It’s 1991 and Zoya’s life couldn’t be any more different. Gone are the bullies, the trips to the Kremlin Armory and heartfelt conversations with her wise neighbor. Zoya now lives in Pittsburgh, in an apartment that freezes in the winter and is boiling-hot in the summer. The only reminder of her former life in Moscow are the books. Hundreds of them that the Kassatkins brought with them instead of more practical household items. The Kassatkins’ search for a better life in America is a failure. They barely speak English. Zoya’s father struggles to find a job, and Zoya goes to a high school so big it could crush her at once. Taylor Allderdice.
The memory of Zoya’s magical travels to Paris is about to fade away completely when she is transported to Paris once more. Only this time Zoya discovers Paris of the XIVth century and meets the Knights Templar. Zoya witnesses a terrible betrayal that causes the demise of the Order. In her efforts to help the Knights, Zoya confronts the terrible de Vigny and rekindles her friendship with André.
Gosh, I can't believe that I am still on a reading spree of this series! This book is mainly focused on Zoya's life in USA as an emigrant, and not so much on the sci-fi aspect. At least for the first 10 chapters, so I was bummed out. But in the last 5 chapters, I was hooked in again, because reincarnations, hello? Loved the unexpected things happening and the plot always manages to keep me on toes. And yes, I dearly missed Vlasov 🥺. Hope I see him in the next part. P.S. I hate Andre for some reason.