Anyone who wants to know how it felt to be young, idealistic and innocent at the end of the war should read The Cowards

Sceptical, humourous, liberal and humane.

[The series] sheds remarkable light on the literature, culture and politics of the region...anyone coming fresh to the field will be captivated by the richness, variety, humour and pathos of a classic literature that, through a shared historical experience, transcends national and linguistic boundaries.

This [series] is a wonderful idea ... They are absurdist parables, by turns hilarious, unsettling and enigmatic.

I urge you to go and read them.

This new series of Central European Classics is important well beyond simply providing 'good reads'.

Dunmore chillingly evokes the atmosphere of Soviet suspicion, where whispered rumours and petty grievances metastasise into lies and denunciation. A gripping read

Meticulous, clever, eloquent. An absorbing and thoughtful tale of good people in hard times

A remarkably feeling, nuanced novel that satisfies the head as well as the heart. This does not read like a retelling of history, but like a draught of real life. With her seemingly small canvas, Dunmore has created a universe

Dunmore's genius lies in her ability to convey the strange Soviet atmosphere of these very Soviet stories using the most subtle of clues

Storytelling on a grand scale

This cleverly constructed novel will have, deservedly, widespread popular appeal, especially, perhaps, with young female readership

A beautifully written book with moments of real sadness, hope, laughter, tragedy and joy, which make you appreciate all the little things you love, as your eyes brim with tears

A beautifully-crafted, heart-breaking look at love and loss

Another must is If I Stay by Gayle Foreman, which deals with deep, universal emotions and unpicks the truth about moving on after unspeakable loss - a fresh and compelling piece of work

A heartbreaking and beautifully written novel that should be a must-read for everyone. I doubt anyone who reads this will get to the end dry-eyed. Stock up the tissues!

If I Stay makes you appreciate what you have, all that you've lost and all that might be

A beautifully written book with moments of real sadness, hope and joy