7. "The Madonnas of Leningrad". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. December 15, 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2018. A thoughtful tragedy that morphs into a tear-jerker in the third act.