Children in the City of Czars - by Irmgarde Brown (Paperback)

About the Book

"Orphaned in 2000, the Lebedev siblings are alone in the underbelly of the most beautiful city in the world, St. Petersburg. Fedya is nearly thirteen and tries his best to keep them together but fails. He surrenders his two sisters to the orphanage system and joins a ring of thieves. It's not long before the gang has a run-in with the Russian mafia and Fedya becomes the focal point of a madman's revenge and a race across Russia into Latvija. His sister, Elena, is brutally bullied at the orphanage and almost loses her life, while their youngest sister, Irina, is illegally adopted out of the country. How will they ever reunite? Will the three swans fly together again? Whom can they trust? Possibly, no one"--

Book Synopsis

Orphaned at the brink of 2000, the Lebedev siblings are alone in the underbelly of the most beautiful city in the world, St. Petersburg. Fedya is nearly thirteen and tries his best to keep them together but fails. He surrenders his two sisters to the orphanage system and joins a ring of thieves. It's not long before the gang has a run-in with the Russian mafia and Fedya becomes the focal point of a madman's revenge and a race across Russia into Latvija. His sister, Elena, is brutally bullied at the orphanage and almost loses her life, while their youngest sister, Irina, is illegally adopted out of the country. Through it all, they maintain a quixotic hope to reunite. Will the three swans fly together again? Whom can they trust? Possibly, no one.

Review Quotes

Kirkus Reviews: "...thorough exploration of St. Petersburg in the 1990s, seen through the eyes of three young children...this realistic drama is cruel, unforgiving, and indelicate; Brown writes uncomplicated prose that expertly exemplifies the cold brutality of life..."

PW's BookLife: "What truly distinguishes Brown's narrative is her intricate portrayal of sibling's voice...Heartrending story of orphaned siblings fighting to stay together in post-Soviet Russia."

Francine Markowitz, PhD, author of "Coming of Age in Post-Soviet Russia" "Readers will want a sequel to this compelling story that offers deep insight into... violent dislocation coupled with their desire for family and love."

Matt McAvoy Book Review Blog: "It isn't often I throw superlatives around, but I think it's fair to describe this book as something of an epic...and it is very, very good."