From the tyranny of Stalin through the desperation of World War II, this is a story of struggle and survival, of devotion, duty, and family, and of love lost and sometimes found again.
June 1941. Hitler’s armies race toward vulnerable Leningrad. In a matter of weeks, the Nazis surround the city, cut off the food supply, and launch a vicious bombardment. Widowed violinist Sofya Karavayeva and her teenage granddaughter, Yelena, are cornered in the crumbling city.
On Leningrad’s outskirts, Admiral Vasili Antonov defends his homeland and fights for a future with Sofya. Meanwhile, Yelena’s soldier fiancé transports food across the Ice Road—part of the desperate effort to save Leningrad. With their help, the two women inch toward survival, but the war still exacts a steep personal price, even as Sofya’s reckoning with a family secret threatens to finish what Hitler started.
Equal parts war epic, family saga, and love story, Lost Souls of Leningrad brings to vivid life this little-known chapter of World War II in a tale of two remarkable women—grandmother and granddaughter—separated by years and experience but of one heart in their devotion to each other and the men they love. Neither the oppression of Stalin nor the brutality of Hitler can destroy their courage, compassion, or will in this testament to resilience.
Industry Reviews
2023 Independent Publisher Book Awards Silver Medalist in Military/Wartime Fiction
2022 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner in War & Military (Adult Fiction)
". . . amazing, heart-grabbing, and stunning . . ."
-Readers' Favorite, 5-star review
“With the Russian attack on Ukraine fresh in the imagination of readers, the wartime horrors of the siege and the emotional toll on the victims ring true. Parry has transformed her impressive research into a vigorous story of how love vanquishes despair.”
—Library Journal
“Set in 1941 Leningrad, this tension-filled, well-crafted WWII historical novel tells the harrowing story of Sofya Karavayeva, a widowed violinist, and Yelena, her spirited, young granddaughter. . . . Through masterfully created characters and vivid dialogue, this powerful, inspiring saga brings to the forefront the overwhelming challenges of the daily life of those ‘lost in Leningrad’ during one of the most treacherous periods in Russian history. . . . Lost Souls of Leningrad is a thought-provoking, disturbing, and compassionate portrayal of war’s impact and how the lives of ordinary people are forever changed.”
—Historical Novels Review
“This is historical fiction that feels ripped from today’s headlines . . . an engaging portrayal of love and survival in wartime.”
—Debra Dean, best-selling author of New York Times Editor’s Choice The Madonnas of Leningrad
“Lost Souls of Leningrad is a sweeping, heartbreaking, and life-affirming saga. . . . A remarkable and immersive book that belongs on the shelf with Life and Fate.”
—Kim Taylor Blakemore, best-selling author of The Companion and After Alice Fell
“With the devastating siege of Leningrad as the backdrop, a widowed violinist and her teenage daughter struggle to survive. In Suzanne Parry’s Lost Souls of Leningrad, the despair and brutality of war is evoked through a tender human story of love, family, music, and hope. A stirring novel I couldn’t put down!”
—Linda Kass, author of Tasa’s Song and A Ritchie Boy
“Lost Souls of Leningrad dives into the personal story of a family navigating one of the major atrocities of modern history. Told with the authority that only a scholar can provide, combined with the chops of a natural storyteller, this book is a can’t-put-down triumph.”
—Suzy Vitello, author of Faultland, The Empress Chronicles,and The Moment Before
