Reviews

Let the Dead Bury the Dead by Allison Epstein

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lanternheart's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Hard to put down, poetic, and with the dark underbelly of an old tale, Let the Dead Bury the Dead was a gripping read by Allison Epstein. Though on the surface an alternate history, and very much holding in its hands an account of old Russia, I found myself far closer held by the book as a character study — watching the crushing, exhilarating, horrifying, and even sometimes hopeful evolution of its main characters: Felix, Marya, and Sasha.

I felt that the deep internal conflict of these characters within themselves, heightened by the strange witchcraft of the vila, Sofia, to be the strongest point of this book — and could not have asked for a better linchpin around which their evolution turns. From the moment Sasha rescues her and regrets it, while Felix cleaves to this mystery woman while failing to recognize the lover who came back from the Napoleonic Wars, I was hooked on reading the transformations set before me.

I will admit to, though I know the history of revolution in Russia and any country to be a hard one, a pang of disappointment at the end — though Epstein tries to offset this by having Marya look forward, to the spirit of the Russian people who have seen that a kind of revolution is possible. We as readers in our day know it will be a long time coming, and a bloody one, far from what these characters may have hoped. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book very much and read it quickly whenever I grasped it, and won't forget its characters soon. Perhaps due to his extreme conflicts within himself, Sasha is the one I'm least likely to forget.

Content Warnings

margaret's review against another edition

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3.5

allison epstein really knows how to write a man conflicted about his loyalty to his country

topazlit's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

demmdad9's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

eggcatsreads's review against another edition

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4.0

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Doubleday Books for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a historical fiction in 1812 Russia, Let the Dead Bury the Dead is a tale that perfectly blends folklore with reality, making you unsure which is which as the story unfolds. Told with three perspectives - Felix (the grand duke of Russia), Sasha (an imperial soldier with a relationship with Felix), and Marya (a member of the Koalitsiya, a revolutionary) - this story blends together all sides of the unrest stirring in Russia, and the choices each person makes that led to the ending of this novel.

Helped by the enigmatic Sofia to achieve their goals, as the novel unfolds we remain unsure what her goal truly is. Does she wish to help the revolution for a better Russia for the people, or watch it burn to the ground? She is the hand guiding this story, and the only one who knows what resolution her actions will bring.

This story was a beautiful take on Russian history, and made you truly feel like you were living in these times with these people. The stakes slowly rise higher as the novel continues, until eventually you are unable to see how this can end without bloodshed.

chi_hoosier's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

As always, Allison is able to effortlessly bring you into her alternative histories where staying feels like second nature. I know enough about Russian history to be intrigued (but not be able to hold my end in a conversation for long), so seeing the skeleton of references but just nodding and letting myself get swept away in the world she creates is such a joy. Per my own rating rubric (on Goodreads), it's 4 stars (only in that I probably won't go back to it multiple times) but a high read recommendation!