Though the book was published just before the present war between Russia and Ukraine, we can sense the complexities that make it a tragedy in this narrative. Such books, even though fictional, provide us with more accurate perceptions about such events than the second-hand accounts provided by the media and experts. 'Glorious People' is a striking story about some characters who are destined to carry the burden of their pasts, which makes them incapacitated to deal with their present.

An interesting read, the story depicts the life story of a family through the mother and daughters. Starting in Soviet ruled Ukraine of the 1970s, moving through the 80s and fall of the Wall, to Berlin of the 90s. I found the references to life under Communism fascinating. The writer also touches on the famine suffered by the Grandmother under Stalin, the restrictions during the 70s and then the adjustment to a new world after the fall of Communism. The mother-daughter relationship, through the generations, forms the thread of the story- sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating, sometimes sad.
Recommended read.

I like a good historical fiction book as much as the next person, and when I read the premise for this novel, I was intrigued. That being said, I'm at the 45% mark, and I'm so confused and I'm not sure exactly what's happening. The writing's good, but I don't feel any connection with the characters, and there's not much in the plot for me to keep going. The jumping between timelines just add to my confusion and I'm just finding everything pretty dull. As much as i was hoping to like it, it's not my cup of tea, and I'm marking it as a DNF.

Glorious People looks at how the collapse of the Soviet Union affected normal people's lives and whilst it did do that, I found it terribly dull. I have studied the period at university and so was interested and drawn to the blurb. However, I found the timeline complicated. The writing style is lovely but I found I did not care about any of the characters and there were too many for it to jump between. I was hoping the pace would pick up after Lena's chapters but ultimately I found it more confusing and dull. I found when I was finally getting into a characters story it would jump again. I would have preferred if this had fewer characters and a more succinct timeline, or if the chapters were split to make it clearer.

This would have been a DNF if I wasn't extremely stubborn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the ARC.

#netgalley #GloriousPeople

4⭐️

[a copy of this book was provided to me by the published from netgalley. thank you!]

an interesting and thought provoking book

I was interested in reading this book because I am a devotee of well-researched historical fiction. Seeing that the book received an award added to my desire to read this book. I was also interested in learning more about the (more recent) history of Ukraine and the lives of ordinary people there. This book gave me a better sense of daily life in Ukraine and the experiences of everyday Ukrainian migrants in Germany. However, the plot was often hard to follow, and the characters were difficult to keep straight. The story jumped around too much to easily remember who was who and where we were in the timeline. Just as I found myself getting invested in one character, the story jumped to someone else. By the time the author returns to an earlier character, we have long forgotten who the first character was. I kept having to use my Kindle search function to figure out who was who. I rarely quit reading a book, but because I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I forced myself to continue reading. If this book had been more carefully edited, with fewer characters and a clearer timeline, I think it could have become more compelling. Unfortunately, for me at least, it did not hit its mark.

I took a gamble on this book based on the description and the fact that it was an award winning book in Germany, and unfortunately I have to say it was not for me. I was hoping for a more cohesive plot and instead the story was sort of all over the place. There was a fluidity to the book and some scenes where it was hard to tell reality from imagination, and in that sense it had some semblance to Han Kang's We Do Not Part. With that said, I never really connected with the characters, and I felt their stories were not well woven together. Some scenes and plot lines seemed to just peter out and never come back again. Reading this sort of felt like a chore -- so not the book for me, but perhaps this is the right book for someone else!

I just don't think this was my cup of tea. It was well written, mostly interesting in terms of setting and Soviet Union backdrop, but I found most of the characters flat and boring.

The plot was decent but I struggled to keep track of the characters and understand what made them different to others. The only exception is Lena who I think had a well-developed story and I think could have been a brilliant character if the author had spent more time on her emotions and feelings.

I was enticed in by the mother-daughter themes on display in the novel but left sadly disappointed.

I really enjoyed this book! i think it was extremely well written, mixing in humor and lightheartedness in a book about some serious and heavy topics. I love the way this book was written. It kept me reading and hooked since page one!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Glorious People was an ambitious and deeply layered novel, but I struggled to connect with it at times. The book paints a vivid picture of the tumultuous changes in the Soviet Union and Ukraine through the lives of two families, but the pacing felt uneven. While the historical details and cultural context were fascinating, there were moments where the story dragged, especially when jumping between the generations and characters. I found myself losing focus during some of the slower parts, and it felt like the emotional weight of the characters’ struggles could have been explored more deeply. That said, the book’s vibrant exploration of identity, trauma, and the weight of history still left a lasting impact. A solid 3 stars—there was a lot to appreciate, but the pacing held it back from being truly engaging for me.

This was an enjoyable and at times heartbreaking read and really showcased the importance of identity and belonging. The only reason this is a 3 star for me was because I found the pacing a bit slow at times which made the book seem to drag. I still really enjoyed it though and would definitely read more by the author

I was drawn into this book instantly-- I love historical fiction and am intrigued about the Soviet and post-USSR eras. I did love that this book was told from the perspective of multiple generations of women. In doing so, the author was able to article the changing moods and dynamics of each new era of women in Ukraine. I did have a little bit of difficulty overall connecting to the characters and relating to the events transpiring over time.

Are you a historical fiction fan? If so, pick up Glorious People by Sasha Salzmann on publication day. It was an eyeopening read.

A rather sad novel showing how important it is to know where you come from and what you are made up of to allow the feelings of belonging, of identity. In the characters' lives of this novel, the parents having moved to Germany for a better future for their children did not really leave their country nor their past. This is understandable, however while wanting the best for their children they themselves were too much involved with their own problems linked to their past. A past which had not been available to the children whether by their own experiences nor by the telling of it.... Interesting but still, sad.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

In as much as I loved the cover and summary of this book, I am afraid that I must be honest. I read approximately one quarter of this book and put it down as it just seemed to be going nowhere. I am so appreciative of Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book and I am sure that perhaps others will devour and love this book, it was not for me. So sorry.

The premise of this book is intriguing. Descriptions of the Soviet Union, Lenin, repercussions for Ukraine, emigration and insight into human nature are compelling and stories depicting heartache are raw and real. Though the blurb grabbed my attention, my reading experience was not enjoyable. Some details are crude and distracting and something about the writing style didn't connect with me. I did not like or care about the people involved. It may just be a matter of it's not you, it's me.

This book I found a little hard to get into. I found myself reading it then wondering what I had read. It didn't seem to go anywhere. The gist of it is about a girl Lena who grows up. It follows her going to a pioneer summer camp. Then how she gets into medical school. Against the backdrop of the war. Then it changes to a girl called Edi and a girl called Tatjana. I didn't really see a point to this book. It seems it was about whether they should stay or emigrate. Which I had to look up. I thought about reading it again but couldnt bring myself to do it. The one star I have awarded because it was interesting reading about Lena getting into medical school. I found it very dull. I'm sorry but I always have to be honest when doing a review.

wanted to read Glorious People because of its relevance to the current political situation, and it is an incredibly well-written book. So well-written, in fact, that I can’t finish it.

I’m from a post-Soviet country that (just like Ukraine), been oppressed and occupied by Russia for what feels like forever, and while I can deeply relate to the themes in this book, it just hits a little too close to home. Reading, for me, has always been an escape, and this story is a reminder of the harsh reality that’s already waiting right outside my door.

I wish I had the emotional capacity to finish it, because it deserves to be read, but I just can't.