Order No. 227: From Stalin with Love, by Marina Osipova, is not what the title seems to imply. It is the furthest thing from a satire. Based on real events and facts, as related to the author by her family who endured World War II and the NAZI invasion of the USSR, Marina tells a compelling story, following in essence, the lives of two people and the ending will not only surprise you, but it reminds us about the connectivity between all people, no matter what side they are fighting for. This story, like so many historical fictions, is vital to our culture, as they remind us of what has happened, the atrocities and the dark days of war, and they should be a lesson to us all, especially now, when leaders of some nations are pushing their own agenda, their own “ism”, and are using the same platform which Hitler used to create division, racism and hatred, instead of pressing for unification and peace, they are attempting to build walls between people and nations. That road has always, as history teaches us, and this book reminds us, is the road to disaster. It’s a short, but very worthwhile read.
Marina Osipova was born in East Germany into a military family and grew up in Russia where she graduated from the Moscow State Institute of History and Archives. For many years, she lived in the United States but eventually, she found her home in Austria. She is an award-winning author and is a longstanding member of the Historical Novel Society.
Visit her site: www.marina-osipova.com
