Review by Choice Review
The Deluge, the second volume of Sienkiewicz's historical trilogy, is a novel about the 1655 Swedish invasion of Poland. The army of King Charles Gustavus, aided by treacherous Polish and Lithuanian magnates, quickly overran the whole country, forcing Polish King John Casimir to seek refuge on the borders of Silesia. As told by Sienkiewicz, the heroic 40 days' defense of the monastery of Czestochowa, the shrine of the venerated Black Madonna, was a turning point. The whole nation rose against the invaders. Threatened in 1656 with total defeat, Charles Gustavus and the major units of his army beat a hasty retreat. Against this epic background, Sienkiewicz draws a gallery of engaging characters and tells a suspenseful story of their brave deeds and romantic entanglements. Unfortunately, the translator's achievement of producing an English version of more than 1,700 pages is marred by his editorial inferences, as he has cut, changed, and amplified the original text of the Nobel prize-winning author.-M. J. Mikos, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Surrounding himself with murderous libertines and wastrels, wild young Polish soldier Andrei Kmita is misled into treason. But his pure love for spirited Olenka (Aleksandra Billevich) eventually sets him on track and inspires his single-minded mission, the defense of his motherland. It's the middle of the 17th century, and the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth is crushed in a vise of rebellion and bloody onslaughts by Swedes and Russians. Around the constants of love and war, Polish novelist Sienkiewicz (1846-1916) weaves a fugue of betrayal, redemption, faith and passion. An underlying theme questions whether people can rise above their time and circumstances. In his massive novel, with its eerie foreshadowing of modern Poland's overthrow of the Soviet yoke, Sienkiewicz ( Quo Vadis? ) gives a resounding answer. His rounded characters represent all sectors of society in this, the second volume of a trilogy begun in With Fire and Sword. The convincing translation by Polish-born American novelist Kuniczak adds luster to a robust populist epic. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
A mere five years have passed since the knights of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth threw back the Cossack invasion from the East, yet a new and far more dangerous threat appears: Swedish troops are pouring across the northern border. Thus begins Sienkiewicz's sprawling epic sequel to With Fire and Sword ( LJ 3/15/91). As in the first novel, the text brings to life an entire 17th-century culture, unfolding like a richly adorned tapestry. Central to the story is Andrei Kmita, a young Lithuanian noble whose ruthlessness obscures his military sagacity and bravery, branding him an outlaw. But for the love of the beautiful Olenka, he undertakes to reshape his character in the forge of battle, and in so doing helps save king, country, and church from the heretic invaders. Beside him fight Volodyovski, Zagloba, and Skshetuski, the principal knights from With Fire and Sword . In many ways, the new saga in which they appear falls short of the high standard set by that magnificent predecessor. The characters are more stiffly predictable, the pace protracted, and the ending too abrupt. Nonetheless, its significance eclipses its flaws, making it essential in any collection.--Paul E. Hutchison, Bellefonte, Pa. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
