I definitely think that we didn't need to read about the sex between Alexander & Tatiana in such great detail. I believe that intimacy (sex) is really important in a strong marriage, and I'm guessing that is what the author was emphasizing - but she definitely went overboard with it. It was too much.
Yes, Alexander was a male chauvinist - which wasn't terribly surprising considering the times and that he was raised in Russia. Double standards drive me crazy to this day - and we see a lot of those with Alexander. He was such a jerk about Tatiana working - and yet, women didn't work out of the home back then. It seemed to reflect badly on the men whose wives worked - like they couldn't support their own family, which was their responsibility. And, Tatiana did seem a bit wrapped up in the job - and was knowingly spending long hours with a doctor that was in love with her. So, I did understand Alexander's frustration with that - especially after she accepted the promotion.
I hated that Alexander fooled around with that floozy!! I was incredibly relieved that he didn't actually sleep with her. Passions ran high in the relationship of Alexander & Tatiana - which means when they were happy and hurt & angry. So in the scene where he hits her, which is deplorable, I hated that he expressed his frustration in that way. Tatiana was also driving me a little crazy in that scene too, to be honest. I guess I just wanted Tatiana to LISTEN to him for one minute!! Tough things happen in every marriage, and while I would never, ever condone a man hitting his wife, I wasn't on board with Tatiana pummeling her husband over and over either. There's the double standard in reverse. I do see that as the turning point in their relationship though.
I definitely had a difficult time with the Alexander that came back with Tatiana to the US. He would have been an extremely difficult man to live with. But, military men even today - who have not been beaten and tortured in POW camps like Alexander was - have severe mental health issues like PTSD when they return home to their families. I guess in the end, I think Alexander's character was true to form. Alexander was always tough, from the time he jumped off that train when he was 17 to save himself. He was a fighter, a killer, a leader. He was used to getting his own way; used to people following his orders; used to being in control. If he wasn't all of these things, he never would have survived his teenage years in Russia - much less everything that followed. He could be a jerk - and like I said before, he was certainly a male chauvinist, but he also loved his wife to distraction.
I really think that what makes this story a true love story is that despite it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly - they accepted each other, forgave each other, loved each other no matter what. It's easy to love someone when nothing bad comes your way. If you still love each other after 50+ years of trials - then THAT is true love.
Tatiana was my favorite character throughout the three books. I loved her strength, her tenacity, her intelligence, her patience, and her ability to love. I loved how Alexander used her as a role model for their children - especially when he told Anthony in Vietnam that if his mother could climb out of a bear trap with a broken arm without anyone pushing from behind to help her out, than Anthony could certainly help himself climb that ladder in the POW hut!
So, the format of the book was interesting. I couldn't figure out what the author's point was in dropping back in time occasionally to tell us tidbits about Tatiana, Marina and Saika. Although I liked reading about Tatiana's childhood in Russia, I'm not sure why the author included all of that. Was it just to get to the bear trap story? And what a weird ending to that story! Saika gets rabies, Tatiana & Marina get rescued, and they just leave Saika presumably dead in the woods. What??
The Vikki thing was definitely unexpected to me too! Her love for Anthony was just so inappropriate!! It's hard to wrap my mind around that. And then the tragedy of him falling for Moon Lai. She was so evil. Then he marries Ingrid, whose issues are never fully explained.... Boy, he could have used some pointers about choosing women.
Although I think the author could have cut out the graphic sex scenes, and possibly the Saika story, I did like the Vietnam story. I love that Alexander went to Vietnam to find Anthony. I HATED that Ha Si and Thomas Richter died though. HATED it!! I also liked hearing about their children and grandchildren.
So, while the third book doesn't really compare to the first and second books (mainly because it was less historical fiction and more family drama), I did like it a lot - and I especially like how it ended.
Wendy's Rating: ****1/2
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