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A review by brokenbaroque
Sashenka by Simon Sebag Montefiore
3.0
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.