1

Winter comes to Leningrad. The Metanovs’ rations reduce. Tatiana finds it increasingly hard to supply the family’s meals while working at the hospital. She is hungrier than ever. Meanwhile, she laments Dasha and Alexander’s engagement. One day, she returns home to discover that Marina ate the rest of the food. Ornery, Tatiana snaps at her cousin.

2

One day, Tatiana runs into Alexander in town, shocked by his altered appearance. He too is surprised by how thin Tatiana has gotten. They long to talk and touch but neither of them moves. Finally, they start discussing rations and the war. Tatiana worries the blockade will last the winter and conditions will worsen.

The two head back to Tatiana’s house, further discussing the war on the way. Alexander admits that he earned a medal for his recent displays of heroism and was promoted to captain. Tatiana exclaims that given his accomplishments this is a perfect time for him and Dasha to marry. Privately, she hopes the marriage might improve Alexander’s dampened spirits. When she urges him to come along with her, Alexander becomes immobilized, fearing her family won’t want to see him given his altercation with Georgi. She reassures him and they hold each other.

3

Dasha is thrilled when Tatiana returns home with Alexander. Irina is still mad at him, but the sisters welcome him to a bath. Over dinner, they all argue about food, Alexander insisting he eat at the barracks instead of taking their rations.

After work the next day, Tatiana returns home, thrilled that Alexander is still there. That night, Irina suggests Alexander stay in the girls’ room. Tatiana feels uncomfortable sleeping next to him and Dasha. However, she misses him when he returns to the base a few days later. Afterwards, the family focuses on selling anything they can for more rations.

4

Tatiana returns home from work one day to find her family and Alexander debating whether or not to tell her something. Inside, they reveal that Deda died. A devastated Tatiana stares out the window immobilized. The next day, she and Alexander walk to the ration store together. Before parting ways, Alexander hugs Tatiana and she cries into his chest.

5

Over the following days, Tatiana reports to the ration store early but ends up getting caught in the air raids. She is grateful for the helmet Alexander gave her. Meanwhile, her family “laud[s] her efforts” (346) but she feels worse than ever. She sees more gruesome things in the streets, too, and feels increasingly rattled.

6

Tatiana’s family has less and less food. Tatiana doesn’t know how to feed them. One night, the family is horrified to discover that Tatiana put sawdust in the bread. Later, Dasha confides in Tatiana that she isn’t getting her period anymore and cries over her changed body.

7

Tatiana feels jealous whenever she sees Dasha writing to Alexander. One day, she goes to the post office and collects Alexander’s letter, reading it before Dasha.

1

Conditions worsen in Leningrad. The death toll rises. Then Marina’s mom and Anton die. Meanwhile, Tatiana, Dasha, and Marina lose more and more weight.

2

Airplanes drop fliers on the city, informing the women to wear white so they won’t be bombed during the raids. A few days later, Alexander stops by, thinner than before. He loses his temper when he sees the flier on the table about the raids and demands that Tatiana take off her white dress. He is also upset hearing about all Tatiana has been doing for her family at her own expense.

3

Alexander stops by with food from the army store the next morning. Tatiana wants to grab his rations from the store as a favor, but he refuses her help. They get into an argument, Alexander insisting Tatiana is doing too much for her family. Irritated, Tatiana urges him to marry Dasha to make himself feel better. Alexander insists he doesn’t want to marry her; he only agreed to the engagement “to get Dimitri off [Tatiania’s] back” (368). Tatiana gets upset, but makes Alexander promise not to hurt Dasha. Alexander promises, under the condition that Tatiana survive.

4

On her way to the ration store the next day, Tatiana muses on everything that happened with Alexander. At home, she and her family discuss the rations. Finally one morning, a soldier appears outside the house to accompany Tatiana to the store, sent by Alexander. They discover there is only one way to get food into the city now. With help from Alexander, Tatiana buys some flour to make some bread.

5

The Metanovs lose their water by November. Meanwhile, Dasha falls ill. Marina gets annoyed with her whining, a fight ensuing. Tatiana is too tired to mediate.

6

One night, Tatiana, Dasha, Irina, and Marina discuss what to do about Babushka Maya, Tatiana’s other grandmother who has been living with them. She eats a lot of their rations and is ailing. By the next morning she is dead. Afterwards, Tatiana reports her death to the Council and they come to dispose of the body.

7

Conditions worsen over the following week. The Metanovs don’t have water or heat. They can’t use their toilet or bathe. Tatiana and her family occupy themselves listening to war reports on the radio. Finally one day, Dasha reveals that she recently received a letter from Alexander, which she shows to Tatiana.

Tatiana spends her days scavenging food for her family. She tries to avert her eyes when she sees death and destruction in the city, blocking everything out but memories of Alexander.

1

Leningrad all but shuts down by December. Then, America enters the war. Irina hopes they will help end the conflict but Tatiana isn’t sure. That night, Tatiana finds Dasha burning books for warmth. Tatiana screams at her, and wrests the books away, desperate to save The Bronze Horseman. She calms down when she notices blood coming from Marina’s mouth. At the hospital, the doctor informs them they all have scurvy. Marina is dead by the morning; Tatiana puts her body on the curb.

2

Tatiana spends her days going to the hospital although there’s no work. Meanwhile, she, Dasha, and Irina sit together at home, sharing stories of the past. Bombs continue to fall. Rations tighten and more people die. Then one day, Irina passes away. Dasha laments that she and Tatiana are the only ones left.

3

“Alexander return[s] a few days later” (399). The sisters ask for his help moving Irina’s body, as the Council still hasn’t come for her. Afterwards, the three sit together and talk. Alexander gives them oranges and they lament their illness and hunger. Alexander assures them conditions will improve now the Americans have joined the war. Then he tells them about warm places in America which sound fantastical.

The next day, Alexander comes over with a little vodka to celebrate the new year. The next day, Tatiana and Alexander visit the post office for word from her other grandmother, who has been in Molotov since Deda’s death. She and Alexander share an intimate exchange on the steps. Afterwards, Tatiana returns home to find Dasha ailing in bed. Tatiana yells at her to wake up, momentarily convinced she is dead. Dasha regains consciousness, asking if Tatiana wants her dead.

1

Dasha confronts Tatiana about her feelings for Alexander. She followed them to the post office, watched their exchange, and now believes they are in love. Tatiana vehemently denies everything. She and Alexander have promised never to tell Dasha the truth.

2

Dasha’s condition worsens the next day. Tatiana goes out in search of food, but to no avail. She heads to the barracks to see Alexander. She wants to inform him of Dasha’s suspicions but feels too weak and collapses. Alexander helps her up, calling her by her nickname, and professing his love. He walks her home, comforts Dasha, and assures the sisters they’ll survive.

3

In the middle of the night, Alexander appears at the door, insisting Tatiana and Dasha hurry up and come with him. He wants to help them leave Leningrad immediately so Dasha can get medical care and they can get more rations. They head to the barracks and board a truck out of Leningrad. Eventually, they arrive at the Road of Life, an ice route across the frozen Lake Ladoga. Before they part ways with Alexander, Dasha confronts him about his feelings for Tatiana. Alexander vehemently denies everything, swearing his love to Dasha. Then they promise to write to each other. Tatiana feels hurt and has trouble saying goodbye.

Tatiana helps Dasha across the ice. There, they run into Dimitri. Tatiana asks him for medicine for Tatiana, but he refuses to waste it on Dasha, insisting she is on the verge of death. Shortly after arriving at the hospital on the Kobona River, Dasha dies. Afterwards, Tatiana runs into Dimitri again. She asks him to tell Alexander about Dasha’s fate when he sees him next; he promises to do so. After they part ways, Tatiana rolls Dasha’s body into the lake, as the ground is too frozen for a burial.