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margreads's review
2.0
I have a number of historical eras that I seem to be drawn to when it comes to books. Among those are books set in the medieval era, World War I and II, and books set in Russia, especially those featuring the Romanov family.
It was therefore no surprise that I was interested in this book when I first heard of it. The main character of this book is Masha Rasputina, daughter of the infamous 'Mad Monk' Grigori Rasputin, which is an interesting choice of narrator that I have only seen used one other time in Robert Alexander's book Rasputin's Daughter.
This book hinges on the premise that Rasputin organised for his daughters, Masha and Varya, to be made wards of the Romanov family after his death. The book opens with the story of his death, although it is revisited several times through the book, and so the two girls are taken to live with the Tsar and Tsarina, their four daughters (collectively known as OTMA - Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia) and their son, Alexei, or Alyosha as he is known. It is a difficult time to be associated with the Romanovs though. The revolution is underway, and they are in the process of being removed from the throne. Masha and Varya are basically kept prisoner with the family and it is in this restricted environment that a strong relationship develops between Masha and Alyosha, despite the fact that he is 14 years old and she is 18.
To read more head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2013/03/enchantments-by-kathryn-harrison.html
assimbya's review
4.0
It would be very easy for me, if I chose, to pick apart Enchantments with an extremely critical eye - the thematic points are not woven in tightly enough; Alyosha is not much of a convincing character; Masha's adult life is not drawn very fully; the detached, philosophical tone Alyosha and Masha used when talking about the revolution didn't come off as well as it could have.
(Never mind that romanticizing books about the Romanovs aren't usually my sort of thing.)
But, with this novel, I don't actually care - it satisfied all my indulgent literary desires, for metafictional books about storytelling, for little, jeweled Angela Carter-like episodes a bit unhinged from history, and, most remarkably, for magical realism in the Russian orthodox tradition. I had fun. It's a very flawed novel, but I enjoyed it very much.
(I also appear to have read a bunch of Kathryn Harrison's other books without putting together that they were by the same author, I am fascinated with the variety in her work.)
(Never mind that romanticizing books about the Romanovs aren't usually my sort of thing.)
But, with this novel, I don't actually care - it satisfied all my indulgent literary desires, for metafictional books about storytelling, for little, jeweled Angela Carter-like episodes a bit unhinged from history, and, most remarkably, for magical realism in the Russian orthodox tradition. I had fun. It's a very flawed novel, but I enjoyed it very much.
(I also appear to have read a bunch of Kathryn Harrison's other books without putting together that they were by the same author, I am fascinated with the variety in her work.)
gossamerchild's review
4.0
This is my favorite type of historical fiction-great writing, fascinating topic, and and amazing storytelling. Loved it!
booksatlunch's review
2.0
Ugh I wanted to like this book. I really did, but no. It just didn't work for me. I "finished" it. But really it was more like I forced myself to skim the book. It sounded promising, but it just didn't entertain me.
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