During the harrowing seige of Leningrad, a docent at the Hermitage Museum gives tours of empty galleries
Orleans, MA – November 6, 2025 – In The Prodigal of Leningrad by Daniel Taylor, a stirring World War II historical novel, Daniil Aslanov continues to lead tours of empty frames through the Hermitage Museum, while bombs fall and Leningrad starves. Although the museum’s masterpieces have been hidden away for safekeeping, their presence lingers in memory and meaning.
Daniil’s grandfather, an Orthodox priest exiled for decades to the brutal Gulag, embraces suffering as his sacred calling, thanking God for being allowed to minister to those around him. As Leningrad’s people perish, Daniil battles a secret shame and finds himself drawn to the story behind Rembrandt’s painting, “The Return of the Prodigal Son.”
Beautifully told and based on historical events, including the extraordinary wartime tours of the Hermitage’s empty galleries, The Prodigal of Leningrad is an unforgettable story of human resilience and a profound meditation on art, faith, forgiveness, and healing.
Readers of The Nightingale, A Gentleman in Moscow, and City of Thieves, and all those interested in World War II history will welcome this important contribution to the genre.
About the Author
Formerly a professor of literature and writing, Daniel Taylor has published books on a a wide range of topics from informal apologetics, to books to the role of stories in shaping our lives to Celtic Christianity. He is the author of the four-novel John Mote mystery series, beginning with Death Comes for the Deconstructionist and concluding with The Mystery of Iniquity. He collaborated on several Bible translations, including the New Living Translation and The Expanded Bible. Taylor is co-founder of The Legacy Center, an organization devoted to helping individuals and organizations identify and preserve the values and stories that have shaped their lives. He was a contributing editor of Books and Culture. Taylor is married and the father of four adult children.
For interviews or review copies, contact: Danielle Bushnell at danielleb@paracletepress.com
REVIEWS
“Taylor’s elegantly simple prose is compelling, and his attention to detail is the work of an expert storyteller. An unforgettable book that will resonate with readers of World War Il historical fiction.”
– Library Journal starred review
“A man’s reverence for art leads to wartime defiance in the enchanting historical novel The Prodigal of Leningrad. Told with fabulistic clarity…a moving exploration of what it costs to uphold Christian virtues, including truth and beauty.”
Foreword Reviews
“Art, literature, history, family, friendship, and faith are skillfully intertwined in this remarkable novel set in 1940s Leningrad, a city of profound cultural and historical significance. Daniel Taylor makes the events that mark the city to this day come alive, holding readers’ attention right to the heartwarming closing pages of dialogue. Put composer Dmitri Shostakovach’s “Leningrad Symphony” on in the background as you dive into this compelling work by a master storyteller. Highly recommended!”
– Jeff Crosby, author of World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading
