Zinaida, Katya, and Ana have nothing in common, especially given that Zinaida lived in the small town of Sumy in the Ukraine in the 1800s and Katya and Ana are modern women. But in Alison Anderson’s debut novel, The Summer Guest, their lives intersect as Katya discovers Zinaida’s diary and hires Ana to translate it into English. For all three women this is their chance ... Read More...
Back to Moscow
Having recently read and adored The Tsar of Love and Techno I wasn’t sure I needed another book about contemporary Russian life. Happily, I ignored myself and read Back to Moscow anyway. Guillermo Erades’ novel looks at the modern day Russian experience from the microcosm of a young man in Moscow. Martin is twenty-four and has arrived from Europe as a graduate student ... Read More...
The Tsar of Love and Techno
For art to be the chisel that breaks the marble inside us, the artist must first become the hammer. The Tsar of Love and Techno begins in 1937 Leningrad with a nameless censor. A man whose artistic skill is such that his sole purpose is to erase people deemed to be enemies of the state from any and all paintings and photographs in which they appear. His talent ... Read More...
Guest Post: Eva Stachniak
On Monday I was pleased to review Eva Stachniak's new historical novel, Empress of the Night, a fascinating look at both the reign and the personal life of Catherine the Great. Today she kindly agreed to share more of her in-depth knowledge about the progressive leadership of this amazing woman. One of Catherine the Great’s biographers quotes her exclaiming: if ... Read More...
Empress of the Night: Review and a GIVEAWAY
Power lies in hearing what is not meant to be heard. In understanding what motivates those who plot against you. In knowing what could make them turn about-face, come to your side. Empress of the Night, Eva Stachniak’s new historical novel about Catherine the Great, begins at the end by opening with the last days before her death. Catherine is in the 34th year of her ... Read More...
The Summer Palaces of the Romanovs: Treasures from Tsarskoye Selo
The year 2010 marked the 300th year anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo, the summer palace of the Romanov dynasty. The land was given as a gift by Peter the Great to his second wife, Catherine I. Future generations expanded the estate, beginning with Elizabeth I who razed the original structure and used architect Francesco Rastrelli to execute her vision of what the palace should be. ... Read More...
