Definitely a must-read, but holy hell was it hard to read.

I initially request this a bajillion (anything pre-pandemic is an eon ago) years ago, before I realized that me and actually reading nonfiction were not a good match. So when my library got the audiobook, I had to listen...although I waited for quite a while because I knew this would be a rough one to read.

It's very good. The way these women talk about their service and what they had to do to survive...holy shitballs.

What a great book. I can say after 30 years the difference in 'spirit' in female fighters from America to other countries can be terrifying by their intensity. Know thy enemy folks!

The UnWomanly Face of War repeatedly breaks your heart with its intense exploration of the emotions involved in war. These women believed and fought in the Red Army (during which 20million USSR lives were lost) and then they went home and it's just so intense. Alexievich is an excellent historian of oral histories and deserves her nobel prize because the amount of work and heartbreak that went into this book was tremendous.

This is another important documentation of history by Alexievich. It is a brutal read hearing all those women's experience. People expecting digested non-fiction will not find it here. This is a collection of interviews, raw first person experience curated into a collection.

I will read anything Alexievich writes. She is able to connect me as a reader in a country far, far from Russia with a people and time period in such an all encompassing way.

So talented is Alexievich. Another wonderful book. Shows the true way of lives in Russia - so heartbreaking and fascinating.

Reading in English, having read it in Russian years ago, striking, poignant first-person reporting that Alexievich is renowned for. Doesn't have the breadth of "The Last Soviets" or the sheer terror of "Prayer for Chernobyl", still, this is just great writing, and necessary history.

When we think of wars, most of us think of the male generals, commanders, and troops who took part in the various battles. A few years ago Alexievich turned her investigative gaze to the lesser-known women who took up arms and fought alongside the men. Having never read her work before, when I first requested it I expected a heavy, academic tome. Instead I found that these 300-some pages engaging and easy-to-read.

This is a life-changing book, especially for those who don't know much about the Soviet contribution to the Second World War. Women's view of war is strikingly different from men's and the simple, unfiltered way in which these women tell the author about their experiences is extremely moving. Many colourful details, some very painful, some humorous. Absolutely enthralling!

This is a powerful narration of the second World War told by the Russian women who fought it. Alexievich describes the process of writing as one of building a temple out of the everyday matter of people’s lives. Even though the individual life is made up of meaningless details, the aggregate of individual lives tells an important story, whose details should not be lost.

Summary: This was a tough read, but it was amazing to hear emotional, first-hand accounts from women in WWII.

I previously read Nobel Prize-winning, Belarusian journalist, Svetlana Alexievich's Voices from Chernobyl, and I was blown away by that collection of beautiful and moving interviews. The Unwomanly Face of War is a similar collection of interviews with Soviet women who served in WWII and with a few of the men who served with them. Unlike Voices from Chernobyl, this collection includes some commentary from Alexievich explaining how she became interested in this topic and her process for conducting interviews.

As you might imagine, this was an incredibly dark and difficult read. There was minimal sexual violence, but the violence of war was still heartbreaking. War crimes were committed by soldiers on both sides of the conflict and innocent bystanders, including children, were often caught up in the violence. Honestly, I think my mood was a little less upbeat the entire week I was reading this.

Despite or perhaps even because of how tough this book was to read, I have to recommend it. Reading these vivid, emotional, first-hand accounts is a unique experience you shouldn't miss. I learned a lot about the place and time. I learned about the one million Soviet women who served in WWII, women whose skills and sacrifices changed the course of history but who are often forgotten. And I learned, the tiniest bit, about the horror of war. It's such a worthwhile read, you definitely shouldn't miss it.

“But why me? You should talk to my husband, he likes to remember… The names of commanders, the generals, the numbers of units--- he remembers everything. I don’t. I only remember what happened to me. My own war. There were lots of people around, but you were always alone, because a human being is always alone in the face of death. I remember the terrifying solitude.” This woman had been a sniper during the war. Only 18 when she joined the army. And from a 17-year-old medical assistant (combat medic), “Can those who weren’t there understand this? With what face? Well, answer me--- with what face should I remember this? Others can somehow… They are able to… But me—no. I weep. Yet this must be preserved, it must.  We must pass it on. Somewhere in the world they have to preserve our cry. Our howl….“ There have been 1000s of books written about WWII, but it is nearly always men writing about men. We speak of heroic deeds, what equipment was used, generals, army units, battles, strategy and tactics. When women speak of the war, they speak entirely differently. Women’s war has its own colors, its own smells, and range of feelings. In Russia they fought alongside the men, but they rarely speak of it among others. Their war remains unknown. The author wanted to tell the women’s story of the war and from 1984-2004 she interviewed 100s of women. They served in the army as medical assistants, doctors, snipers, machine gunners, commander of antiaircraft guns, sappers, infantry, pilots, partisans—now they are accountants, lab technicians, teachers… The author has her own nonfiction genre, which brings together a chorus of voices to describe a specific historical moment. She refers to herself as “an historian of the soul”. This may be a book about war as told by women, but don’t expect to read about white lace and promises. This is about war at its most gritty, it is about dirt, lice and soot, blood and death. So much death. I was struck by one women medic who speaks of going days and weeks covered in blood. She said that even forty years later she cannot abide anything red in her home. Perhaps the most surprising thing to me was that nearly all of these women, ages 14-21 at the time, were volunteers. They talked of repeated visits to the recruiting offices begging to be taken and sent to the front lines, to fight for the Motherland. They refused to accept anything but the front lines. Most lost nearly all of their friends and family during the war. But they speak of the ultimate joy and pride that came with victory, despite the cost. I remember seeing Saving Private Ryan at the theater for the first time, and how I left shaken and trembling from the images. This book had the same affect. It was that powerful, the words painting such a vivid picture of the horrors. One reviewer calls it a “masterpiece.” I agree. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Wow!... Oh, my! Awhile back, I stated I do not read every war book that I view. But, I felt, I must read, The Unwomanly Face of War...An Oral History of Women in World War II. This book had been translated into English by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

The author Svetlana Alexievich, a journalist, was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature for "polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time."

I probably ought to preface this by stating that WWII occurred decades before my birth so what I know of it came from history books which recounted how WWII did not just effect that generation. The American men I knew, who served on the front lines during WWII, have now perished. And, they spoke very little.. of war.. to me.

This book is phenomenal in that it is a collection of stories from Russian women serving on the front lines in WWII. It makes some interesting points in that it is believed that women have more 'light gathering power' in terms of their 'strength of feeling'. Personally, I do not know if I feel things stronger than a man. But, I do know, I express things differently. Perhaps... more openly.

The women in the front lines were known to be good at communications and were medically necessary. I say women. But actually, many of these accounts were from women who served in war, at a time when they were barely out of puberty. They were on the front lines because of their ability to change and adapt.

'The Unwomanly Face of War' , more than anything else, forces readers to evaluate their values and realize people change when faced with anything close to the hardships of war. Be prepared. This book is not watered down. Each account is interesting and many are agonizingly heartbreaking.

Prior to today, I could not fathom the importance of saving the weapons along with the man. In all honesty, I never realized a young girl would drag herself into a burning tank, the smell of charred flesh...her flesh. surrounding her. She is lifting a heavy... lifeless ..body, while carrying artillery too.

Yes, this collection, tackles terribly difficult content that is war related. What if you got pregnant while in service? What if you survive this hell only to return home at 19 to parents who did not recognize you? What if you came home and your sibling handed you a copy of your own death notice?

When the realization hits.... it hits hard! Yes, their personal well- being is influenced by their daily sacrifice. So what justifies this? Some of these women say, having a chance to to tell about it.These women are their voice of WWII. All, wanted to live a day without remembering the faces of war. But, all the time these women served... they had a strong sense of home. They returned. And, this is their story.

I highly recommend this book.

I received a free Kindle copy of The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich courtesy of Net Galley and Random House, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review to Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my history book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I read a great deal about World War II, but always from a man's perpsective. It is the first book by Svetlana Alexievich that I have read.

This book was engaging and very interesting. It is a compilation of first hand experiences of a number of Russian women who had been involved in World War II. The stories give you a different perspective in that they are from a woman's viewpoint about fighting in wartime.

I strongly recommend this book for those who have an interest in World War II and in particular from the viewpoint of those who are often overlooked in other books on the subject.

This book is a compilation of vignettes of Soviet women who fought in World War II. It's a rare glimpse at the hardships , pain, and deprivation the women faced. It is a great contribution to World War II and womens's history.

Svetlana Alexievich has a specific style that she replicates throughout her volumes. She gives voice to women who have lived in “interesting” times. Whether it is war or the breakup of the Soviet Union and the beginning of a “capitalist” and “democratic” Russia, the women Alexievich interviews offer a compelling, raw narrative that often forces readers to stop and contemplate a world they never experienced. The general readers’ lack of familiarity with not only war but the genocidal and total war nature of the struggle on the Soviet-German front will force them to step out of their comfort zones and contemplate events and actions that all too often seem as if they belong outside the realm of the possible. In this text, readers are exposed to the events of the Second World War through the eyes of female combatants and military personnel.

The campaigns, battles, commanding officers, equipment, and often enough the patriotic and selfless spirit that moved many to run away to the front or volunteer for service did not differ from men to women. Neither did the pain and trauma both sexes experienced at the front. Women readily fulfilled frontline roles, such as snipers, tankers, of infantry(wo)men and participated in the partisan war in the enemy’s rear; the latter convey some of the most heartrending recollections offered by those who took part in the partisan struggle where rules of war too often ceased to exist.

However, what many women chose to remember, to concentrate on in order to define their wartime service offers an additional layer to our understanding of the Soviet war experience in general terms. Additionally, many of the positions women fulfilled in the Red Army lack an equivalent male voice as women dominated them. Nurses, who served both in hospitals in the rear and on the frontlines and were required to evacuate the wounded from the field of battle (even from burning or damaged tanks), make up a large portion of the reminiscences in this text. They give voice to the many wounded, dying, and dead that made up the millions of casualties, male and female, sustained by the Red Army. Additionally, bakers, postal workers, clerks, laundresses, construction workers, mechanics, supply personnel and numerous other positions that would hardly ever merit an anthology of recollections are included. Although these women did not see the frontline as often as others might, they nonetheless provided both the Red Army and every soldier at the front with needed supplies and support.


These veterans of a genocidal conflict we hope the world will never experience again offer an emotionally laden representation of the sights and sounds of war. From the roar of artillery to the anguished screams of the wounded and dying. Readers will encounter recollections that will consistently challenge what they know about the Soviet-German war. These women experienced lack of sleep, physical exertion, ill-fitting uniforms, heavy weapons, misogyny, tears, blood, iodine, chloroform, excrement, the raw emotions of love and hatred. They struggled on a daily basis as they gambled with their lives to see what fate awaited them the next day, hour, minute, or heartbeat. While war might not have a womanly face, women without a doubt helped achieve victory and suffered for their sacrifices both during the war and long after.

This is a fantastic non-fiction novel. I learned a lot about this important subject.

World War II, the Germans are marching toward Moscow. Men and boys have answered the call to defend the Motherland. War was life...but surprisingly, teenage girls and young women signed up to go to the front. Women served as snipers, traffic controllers, medical assistants, surgeons, anti-aircraft gunners and sappers to name a few wartime jobs. They were doggedly determined to fight for Russia, often insisting on being in the front lines. Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich "...brings together a chorus of voices..." after conducting countless interviews with ordinary women who displayed bravery, courage, and fortitude in the face of war. Women were forced to ponder the fine line between humanity and inhumanity. What was the difference between death and murder? The solitary face of death was ever present for each woman.

Personal stories and ruminations were provided by two hundred women, gathered by the author from 1978-1985, providing a women's perspective of World War II. A woman, graduating from sniper school was ready for a day of "hunting". The enemy was still a human being. Her hands trembled. She had to get used to the thought of it! Another sniper, marching past human bones at a burned out settlement was ready to kill, no longer pitying the enemy.

The enemy has rounded up villagers in a school and doused the building with kerosene. It was necessary to obtain medical supplies, bandages and serums. Who could get through enemy lines?Maria, a partisan hiding in the forest, had recently given birth to a baby daughter. Maria rubbed salt on her baby to give her a rash, swaddled her on her back and approaching German guards quietly stated that her daughter had typhus. She was allowed to quickly pass. After securing the supplies, Maria entered the forest and weep for hurting her baby.

An elderly woman found another way to resist. Every day, she opened her window and practiced throwing water out with a dipper, each time improving her aim and distance. The rationale...if the enemy comes to Leningrad, she would scald them with boiling water.

Despite the sacrifices made by women, including the ultimate sacrifice by many, women were not given their due after the war. Men considered these fierce fighters to be comrades only. Upon returning to civilian life, male soldiers wanted to meet carefree girls, not unfeminine women who fought next to them in the trenches.

In "The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II" by Svetlana Alexievich, two hundred women were given a platform to finally break their silence. Their chilling and emotional memories, need and deserve to be heard.

Thank you Random House and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Unwomanly Face of War".

A much needed volume in military and women's history.