Rating: 
Summary: Kira, the Monster
Review: This is my favorite of Ayn Rand's books. I began my love affair with "We the Living" back in the fifties and read it several times each year. My attitude toward Kira Argounova, however, has changed drastically as I've grown older. She represented a fascinating, fearless heroine who stood alone against a brutal world. But then I began to wonder why did she give up everything for the sadistic, beautiful Leo while delbirately destroying the only heroic character in the book: Andrei? Through the book, Kira arrogantly insists that nothing is greater than a person's ego. Yet, she becomes hot for the body of the Russian god, Leo, and goes crazy over him. Leo belongs with Rand's gallery of villians and I would definitely put Kira Argounova in there with them. She destroyed a noble, intense young Russian warrior in order to keep her sleazy hunk alive. There's nothing admirable or noble in what she does. She would fit in with the hookers on 42nd Street here in NYC.
Rating: 
Summary: Imperfect, but Good
Review: This was the first Ayn Rand book that I ever read. She is a brilliant author, writing beautiful poetic prose (clever similes) at times and always getting her message across with vigor.I subtract one star for a muddled plot. The middle of the book feels like a series of meaningless short stories with no bearing on what turns out to be the climax. The conflict does not rise steadily, which causes the reader's interest to sway. This is particularly surprising since Rand is a self-proclaim "Romanticist." The Romantic school focuses heavily on classic plot formation (Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Conclusion) and rejects the Post-modernist fragmentation of story. (Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is a good example.) That being said, the book is otherwise outstanding. Rand had first-hand experience with the evils of communism growing up in Russia, and the medium of fiction serves as a brilliant means to explain what she saw. The incredibly enormous bueracracy (sp?) of the U.S.S.R. is fascinating to look at. The governmental intrusion into every tiny aspect of human life is horrifying. As I said above, the prose is very good. Perhaps what's so surprising about this is that this is Rand's first book! I am amazed at how mature the narrative style is and how well the political criticism is developed. Albeit, the full philosophy of Objectivism is absent, but it does not detract from the force of the message. I highly recommend this book, especially for those who are curious about what life was REALLY like under the Leninist autocracy. In our age, Lenin seems to be getting a reputation for being "the good one" and Stalin as "the bad one." The truth is that they were both evil and they both killed enormous unknown amounts of innocent people, and tortured incredibly high numbers of others. I am sure I will go on to read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
Rating:
Summary: Rand's best work
Review: It seems as though everyone has their own view of Ayn Rand's work; some agree with every point she makes to the point of obsession, some think that she is a terrible writer and philosopher and should not be published. She is definately a controversial writer. However, this book is different from pretty much all of her other work in that it concentrates more on the story than anything else. It was written before Rand's philosophy was completely forulated, which is definately a good thing in my opinion. The reader doesn't have to worry about agreeing completely with parts of the book and being repulsed by other aspects; it isn't a philosophical novel. The fact that this is a love story and that I (who hates most "love" stories and wanted the butler to catch that stupid couple in Titanic) really enjoyed reading it speaks volumes. It takes an inquisitive look at the nature of love and how it works... and is usually extremely true when applied to real life (unlike some parts of her "masterpieces" The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged). The characters are extremely real and the setting is based on Rand's past experiences, which really adds to her work. Don't worry... although there are your typical speeches at the end by the antagonists and protagonists, they are not rants about how great capitalism is and how it is the best thing in the world to be selfish. The theme is totalitarianism and what it does to the human spirit, not "Prime Movers and how they function." I would reccomend this book to anyone interested, not just the people obsessed with Objectivism. Of course, this is Rand's least-known book, so the general public will probably get their first taste of her through The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, which is a shame. When she's at her best, Ayn Rand doesn't have to resort to rants that are in essence, a giant overreaction to things.
Rating:
Summary: Rand's best literary work
Review: Some people seem to come away a little disappointed from this novel. I would guess that this is because this is one of Rand's lesser known works. The people who read this seem to have already made an acquaintance of Rand through The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Expecting the same tenor of philosophical writing, they are disappointed that this book contains little more than the emotional core of individualism. There is hardly any concrete philosophy, beyond a depiction of collectivism as it really is, in this book. In truth, this book is Rand's best writing. We the Living is a true-to-life depiction of life under totalitarian rule. It's not philosophical. It's not journalistic writing - it applies to life under totalitarianism anywhere. We the Living shows the essential battle between the individual and the collective. We the Living has a certain raw, emotional quality (which may be due to the fact that much of it is drawn directly from the author's experience. The closing scene of this novel has a depth of feeling rarely found in any literature. I would recommend this as the first Rand novel one should read, followed by The Fountainhead. I would particularly recommend these two books to teenagers, as there is a great deal in both that resonates with the spirit of youth. Atlas Shrugged is a more philosophical novel, which is still important, even essential reading, but only after We the Living and The Fountainhead.
Rating: 
Summary: I agree with Kyle
Review: I agree with Kyle. This book is boring, dull, and uninteresting. This book reads like a history textbook, only with less information. I can't believe that such a book would be allowed to be published. There are two elements of this book: slight hunger and sex. The sex is even dull and uninteresting.
Rating: 
Summary: Dull and Depressing
Review: Ayn Rand certainly brings to life the desperation and the hard living of Soviet Russia (unemployment, money problems, food problems, rationalization, etc.) but cannot keep an interesting storyline amidst 400+ pages of fluff and melodrama. Not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book
Review: This is the best book I have ever read. It details life during the Russian Revolution. It is honest, provactive, and made me understand the Revolution. 5 stars is not a high enough rating. It is her best novel, and the best novel ever. For...or less, you can read the best piece of literature you'll ever read. Every cent is worth it, and at this price, too good to pass up. The price makes the book a real steal.
Rating:
Summary: My Opinion
Review: First, I did not like the book. It was like a trashy romance novel. It offered little information on the actual Russian Revolution. The book is about a girl named Kira who sleeps around too much to survive. She claims that she is in love, but she doesn't even know the meaning of the word. I do, however, like the end. I believe that Communism does forbid life to the living. If any part of this story is read, read the end. Kira and Andrei's last speeches almost make reading the book worth while. People who want a spin on a serious topic should read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: This is another incredible book by Ayn Rand. Every character is well thought out and the setting follows well with the history of the times. I have read her book Anthem and was very impressed and thought I'd try this out as well and I'm glad I did. I hate to read but this is a book I could read over and over. Each character has some agaonizing trouble but Kira is a ray of hope for each of them. Read this book...
Rating:
Summary: 'Who is not with us - is against us!'
Review: We The Living is a masterfully crafted tragedy recounting the life of Kira Argounova. Kira, born at the revolutionary dawn of the Soviet Union, is continually alone. Likewise she is doomed to live and die in a dismally solitary existence made even more lonesome by the presence of two men. One is Leo a former aristocrat-turned-dishonest and the other is Andrei the Communist. The men could not be any more disparate in their inadequacies, feelings and ideology. And yet they share Kira, which is a common theme for Ayn Rand: the book's hero(ine) is simultaneously involved with more than one lover . Notwithstanding that, as the protagonists, Kira and Leo are graceful, agile and sharp.
The setting is an abusive state which believes its contribution to its citizens and the world so great as to exceed any kind of justification.
Well-written and eloquent, Kira is exaggerated and yet thankfully disruptive. Romantic and tragic twists and turns follow, but Kira's character is always as dismal and wretched as the book. In this context it is remarkable how Kira unselfishly serves Leo while Ayn Rand goes on to make a career as the advocate for the mantra of narcissism.
Despite Rand's protestations, We The Living is about the Soviet Union - one tainted by her personal outlook. While her Objectivist philosophy has not been fully developed here, it exists at the underlying and subconscious level. Which explains why We The Living remains as Rand's most explicitly political novel. Of course, with passion and resolve running through her, she never paused to consider how the USSR is not what Marx had in mind. Which is just as well, because as noted We The Living lives off the author's unbridled commitment to her conviction. For Rand's world is ultimately made only of two shades, Soviet red and Capitalist eden. "Comrade burglars, please don't bother. There's nothing inside"
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