We listen to The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek, read by Thierry Blanc, published by Éditions Michel Lafon & Lizzie.
If you are used to well-crafted thrillersOlivier Norekprepare yourself for a very different experience with The Winter Warriors.
It’s not a thriller!
Far from police investigations, this novel plunges us into the Finnish ice of 1939, in the middle of the Winter War. it is a war as little known as it is chilling, and which is revealed through the eyes of a legendary hero: Simo Häyhä, nicknamed the White Death.
The frame? Finland, a small country stuck facing the Soviet ogre. A tiny Finnish army facing the largest army in the world, that of Stalin. Suffice to say that David against Goliath takes on its full meaning here.
We follow the adventures of the 6th company, commanded by Aarne Juutilainen (a character both fascinating and frightening nicknamed The Horror of Morocco) and especially of Simo, an exceptional sniper. You will have understood, this is not a detective novel but a historical war story of incredible precision.
Norek leaves his usual style here for a more humble, almost poetic tone, paying homage to this tragic period in history and to the Finnish soldiers who held firm against the invader.
What makes this book so unique is not only the vibrant tribute to Simo, but also to the women, the Lottas, these shadowy heroines who supported the war effort behind the lines.
A voice that carries the story
Thierry Blanc, who lends his voice to this novel, brings each scene to life with impressive accuracy and sobriety.
Whether it is the bitter cold, the fierce battles or the weight of loneliness in the trenches, everything is felt with intensity. If you enjoyed it in a lighter style like The Stranger in the Elevator and Me by Sophie S. Pierucci, you will be surprised by its adaptation here, much more serious and profound.
This book is a fascinating history lesson, with every detail rigorously documented. Olivier Norek surrounded himself with historians and military specialists to recreate this period with frightening accuracy, while adding a human dimension to these horrific events. And what about the current resonance with the war in Ukraine? The similarities between the two conflicts are disturbing and give food for thought.
It is not for nothing that this book was selected in the second round of the Goncourt, Renaudot, Giono and Malraux, Interallié and Visionnaires literary prizes, no less.
The Winter Warriors is a moving historical novel, brilliantly written and wonderfully performed by Thierry Blanc. A cold but necessary dive into an unjust and little-known war in our history. You will probably come away as tested as you are amazed. To listen or read this book Click here or Click here
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