Wow! I don't know if I could have handled one more "escape plan" gone wrong!! I actually had to put the book down for awhile after the last "escape" because I couldn't bear to have Alexander captured and tortured one more time. Those Russians are some seriously brutal people.
I like the way this book was organized. Even though Tatiana and Alexander were separated - and I mean REALLY separated - for the majority of the book, it was still their love story. Whenever Alexander or Tatiana got close to "being" with someone else I thought, "no, no, no, don't do it!" I was so relieved when Edward talked Tatiana out of going to Europe to search for Alexander when Anthony was just a baby - and yet when she FINALLY remembered what "Orbeli" signified (which took her forever, in my opinion) - I was thinking "GO! Go to Europe and find Alexander!"
The supporting characters in the book are great. They are far from perfect, but they are real. They each helped Alexander or Tatiana to the best of their ability - nothing more and nothing less. No one performed miracles, and sometimes they were downright crabby about what was being asked of them. I wasn't a big fan of Vikki initially, but she grew on me - just like she seemed to grow on Tatiana. The first time Tatiana thought about leaving her baby with Vikki I was thinking she was out of her mind. Then when she DID leave Anthony with Vikki I thought "yeah, that's a good choice". ;) Character development.
I liked how the author reminded us of Tatiana and Alexander's relationship in Russia - and the hardships they both endured - without rehashing everything. I loved reading about the Barrington's history. It's hard to imagine someone giving up America for communist Russia, but obviously the ideal of communism was a real thing, certainly then and even now, to some people. It was interesting to me though that even though the Barringtons left America to embrace communism, they actually didn't put their foot where their mouth was by living a communal life. Tatiana was much more accomplished at that when she was starving to death in Leningrad than the Barringtons ever were.
I'm finding it hard to believe that the third book is all about Tatiana and Alexander living happily together in New York or Arizona..... Not sure where this story is headed. I love it though. The last 100 pages of this book were incredibly fast-paced and nerve-wracking. So glad it ended the way it did!
I am a big fan of this author. I think it is interesting - and validating - that she was born in Leningrad and immigrated to the US. I can't wait to read "The Summer Garden". :)
Wendy's Rating: *****
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