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Books Set in Eastern Europe & Russia
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you found this list looking for Books Set in Russia or Eastern Europe, or as part of our Book Voyage reading challenge, we hope it includes the perfect book for you.
Eastern Europe: Its People, Conflicts, and Changing Borders
While many of the countries in the western half of Europe are very well known to Americans, as you journey further to the east the region holds more of an air of mystery. This is true in part because the western countries have historically been easier to visit, while many of the Eastern European countries were behind the “Iron Curtain” for much of the 20th century.
The fall of the USSR, in 1991, lead to the creation of more than a dozen new nation-states, and the names and borders of countries in this region have continued to shift and change over the past several decades. Although it’s easy to lump these countries together because of their shared history, the truth is that they are extremely diverse, and we are excited to explore their unique cultures through this month’s books.
Watching the news provides a big-picture view of current events and conflicts around the world, but books can help us better understand the everyday citizens who are caught in the middle. Especially in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we hope that our list of books set in Ukraine will help you learn more about this country’s past and present.
List of Eastern European Countries
Depending on the context – geographical, political, cultural, or historical – you’ll find various answers as to which countries are classified as “Eastern Europe.” In this region, there are numerous countries, like Russia, that straddle the border between Europe and Asia. Additionally, there are numerous countries on the European continent that are considered part of the Middle East from a geo-political perspective. We will be reading books set in the Middle East another month for the Book Voyage Challenge, so we have not included those countries on this month’s list.
For purposes of this reading challenge, we consider Eastern Europe to include the following: Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Czechia (formerly known as the Czech Republic), Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Albania, North Macedonia, mainland Greece (the Greek Islands are included with our Island Books), Georgia, Chechnya, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
What Kind of Books are Included On This List?
We’ve compiled a list of books set in more than 20 different countries, including many of the best Eastern European novels, some wonderful YA books set in Russia and Eastern Europe, and plenty of historical fiction, memoirs, and fascinating non-fiction reads.
We’ve worked hard to curate book recommendations that feature many Eastern European writers, and we’ve placed an emphasis on books that not only take place in Eastern Europe but also provide atmospheric descriptions that will really transport you to the country of your choice.
Throughout the list, we noted the books currently available as part of Kindle Unlimited Subscriptions.
Highly-Rated Books About Eastern Europe
I Must Betray You
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
In 1989, Communist regimes were falling throughout Eastern Europe, but Romania was still under the control of a tyrant – Nicolae Ceaușescu. Seventeen-year-old Cristian wants to be a writer, but writing freely is not possible in his world.
When Cristian is forced to be an informer for the secret police, he must decide if he’s willing to betray those he loves or if he can somehow use the terrible situation to help take down Ceaușescu.
The Book Girls Say…
Ruta Sepetys has a gift for telling untold stories in compelling, relatable ways, and this book was no exception! It immediately earned a place on our list of our favorite books of 2022. While this novel is classified as YA, the characters and subject matter are very well-researched and complex, making it very enjoyable for adult readers.
We’ve had more than 100 of our readers rate this book across our Decades and Book Voyage Challenges, and it is universally loved!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Cellist of Sarajevo
Book Summary
This novel transports you to the 1992 Siege of Sarajevo as three people try to survive in a city rife with desperation. One sorrowing cellist continues to play, undaunted by all around him.
His mission started when a shell landed on a bread line, killing twenty-two as a cellist watched from his window. He vowed to play Albinoni’s Adagio once a day for twenty-two days, for each of the twenty-two victims.
The book is told through the stories of three characters trying to survive a normal day during the Siege. Kenan and Dragan are strangers, but each faces paralyzing fear as they try to access food or water. “Arrow” is a female sniper, tasked with protecting the cellist as he plays his memorials. Through their day, each character must make hard choices about prioritizing themselves or helping others.
The Book Girls Say…
While author Steven Galloway is Canadian without prior ties to Sarajevo, he has put together a well-written, well-researched tale about cellist Vedran Smailovic, who did play for 22 days in 1992 to honor victims, even as snipers fired at each other around him. There is a 5-minute audio report about Vedran Smailovic available from the BBC, which includes some of his playing. The Siege of Sarajevo lasted 1,425 days, the longest a capital city has been under attack in modern times.
Hard by a Great Forest
Book Summary
When they were children, Saba and his brother fled the conflict in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. They are still struggling to make peace with what their mother sacrificed for them by remaining in the war zone so that they could escape with their father. Years later, the brothers are young adults when their father returns to the destruction of their beautiful homeland, and then disappears. Saba’s older brother soon follows in search of their dad, only to disappear as well.
Now alone in the world, Saba sets off for his homeland determined to follow a trail of clues to find his family. Joined by new friends and old ghosts, Saba must battle dangers he thought he’d left behind.
The Book Girls Say…
The title of this literary fiction novel echoes the first line of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale Hansel & Gretel: “Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children.” Like the children in that story, Saba follows a trail of breadcrumbs in the form of coded clues in his search for his family. Elements of other fairy tales, like those that Saba’s mother once whispered to him, are woven throughout the novel.
Author Leo Vardiashvili was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and moved to London with his family in 1995 as a 12-year-old refugee. Nearly twenty years later, he finally returned to Georgia for the first time. The memories he made on that trip would later influence his debut novel, Hard by a Great Forest.
The Memory Keeper of Kyiv
Book Summary
In 1929, sixteen year old Katya has a good life and is in love with the boy next door. The first time Stalin’s men come to her village, it’s just a few men with a low-pressure offer to join a farming collective.
But then neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain.
Resistance has a price, and soon the idea of mere survival feels like a dream.
Seventy years later, a journal is discovered by a young widow and she discovers long-buried secrets of her family history.
The Book Girls Say…
International Bestselling Author Erin Litteken used her degree in history, passion for research, and her great-grandmother stories about life in Ukraine before and during the war to create this historical fiction book about the Holodomor genocide.
Upon its release, she said “I never imagined the release of my novel on a past oppression of the Ukrainian people would coincide with such a parallel tragedy.” A share of proceeds from the book will be donated to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Book Summary
This gorgeously written and heartbreaking novel tells the story of a tragic wildfire and how it forever changes the lives of a Greek family and their village.
Irini teaches music, her husband, Tasso, paints pictures of the ancient forest surrounding their home, and together they are raising their young daughter, Chara, whose name means joy.
When a wildfire rips through the forest and destroys their home and their village, the family is left to grapple with the cause while the village tries to rebuild. The fire was started by a landowner attempting to use a controlled burn to clear the site for redevelopment, but it quickly got out of control.
Months later, Irini encounters the man who started the fire. He is dying, but in her anger Irini makes a rash decision that results in a police investigation.
Due to burns on his hands, Tasso is unable to paint. He struggles to cope with the loss of his artistic voice, his beloved forest, and his father, who hasn’t been seen since before the fire. If it weren’t for his young daughter, he wouldn’t have any hope for the future.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Christy Lefteri was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents who fled Greece and arrived in the UK as refugees six years before. In 2016 and 2017, Christy spent time volunteering in Athens at a center for women and children displaced by the war in Syria.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
A Shadow in Moscow
Book Summary
This dual-timeline historical fiction novel is told from alternating points of two female spies.
Ingrid Bauer lost her entire family in World War II. A decade later, she agrees to a hasty marriage to a Soviet embassy worker and moves with him to Moscow in the 1950s. Despite his gentle demeanor, Ingrid comes to suspect that her new husband, in fact, works for the KGB. After her daughter is born, Ingrid risks everything when she begins passing along intelligence to Britain, her mother’s home country.
In 1980, Anya Kadinova is set to return to Moscow after finishing her degree at Georgetown University. Despite being raised by loyal Soviet parents, Anya has gained much respect for the US after taking part in the Foreign Studies Initiative. Upon returning home at the height of the Cold War, she witnesses the increasingly oppressive Soviet regime. After the KGB murders her best friend, Anya contacts the CIA and begins passing along intelligence that she gains from working in a military research lab.
As the novel progresses, Ingrid’s storyline catches up to Anya’s where an unprecedented act of treachery will threaten all undercover agents in the Soviet Union.
The Book Girls Say…
US-born author Katherine Reay took a trip to Russia in 1985, the year that her novel ends. Her memory of the emotions of the trip inspired her to research and write this historical fiction story.
For another look at Russia in the 1980s, consider The Orchard by Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry. This 2022 literary fiction novel follows two best friends from their teen years in the USSR to their adult lives two decades later. Gorcheva-Newberry is a Russian-Armenian émigré who moved to the United States in 1995 after witnessing perestroika and the fall of the Iron Curtain.
When the Summer Was Ours
Book Summary
Wealthy aristocrat Eva is engaged to a doctor and spending her last single summer at her family’s estate in Sopron. However, she meets a Romani fiddler and artist, Aleandrao, and they quickly fall in love despite the differences in class that make them look incompatible to outsiders.
The outbreak of war separates Eva and Aleandro, but their chance meeting that summer leads to decisions that change their individual futures.
The Book Girls Say…
This historical fiction spans well beyond WW2 in Hungary and will also help you learn about the Hungarian uprising of 1956.
Author Roxanne Veletzos was born in Bucharest, Romania. She moved to California as a teen, and soon after began writing short stories about her native Eastern Europe. At first, her writing was a way to help her transition to a new culture, and now, as a published author, she shares her stories with us to shed light on untold stories.
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Book Summary
Croatia is a lovely place to vacation with its sunshine, pebbly beaches, and crystal-clear water. But Kate isn’t there for that – she’s hoping to disappear. Her life has recently fallen apart in a spectacular and public manner, and she’s looking forward to spending time on the island of Hvar where no one recognizes her.
She never expects to find a connection with another lonely soul there. Right away, she recognizes that Alex is different from any other man she’s met. Their connection is undeniable, and she finds it easy to open up to him. But she’s not the only one in Hvar hiding secrets, and it’s only a matter of time before the truth catches up with them.
The Book Girls Say…
Isabelle Broom has written many romance novels set in beautiful and unique corners of the world, but not all of her books are easily accessible in the United States. Fortunately, The Getaway is readily available in the US. We also recommend her Prague set novel, A Year and a Day, although that one you’ll likely have to order a used copy of.
Another fun romance novel set in Croatia is The Secret Cove in Croatia by Julie Caplin. This is book 5 in the Romantic Escapes series, but it reads well as an independent standalone. The good news is that if you love this book, you can also look forward to armchair traveling to many more destinations through the pages of this series, including Copenhagen, Paris, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, and Iceland.
Rooster House: My Ukrainian Family Story
Book Summary
This moving memoir intertwines the history of the author’s Ukrainian family with the history of their homeland. When the Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014, Victoria Belim watched the news as the landmarks of her family’s personal geography were plunged into chaos and destruction.
From her hometown of Kyiv to Crimea, where she was once sent to school to escape the radiation from the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. And from Kharkiv, where her grandmother studied economics and found love to Kharkv Donetsk, where her father once worked. And even Mariupol, where she and her mother bought a cherry tree for her grandmother’s garden. All of these places that held special memories for her family became battlegrounds.
She lived in Belgium at the time but felt compelled to return to the country she once called home. She wanted to visit her grandmother and cousin, unravel a generations-old family mystery, and better understand her homeland’s tragic history and present.
The Book Girls Say…
From the conflict of war to the beauty of art and gardens, this memoir examines the history of Ukraine through the eyes of one family. It is tragic and moving, but also, at times, laugh-out-loud funny.
For a fictional look at life in Ukraine in 2014, we recommend I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Kalani Pickhart. Readers say that this book will give you good insight into the precursors to the current situation in Ukraine with Russia. Keep in mind, however, that this book has a non-linear timeline and a very unique format that weaves together poetry, news articles, and songs, in addition to the character’s stories. Some readers find this style hard to follow.
The Keeper of Hidden Books
Book Summary
In Warsaw, Zofia depends on books and her best friend, Janina, to endure the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland. However, as bombing increases, even books are endangered. Zofia begins hiding books away, and even starts an underground book club. When Janina is forced into a newly established ghetto, she still doesn’t give up her love of reading.
However, as the war continues, Zofia and Janina’s activities put them at risk. Can they save both Janina and the literature that has brought them so much comfort?
The Book Girls Say…
This book was a 2023 Goodreads Choice Finalist for Best Historical Fiction. It’s both heart-warming and heart-breaking, so be sure to have Kleenex on hand.
Author Madeline Martin describes herself as a “Military Brat” who was raised primarily in Germany. She attributes her love of history and research to her childhood spent visiting castles and seeing sites that most only get to read about in books. While preparing to write this novel, she visited Poland to do significant hands-on research.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
A Bend in the Stars
Book Summary
Miri, a doctor, and her brother Vanya, a physicist were raised by their babushka, a famous matchmaker who has taught them to protect themselves at all costs. It’s the summer of 1914 and war with Germany is looming. As Miri and Vanya race against Einstein to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the universe, they are also trying to escape the anti-Semitism and violence overtaking their country.
When Vanya and Miri’s fiancé both go missing, Miri braves the firing squad to go looking for them. With an eclipse darkening the skies, the safety of Miri’s family and the future of science hangs in the balance.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is inspired by the real 1914 eclipse. The characters crisscross Russia and provide an excellent look at Russian-Jewish life, as well as the surprising feelings from the public and government toward science at the time.
In an interview, author Rachel Barenbaum revealed her fascination with writing about Russia comes from her own family heritage. Her grandparents came to the US from Russia, but she has never visited Russia or learned the language because it is forbidden by her family. Her family barely even spoke of Russia or the Soviet Union, which of course, only wanted to make her dig deeper into her research.
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The Invisible Bridge
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Book Summary
In 1937, Andras, a young Hungarian-Jewish architecture student, departs Budapest. He is bound for Paris with a scholarship, one suitcase, and a mysterious letter he promised to deliver. Soon he will find himself falling deeply in love with Klara – the letter’s recipient. But Klara has doubts, and she isn’t very open about her past.
As the Third Reich rises to power, Andres and Klara leave Paris and seek safety back home in Hungary. Eventually, Andras will discover a secret that will alter the course of his life and his family’s history.
This book will take you from the grand opera houses of Budapest and Paris to the small Hungarian town of Konyár, and from the Carpathian Mountains to the Hungarian labor camps.
The Book Girls Say…
If you’re looking for a quick read, keep looking. This one comes in at more than 750 pages. But if you want an award-winning historical fiction novel that sheds light on lesser-known aspects of WWII and is filled with romance and beautifully developed characters, grab a cozy blanket and crack this one open.
Author Julie Orringer was raised in the United States to a Hungarian family, and she was inspired to write this novel after asking her Hungarian-Jewish grandparents to share their stories. She then crafted a fiction story that honored their experiences without directly following their lives.
The Girl They Left Behind
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In 1941, Romania was newly allied with the German army, and the Jewish population was in grave danger of persecution. One freezing night, a young Jewish girl’s parents are forced to leave her behind, and she is found on the steps of an apartment building in Bucharest.
The girl is placed in an orphanage and eventually adopted by a wealthy couple that renames her Natalia. She comes of age in Romania under Soviet occupation, where life behind the Iron Curtain feels bleak and hopeless.
When Natalia is in her early twenties and working at a warehouse packing fruit, she is reunited with Victor, who she had a secret crush on in her younger years. He is now an important official in the Communist regime, and the two are fatefully drawn into a passionate affair despite the obstacles swirling around them and Victor’s dark secrets. When Natalia is suddenly offered a one-time chance at freedom, Victor is determined to help her escape, even if it means losing her. She must make an agonizing decision: remain in Bucharest with her beloved adoptive parents and the man she has come to love, or seize the chance to live life on her own terms.
The Book Girls Say…
This historical fiction novel is perfect for fans of Lilac Girls and Sarah’s Key.
Author Roxanne Veletzos was born in Bucharest, Romania. She moved to California as a teen, and soon after began writing short stories about her native Eastern Europe. At first, her writing was a way to help her transition to a new culture, and now, as a published author, she shares her stories with us to shed light on untold stories.
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Book Summary
This suspenseful novel will take you through different phases of Bulgarian history. Twenty-six-year-old American Alexandra travels to the beautiful city of Sofia, hoping the change of scenery will help her deal with the loss of her brother. After arriving and helping an elderly couple into a taxi, she realizes that she still has one of their bags.
When she discovers that the bag holds a box of ashes, she’s determined to find the couple. Her search encompasses experiences that teach her about the history and culture of Bulgaria, which is a more dangerous investigation than she expected.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Elizabeth Kostova holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan. Elizabeth first visited Bulgaria in 1989 when she was in her mid-twenties. She went to study the country’s folksongs and ended up meeting her future husband, Bulgarian scholar George Kostov. In 2007, she created the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation to help support the translation of contemporary Bulgarian literature into English.
The Diamond Eye
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This historical fiction novel is based on the true story of Lyudmila (Mila) Pavlichenko, a Ukrainian sniper who fought against the Nazis during WWII. The novel follows Mila’s journey from a young woman studying history in Kyiv to a decorated war hero known as “Lady Death.”
In the late 1930s, Mila is a 24-year-old student and library worker living in Kyiv. She is intelligent, independent, and fiercely patriotic. When the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, she joined the Red Army. Mila quickly proves to be a natural sniper.
This novel is told in two timelines – the first being Mila’s time on the battlefield. The second timeline follows Mila’s press tour in Washington DC.
When news of her 300th kill makes her a national hero, she is sent to the United States on a 1942 goodwill tour. In the US, she pleads for the US to send weapons and troops to Europe to help stop the Germans. She also forms an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Throughout the novel, in addition to Mila’s perspective, we also see short notes from Eleanor Roosevelt and chapters from the point of view of an unnamed marksman who has been tasked with assassinating Franklin Roosevelt and framing Mila for the murder.
The Book Girls Say…
This historical fiction novel has a little of everything—from the frontlines of war to romance and mystery. Some reviewers say that the beginning and end of this book move quickly, but the middle drags a bit with a few too many detailed battlefield scenes, although others cite those scenes as their favorites.
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Book Summary
In 1991, 10-year-old Ana had no idea that Yugoslavia was about to erupt into the chaos that would eventually lead her home region of Croatia to become its own country.
Ana’s daily life goes from carefree days playing in the streets to learning about snipers and child soldiers. This new and enduring conflict transforms her coming-of-age period. Eventually, she makes a daring escape to America.
After a while, Ana hides her tragic past from others and even from herself. However, while in college, she decides to return alone to Croatia to rediscover her homeland.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Sara Nović grew up in the US to Croatian parents and spent time visiting Croatia with family and friends. Girl at War was nominated for a 2015 Goodreads Choice Award in the category of Best Debut Novel.
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Two Wars and a Wedding
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In September of 1896, Betsy is an aspiring archaeologist. The Smith College graduate travels to Athens in hopes of breaking into the male-dominated field of excavation. When war breaks out between Greece and Turkey, however, Betsy enters the conflict as a nurse. This decision causes a painful rift with her oldest friend, Ava.
Two years later, Betsy has sworn off war nursing. But when she receives word that Ava is heading to Cuba to help Clara Barton and the Red Cross to care for the wounded in the Spanish-American War, Betsy is determined to stop Ava, and the only way she can do it is by taking Ava’s place. She follows Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders straight to the heart of the battle.
The Book Girls Say…
Although only a portion of this book is set in Greece, it is very descriptive of archeological sites in and around Athens and Delphi. In the novel, Betsy is awed by seeing in person the places that Homer described in his ancient, epic poems. Book Girl Angela had the same sense of awe when she visited many of these Greek ruinss in 2007. It’s fascinating to think about the fact that, because these sites are so ancient, what she saw in the early 2000s was not very different from what Betsy saw in the late 1800s.
If you are interested in learning more about the real-life woman who inspired Betsy’s character in the novel, read this post by author Lauren Willig. She shares photos and details from her research for the Athens portion of the novel, as well as a few photos from her own time there.
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Our Woman in Moscow
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Inspired by the true story of the Cambridge Five, Woman in Moscow takes you into the height of the Cold War in 1952. Four years earlier, Iris and her family disappeared from their London home, captivating the world. Her husband is an American diplomat, and the strange disappearance captured the world’s attention.
Finally, in 1952, her twin sister Ruth is shocked to get a message from Iris. Within days, there’s a plan in place for Ruth to go to Moscow posing as the wife of a counterintelligence agent. Will the plan work to free the family?
The Book Girls Say…
This novel is told from multiple points of view and jumps around in time. Our readers enjoyed this book even more after learning that it’s based on a real-life spy ring.
The Thread
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This epic historical fiction novel captures the energy and life of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dimitri is born to one of the wealthiest families in the city, but after a great fire sweeps through Thessaloniki in 1917, destroying the family’s villa, they are forced to relocate to a poorer section of the city – one where Christians, Jews, and Muslims have been living side by side in harmony.
As a young girl, Katerina’s family is evacuated from their home in Turkey, and she becomes separated from her mother and sister. While her family ends up in Athens, she finds herself in Thessaloniki. Here, she becomes a seamstress creating beautiful gowns for the wealthy women of Thessaloniki.
The lives of Dimitri and Katerina become intertwined, and their love story endures even as their beloved city is ruined by earthquakes, fires, and wartime and time again. This is a heartwarming love story, but it also provides excellent insight into the troubled history of this region.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Victoria Hislop was born and raised in the United Kingdom and studied English at Oxford. She visits Greece often to research her novels, and has a second home on the island of Crete.
Winter Garden
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Sisters Meredith and Nina have little in common other than their love for their dear father. They’ve spent most of their life feeling like they didn’t really know their mother, but when their father falls ill, his final wish is for his daughters to get to know their mother better. In their younger years, Anya sometimes tells the girls a Russian fairy tale, and their father makes her promise that she will tell the story one last time – all the way to the end.
The story alternates between past and present as Meredith and Nina hear the fairy tale and learn the harrowing story of the mother’s life five decades earlier in war-torn Leningrad, Russia. They will ultimately learn something so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
The Book Girls Say…
Many WWII historical novels focus on the region of France and Germany, but The Winter Garden illuminates the experiences of those in Russia and left us with a much better understanding of the Eastern Front. But this is much more than just another WWII story. It’s a compelling and moving family story as well.
Like all of Kristin Hannah’s novels, this book is beautifully written. It is a bit slow to start, and the characters aren’t immediately likable, but you’ll find yourself pulled in as the lines between fairy tale and reality begin to blur.
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Kristin Hannah Books: The Ultimate Author Guide
Books to Read in Winter
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On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station exploded in the early morning hours, triggering one of the twentieth century’s most significant disasters. In addition to causing widespread radiation poisoning, Chernobyl was also a key event in the destruction of the Soviet Union and the United States’ victory in the Cold War.
Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, Higginbotham provides a robust investigation into Chernobyl. You’ll learn how propaganda, secrecy, and myth have obscured the true story of one of history’s worst nuclear disasters.
The Book Girls Say…
This nonfiction book, written by a journalist, includes many technical details, but overall, it reads more like a movie script or novel. It was named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2019.
While this book appears to be very long, the last 1/3 is filled with index and footnotes, so the actual text is only around 380 pages.
Half Life
Book Summary
This fascinating historical fiction takes a look at Marie Curie’s real path in life alongside an alternate timeline that explores how science could have changed for all of us if she made one different choice.
In 1891, Marie was engaged to a promising mathematician, but his mother insisted that Marie was too poor for him to wed. After he broke her heart, Marie left Poland to attend the Sorbonne to study chemistry and physics. She eventually went on to be the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
But what if she had stayed in Russian Poland where education for women was restricted, instead of studying science in Paris and meeting Pierre Curie? Through the parallel stories, we see what could have happened if a great scientific mind was denied opportunity and access to education.
A Gentleman in Moscow
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Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand luxury hotel across the street from the Kremlin.
Deemed an unrepentant aristocrat, Rostov has never worked a day in his life and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel’s doors.
The Book Girls Say…
We were hesitant to include this book because it takes place only inside a hotel, so it doesn’t have any details of the region’s landscape. It’s also a slow burn, which makes for a long read of an already lengthy book. However, it talks about food, Russian literature, and some of the strife of the Stalin era. Those who enjoy it absolutely love it. Just keep in mind it’s very much a character study vs. something plot-driven with lots of action.
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The Last Green Valley
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In 1944, Ukrainians faced invaders on multiple fronts as Hilter and Stalin had both pushed into their country. The Last Green Valley tells the story of one family with a common dilemma in their region. The Martel’s had a strong German heritage, but their families had been farming in Ukraine for more than a century.
Like many others, they had a choice. Do they trust that their German blood will protect them and go with the German troops despite not agreeing with the Third Reich agenda? Or stay and risk being sent to Siberian work camps by Russia?
The Book Girls Say…
While this book is historical fiction, it is heavily researched. The author’s notes at the end share more details on which sections of the book are based on the real story of a family he got to know.
The novel is on the longer side at 458 pages, and some reviewers say that it moves slowly in some areas, but also that it will help you understand a whole new facet of WW2.
The Boy on the Wooden Box
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When the author was ten years old, his homeland of Poland was invaded, and his family was forced to move to a Krakow ghetto. Daily life required perseverance for survival in unbelievably cruel conditions. Eventually, his life was saved by the incredibly generous and brave actions of Oskar Shindler.
The Book Girls Say…
This middle-grade book is the only memoir from a Schindler’s List child. Despite its subject matter, it is said to leave a legacy of hope and is a powerful book for readers of all ages.
The Shadow in the East
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Based on her extensive research and work as a journalist, Aliide Naylor takes us inside the current geopolitics of the Baltic region. Naylor’s maternal grandmother escaped from Estonia at the end of WW2, and she has lived in both St. Petersburg and Moscow, giving her insight into the Baltics from both sides of the fence.
Traveling to the heart of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, she explores modernity in the region that birthed Skype, investigates smuggling and reports of troop movements in the borderlands, and explains the countries’ unique cultural identities. Naylor provides historical context for current events and shares why the Baltics matter, along with the reasons this region is about to become the new frontline in the political struggle between East and West.
The Good Life Elsewhere
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Book Summary
The Moldovian village of Larga is depressed in more ways than one, and its remaining citizens long for a better life. Meanwhile, just over the border in Italy, the economy is booming. Moldovan writer Vladimir Lorchenkov tells the story of a group of villagers desperate to emigrate from Europe’s most impoverished nation to Italy for work, which leads to all kinds of shenanigans.
This satirical and absurd tragi-comedy is “simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking” An Orthodox priest is deserted by his wife for an art-dealing atheist; a mechanic redesigns his tractor for travel by air and sea, and thousands of villagers take to the road on a modern-day religious crusade to make it to the promised land of Italy. Meanwhile, politicians remain politicians.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Vladimir Lorchenkov was born in Chisinau, Moldova. The son of a Soviet army officer, he spent his childhood traveling across the Soviet Union and other socialist countries. His family later returned to Moldova where he studied journalism and became a crime reporter for a local newspaper.
For another look at Moldova, check out Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks.
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Book Summary
This real-life political thriller tells the true story of an American financier Bill Browder, a graduate of Stanford Business School, who began his career as a hedge fund investor in the 1990s. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, his career led him to Moscow, where he co-founded Hermitage Capital Management and became the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia.
A decade later, when Browder exposed the corrupt Russian oligarchs who were robbing the companies he was investing in, Vladimir Putin had him expelled from Russia. All the while, his employees in Russia lived in fear, and his attorney – Sergei Magnitsky – was ultimately imprisoned in Moscow, where he died.
The Book Girls Say…
This memoir provides an enthralling look inside the terrifying world of Russian business, government corruption, and human rights violations. It also provides the context for the Magnitsky Act, which the US Congress passed and signed into law in 2012.
The Eighth Sister
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Book Summary
Charles is retired from the CIA, but with a new baby on the way, he finds himself desperate for money. So when his former bureau chief shows up with a risky new assignment that would take him undercover in Moscow, he agrees to the mission because he can’t afford not to.
He is charged with locating a Russian agent who is believed to be taking out members of a US spy cell, but when he identifies the agent, he discovers she’s not who he thought. Charles soon finds himself abandoned by the agency he serves and fighting to survive a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The Book Girls Say…
If you enjoyed this book previously for the challenge, there are now two more books in the series!
Fans of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell will recognize this author, although this pulse-pounding thriller is of a very different style.
You are welcome to choose any book that you’d like to read for the challenge, but we hope that this list of books has given you a good starting point.
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Book Recommendations for Other Regions
Find more recommendations for other regions of the world using the links below.
- Books Set in Eastern Europe & Russia
- Books That Take Place On an Island
- Books Set in Africa
- Books Set in Western Europe
- Books Set in South America
- Books Set in North America
- Books Set in the Middle East
- Books Set on a Form of Transportation
- Books Set in Asia: Northern Countries
- Books Set in Asia: Southern Countries
- Books Set in Australia and New Zealand
- Books Set in Antarctica and the Arctic
- Books that Span Multiple Continents
