Eighth Life Paperback

This is a very long book that tells the story of four generations of a Georgian family, which started with the great-grandfather, a famous chocolatier. It starts at the beginning of the XXth century end ends in the first decade of this century. As the life of this family progresses we learn some of the history of this country, always threatened by the Russians and in continuous wars with its neighbors or even civil wars to overthrow one government or another. What I liked is that the author places the characters in the historic period they are living but never gives so much information to turn it into a history book. The development of the characters is very careful, detailed, and logical. They are completely believable because we know that life is not always easy. Some suffer because of the war, some others because of social beliefs, others for their personal dissatisfaction, unrequited love, treason, and there is no one who does not have to struggle to find happiness, although not all of them are successful. I really enjoyed it and got to love some of the characters after living with them for almost two months. If you are patient - more than 1000 pages - I truly recommend it.

The only thing I can say good is that over 900 pages and dozens of characters you always know who where and what is going on.Sadly the story has no old world feel to it nor does it even have a particularly historical feel to it.A man comes along with a magic yes magic chocolate recipe that is most likely cursed! I was hoping this was a bizarre premise to start the story but it does continue throughout the narrative.An aunt is telling her family history to a niece named Brilka. Which makes the graphic details of intimacy a bit awkward. It's a long family history full of whirlwind romances and tragic happenstance. Most of which are created by the characters themselves and not historical circumstances. It's really the lack of any real connection in history that's so frustrating about this story. 90% of the time the characters are completely indifferent to revolutions and wars that are happening all around them. Despite this they marry into the military and government bringing with it privilege that they don't recognize they have. It takes almost a hundred years for them to lose everything only then to have it back.The Russian history is horrible the Soviet history is a joke (basically Russia bad because Russia) I don't know anything about the history of Georgia nor did I learn anything from this book.Because of their privilege and heritage from both countries Russia and Georgia the characters move back and forth between Moscow and Tbilisi, as well as other locations. Always acting like somewhere else is home.I could go on forever believe the negative reviews.

This is an amazing book. Covers many years of Russia/Georgia history. Fascinating characters. It is a huge book. A little over 900 pages but once you get into it it's very hard to put down. I learned so much history from this book.

This is a big book. As in 900 pages covering generations of a single family, of the remarkable events and amazing women, in particular, who defined this lineage from the Bolshevik occupation of the country to the early twenty-first century. It is the story of a people living and thriving and struggling to survive through wars and in the grip of a totalitarian empire. It is definitely a view of life behind the Iron Curtain and eventually, of a people emerging from a century of domination. It also speaks to the resilience of the Georgian people, while sharing the rhythms and concerns and opportunities of their everyday lives during the peak, the decline, and the fall of their occupier. Highly recommended.

Beautifully written. I learned a lot about Russian history along with an incredible family saga. A real page turner. I would highly recommend this book

The author's words are liquid so that one flows through this long novel. The sweep is 100 years, 5 generations of life, mostly in Georgia and Russia, but also western Europe. It is epic, fast-moving, full of dashed hopes, vanity, mystery, bureaucracy, brutality, intimate moments amidst seismic, impenetrable forces, private motives competing and sometimes cooperating with nationalistic predispositions, art trying to find a footing against mechanistic and formulaic forces. The family ties are knotted with dramatic societal changes, exposing them to all of society's strata.It's a good story, filled with many profound scenes of personal and political strife. Haratischvili's prose is energetic and often profound. The book ends with some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read and made me sad to let it go, even after 930 pages of reading.

Please, first read, and then decide it's a Russian story or GEORGIAN

This is probably my best book of the year. Not only is this a compelling, sweeping, epic novel about Russia, it is also told from the point of view of the women who suffered, fought, and saw the world through a different lens. Stunning novel. It is long, but every time I would think -- wow this is long, I dove right back in and was impressed by the epic story and the finely crafted characters. Don't let someone tell you about this one, read it for yourself.

If you are watching what’s happening in Ukraine this book will put things into perspective.

This book was recommended to me by a friend who thought I would enjoy it. And I did! The narrative, told from Niza’s point of view, in nine hundred and thirty-four small, yes, small type pages, spans the lives of eight generations of a Georgian clan on the Black Sea starting at the fin de siècle. Niza’s audience is her niece Brilka, hence the bracketed title. Set against the historical events that affected the country of Georgia, The Eighth Life is divided into eight chapters. It starts with Stasia, born in 1900 to a confectioner, who made the best chocolate cakes in Tbilisi. He had aspirations to recreate the Vienna coffee culture in his home country. Alas, the turbulence of wars and oppression left this as an unfulfilled ambition. Before Papa died, he passed a secret chocolate recipe, only to be used sparingly, to his daughters; half-sister Christine had been born by a second wife. Stasia’s dream of becoming a ballet star in Paris is crushed by the events surrounding the Russian Revolution. She rarely sees her husband who is stationed in Moscow. The second chapter delves into the events of Christine’s life. She was an exceptional beauty, which became her tragic detriment. Nonetheless she was the favoured aunt to Stasia’s son Kostya, whose fate we encounter in the third chapter. A very disciplined and ambitious member of the Ruling Party, he experiences an unusual love affair with the older Ida in St Petersburg. This was to leave its mark on him forever. In the fourth chapter Kostya’s free spirited sister Kitty falls out of favour with the Regime. She only manages to escape to the West, and eventually London, with the help of Kostya’s connections to the upper echelon. This he did because of the pressure that Stasia put onto her son. The life of Kostya’s daughter Elene is recounted in the fifth chapter. Equalling her father’s stance of self-determination, she gave birth to two daughters from different partners. The siblings are contrasted by the beauty of Daria and the plain looks of Niza. In due course each daughter’s life is presented in chapters six, entitled Daria, and seven, Niza. The last chapter, consisting of auspiciously empty pages, is dedicated to twelve-year-old Brilka, who is Daria’s daughter. Niza’s narrative is woven like the pattern of a magic carpet: “Carpets are woven from stories. So we have to preserve and take care of them. Even if this one has spent years packed away somewhere for moth to feast on, it must now come to life again and tell us its stories” (16). I found the storyline enchanting, enlightening and sometimes tragic. Overcoming the hurdles and challenges of oppressive forces each woman finds her place and story on the carpet. The Leitmotiv of the delectable chocolate recipe gives sustenance to the female characters when they are in need of it. I felt at times that I was reading a tale from the Arabian Nights. I could not put this book down until the end. My knowledge of the history relating to Eastern Europe is widened and I would love to visit the country described on page seven as: “One beautiful, sunny day, God took the globe he had created, divided it up into countries ...” but “kept back a sort of holiday residence for himself: the most beautiful place on earth, rich in rivers, waterfalls, succulent fruits, and… the best wine in the world” (7). How can you beat that?

For such a long and often devastating novel I could not put it down. I feel a bit lost now I have finished it...

An amazing journey involving three generation of one Georgian family during some of Russia's darkest times. Here is an author with an exceptional talent for story telling. Loved every hour of reading this massive work.

Love it. Was long, but very easy to read and enjoyable.