amavia91 's review for:

The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli

3.5

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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A fascinating novel that plays with the boundaries of historical fiction and the political narratives we internalize ourselves. We follow an unnamed narrator researching his favorite author and finds out that he shares that passion with Vadim Baranov, a former political operative in Putin's (aka the Csar's) regime. Baranov then takes over the narrative, retelling his life story and his perspective on key historical moments and Russian culture. While I didn't have a lot of familiarity with Russian history, I think the constant questioning of the unreliable narrator only solidified the novel's themes of power and controlling the narrative further. Baranov is a captivating character, able to wax philosophical about his childhood and Russian culture while also demonstrating keen insight and a knack for spinning his own narrative to the audience.  Overall, if you enjoy political historical narratives or simply memoir stylized novels, this could be a good fit for your TBR.