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betterthanhamlet's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a fan of Russian history, so I really enjoyed this. It was pretty engaging and invented some interesting characters and scenarios over the years. The author clearly does his research.
anouk90's review
adventurous
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
acraig5075's review against another edition
4.0
Thank goodness for the family tree at the start of this novel because it got exhausting trying to remember who's who. So many Ivans, Mikhaels, Arinas and Borises. Still, I found it interesting and the intertwining of generational stories clever. I got a good sense of the passing of time, not so much of people but of places. At 1000+ pages it's not to be taken lightly.
chandraisenberg's review against another edition
5.0
I was surprised how much I enjoyed Russka. I would be interested to know what made Rutherford choose Russia since all of his other epic novels are set in Ireland and the UK. Russka is slightly different from Rutherford's other work in that there is a strong focus on modern Russian history (over 2/3 of the book). Because he takes his time with the last five centuries, a lot of the characters are in several stories. It didn't feel like a collection of isolated stories like Princes of Ireland and Sarum.
Pick this one up!
Pick this one up!
moncoinlecture's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 en fait.
Intéressant historiquement mais pas évident de se démêler dans ces 1000 ans + de personnages!
Intéressant historiquement mais pas évident de se démêler dans ces 1000 ans + de personnages!
amalia1985's review against another edition
5.0
‘’The steppe was quiet that night. So was the forest. Softly the wind moved over the land.’’
Russia...Few countries are able to create such vivid images once you hear their names. Those of us who had the good fortune to visit that beautiful country will be able to understand the heart of this book even better. A land of antitheses, a land of classical and primitive beauty, a land created by blood, tears and religion, a land where every form of Art flourished, giving birth to Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gorgi, Nureyev, and the list is endless. I won’t deal with political issues, I couldn’t care less about politics in any country and any era. All I am able to say is that bringing the course of Russia through the centuries into life is a daunting task. And I can think of noone better to bring it to fruition than Edward Rutherfurd.
Rutherfurd uses a small community named Russka and follows his familiar and fascinating technique. We follow the descendants of two families through time, starting from 180 AD all the way to the 90s, from the Roman times to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The characters are men and women that have their weaknesses and strengths, their hopes and fears, feelings that are mainly dependant on who has the absolute power over the troubled country at any given era. With the risk of sounding like an old, broken record to those who follow my reviews and have read my commentaries on Rutherfurd's books, I must say (for the millionth time) that he creates people that live right in front of our eyes. He inserts historical details which provide the necessary context for the interactions and the storylines, but he doesn't give a History lecture and, the most important, he doesn’t choose sides.
He paints with words. His descriptions of battles, political machinations and daily life are equally exciting. He touches upon religious, political and philosophical matters in a simple, clear, confident manner. Each story-chapter is a small literary treasure, a necessary piece to the beautiful Russian tapestry he has created, but there are some that simple stand out.
‘’All nature seemed at peace in the vast Russian silence.’’
‘’Forest and Steppe’’ : The birth of Russia through the eyes of a young woman of mixed parentage. A tale set in 180 AD.
‘’The River’’ : A story of rivalry between brothers and the caress of good fortune set in the 11th century.
‘’The Tatar’’ : A dark story set in the 13th century, during the terrible Tatar invasions. An unusual text by Rutherfurd who shows he isn't afraid to deal with bold- nay, shocking- storylines. A word of caution, though. It is not a chapter for readers who are sensitive in issues like incest and problematic sexual relationships.
‘’Ivan’’ : We move on to the time Ivan Grozny- more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible- and the era in which Moscow becomes the heart and jewel of Russia. In this story, Rutherfurd has created a very interesting and tragic relationship between Boris and Elena, a young married couple who do everything they can to destroy one another.
‘’You’re free, Cossack- free as a bird over the steppe. But I’m alone with nothing.’’
‘’The Cossack’’ : Perhaps, the best moment in the book. A wonderful journey in the life of the Cossacks, during a tumultuous era in Russian history and the influence of Poland in the religious and political issues of the country.
‘’Catherine’’ : We travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, this glorious, mesmerizing city, and the Golden Age of Russia. The era when everything flourished under the reign of Catherine the Great.
‘’The wolf is near, but on a cold, dark night, the Tsar is very far away indeed.’’
We enter the years of doubt, the time when the oppression is doubly-felt among the lower classes and the cries for freedom and change start rising above the level of whispers.The French Revolution has planted a mighty seed all over Europe and the people begin to question everything they used to take for granted. However, revolutions are always double-edged swords and Rutherfurd writes about the darkest times in Russian History with sensitivity and objectivity.
‘’Fathers and Sons’’ : Turgenev and Bakunin’s influence is very prominent on this chapter, leading us towards the final acts before the world explodes.
The following chapters describe the bloody days of the Revolution, the Russian fight and contribution in stopping Hitler’s forces from advancing further,with the eventual defeat of the Nazi oppression, and the times of uncertainty following the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Trying to trace the complex history of Russia while being completely objective, professional and respectful, is toiling work. Even writing a simple, unimportant review about this great country is tricky,because there are always the ones looking for a fight, trying to lure you into cheap political commentary. I have read many, many books that combine History and Fiction to narrate the tale of the beautiful country. None could come close to Edward Rutherfurd’s creation…
‘’Russia: where the plain is endless.’’
‘’Russia: where the east and west meet.’’
Russia...Few countries are able to create such vivid images once you hear their names. Those of us who had the good fortune to visit that beautiful country will be able to understand the heart of this book even better. A land of antitheses, a land of classical and primitive beauty, a land created by blood, tears and religion, a land where every form of Art flourished, giving birth to Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gorgi, Nureyev, and the list is endless. I won’t deal with political issues, I couldn’t care less about politics in any country and any era. All I am able to say is that bringing the course of Russia through the centuries into life is a daunting task. And I can think of noone better to bring it to fruition than Edward Rutherfurd.
Rutherfurd uses a small community named Russka and follows his familiar and fascinating technique. We follow the descendants of two families through time, starting from 180 AD all the way to the 90s, from the Roman times to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The characters are men and women that have their weaknesses and strengths, their hopes and fears, feelings that are mainly dependant on who has the absolute power over the troubled country at any given era. With the risk of sounding like an old, broken record to those who follow my reviews and have read my commentaries on Rutherfurd's books, I must say (for the millionth time) that he creates people that live right in front of our eyes. He inserts historical details which provide the necessary context for the interactions and the storylines, but he doesn't give a History lecture and, the most important, he doesn’t choose sides.
He paints with words. His descriptions of battles, political machinations and daily life are equally exciting. He touches upon religious, political and philosophical matters in a simple, clear, confident manner. Each story-chapter is a small literary treasure, a necessary piece to the beautiful Russian tapestry he has created, but there are some that simple stand out.
‘’All nature seemed at peace in the vast Russian silence.’’
‘’Forest and Steppe’’ : The birth of Russia through the eyes of a young woman of mixed parentage. A tale set in 180 AD.
‘’The River’’ : A story of rivalry between brothers and the caress of good fortune set in the 11th century.
‘’The Tatar’’ : A dark story set in the 13th century, during the terrible Tatar invasions. An unusual text by Rutherfurd who shows he isn't afraid to deal with bold- nay, shocking- storylines. A word of caution, though. It is not a chapter for readers who are sensitive in issues like incest and problematic sexual relationships.
‘’Ivan’’ : We move on to the time Ivan Grozny- more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible- and the era in which Moscow becomes the heart and jewel of Russia. In this story, Rutherfurd has created a very interesting and tragic relationship between Boris and Elena, a young married couple who do everything they can to destroy one another.
‘’You’re free, Cossack- free as a bird over the steppe. But I’m alone with nothing.’’
‘’The Cossack’’ : Perhaps, the best moment in the book. A wonderful journey in the life of the Cossacks, during a tumultuous era in Russian history and the influence of Poland in the religious and political issues of the country.
‘’Catherine’’ : We travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, this glorious, mesmerizing city, and the Golden Age of Russia. The era when everything flourished under the reign of Catherine the Great.
‘’The wolf is near, but on a cold, dark night, the Tsar is very far away indeed.’’
We enter the years of doubt, the time when the oppression is doubly-felt among the lower classes and the cries for freedom and change start rising above the level of whispers.The French Revolution has planted a mighty seed all over Europe and the people begin to question everything they used to take for granted. However, revolutions are always double-edged swords and Rutherfurd writes about the darkest times in Russian History with sensitivity and objectivity.
‘’Fathers and Sons’’ : Turgenev and Bakunin’s influence is very prominent on this chapter, leading us towards the final acts before the world explodes.
The following chapters describe the bloody days of the Revolution, the Russian fight and contribution in stopping Hitler’s forces from advancing further,with the eventual defeat of the Nazi oppression, and the times of uncertainty following the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Trying to trace the complex history of Russia while being completely objective, professional and respectful, is toiling work. Even writing a simple, unimportant review about this great country is tricky,because there are always the ones looking for a fight, trying to lure you into cheap political commentary. I have read many, many books that combine History and Fiction to narrate the tale of the beautiful country. None could come close to Edward Rutherfurd’s creation…
‘’Russia: where the plain is endless.’’
‘’Russia: where the east and west meet.’’
sharonrose47's review
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Big as in big historical novel about the history of Russia. Problem was that with that much history you were never really vested in any characters more in the vast panorama of history. That worked with such a big subject as Russia, but I'm not so sure of some of his other novels which all use the same structure.
jengrav's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
serenam's review
This is a very good historical novel, but I got distracted by other books and decided to put this away for a while. I might come back to it some day.