Russian Winter: A Novel
Sep 2010 · Harper Collins
4.0star
8 reviewsreport
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484
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About this ebook
A Soviet-era prima ballerina who defected to America confronts secrets from her past as she auctions her stunning jewelry in this moving debut novel.
“A magnificent tale of love, loss, betrayal, and redemption.” —Washington Post
When Nina Revskaya puts her remarkable jewelry collection up for auction, the former Bolshoi Ballet star finds herself overwhelmed by memories of her homeland, and of the events, both glorious and heartbreaking, that changed her life half a century earlier. It was in Russia that she discovered the magic of dance and fell in love, and where, faced with Stalinist aggression, terrible discovery incited a deadly act of betrayal—and an ingenious escape to the West.
Nina has kept her secrets for half a lifetime. But now Drew Brooks, an inquisitive associate at a Boston auction house, and Grigori Solodin, a professor who believes Nina’s jewels hold the key to unlocking his past, begin to unravel her story—setting in motion a series of revelations that will have life-altering consequences for them all.
“A briskly paced, fresh, and engaging first novel dealing with the pain of loss and the power of love.” —Booklist
“An elegant, compelling puzzle of family, memory, and solitude that brings to life modern-day Boston and postwar Russia through a profound love story. Graceful, moving, and unexpected.” —Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club
“A magnificent tale of love, loss, betrayal, and redemption.” —Washington Post
When Nina Revskaya puts her remarkable jewelry collection up for auction, the former Bolshoi Ballet star finds herself overwhelmed by memories of her homeland, and of the events, both glorious and heartbreaking, that changed her life half a century earlier. It was in Russia that she discovered the magic of dance and fell in love, and where, faced with Stalinist aggression, terrible discovery incited a deadly act of betrayal—and an ingenious escape to the West.
Nina has kept her secrets for half a lifetime. But now Drew Brooks, an inquisitive associate at a Boston auction house, and Grigori Solodin, a professor who believes Nina’s jewels hold the key to unlocking his past, begin to unravel her story—setting in motion a series of revelations that will have life-altering consequences for them all.
“A briskly paced, fresh, and engaging first novel dealing with the pain of loss and the power of love.” —Booklist
“An elegant, compelling puzzle of family, memory, and solitude that brings to life modern-day Boston and postwar Russia through a profound love story. Graceful, moving, and unexpected.” —Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club
Ratings and reviews
4.0
8 reviews
A Google user
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July 18, 2011
An aging ballerina, Nina Revskaya, has a secret past. The secrets haunt her in her vintage. Born in Russia, but now living in the United States, she endures the ravages of time on her crippled body and runs from her painful memories, deciding to sell part of her jewelry collection; some of the pieces have a hidden meaning and from them, the real secrets of Nina’s life are brought to light, exposing the agony and sacrifices they have caused herself and others around her. The Russian regime of suppression and control has created an atmosphere of suspicion and subterfuge, creating misconceptions and grave consequences for those involved in this tale, which is part mystery, part love story and part historic fiction. Stalin’s regime requires complete obedience to him, the father figure; it sows the seeds of mistrust in all Russian citizens, who are kept in a state of ignorance so that they know nothing more about life, other than that contained in their own meager existences.
Everywhere, the politics of the time, here and abroad, is evident throughout each scene. The behavior of the characters is true to form for the atmosphere in the Russia of the early, middle and later part of the 20th century. We can see the progression from complete oppression to the evolution of some individual freedoms, but overlaying all of this is the inclusion of the state sponsored security forces, anti-semitism and state sponsored and controlled news media in an effort to control the rise of socialism and a one class society.
Linda Peltz
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January 20, 2015
Inriguing subject and very interesting historically as well as showing the human story. Well written.
1 person found this review helpful
DragonWeed
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January 10, 2015
Really really exquisite
About the author
Daphne Kalotay is the author of the award-winning novel Russian Winter, which has been published in twenty languages, and the fiction collection Calamity and Other Stories. She has received fellowships from the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the MacDowell Colony, and Yaddo, and has taught at Boston University, Skidmore College, Grub Street, and Middlebury College. She lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.
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