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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
This third and final installment in The Bronze Horseman trilogy is an extensive and messy tome of events. This book could have easily been 3 or 4 separate, shorter novels. One thing after another happened, one conflict after another, and I guess that was intentional, to represent what life is like.
There were many things I enjoyed about this novel. I liked all the events in the lives of Tatiana and Alexander. They made for a fun and quite emotional read. I like the way Simons uses language to evoke a sentimental attachment to her characters and settings. She really has a knack of making her readers feel nostalgic for places we've never seen with our own eyes, but love because of the way they're written about. I like how she spun the story full circle through the generations, showing that love and life are timeless and each generation invents the world and feels their personal experience to be unique and special.
Some things that bothered me about the novel... I HATED the treatment of women in this book. Whereas Tania was previously a strong character in her own right (to put it lightly), in this book she becomes entirely defined by Alexander. I don't like how the transgressions of men are blamed on the women, that for a woman to have something she loves other than her man is portrayed as damaging to the relationship whereas the man can find himself in his own right, without being defined by his woman. I wish the two leads would have been offered a more even ground to stand on by the author rather than placing them firmly into their stereotypical roles. And I'm not one of those feminist Nazis who needs every story to be about equality. What I mean is that it seemed out of character for a strong and persevering woman to suddenly become so marginalized once she had her husband around. I saw no good reason for this other than to create the stereotypical rescued damsel and white knight relationship so typical to romance novels.
This series has really become one of my favorites, which is surprising since I don't normally go for romances. I like the epic story, the sentimentality of the events and locations, and the historical accuracy the author achieved through some obvious diligent research. I can't wait to read another work by Simons to see if I like it just as much.
There were many things I enjoyed about this novel. I liked all the events in the lives of Tatiana and Alexander. They made for a fun and quite emotional read. I like the way Simons uses language to evoke a sentimental attachment to her characters and settings. She really has a knack of making her readers feel nostalgic for places we've never seen with our own eyes, but love because of the way they're written about. I like how she spun the story full circle through the generations, showing that love and life are timeless and each generation invents the world and feels their personal experience to be unique and special.
Some things that bothered me about the novel... I HATED the treatment of women in this book. Whereas Tania was previously a strong character in her own right (to put it lightly), in this book she becomes entirely defined by Alexander. I don't like how the transgressions of men are blamed on the women, that for a woman to have something she loves other than her man is portrayed as damaging to the relationship whereas the man can find himself in his own right, without being defined by his woman. I wish the two leads would have been offered a more even ground to stand on by the author rather than placing them firmly into their stereotypical roles. And I'm not one of those feminist Nazis who needs every story to be about equality. What I mean is that it seemed out of character for a strong and persevering woman to suddenly become so marginalized once she had her husband around. I saw no good reason for this other than to create the stereotypical rescued damsel and white knight relationship so typical to romance novels.
This series has really become one of my favorites, which is surprising since I don't normally go for romances. I like the epic story, the sentimentality of the events and locations, and the historical accuracy the author achieved through some obvious diligent research. I can't wait to read another work by Simons to see if I like it just as much.
It's rare that I spend all night reading, losing sleep, getting all emotional with this weird watery stuff leaking from my eyes...this trilogy did that to me. All three books. Five days. No sleep, little food, no attention given to anyone but Shura and Tania.
That should tell you something.
That should tell you something.
Un libro incredibile, per me è stato un po' lento all'inizio ma ne vale la pena... Stupendo
This book was LONG!!! You think you've finally made it to the end and surprise there's more! I don't know why the other felt compelled to write this book. I think she should've ended it with the second book. As much as I love Alexander and Tatiana this book was boring most the time.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely adored book 1, but as the books went on the story really LAGGED. This book followed the later years of Tatiana and Alexander once they came to America. This book definitely could have been condensed down, same with book 2. There was so much unnecessary story that really took away from the timeline. I feel like the timing was really awful on this book, because they talked about them not being able to have kids and then in the next chapter, they had four kids... But they had spent the previous 3 chapters talking about how they couldn't have any more kids. There are definitely also trigger warnings (domestic violence) that are not put in the beginning of the books so heads up. Here is the short version: They lived happily ever after.
These books simply took me forever to read because of how long they were... and if I had known that from the beginning and read reviews online BEFORE I started the series, I probably would not have read it.
These books simply took me forever to read because of how long they were... and if I had known that from the beginning and read reviews online BEFORE I started the series, I probably would not have read it.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
re-reading this series was the best decision I could make, they literally own my heart.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes