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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Russian Doll is the portrait of a devastating family history that spans the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the siege of Leningrad during WWII, Stalin’s purges, and into the 1990s. Its dual timelines focus on Rosie in the 1990s trying to understand her mother's murky past and her family's tragedies, while the second timeline focuses on doomed lovers Tonya and Valentin starting in the early 20th Century.
As a child in Russia, Rosie witnessed the brutal death of her beloved older sister and father. Soon after, she and her mother escape to England where she is raised as her mother falls deeper and deeper into the liquor bottle. Upon her mother's death, she discovers a note hidden in a porcelain doll and a mysterious key. At the same time, she's offered a unique internship working for a renowned Russian author and speaker in Russia. Rosie seizes the chance to look into her family's history and track down "that man" who ruined their lives.
I was intrigued by Rosie's story and how her past was so connected to the present. The slow reveal of the past kept me turning the pages until the very end. The end of the Tonya/Valentin story line was romantic if a bit unrealistic to me, and I found that I still had questions at the end that I'm not sure were explained completely.
Much of this story - especially in the historic timeline - is quite brutal and raw. The downfall of the Czar and the resulting turmoil and the years of Stalin's work camps were gut wrenching. Russian history is filled with events like these and it's a difficult story to digest. But for history lovers and fans of historical fiction, it's also a unique and fascinating glimpse into the past.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced readers copy of this book.
As a child in Russia, Rosie witnessed the brutal death of her beloved older sister and father. Soon after, she and her mother escape to England where she is raised as her mother falls deeper and deeper into the liquor bottle. Upon her mother's death, she discovers a note hidden in a porcelain doll and a mysterious key. At the same time, she's offered a unique internship working for a renowned Russian author and speaker in Russia. Rosie seizes the chance to look into her family's history and track down "that man" who ruined their lives.
I was intrigued by Rosie's story and how her past was so connected to the present. The slow reveal of the past kept me turning the pages until the very end. The end of the Tonya/Valentin story line was romantic if a bit unrealistic to me, and I found that I still had questions at the end that I'm not sure were explained completely.
Much of this story - especially in the historic timeline - is quite brutal and raw. The downfall of the Czar and the resulting turmoil and the years of Stalin's work camps were gut wrenching. Russian history is filled with events like these and it's a difficult story to digest. But for history lovers and fans of historical fiction, it's also a unique and fascinating glimpse into the past.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced readers copy of this book.
I can’t believe this is a debut novel. An absolute page-turner. Russian history, intrigue, ghost story and romance.
Raisa and Antonina are wonderful characters to read about.
Raisa and Antonina are wonderful characters to read about.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a beautifully written book that highlighted some of the altering events that occurred in Russian/Soviet history. I will absolutely be reading some of Kristen Loesch's future works but I could tell that I was not in the headspace for this particular prose. I would recommend waiting until you're in the specific headspace as I found myself confused as certain parts as to what the purpose of different plot beats were.
You could sense the amount of work and effort that went into this story and for that I'm grateful.
You could sense the amount of work and effort that went into this story and for that I'm grateful.
DNF. One half of the story was interesting, but I got tired of the constant time changes.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An absolute page turner! Excellent layering, beautiful prose. I couldn’t put this novel down. The mystery is good, and even when you figure out parts of it early on, there’s still enough secrets, and connections to make, that keep the story rolling. I loved it so much! I cannot wait for more from Loesch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, War
Minor: Miscarriage
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
No
3.75 rounded up
I truly enjoyed the new-to-me Russian history and the interweaving of the characters’ stories. I was really rooting for them and hopeful for their eventual peace in the midst of such terrible times. Very much disappointed by some plot holes at the end and a lackluster climax. Slow to start.
I truly enjoyed the new-to-me Russian history and the interweaving of the characters’ stories. I was really rooting for them and hopeful for their eventual peace in the midst of such terrible times. Very much disappointed by some plot holes at the end and a lackluster climax. Slow to start.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated