Train to Trieste

By: Domnica Radulescu

Narrated by: Yelena Shmulenson

From page one of this lyrical, clear-eyed, and moving novel, Mona Maria Manoliu draws us into her world: a lush universe of sensuality, hunger, and passion. Her story begins in 1977, in a village at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in Ceausescu's Romania. She is 17 and madly in love with a mysterious, handsome boy called Mihai.

When Mona's friends and family begin to disappear, Mona begins to wonder about this man she has fallen for. One night, narrowly escaping the police, she flees to Chicago, where she struggles to move forward and not to look back, to bury the longing for the country and the man she left without a goodbye. But when her dying father urges her to return to Romania, she realizes that she must journey back to find out the truth about her one great love.

©2008 Domnica Radulescu (P)2008 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"What is the new American novel? The story of an immigrant, of course. Train to Trieste is a spirited, passionate, funny look at the world in the time of the new millennium, and Domnica Radulescu is a remarkable writer enriching American letters with her Romanian perspective. We are lucky to call her ours." (Sandra Cisneros)
"I was swept away by Domnica Radulescu's debut novel. It's at once a haunting journey to a faraway country, beautiful and terrifying, and an odyssey straight to the heart of a young girl and the remarkable woman she becomes. Deeply moving and deeply felt, Train to Trieste is an unforgettable story that introduces a new and astonishingly fresh voice." (Arthur Golden)

Nice surprise

I had no idea what to expect from this book (as I purchased it as part of a $4.95 sale). However, it was a pleasant surprise. I had very little knowledge of Romanian history and thoroughly enjoyed the narration.

Enjoyable

I thought this novel was very enjoyable. Not exceptional, but it kep me entertained.

Great

With this book the author has created a love story, a mystery, and a political thriller. Highly recommend it.

Not to miss immigrant love story and so much more

I was so pleasantly surprised by this first person narrative of a young woman growing up in Communist Romania, her struggle to survive, hold together a relationship with the love of her life, her solitary escape and the subsequent loss of her beloved country. It didn't stop there and took unexpected turns I couldn't have predicted. I could not stop listening, finishing the book in record time. At the end, I was choked up from emotion, knowing I will listen to this wonderful story again very soon. I loved the narrator, her voice, her accent. It was hard to imagine that this wasn't her own story!

not Romanian

Train to Trieste is the first attempt of Domnica Radulescu at a tale, of a young girl slowly coming of age in Communist Romania. As someone travelling to Romania regularly and also speaking the language, it is a horror to listen to the narrator: she speaks English with a Russian accent instead of a Romanian one (which is more Italian English). Rolling R's and gurgling sounds (" I gave instead of I have" is NOT Romanian-like at all).

Unfortunately, the story just muddles through without seemingly going somewhere, just seems to be a teen girl story. Perhaps I should have listened it all, but after 4 hours and no events, I backed out.