I should not have liked City of Thieves because I am not drawn to books that are quite so plot-heavy.
But I did like it because "City of Thieves" is a story story. You know, the kind that you begged to be told as a kid – full of adventure, heartbreak, and plot twists. Set during the siege of Leningrad, two teenagers, Lev and Kolya are arrested for their wartime misdeeds. While awaiting execution, they are told by the colonel that if they can round up a dozen eggs for his daughter’s wedding cake their lives will be spared. Benioff’s prose is so seamless and unobtrusive that you never notice all the research and historical details that make up the novel. You will be utterly caught up in Lev and Kolya’s world
