The Twelve Little Cakes (ISBN 1594481393)

Amazingly Funny and Poignant:
You wouldn't think that a novel about being the daughter of dissidents in Communist Czechoslovakia would be funny, but this novel is hilarious. I shared my copy with several persons and purchased others as Christmas gifts (2006). I'm dubious whether Dominika could so accurately recall conversations as a young child as detailed in the book, but you will fall in love with her in this autobiography. Her refreshing honesty and childish innocence opened some of the hardest hearts in a difficult time when adults were fearful whom to trust and honest conversation had to be guarded. It's an insider's look into hard times under a Communist regime without being preachy. And their family vacation to Poland makes you understand why the Poles were the first to throw aside the iron curtain. I cannot recommend this book more highly, particularly to our newest generations (X and Y) who did not grow up in the Cold War.

Nice read:
I recommended this book for my bookclub since it had so many 4-5 star reviews on this site. This book was a nice easy read but I would only give it 3+ stars. Most of my bookclub agreed. It has some cute and touching stories in the various chapters but doesn't get into much depth regarding actually living under a communist regime. Some of the stories seemed alittle unbelieveable.

Holding my thumbs:
I will hold my thumbs for the sequel to Twelve Little Cakes, but with talent such as this, the author hardly needs me to cross my fingers Czech-style. The spirit of the Czechs is captured by Dominika in her first English work. Her spirit is that of The Little Prince: observant, sparked with life, and wise beyond her years. Dekuji. The hours you spend with Dominika in this work will connect you with her soul, and the soul of a beautiful country full of beautiful women. It is a holiday to remember.

Enchanting Childhood Novel:
I picked this book up on a whim, I admit it was right up my alley in content and it seemed like it got good reviews. I have to admit I was surprised by how much I just enjoyed the book. The perspective and stories are engaging and I found that the book ended much too soon for me- but just right for the story line. Well worth the read.

A Beautiful Story:
When I first began reading The Twelve Little Cakes, I didn't realize that it was a true story. (I check this information along with the reviews on Amazon before buying a book, but by the time I get around to reading it I have long forgotten.) I realized that it was real when she mentioned Bohousek, her famous dog -- I remember my mom pointing him out in films when I was young. From that point on, it made the story a completely different experience for me and I was even more eager to read ahead. There were many other similarities I shared with Dominika, but the most important one was our romantic view of Czechoslovakia as children. When we're young, we don't care about any differences. We just want to go play. I remember my mom explaining why certain neighbors didn't like each other and how everyone gossiped. The urge people had to snitch on someone for no reason and make their life miserable is something I definitely understood in this book, though I never understood it as a child (and even now, really) -- Can't we all get along? As a Czech-American, I relate to this story very well, and perhaps this is partly responsible for my 5-star review as this story transported me back a few years and allowed me to relive some of my own cherished memories. I have spent half of my life living in each place, and my Czech childhood was quite similar to Dominika's. The Czech Republic is a stunning place and there are so many amazing people. This book did hit the nail on the head, though, as far as the problems in Czech society. It was an absolute pleasure to read this book. I truly admire Dominika's parents for sticking it out together and for the incredible love they shared within their family. It will warm your heart!