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niskasteele's review against another edition
3.0
Was ok went on a bit unfortunately and was a bit boring at times.
meezcarrie's review
3.0
Six Days in Leningrad is a (somewhat) fascinating look at the inspiration behind Paullina Simons’ book The Bronze Horseman. It’s a love letter to a country – and to a father.
Accompanying some common-to-all-of-us emotions involving returning to one's childhood home, Simons also faces disillusionment (Leningrad… Russia … have not changed. They are stuck in stagnation) as well as a growing awareness of what her life would have been like had her father not gotten them out of Russia when he did. And with that awareness comes a war within her own spirit – is she Russian? is she American? how to reconcile the two together?
Bottom Line: I found Six Days in Leningrad to be captivating in parts, while other sections of the book lost my interest. I was expecting less of an account of every detail of those six days in Leningrad and more of an overall summary of her experiences. Yet, the author frequently incorporates an abundance of superfluous details, mainly in relating conversations that don’t really move the memoir forward at all. And the bathroom breaks. I think I see what she was doing … the comparison between something so simple as a toilet in Russia vs a toilet in Texas … but reading about every toilet she used – and why she used it – and how she used it – got old quickly. Needless to say, this book could have been significantly shorter and still very moving, maybe even more so. BUT, if you are a fan of The Bronze Horseman, you will no doubt find this “story behind the story” a must read!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
Accompanying some common-to-all-of-us emotions involving returning to one's childhood home, Simons also faces disillusionment (Leningrad… Russia … have not changed. They are stuck in stagnation) as well as a growing awareness of what her life would have been like had her father not gotten them out of Russia when he did. And with that awareness comes a war within her own spirit – is she Russian? is she American? how to reconcile the two together?
Bottom Line: I found Six Days in Leningrad to be captivating in parts, while other sections of the book lost my interest. I was expecting less of an account of every detail of those six days in Leningrad and more of an overall summary of her experiences. Yet, the author frequently incorporates an abundance of superfluous details, mainly in relating conversations that don’t really move the memoir forward at all. And the bathroom breaks. I think I see what she was doing … the comparison between something so simple as a toilet in Russia vs a toilet in Texas … but reading about every toilet she used – and why she used it – and how she used it – got old quickly. Needless to say, this book could have been significantly shorter and still very moving, maybe even more so. BUT, if you are a fan of The Bronze Horseman, you will no doubt find this “story behind the story” a must read!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
thelexingtonbookie's review
3.0
I loved the Bronze Horseman series, so when I saw there was a companion backstory on the series, I had to give it a read. I'll start with the downside, because it isn't much of one- Simons is a dramatic writer, and therefore goes over the same details and is rather repetitive and wordy. This doesn't have to be stated grandly, as a 400 page book about a six day trip is an obvious enough display. However, Simons is still a beautiful writer, and still manages to transport her readers into the world she writes about- in this case, her beloved homeland of Russia. I enjoyed taking the research trip turned homage to her past, and seeing Russia through both her characters and her own eyes. If you loved the series, it's worth the read.
bookcrushers's review
5.0
This is a priceless read for anyone who's read and loved The Bronze Horseman trilogy. It wasn't the most glamorous or exciting read a lot of the time, but it was well written, emotional and full of meaning. It feels as though we are gazing into the innermost depths of Paullina Simons' soul. It's such a personal look into her life, I can't help but appreciate it and feel vastly privileged to have been given the opportunity to understand who she is and how that transpires into her writing. This really gave me that closure I was in desperate need of after finishing The Summer Garden. This beautiful, intimate recounting of the trip that inspired Tatiana and Alexander's fictional journey is one that will stay with me forever.
vegancleopatra's review
3.0
Overall Six Days in Leningrad is an enjoyable memoir and many elements within it allow you to see where some Bronze Horseman pieces came in. I especially enjoyed Simons' conflict with her memories from her childhood and what she actually saw while in Leningrad. There was an interesting psychological element within the pages pertaining to memories, childhood and the impacts of leaving your roots as a young child. I found that Simons expressed the juxtapositions of her memory and reality and Russia then and Russia now very well. These are the elements I found most interesting. Simons' arrival back in the USA also left her in a different kind of culture shock and raw from her visit to Russia, I felt she expressed this well.
However, there is a good amount of unnecessary detail, which is probably not surprising to fans of The Bronze Horseman series. Editing was needed here as it was needed in that series as well. There were numerous scenes that added nothing to the overall story and many family members and old friends that made appearances that only caused you to think they would play a larger role, only for them to disappear. Also, there was a considerable amount of back and forth between Simons and her father, which is great for their memories but I do not think it added anything for readers. Also, Simons seriously needed to at some point tell her father she was going to do X,Y, and Z and he would just have to deal with it. There were far too many times when Simons father would tell her she didn't have time or she wanted to do too much etc, even if it was directly related to the novel she was writing!
Overall I did enjoy tagging along with Simons to her return to Leningrad, I found it quite interesting and informative. But do expect to deal with some superfluous details.
However, there is a good amount of unnecessary detail, which is probably not surprising to fans of The Bronze Horseman series. Editing was needed here as it was needed in that series as well. There were numerous scenes that added nothing to the overall story and many family members and old friends that made appearances that only caused you to think they would play a larger role, only for them to disappear. Also, there was a considerable amount of back and forth between Simons and her father, which is great for their memories but I do not think it added anything for readers. Also, Simons seriously needed to at some point tell her father she was going to do X,Y, and Z and he would just have to deal with it. There were far too many times when Simons father would tell her she didn't have time or she wanted to do too much etc, even if it was directly related to the novel she was writing!
Overall I did enjoy tagging along with Simons to her return to Leningrad, I found it quite interesting and informative. But do expect to deal with some superfluous details.
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