»A tour de force. A book full of sound and fury, but also greatness and gentleness.«

»An important, necessary book. Both for Russia, which suffers from historic amnesia, and Europe which is also running the risk of losing its historic memory.«

»Sasha Filipenko expertly links past and present, building a bridge between intimacy and otherness.«

»With Red Crosses, Sasha Filipenko has written the novel of the Russian 20th century.«

»He allows the injustice suffered by the woman to simply take hold – no explanations are necessary, particularly for the author’s compatriots.«

»Filipenko’s book is a tale of a poignant fate, interspersed with extracts from original documents.«

»With Red Crosses, comedian and author Sasha Filipenko has created a moving testament to Russian history.«

»The way in which Tatjana and Alexander’s fates become increasingly entwined and their encounter gives rise to something new, something hopeful, is both mesmerising and beautiful.«

»Sasha Filipenko has a talent for bringing his characters to life within the novel’s historical context.«

»One of the best books to be released this spring. A wonderful, gripping story with touches of humour.«

»In a captivating yet matter-of-fact way, Sasha Filipenko tells the story of the Soviet Union from beginning to end – and beyond.«

»First, this book is very sophisticatedly constructed. Second, it tells an outrageous story.«

»You learn something about the Stalin era, as well as about people’s suffering during and after the Second World War; this is powerful, impressive reading.«

»Filipenko impressively demonstrates how it could affect anyone – and how many tried to stay human in spite of it.«

»This is gripping contemporary history that exerts a unique pull on the reader.«

»A truly important book.«

»In this novel he [the author] combines research with a story that is highly readable and sensitively written, despite the gloomy details of Tatjana’s life during the Stalin era«

»The idiosyncrasies and particular quirkiness of the characters make them especially lovable, ensuring light-hearted moments despite the serious subject matter.«

»He deftly forges links with modern-day Russia, a land that often suppresses the sinister aspects of its history.«

»Young Sasha Filipenko has written an essential book which is here to stay.«

»He has pulled off the impressive feat of condensing Russian history, up to the present day, into 280 pages.«

»This author brings freshness and wit to a familiar story of Soviet tragedy.«

»A moving meditation on memory, forgetfulness, and the thirst for connection.«

»The urgency and misery of Tatiana’s story collides with the apathy of Alexander’s generation towards the past. The result is moving and profound.«

»[. . . ] one of three strong novels in translation [. . . ] the tender story of a 90-year-old woman recalling the horrors she and her fellow Soviets have endured.«