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johannalm's review against another edition
4.0
The Patriots, Sana Krasikov
An epic novel that traces a families struggles and triumphs as several generations navigate 1930s Brooklyn, to Stalinist Russia, to present day Russia under Putin. This is a meticulously researched and fascinating look at what happened to emigres from the US and other countries who chose to go to the Soviet Union after the revolution, idealizing what they believed was being created there. Little did they foresee the brutality of life under a paranoid power hungry dictator.
Florence Fein hates her stilted life in Brooklyn NY in the 1930s. After finding a job at an organization helping the Soviet Government connect to American companies, Florie falls for a visiting Russian engineer. A year later, in 1938, while in her early 20s, Florie heads to Russia. Florie believes the propaganda about the new communist state and wants to be part of this new fantasy communist country. There are many other expats flocking to Moscow and other far flung parts of Russia, but as Stalin starts to close off his country, and as life gets more difficult and freedoms diminish, Florie still finds a way to build a life for herself. Florie falls in love with another expat Brooklynite, Leon, and together they try to weather the storms of privation, anti-Semitism, disappearances, collusion, arrests and imprisonment that plagued Russia before and after WWII.
Interspersed with Florence's story are the stories of her successful engineer son Julian, who has emigrated from Russia to America in the 1970's, and her grandson Lenny. Her grandson has spent most of his adult life trying to make a success of himself in what is now Putin's Russia. As we know, many characteristics of the Soviet Union still linger. There is paranoia at the top, and corruption, extortion and mobsters who have taken over where the secret police and the army once ruled. In 2008, Julian is visiting Russia for work, but also hopes to lure Lenny back to the US. While in Russia Julian also hopes to find out more about why his parents were both taken from him and imprisoned when he was 9. What he finds out about his mother may finally help him understand her.
A family saga full of idealism, sacrifice, loss and ultimately redemption and success, The Patriots is a daunting but engaging and gripping read.
An epic novel that traces a families struggles and triumphs as several generations navigate 1930s Brooklyn, to Stalinist Russia, to present day Russia under Putin. This is a meticulously researched and fascinating look at what happened to emigres from the US and other countries who chose to go to the Soviet Union after the revolution, idealizing what they believed was being created there. Little did they foresee the brutality of life under a paranoid power hungry dictator.
Florence Fein hates her stilted life in Brooklyn NY in the 1930s. After finding a job at an organization helping the Soviet Government connect to American companies, Florie falls for a visiting Russian engineer. A year later, in 1938, while in her early 20s, Florie heads to Russia. Florie believes the propaganda about the new communist state and wants to be part of this new fantasy communist country. There are many other expats flocking to Moscow and other far flung parts of Russia, but as Stalin starts to close off his country, and as life gets more difficult and freedoms diminish, Florie still finds a way to build a life for herself. Florie falls in love with another expat Brooklynite, Leon, and together they try to weather the storms of privation, anti-Semitism, disappearances, collusion, arrests and imprisonment that plagued Russia before and after WWII.
Interspersed with Florence's story are the stories of her successful engineer son Julian, who has emigrated from Russia to America in the 1970's, and her grandson Lenny. Her grandson has spent most of his adult life trying to make a success of himself in what is now Putin's Russia. As we know, many characteristics of the Soviet Union still linger. There is paranoia at the top, and corruption, extortion and mobsters who have taken over where the secret police and the army once ruled. In 2008, Julian is visiting Russia for work, but also hopes to lure Lenny back to the US. While in Russia Julian also hopes to find out more about why his parents were both taken from him and imprisoned when he was 9. What he finds out about his mother may finally help him understand her.
A family saga full of idealism, sacrifice, loss and ultimately redemption and success, The Patriots is a daunting but engaging and gripping read.
stacyroth's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
The Patriots follows the story of a mother and son, jumping between the two timelines. In the 1930s, Florence Fein leaves the United States to be part of the socialist movement in the USSR, feeling that the future is happening there now. In the ever changing political climate there, life is harder than she expected. Florence’s son, Julian, made the move back to the United States as an adult. We follow his story in 2008, when he travels back to Moscow for a business meeting and to learn the truth about his mom’s past.
I learned a lot about the way things worked in Russia, especially since the author would sometimes insert history lessons in the middle of the story to give more of an understanding as to what was going on. I felt like the book could have been condensed somewhat to make a more compelling read. In particular, the small bits about Julian’s son, Lenny, seemed unnecessary. Lenny’s part in moving the plot forward would have worked just as well without the chapter about how his work was going. It was interesting to read about Russia’s history, and the story was good, but it just did not keep me captivated. Not a bad book, but not one I would say is a must-read
The Patriots follows the story of a mother and son, jumping between the two timelines. In the 1930s, Florence Fein leaves the United States to be part of the socialist movement in the USSR, feeling that the future is happening there now. In the ever changing political climate there, life is harder than she expected. Florence’s son, Julian, made the move back to the United States as an adult. We follow his story in 2008, when he travels back to Moscow for a business meeting and to learn the truth about his mom’s past.
I learned a lot about the way things worked in Russia, especially since the author would sometimes insert history lessons in the middle of the story to give more of an understanding as to what was going on. I felt like the book could have been condensed somewhat to make a more compelling read. In particular, the small bits about Julian’s son, Lenny, seemed unnecessary. Lenny’s part in moving the plot forward would have worked just as well without the chapter about how his work was going. It was interesting to read about Russia’s history, and the story was good, but it just did not keep me captivated. Not a bad book, but not one I would say is a must-read
kathrynirena's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t know why it took me so long to get through this book—I was interested in the characters and story. It somehow felt the most real/immediate of the historical fiction I’ve read recently.
nutmegger's review against another edition
4.0
An insightful look at Russia then and now. Particularly interesting in light of current events.
abookishtype's review against another edition
3.0
It’s funny that we talk about settling down in a place as putting down roots. Roots go deep and, once established, are hard to tear up. It can be done, but pulling up roots can kill whatever is being transplanted. (I took up gardening this summer. Can you tell?) This metaphor is apt in the case of The Patriots, by Sana Krasikov. In the mid-1930s, Florence Fein pulls up her roots because she can’t stand the hypocrisy the United States and moves to the Soviet Union, to be a part of building the new socialist future—and also to track down her lover. Decades later, her son returns to Moscow to try and uproot his son, who has moved back to the “motherland” to make his fortune. Russia just won’t let the Fein-Brink family go...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
devrose's review against another edition
2.0
I read this for my synagogue’s book club; I never would have finished it otherwise. I didn’t find Flora a likeable character and the goings on of her son and his son just weren’t that interesting to me. This would be much more interesting to a person who is interested in the history of Russia.
scaraquin's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very engaging book, and I was quite impressed by the way in which Krasikov wove together the stories and perspectives of her characters. Despite the setting in a tumultuous time and place, this is not a plot-driven book in which we are driven forward by suspense, continually wondering who will live and who will die; the fate of each character is revealed fairly quickly when they are introduced. Instead, the strength of this book comes from its nuanced portrayal and analysis of complex relationships.
For such a long book, the cast of characters is quite small, and the narrative focuses on the stories of Florence and her son, Julian. Florence's story drives the plot forward, yet is shaped by her changing relationship with her homes: first Brooklyn, then Soviet Russia, then Brooklyn once more. She is an idealistic and naive character who perpetually prioritizes her relationships with places over her relationships with other people—although, she ultimately grows to recognize the importance of the latter. With Julian's narrative, we see how his return to Russia for a business trip forces him to reevaluate how he views his mother and his son, Lenny. He is quite critical of both of them at the start of the book, but is forced to appreciate their strengths, and recognize how he and they have all been shaped by the times and places in which they have lived. Finally, Krasikov deftly manages our own relationship as readers with each character. Her writing switches frequently between Florence and Julian, jumping into their pasts and futures, and occasionally introducing the point of views of other characters. Because of this, we often first see characters through the eyes of others, and only then go back and learn what they have hidden from the rest of the world, and the events that have led them to be as they are.
For such a long book, the cast of characters is quite small, and the narrative focuses on the stories of Florence and her son, Julian. Florence's story drives the plot forward, yet is shaped by her changing relationship with her homes: first Brooklyn, then Soviet Russia, then Brooklyn once more. She is an idealistic and naive character who perpetually prioritizes her relationships with places over her relationships with other people—although, she ultimately grows to recognize the importance of the latter. With Julian's narrative, we see how his return to Russia for a business trip forces him to reevaluate how he views his mother and his son, Lenny. He is quite critical of both of them at the start of the book, but is forced to appreciate their strengths, and recognize how he and they have all been shaped by the times and places in which they have lived. Finally, Krasikov deftly manages our own relationship as readers with each character. Her writing switches frequently between Florence and Julian, jumping into their pasts and futures, and occasionally introducing the point of views of other characters. Because of this, we often first see characters through the eyes of others, and only then go back and learn what they have hidden from the rest of the world, and the events that have led them to be as they are.
attyanne's review against another edition
2.0
I was looking forward to this book, having majored in Russian language and literature eons ago in college. I enjoy reading about Russia, in general. But the pretentious language, constant switching between unlikeable characters, and implausible plot made this book more of a chore than anything else. Most of all, this book was depressing - and I read a lot of books that others would characterize as depressing, but somehow they usually don't seem so to me. This novel was different (and not in a good way): depressing without any other redeeming qualities. After 150 pages, I finally abandoned it, something I don't often do. I'm being generous with two stars.
alismcg's review against another edition
4.0
For those troubled by multiple timelines and more convoluted stories with hosts of characters, likely this particular book will not be for you.
For those with any historical interest in Milly Bennett’s journalistic writings or Western emigration of the 1920s and 30s due to inequality — as told in Julia Mickenberg’s “American Girls in Red Russia” — “The Patriots” may satisfy your HF leanings.
The setting alters in slight shifts but for the greater expanse of story spills out with color and dimension into Stalin’s Soviet Union / Putin’s Russia during the 1930s , 1950s and 2008 as Krasikov weaves and connects her telling of 3 generations of American Jewish expats.
Historical info and politics which Krasikov does share re. conditions in Soviet Union fully supported by research of prior NF reads on the era. A foul sort of bitterness for American politics — especially under FDR’s Presidency — (moves me to ahha ! , hmm and scratch my head wishing to delve a bit deeper... ). Such unravellings always delight the rat terrier who paws and scratches within my mind.
A bit more heavily weighted on the ‘too descriptive’ in the fiction /romance element of the story for my personal preference. That always steals from a story for me when tints of a writer’s indiscretions seep through. minus 1 ⭐️
For those with any historical interest in Milly Bennett’s journalistic writings or Western emigration of the 1920s and 30s due to inequality — as told in Julia Mickenberg’s “American Girls in Red Russia” — “The Patriots” may satisfy your HF leanings.
The setting alters in slight shifts but for the greater expanse of story spills out with color and dimension into Stalin’s Soviet Union / Putin’s Russia during the 1930s , 1950s and 2008 as Krasikov weaves and connects her telling of 3 generations of American Jewish expats.
Historical info and politics which Krasikov does share re. conditions in Soviet Union fully supported by research of prior NF reads on the era. A foul sort of bitterness for American politics — especially under FDR’s Presidency — (moves me to ahha ! , hmm and scratch my head wishing to delve a bit deeper... ). Such unravellings always delight the rat terrier who paws and scratches within my mind.
A bit more heavily weighted on the ‘too descriptive’ in the fiction /romance element of the story for my personal preference. That always steals from a story for me when tints of a writer’s indiscretions seep through. minus 1 ⭐️