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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I appear to be reading this trilogy in entirely the wrong order but it doesn't matter as each story is brilliant on its own. The book is divided into 3 with each section taking place at a different time in the 20th century and the descriptions and narration match this brilliantly. It is a book that will stay with you long after you have finished the last sentence and you will find yourself wondering about the characters, and in my case wishing that you had taken the Russian and History option at Uni.
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have mixed feelings about this book, mostly based on my expectations. As I remarked in my review of “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich”, non-fiction gives you the facts, the times and the places, and historical fiction gives you the human side and what it felt like to be there. Sashenka is firmly in the latter camp. It really puts you convincingly in Russia in the three time periods it is set in, 1916 in St. Petersburg, Moscow in 1939, and places between London and Moscow in 1994. So, historically you get a bit of the revolution, a bit of Stalin and a bit of after the fall, but there are a lot of gaps. As a novel, it’s a great story, and not a difficult read once you get past the foreign names. It’s an unforgettable story, although some scenes I’d really like to forget. Still, it left me a little thirsty for more history, so I’m looking at some of the author’s other books for my “To Read” list.
Montefiore is perhaps my favourite non fiction author. I have loved his history books and I went into this hoping to find the level of detail and knowledge I had experienced there. Which, I did.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the top reviewer, Sashenka does not feel like a full character, no one does in this book. I think an excellent essayist tried his hand at fiction and found he couldn’t fully let go of a realism that ultimately made it impossible for his cast to come alive. Everyone in this feels like an archetype, when not a stereotype and I have a had a hard time relating to them. The story is, because of that, sadly trite, and Benia in particular reeks of self insert. If Sashenka was to be this great hero, she really deserved a better love interest.
That being said, as a huge history nerd, I still found many elements of this enjoyable and exciting, but if this wasn’t my particular special interest, I doubt I would have gone above two stars.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the top reviewer, Sashenka does not feel like a full character, no one does in this book. I think an excellent essayist tried his hand at fiction and found he couldn’t fully let go of a realism that ultimately made it impossible for his cast to come alive. Everyone in this feels like an archetype, when not a stereotype and I have a had a hard time relating to them. The story is, because of that, sadly trite, and Benia in particular reeks of self insert. If Sashenka was to be this great hero, she really deserved a better love interest.
That being said, as a huge history nerd, I still found many elements of this enjoyable and exciting, but if this wasn’t my particular special interest, I doubt I would have gone above two stars.
Sașenka este exact genul de carte care ar detemina și pe cel care nu citește ficțiune istorică să înceapă să o facă. Deși se simte pasiunea autorului pentru istorie și găsim elemente reale îmbinate cu cele ficționale, Sașenka este o lectură accesibilă tuturor. Pe măsură ce mă afundam în poveste am realizat cât de mult seamănă cu „Spune-mi cine sunt”, carte achiziționată tot de pe Libris. Deși preferata mea dintre aceste două titluri rămâne tot „Spune-mi cine sunt”, m-am bucurat să descopăr în romanul lui Montefiore o poveste care îți taie răsuflarea și care scoate cu multă precizie la lumină elementele specifice regimului comunist și a luptei pentru putere.
https://ancasicartile.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/sasenka-1-trilogia-moscova-simon-sebag-montefiore-recenzie-trei/
It's been some time since I enjoyed an historical novel with mainly fictional characters as much as this one. Probably because the writer has spend so much time in archives and most of the storyline has been taken from other similar events during these time frames.
The book reminded me of Billy Joel's Leningrad. "Russian life was very sad, and such was life in Leningrad"
I specifically enjoyed the writer's impartiality on his subjects and their believes and reactions to events. He avoids taking any political stance but merely reflects on events happening and how it is experienced and justified by characters of the particular period of time.
The book reminded me of Billy Joel's Leningrad. "Russian life was very sad, and such was life in Leningrad"
I specifically enjoyed the writer's impartiality on his subjects and their believes and reactions to events. He avoids taking any political stance but merely reflects on events happening and how it is experienced and justified by characters of the particular period of time.
It's finally over!!!
I usually really like these kinds of books but I just couldn't bring myself to like this one. I never liked Lenin or his minions and later Stalin, and I can't understand how any person wanted to be like them.
I couldn't like Sashenka. She seemed too cold and idealistic through whole book and she believed in something that ended up completely destroying her. Didn't like her family much either. Especially her fanatic mother. Her dad was okay, I guess, even though he seemed mostly cold too.
Second part was kind of better even though she annoyed me when she started blaming all but herself when her world came crashing down. She was way too selfish before, but when she was captured she was like "Oh, screw everyone else. I don't care about them. I just wanna get out and go see my kids.". You're a mother, I understand that, but to not care about your husband or anyone else but yourself and your children... I don't get it.
The last part was my personal favorite. I loved discovering all those secrets and betrayals. And I finally found some remorse for Sashenka. It took 500 pages to bring myself to pity her and her fate. It was very sad what happened to her and her family. And I don't doubt that that happened to million of other Russians during those years. It was a world of fake testimonies and confessions that were beaten out of people. Thank god that period of human history is over.
So, the final score is: first part: 2 stars; second part: 2.5 stars; third part: 4.5 stars.
I usually really like these kinds of books but I just couldn't bring myself to like this one. I never liked Lenin or his minions and later Stalin, and I can't understand how any person wanted to be like them.
I couldn't like Sashenka. She seemed too cold and idealistic through whole book and she believed in something that ended up completely destroying her. Didn't like her family much either. Especially her fanatic mother. Her dad was okay, I guess, even though he seemed mostly cold too.
Second part was kind of better even though she annoyed me when she started blaming all but herself when her world came crashing down. She was way too selfish before, but when she was captured she was like "Oh, screw everyone else. I don't care about them. I just wanna get out and go see my kids.". You're a mother, I understand that, but to not care about your husband or anyone else but yourself and your children... I don't get it.
The last part was my personal favorite. I loved discovering all those secrets and betrayals. And I finally found some remorse for Sashenka. It took 500 pages to bring myself to pity her and her fate. It was very sad what happened to her and her family. And I don't doubt that that happened to million of other Russians during those years. It was a world of fake testimonies and confessions that were beaten out of people. Thank god that period of human history is over.
So, the final score is: first part: 2 stars; second part: 2.5 stars; third part: 4.5 stars.
I loved this book!
Only recently have I become interested in modern history, and more specifically the Russian Revolution, and this book definitely helped to deepen my interest.
'Sashenka' is very well researched, and is the author's first novel as Montefiore normally writes historical books. This was a GREAT debut! The latter part of the book, though not AS enjoyable as the first two parts is still fantastic and provides a look into post-Stalinist Russia. It is set in a different decade from the first two parts and doesn't contain the characters that we have come to love and hate, but has a good (though somewhat predictable) twist.
I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, it is fatastically researched while also having a great, fast-moving storyline.
Only recently have I become interested in modern history, and more specifically the Russian Revolution, and this book definitely helped to deepen my interest.
'Sashenka' is very well researched, and is the author's first novel as Montefiore normally writes historical books. This was a GREAT debut! The latter part of the book, though not AS enjoyable as the first two parts is still fantastic and provides a look into post-Stalinist Russia. It is set in a different decade from the first two parts and doesn't contain the characters that we have come to love and hate, but has a good (though somewhat predictable) twist.
I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, it is fatastically researched while also having a great, fast-moving storyline.
I hated this book and I loved it, and in the end it broke my heart and made me cry after all.
There's that famous quotes "the revolution eats its children" it was true for the French and it's true for the Russians. The monstrous regime that revolutions created turns and destroys the very people who birthed it.
I hated most of the characters, I hated how Montefiore wrote women especially. Every woman is introduced with a description of her bosoms, usually straining against their shirts.
But the history!!!! THE HISTORY!!! Montefiore is first and foremost a historian. And it shows. In Sashenka the history is very much melodramacized, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it's honest, it's ugly, and not at all romanticized.
Sashenka was a fascinating character, I wish she was written better (a la Kate Quinn), but god she was so fearless, so driven, with so much conviction in what she did. Except in the end, stepping out of line ruined her life. It hurt to read, it did. Especially her end.
I enjoyed the third part of the novel the best, as Katya (Katinka whatever, also what's the with the fact that the female characters were referred to by diminutives?) searched for the truth.
Overall, it's a decent historical novel, but I wish I liked the characters better.
There's that famous quotes "the revolution eats its children" it was true for the French and it's true for the Russians. The monstrous regime that revolutions created turns and destroys the very people who birthed it.
I hated most of the characters, I hated how Montefiore wrote women especially. Every woman is introduced with a description of her bosoms, usually straining against their shirts.
But the history!!!! THE HISTORY!!! Montefiore is first and foremost a historian. And it shows. In Sashenka the history is very much melodramacized, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it's honest, it's ugly, and not at all romanticized.
Sashenka was a fascinating character, I wish she was written better (a la Kate Quinn), but god she was so fearless, so driven, with so much conviction in what she did. Except in the end, stepping out of line ruined her life. It hurt to read, it did. Especially her end.
I enjoyed the third part of the novel the best, as Katya (Katinka whatever, also what's the with the fact that the female characters were referred to by diminutives?) searched for the truth.
Overall, it's a decent historical novel, but I wish I liked the characters better.