The Winter Warriors - by Olivier Norek (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"A novel you will not put down. Maybe never."--Richard Ford

With over 250,000 copies sold, an award-winning WWII novel about the heroism of a single Finnish infantry company--and the best sniper the world has ever seen--defending their country against the largest army in the world

Intense, propulsive, and deeply human, The Winter Warriors is an stunning historical novel of Finnish heroism in the face of Soviet invasion.

November 1939: The Soviet Union, the largest army in the world, invades its tiny, relatively defenseless neighbor Finland, just three months after the declaration of World War II. So began what is known as the Winter War. A small makeshift company of soldiers, workers, and farmers must face off against columns of tanks and millions of Stalin's Red Army fighters.

In this propulsive and deeply moving narrative based on the true story of the Finnish infantry division, heroes emerge: the star sniper Simo Häyhä, nicknamed the "White Death"; the young men from farms and villages who meet again on the battlefield to fight for their homes; nurses who must treat old childhood friends. The soldiers go to battle with old guns as their wounds freeze in the unforgiving cold, and yet not only do they resist the Soviet soldiers, but they force the superpower to offer terms for peace only six months later. The Winter Warriors is a testament to the Finnish quality of "sisu" inner strength and determination which prevails in the face of overwhelming odds.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Winter Warriors:

"Gripping, horrifying, and surprisingly moving."--Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

"There are echoes of Vasily Grossman in this gripping, chillingly urgent story of the horrors and heroism of war."--Andy Miller, Snowdrops

"Oliver Norek's astonishing account of the Soviet invasion of Finland is gripping, horrifying, and surprisingly moving, not least for his portrait of the 'White Death', perhaps the greatest sniper who ever lived. Impeccably researched and beautifully written, The Winter Warriors is perfect for fans of Ben McIntyre and Robert Harris."--Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

"A compelling tale of the murderous madness of war and its absurdity, of course, but also of friendship, solidarity and resistance. Once again, Olivier Norek, the humanist, blows us away."--Le Parisien

"Magnificent."--L'Express

"A masterpiece."--Figaro

"Deeply researched and masterfully paced. In this novel, red-hot despite its setting's -40°C conditions, Norek paints the portrait of the elite Finnish sniper who personified his country's bravery."--Nouvel Observatoire

"Norek depicts the courage and resilience of the Finns, fighting for survival in extreme conditions.--Actualitté

"Exhaustively researched, subtle, sensitive."--France Info

"A novel which captivates the mind and touches the heart, with echoes of the horrors of the war in Ukraine."--Marianne

"At once epic and intimate, The Winter Warriors demonstrates how tenacity and courage can sometimes triumph in the face of far superior forces."--Radio Télévision Suisse

About the Author