Red Shadow by Paul Dowswell
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408826249.
In Red Shadow Dowswell provides the reader with an evocative
account of Moscow 1941 just before and at the beginning of the
German invasion.
The tale is related through the experiences of Mikhail ((Misha)
Petrov. The prelude sees the arrest of his mother by the NKVD whose
ominous and fearful presence pervades the story.
Misha is a clever, yet ordinary boy who despite being two years
younger is in love with his best friend, Valya and it is largely
through these characters they we see the story unravel. They are
schoolmates and committed members of the Komsomol (Youth wing of the
Communist party). Misha loves literature and after school conducts
classes for the workers at the Stalin Automobile plant. Valya, on
the other hand, is a science wiz who has her sights set on becoming
a pilot, a real possibility for a female in Stalinist Russia.
Misha and his father live together in the Kremlin where his father
works in Stalin's inner circle and consequently works long hours.
Through this, the reader gains some insight into the character of
Stalin or Vozhd (boss) and is direct witness to some of his
idiosyncrasies which increase as the German army moves closer to
Moscow.
The fear provoked by the NKVD is repeatedly illustrated by the
arrests and disappearance of Misha's acquaintances. To begin with,
Dowsell provides the reader with only subtle hints of violence
perpetrated by this menacing group but as the story evolves the
detail becomes more explicit and the reader shares the anxieties of
living in a society where individuals, even at the highest level,
have only a tenuous hold on personal security.
The appeal of this story lies both in its humanising of a
totalitarian regime, as well as in its attention to detail and
authenticity. As with all good historical fiction the reader has a
sense of reading a true account. Dowsell uses Russian terms and
references to real historical events to create this reality. A
glossary of the terms is provided at the end of the book.
Red Shadow is a good read, especially for those who enjoy
historical fiction.
Barb Rye