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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
sad
There were so many things that I didn't like about this book and even though Zoya's first husband and her's age difference was accurate for that time in history it still made me sick how they talked about it. Clayton often referred to her as a child and Zoya said something to him in regard to their age gap along the lines of: "it wouldn't matter if you were 10 years old, I would love you just the same," and that was just plain gross in my opinion. I would have been more tolerant of the age gap if the author didn't say "child" so much and have Clayton, Zoya, Zoya's grandmother, and her grandmother's friend all agree that he was too old for her but they all did nothing to stop the relationship from happening anyway. I really didn't like Clayton's character and I often felt that his main reason for liking Zoya was for her looks. I was honestly a bit glad when he died but I think the way he died was kinda weak on the author's part.
Also the whole stock market crash part of the book takes to me my next point: way too many bad things happened in this book and I became numb to it very quickly. The word "death/died" lost its meaning about 60 pages into this book. I never read a book where a character had this much bad luck. It didn't even make me sad, just tired.
The pacing in this book was also horrible. I really liked how the book started out and I liked the detail that the author included about the escape from Russia and the revolution. I liked how we got updates on how everything was going while she was living in Paris. What I didn't like was that the second half of the book was so rushed in comparison. I wanted more detail about Zoya's husband Simon and I'm sad that I never got that. Their relationship felt rushed. I felt like so many characters were introduced just for nothing but death to become of them and it made me question why they were even added in the first place.
There was so much name dropping and it was pointless and not relevant to the story at all. Considering a decent chunk of this book took place during WWII I expected more detail about its big events and the anxiety that it caused Zoya but once again the detailing was just not there. So many great concepts were introduced only to be brushed over which made this book a very disappointing read.
To sum up, this book was so frustrating and so much happened, a little too much actually, and it's a book I'll complain about for years to come.
Also the whole stock market crash part of the book takes to me my next point: way too many bad things happened in this book and I became numb to it very quickly. The word "death/died" lost its meaning about 60 pages into this book. I never read a book where a character had this much bad luck. It didn't even make me sad, just tired.
The pacing in this book was also horrible. I really liked how the book started out and I liked the detail that the author included about the escape from Russia and the revolution. I liked how we got updates on how everything was going while she was living in Paris. What I didn't like was that the second half of the book was so rushed in comparison. I wanted more detail about Zoya's husband Simon and I'm sad that I never got that. Their relationship felt rushed. I felt like so many characters were introduced just for nothing but death to become of them and it made me question why they were even added in the first place.
There was so much name dropping and it was pointless and not relevant to the story at all. Considering a decent chunk of this book took place during WWII I expected more detail about its big events and the anxiety that it caused Zoya but once again the detailing was just not there. So many great concepts were introduced only to be brushed over which made this book a very disappointing read.
To sum up, this book was so frustrating and so much happened, a little too much actually, and it's a book I'll complain about for years to come.
Loved this book in high school. My friends and I passed it around. We all thought czars and their families were fascinating. We all loved this story and thought Zoya must have been the most beautiful name in the world. One of these days I would love to read it again. Maybe I can find a copy to own. ❤️
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-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
I first read this years ago, and although Danielle Steel has a rambling, repetitive style of writing that sometimes annoys the English teacher in me, there is no denying that she can tell a story.
Meh, it was okay. I buy absolutely 0% of the romances here, and the fourth cover spoils too much of the story (not as badly as in Jewel's case, though), but it's still decent, I guess.
Loveable characters:
No
The book wasn't for me, though. It follows russian Zoya Ossupova and her life from fleeing Russia in 1917 through her years in Paris dancing ballet and to New York and her three husbands. Now, I mention the husband's because as far as I can tell, they just like her because they do. There is nothing special about Zoya other than she is beautiful, and it just makes me tired. The writing isn't particularly good, I definitely expected more from Danielle Steel, but it feels like I just get told the facts. 'then she went to Paris, bumped into this man, they flirt, he immediately fell in love and they marry after a week' something like that.
And even though I didn't like the book, I have to say it's too short. This edition is 222 pages, but it spans 60 years and sometimes, a decade is boiled down to one page 'the business thrived etc etc'.
It feels like a rough draft, like a timeline of what needs to happen, but ai need all the in-between stuff, why does she think the things she think, why do the men keep falling in love with her, why why why. There were so many times when questioned why stuff happened, and not in the good way.
And even though I didn't like the book, I have to say it's too short. This edition is 222 pages, but it spans 60 years and sometimes, a decade is boiled down to one page 'the business thrived etc etc'.
It feels like a rough draft, like a timeline of what needs to happen, but ai need all the in-between stuff, why does she think the things she think, why do the men keep falling in love with her, why why why. There were so many times when questioned why stuff happened, and not in the good way.
I first read this book about 7 years ago. I had this thoughts Russia and always dreamt of moving there just so that I could attend Christmas mass and feel the snow and all that. This is the only Danielle Steel book I ever liked and reading it a second time gives me reasons why. She kept repeating things it started to annoy, I was here for the story, I just realized that. and also for the love I felt. I always wanted more. I still want more. I want love like this.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated