Book Review: THE UNWOMANLY FACE OF WAR by Svetlana Alexievich

The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"I follow the traces of inner life; I make records of the soul."

One of the movies that made a deep impression on me was the 2001 film “Enemy At The Gates,” the true story of sniper Vasily Zaytsev and his comrades who fought the Germans during the Battle of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), known as the bloodiest battle in the war because of its nearly two million casualties in the span of six months!

Up to now, I have only to hear the theme song of that film and I start tearing up uncontrollably. (Click on this link, play it, and read on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iand8... )

In that film, there was the real-life female sniper Tania Chernova (played by the beautiful Rachel Weisz), who was bookish, cultured, and fierce, and made young girls everywhere want to take up arms and fight for the Motherland, too.

I thought she was a singular exception, a rare thing. But then I read this book and discovered that, far from being rare flowers, there were actually thousands of women who went off to serve Mother Russia during World War II! Some regiments consisted entirely of female soldiers, and some women ended up being the commanders of male regiments! Most of the girls volunteered, either seeking revenge or out of an overwhelming sense of patriotism. But others were told to, by their parents.

Why? Why seek out a book about war? But this book is different. It is a testament to the courage of women, of how they lent light to a dark time. Often this light dimmed, but most shone brightly. And yes, there were tales of evil (unspeakable evil!!) perpetrated by Germans and fellow Russians alike… and the details of the aftermath of war will make one cry. These women became old when the war ended. They were twenty years old but had the souls of ancients. And their health was never the same. But most of the stories ended with reflections on how good it was to be alive, and how sacred all life is.

"In the center there is always this: how unbearable and unthinkable it is to die. And how much more unbearable and unthinkable it is to kill, because a woman gives life... I understood that it is more difficult for women to kill."  

What will remain with me are the moments of grace gratefully told by the women who worked as sappers (combat engineers), snipers, laundresses, nurses, and partisans. They shared stories of the gallantry of their male comrades, who would shield them with their bodies from bombs and bullets, or give them spare clothes, or put their own overcoats on the ground for the women to lie on at night.

And yes, like the previous Alexievich book I read (Chernobyl Prayer), this one touches the heart enough to make one cry. It is more hopeful than the previous one, and so I like it better. But the style is the same. It is a tapestry of living testimony, a symphony of songs from the soul. It makes this reader appreciate the luxury of having a steaming hot cup of coffee in the morning (never mind that it’s 3-in-1!), of clean bed sheets, of an environment where one can walk without dodging bullets (just put your backpack in front when commuting, and don’t pull out your cellphone in the jeep)! 



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