The Drau River Flows to Siberia

"“Every once in a while, you come across a story in a book that stays with you, the memories from scenes etched into your gray matter–the emotions you felt fresh, as if witnessing them in this alive, present moment. These are the stories that become classics, like Doctor Zhivago and I use that title intentionally, for I am reminded of the depth of Pasternak’s work, having just read Osipova’s novel The Drau River Flows to Siberia: The Victims of Victory. Just as Yuri Andreyevich Zhivago and Larissa “Lara” Antipova have stayed with me, so have Osipova’s characters Anna and Zakhary. This is no ordinary war-torn story, it is a cultural masterpiece that opens a window into life in Russia and Austria and the impact of WW2 on ordinary people.”—Paulette Mahurin, an internationally acclaimed author, a recipient of prestigious awards, and #1 Bestselling Amazon Author.

“Fiction and reality mix in Marina Osipova’s remarkable book. This story is dark and emotionally charged; it enthralled me to the very last page. It captures postwar events which to this day very few know about. The Drau River Flows to Siberia: The Victims of Victory pulled me into my own family’s experiences and made me feel the heartbreaking trauma of that time in a deeply personal way. For me, it was not just a casual story. Reading about the experiences of Stalin’s exiles in Siberia made me deeply aware of my gratitude for spending the early 1950s in a refugee camp in Trieste, rather than in the Soviet gulags. This thought-provoking tale is powerful, realistic, and will stay with me for a long time.”—Tania Amochaev, author of One Hundred Years of Exile: A Romanov’s Search For Her Father’s Russia

“The stories of WWII are countless, but some of them were purposely silenced. This masterful piece of writing by Marina Osipova is one of the few that has brought to the surface an episode in the war which some would gladly keep hidden. The author has resurrected a shameful act that was perpetrated by victorious Allies against innocent victims, albeit in the name of geopolitical hegemony through agreements emanating from the Yalta Conference. I, as an Englishman, having been brought up in the traditional way of honour and the Marquess of Queensbury rules, etc., found it hard to read the very disturbing account of this disgraceful period of British military history. The event known as the Massacre of Cossacks at Lienz in Austria was meant to be a controlled handing over of Cossacks, including women and children and the elderly, to the Russians. Osipova’s fictional historical narrative of the horrific period is based on real events and archival materials and focuses on the lives of individuals whose fate was decided by the Allies.”—David Huntley, author of Deathwatch Beetle, a Historical Post WWII Spy Thriller

“Marina Osipova has once again brought to life little-known aspects of WWII history in an emotionally charged story that takes us on a long and tragic journey from Austria, liberated by the Allies from the Nazi regime, to the gulags of Siberia. Meticulously researched, this book is highly recommended.”—Kathryn Gauci, USA TODAY Bestselling author of The Viennese Dressmaker: A Haunting Story of Wartime Vienna

“This is without a doubt an excellent five star read with a story about an event that many unfortunately don’t know anything about. I, myself, had only heard about it a few years ago and there is far too little information about people and their stories. I applaud Ms. Osipova for writing such a book and not holding anything back. At times the story makes you uncomfortable, but history is often unpleasant nor is it black or white. I cannot recommend this book enough to everyone, regardless of their own reading preference. This is a story that can’t be missed.”—Rachel R. Heil, author of Behind the Darkened Glass and Leningrad series