Life before Man

Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Three very different people in a toxic relationship.
I liked very much authors approach, presenting to the reader a starting point for decisions made by the main characters.
But then what?
From the beginning I was not interested in the outcome expecting, that it will only make things worse.
I feel really sorry for them, but I do not find a place for myself in this book.
So I left it somewhere in the middle

View all my reviews

Art of Soviet cooking

Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing by Anya von Bremzen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Very little Soviet cooking in this book.
The book starts with preparation of some very traditional Russian food, not in Soviet Union but in Queens, New York.
Actually I am not sure if there is practical mention about Soviet cooking in this book.
The book says a lot about some 90 years of history of Russia and Soviet Union, but food is secondary in this story and actual cooking is barely mentioned.
It may be worthwhile to mention, that the book is written from the perspective of extremely privileged Soviet family. As such, this family had access to special government food shops with products not available to normal mortals.
As for an express review of Soviet Union history it is written in quiet exciting manner, but as for me it was too fragmented and lacking consistency.

View all my reviews