by Karl Marlantes
I love stories that take place in the North - but the Cold War is not one of my favorite tropes... until I read this book! It is so well-written, well-researched, and well-developed! The characters seem very real and likable in their own imperfect way. The hardest part is the portrayal of Soviet Russia from the end of WWII for the next few years. It is brutal and sad in so many ways, yet hopeful in a humanitarian way. This book is underrated! I couldn't put it down. 5 stars!