Book Review
Rating * *
Author: Robert Alexander
Published: this fiction book was published in 2008; I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Blackstone Audio, Inc.; read by Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir; 10 hours)
What is the story?
The Grand Duchess Elisavyeta's story begins like a fairy tale—a German princess renowned for her beauty and kind heart marries the Grand Duke Sergei of Russia and enters the Romanov's lavish court. Her husband, however, rules his wife as he does Moscow—with a cold, hard fist. And, after a peaceful demonstration becomes a bloodbath, the fires of the revolution link Elisavyeta's destiny to that of Pavel—a young Bolshevik—forever. --from barnesandnoble.com
What type of language does it use—technical, complex, standard, or colloquial? very colloquial. It was not difficult to follow, but neither was it a matter of just accepting what's on the page.
Did you like this book? nope
If you could change something, what would it be? I very, very much disliked the voice of the main character, Elisavyeta. Self-centered, emotionally obtuse, and obsessed with her wealth and appearance, she was impossible to like. Worse, though, she was voiced in a manner both meek and strikingly condescending. I absolutely loathed that character. Rudnicki's presentation of the Pavel sections was at his usual high quality, but could not make up for de Cuir's portrayal of the abominable dishrag.
What were your favourite parts? Pavel's casually violent work for the revolution
What is your recommendation? read this if you have a high tolerance for tone-deaf, self-loving characters. Or, I suppose, if you liked the first two books in the series.
5 adjectives you would use to describe this text: unlikable, agenda-driven, dry, polar, sanctimonious
[book review template 5 adapted from here; the title quotation is from another of the authors books, Rasputin's Daughter]
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