Alpine Ballad

"Bykau writes vividly, with not a word wasted. The descriptions of the landscape sing out, while the suspense and dramatic tension are expertly maintained right to the end. It's a sad and haunting tale, reflecting a harsh and brutal era." Mandy Jenkinson, Historical Novel Society

"'Ballad' stands on its own as an excellent piece of writing. The tension of pursuit is nerve-wracking; the romantic element moving and beautifully drawn; and the ending (and coda) very emotional. The story is a reminder of how humanity can flourish in the most extreme situations, and how differences between people can be overcome." Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings

"This is BykaÅ­'s earliest novel available in English - several later ones exist - and has been translated by Mikalai Khilo from the Belarussian, unlike the previous edition of this novel and most of his others, which were translated from the Russian (though the Russian translation was invariably done by BykaÅ­ himself from the original Belarusian). <...> In short, this edition published in 2016 by Glagoslav is a distinct improvement on the 1966 edition published by the Soviet publisher, Progress." John, The Modern Novel

"Alpine Ballad is not a Steve McQueen romanticised escape adventure. It is a dogged, brutal quest for survival. The reader can almost feel the cold penetrating their bones, can almost taste their hunger and their ever-present fear. The love that grows between Ivan and Guilia blooms suddenly like the red poppies that cover the valley, but the path to freedom lies over the snow-covered mountains..." Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

"Alpine Ballad is a briskly told tale, constantly in motion. Bykau's action sequences, when Ivan and Giulia are on the run, are gripping." David Hebblethwaite, DAVID'S BOOK WORLD