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Porselen Bebek
Çok uzak bir krallıkta, çok eski bir ülkede…
...genç bir kız Moskova’da ailesiyle birlikte mutlu bir şekilde yaşamaktadır; kız kardeşi, babası ve peri masalları anlatmayı, porselen bebek koleksiyonu yapmayı seven ilginç bir annesi vardır.
Bir yaz gecesi her şey değişir ve o aileden geriye sadece kız ile annesi kalır.
Şimdi, on yıl sonra Oxford Üniversitesi’nde okuyan Rosie’nin bir İngiliz ismi, sevgi dolu nişanlısı ve önünde parlak bir geleceği vardır ama tek istediği geçmişi anlamak ve ardında bırakmaktır. Annesi öldükten sonra Rosie, elinde annesinin tuhaf hikâyelerinden oluşan bir defter ve tek bir anahtarla Rusya’ya geri döner.
Ortaya çıkardığı şey, 1917 Devrimi, Leningrad Kuşatması, Stalin’in tasfiyeleri ve ötesine uzanan yıkıcı bir aile tarihidir.
Bu destanın merkezinde porselen bir bebek kadar güzel, genç ve soylu olan Tonya vardır; onun yaptıkları -ve idealist bir adama duyduğu aşk- yüzyıl boyunca yankılanacak kapsamlı bir hikâyenin fitilini ateşleyecektir...
Kristen Loesch’ten ihanet, intikam ve fedakârlıkla bezenmiş, 1917 devriminden Sovyetler Birliği’nin son günlerine kadar üç kuşak Rus kadınını ve ölümsüz aşk hikâyesini anlatan inanılmaz bir roman.
“Gizem ve Rus masallarıyla dolu muhteşem bir destan… Kesinlikle büyüleyici bir roman.”
–Historical Novel Society
“Duygusal açıdan zengin bir hikâye. Loesch, Rosie`nin aile sırlarını çözme ile Tonya`nın Bolşevik Devrimi`nden sağ çıkma çabaları arasındaki bağlantıyı ustalıkla kurmuş. Tarihi kurgu hayranları buna bayılacak.”
–Publishers Weekly
...genç bir kız Moskova’da ailesiyle birlikte mutlu bir şekilde yaşamaktadır; kız kardeşi, babası ve peri masalları anlatmayı, porselen bebek koleksiyonu yapmayı seven ilginç bir annesi vardır.
Bir yaz gecesi her şey değişir ve o aileden geriye sadece kız ile annesi kalır.
Şimdi, on yıl sonra Oxford Üniversitesi’nde okuyan Rosie’nin bir İngiliz ismi, sevgi dolu nişanlısı ve önünde parlak bir geleceği vardır ama tek istediği geçmişi anlamak ve ardında bırakmaktır. Annesi öldükten sonra Rosie, elinde annesinin tuhaf hikâyelerinden oluşan bir defter ve tek bir anahtarla Rusya’ya geri döner.
Ortaya çıkardığı şey, 1917 Devrimi, Leningrad Kuşatması, Stalin’in tasfiyeleri ve ötesine uzanan yıkıcı bir aile tarihidir.
Bu destanın merkezinde porselen bir bebek kadar güzel, genç ve soylu olan Tonya vardır; onun yaptıkları -ve idealist bir adama duyduğu aşk- yüzyıl boyunca yankılanacak kapsamlı bir hikâyenin fitilini ateşleyecektir...
Kristen Loesch’ten ihanet, intikam ve fedakârlıkla bezenmiş, 1917 devriminden Sovyetler Birliği’nin son günlerine kadar üç kuşak Rus kadınını ve ölümsüz aşk hikâyesini anlatan inanılmaz bir roman.
“Gizem ve Rus masallarıyla dolu muhteşem bir destan… Kesinlikle büyüleyici bir roman.”
–Historical Novel Society
“Duygusal açıdan zengin bir hikâye. Loesch, Rosie`nin aile sırlarını çözme ile Tonya`nın Bolşevik Devrimi`nden sağ çıkma çabaları arasındaki bağlantıyı ustalıkla kurmuş. Tarihi kurgu hayranları buna bayılacak.”
–Publishers Weekly
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2022
618 people are currently reading
29606 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Loesch
5 books309 followersKristen Loesch grew up in San Francisco. She holds a BA in History, as well as a Master’s degree in Slavonic Studies from the University of Cambridge. Her first novel, The Last Russian Doll, was a finalist for the Edgar Award and has been published in twelve territories. She lives with her family in Switzerland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,601 reviews
September 10, 2025
The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch
I know this story will stay with me. I seem to be reading a lot of historical fiction over the last year that deals with Russia's history and the life (and death) of its people. So much of what happens in this story keeps happening, not just in Russia but in other countries.
The story spans from around 1915 to the 1990s and those years are linked by three women. Before 1991 Rosie can close the book on her past and the past of her mother, she goes to Russia to trace her family's tragic past. She has her own horrific memories and she has stories that her mother would tell her, stories framed as fairy tales that Rosie comes to realize aren't just fairy tales. They are the kind of fairy tales you would hope were never real, yet, Rosie finds that through those stories she is hearing the past of her family.
Rosie's story begins with Tonya, at the start of the Russian revolution and this epic tale is brutal. I actually enjoyed both timelines, Tonya's timeline and Rosie's timeline, as Rosie unwraps the mysteries of her past. In some ways, the story feels much longer than it really is because it covers so much. We go back and forth between one time to the other and I was content to do so.
Both stories were equally interesting to me, which doesn't always happen. In this case, I think I could feel how Rosie's past connected to her present, I could feel the connection of three generations of women. Nothing about this story feels good, it's too brutal, raw, and unforgiving but I think it's so very interesting. It won't be for everyone, it's a tough story to read, but it is adding fuel to an interest in history that has been getting stronger in me over the last years of reading.
Pub March 14th 2023
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
I know this story will stay with me. I seem to be reading a lot of historical fiction over the last year that deals with Russia's history and the life (and death) of its people. So much of what happens in this story keeps happening, not just in Russia but in other countries.
The story spans from around 1915 to the 1990s and those years are linked by three women. Before 1991 Rosie can close the book on her past and the past of her mother, she goes to Russia to trace her family's tragic past. She has her own horrific memories and she has stories that her mother would tell her, stories framed as fairy tales that Rosie comes to realize aren't just fairy tales. They are the kind of fairy tales you would hope were never real, yet, Rosie finds that through those stories she is hearing the past of her family.
Rosie's story begins with Tonya, at the start of the Russian revolution and this epic tale is brutal. I actually enjoyed both timelines, Tonya's timeline and Rosie's timeline, as Rosie unwraps the mysteries of her past. In some ways, the story feels much longer than it really is because it covers so much. We go back and forth between one time to the other and I was content to do so.
Both stories were equally interesting to me, which doesn't always happen. In this case, I think I could feel how Rosie's past connected to her present, I could feel the connection of three generations of women. Nothing about this story feels good, it's too brutal, raw, and unforgiving but I think it's so very interesting. It won't be for everyone, it's a tough story to read, but it is adding fuel to an interest in history that has been getting stronger in me over the last years of reading.
Pub March 14th 2023
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
April 14, 2023
My appetite seems to grow with every story I read about Russia. Even in current moments, when they are shamefully attacking what was a peaceful nation, my curiosity continues to spike for this isolated country and its people.
This is a story told in tandem. One in 1991, with Rosie returning to Moscow after her mother defected and searching out her history of her Papa and sister being murdered. The historical one takes place during the Russian revolution; then the Leningrad siege; the gulag and the PTSD that accompanies survivors; a love story.
Interweaved are fairytales and porcelain Russian dolls that hold the key to history.
Some murky mysteries, a communist culture and a risky romance. BUT, there is at least one mystery left unsolved and for that Loesch, I deduct a star.
4⭐️
This is a story told in tandem. One in 1991, with Rosie returning to Moscow after her mother defected and searching out her history of her Papa and sister being murdered. The historical one takes place during the Russian revolution; then the Leningrad siege; the gulag and the PTSD that accompanies survivors; a love story.
Interweaved are fairytales and porcelain Russian dolls that hold the key to history.
Some murky mysteries, a communist culture and a risky romance. BUT, there is at least one mystery left unsolved and for that Loesch, I deduct a star.
4⭐️
January 21, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded down
The Last Russian Doll is a family saga that encompasses three generations, from pre-Revolution Russia in 1916 through the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Like so many current historical fictions written recently, the book bounces around in time rather than moving in a straight line. But it is also written as an allegory of Russia in the 20th Century. Loesch uses fairy tales, supposedly written by one of the characters, to move the story forward and provide an additional layer of meaning to the tale. As you might expect from my synopsis, the story can be complicated and confusing, with all its myriad layers. It only somewhat worked for me.
Given its time period, the themes cover betrayal, hardship and survival. The latter story has a mystery at its center. As a child, Rosie witnesses a man killing her father and sister. As Rosie thinks at one point, “Fourteen years of asking, Who Was he, that man, and why? Fourteen years of failing to ask, Who were you, Mum, and why? Like Rosie, I had no clue either.
A personal preference of mine is that I like historical fiction heavy on facts and light on romance. This was more the reverse. The story covers the Russian Revolution, the Siege of Leningrad, Stalin’s purges and the gulags, and the fall of the USSR. But there’s a dearth of specifics about those events other than the direct impact on the characters. But Loesch does a good job of providing plenty of atmosphere and giving you a sense of place.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
The Last Russian Doll is a family saga that encompasses three generations, from pre-Revolution Russia in 1916 through the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Like so many current historical fictions written recently, the book bounces around in time rather than moving in a straight line. But it is also written as an allegory of Russia in the 20th Century. Loesch uses fairy tales, supposedly written by one of the characters, to move the story forward and provide an additional layer of meaning to the tale. As you might expect from my synopsis, the story can be complicated and confusing, with all its myriad layers. It only somewhat worked for me.
Given its time period, the themes cover betrayal, hardship and survival. The latter story has a mystery at its center. As a child, Rosie witnesses a man killing her father and sister. As Rosie thinks at one point, “Fourteen years of asking, Who Was he, that man, and why? Fourteen years of failing to ask, Who were you, Mum, and why? Like Rosie, I had no clue either.
A personal preference of mine is that I like historical fiction heavy on facts and light on romance. This was more the reverse. The story covers the Russian Revolution, the Siege of Leningrad, Stalin’s purges and the gulags, and the fall of the USSR. But there’s a dearth of specifics about those events other than the direct impact on the characters. But Loesch does a good job of providing plenty of atmosphere and giving you a sense of place.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
March 30, 2023
Was anyone else just super confused by that ending? This book, as true of much historical fiction, contains one storyline rooted in the past and one in the present that eventually come together. I really thought that this book might pull the knot off, that the present-tense mystery involving Raisa might connect cleverly with Tonya and Valentin, and then... just, what was that? It did not, dear reader. It did not.
Raisa is a twenty-something trying to recover from the gruesome murder of her father and sister by burying her Russian heritage and hiding behind a British fiance and identity. When her mother dies, she decides to face her past by joining a noted memoirist on a research project in Moscow. In the past, Valentin is a Bolshevik trying to bring on revolution when he falls for the wife of an aristocrat, Tonya. Eventually, these two journeys are meant to come together, and I guess they do. Just, as I mentioned, not, like, well.
First of all, this plot could have happened against any historical backdrop. Substitute out the Russian revolution with the French one, or World Wars I or II, and you probably would have had essentially the same story. I wanted to know more about how the Russian politics were influencing things. I wanted context. I wanted the setting to matter. Also, while the Valentin and Tonya storyline is the far superior one, we never got to see them fall in love. One minute Valentin is plotting to seduce her for his own gain and then the next, he's infatuated to the point of neglecting his work. We didn't get to see this develop and it was such a loss.
The dolls and dollmaker storyline were also just so unnecessary. The ending made NO SENSE whatsoever and the true identity of Alexey Andreyev was such a cop-out that I had to read over it again the morning after finishing the book to make sure I read it right the night before. I could never trust if anyone was actually dead because they continuously popped back up again, but not in any meaningful ways. Random secret siblings were revealed and so many identities were swapped around that I lost track of who was actually responsible for what. Did Natalya write Alexey's memoir? Did Tonya? Did Katya? Did Valentin? Who's alive in the 90's still? Oh all of them? Wait, no. It was just confusing and I didn't care enough to try to make sense of it.
This book was a messy disappointment, but the plot in the middle that follows Tonya through the revolution isn't bad. I really thought it would be saved by the end, but everything just got way worse. I'd pass on this for sure.
Raisa is a twenty-something trying to recover from the gruesome murder of her father and sister by burying her Russian heritage and hiding behind a British fiance and identity. When her mother dies, she decides to face her past by joining a noted memoirist on a research project in Moscow. In the past, Valentin is a Bolshevik trying to bring on revolution when he falls for the wife of an aristocrat, Tonya. Eventually, these two journeys are meant to come together, and I guess they do. Just, as I mentioned, not, like, well.
First of all, this plot could have happened against any historical backdrop. Substitute out the Russian revolution with the French one, or World Wars I or II, and you probably would have had essentially the same story. I wanted to know more about how the Russian politics were influencing things. I wanted context. I wanted the setting to matter. Also, while the Valentin and Tonya storyline is the far superior one, we never got to see them fall in love. One minute Valentin is plotting to seduce her for his own gain and then the next, he's infatuated to the point of neglecting his work. We didn't get to see this develop and it was such a loss.
The dolls and dollmaker storyline were also just so unnecessary. The ending made NO SENSE whatsoever and the true identity of Alexey Andreyev was such a cop-out that I had to read over it again the morning after finishing the book to make sure I read it right the night before. I could never trust if anyone was actually dead because they continuously popped back up again, but not in any meaningful ways. Random secret siblings were revealed and so many identities were swapped around that I lost track of who was actually responsible for what. Did Natalya write Alexey's memoir? Did Tonya? Did Katya? Did Valentin? Who's alive in the 90's still? Oh all of them? Wait, no. It was just confusing and I didn't care enough to try to make sense of it.
This book was a messy disappointment, but the plot in the middle that follows Tonya through the revolution isn't bad. I really thought it would be saved by the end, but everything just got way worse. I'd pass on this for sure.
July 10, 2023
“Each doll captures an extraordinary moment in time, in history, and each one shows how fragile, fleeting, yet how perfect that moment is--” Absolutely brilliant!!
This was such a great way to learn about Russia’s history, and the characters through whose eyes we experience this are all such fascinating characters. Rosie learns more about herself and finds out who she really is, and Tonya whose story is in a past timeline, transforms into a woman with immense courage. Tonya and Valentin’s romance was also quite beautiful, although it is filled with so many tribulations. Aside from history and romance, we also get an aura of mystery as Rosie continues to understand what happened in her childhood and find the answers as she is in Russia. There were other many characters that I didn’t mention that were all very fascinating as well and were very integral to the overall story. I would like to acknowledge Rosie’s mom though! My heart hurt for her once I got to understand more.
Also the other symbols, themes, or representations--really how you interpret it--were mind-blowing. For example, the use of the dolls and the little fairy tales in the book really adds to the beauty of the book once you understand them more. A part of me feels like I probably still do not understand their impact to the fullest, but I still recognize their role in the story!
I liked how everything came together by the end and it was truly a great ending!
***Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of this!
This was such a great way to learn about Russia’s history, and the characters through whose eyes we experience this are all such fascinating characters. Rosie learns more about herself and finds out who she really is, and Tonya whose story is in a past timeline, transforms into a woman with immense courage. Tonya and Valentin’s romance was also quite beautiful, although it is filled with so many tribulations. Aside from history and romance, we also get an aura of mystery as Rosie continues to understand what happened in her childhood and find the answers as she is in Russia. There were other many characters that I didn’t mention that were all very fascinating as well and were very integral to the overall story. I would like to acknowledge Rosie’s mom though! My heart hurt for her once I got to understand more.
Also the other symbols, themes, or representations--really how you interpret it--were mind-blowing. For example, the use of the dolls and the little fairy tales in the book really adds to the beauty of the book once you understand them more. A part of me feels like I probably still do not understand their impact to the fullest, but I still recognize their role in the story!
I liked how everything came together by the end and it was truly a great ending!
***Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for a copy of this!
December 13, 2022
Ех, как обичам добре написани семейни истории! Когато разбрах за книгата и че е обвързана със СССР/Русия, просто имах шесто чувство, че това ще е моята книга. И бях права.
"Порцелановата кукла" е дебютният роман на Кристен Лъш, който ни запознава с Роузи - млада жена, учеща в Оксфорд, с прекрасно бъдеще, но с безброй въпросителни около всичко случило се преди тя да пристигне с майка си в Англия от Русия. Не получаваща никаква подкрепа от единствената ѝ оцеляла роднина, тя решава да намери пътя към отговорите като се върне след толкова години на руска територия. Но това, което ще разкрие, е в толкова по-голям мащаб от всичко, което си е представяла, че не веднъж ще се запита дали наистина иска да разбере всичко.
Темите, засегнати в книгата, са толкова много, че не знам откъде да започна - невъзможна любов, война, омраза, смърт, тайни и най-вече - оцеляване. Нишките са толкова добре навързани, че беше абсолютно удоволствие за четене. Допълнително към това не мога да не споделя, че има доста неочаквани обрати, които искрено ме изненадаха. Много, много добро четиво, което разглежда отношенията между хората в ситуации на откровен терор и ужас, а борбеността им за оцеляване е отвъд разумните граници.
Почувствах искрено състрадание към героите и преживяванията им. Толкова реално звучи всичко в книгата, че е дори леко плашещо на моменти. Романът ме омая и заради човечността, която се излъчва от всяка дума, заради описаната болка, трудности и всички невъзможно взети решения от героите и изобщо - заради неизказаното и тайното и това, което остава между редовете.
Е, освен да ви кажа, да прочетете "Порцелановата кукла". Побързайте, докрая на 2022 година има още малко време, за да откриете нова любима книга.
"Някои хора казват, че северът е бял, защото е направен от човешки кости - казва. - Не сте първата, която би искала тези кости да могат да говорят."
"Порцелановата кукла" е дебютният роман на Кристен Лъш, който ни запознава с Роузи - млада жена, учеща в Оксфорд, с прекрасно бъдеще, но с безброй въпросителни около всичко случило се преди тя да пристигне с майка си в Англия от Русия. Не получаваща никаква подкрепа от единствената ѝ оцеляла роднина, тя решава да намери пътя към отговорите като се върне след толкова години на руска територия. Но това, което ще разкрие, е в толкова по-голям мащаб от всичко, което си е представяла, че не веднъж ще се запита дали наистина иска да разбере всичко.
Темите, засегнати в книгата, са толкова много, че не знам откъде да започна - невъзможна любов, война, омраза, смърт, тайни и най-вече - оцеляване. Нишките са толкова добре навързани, че беше абсолютно удоволствие за четене. Допълнително към това не мога да не споделя, че има доста неочаквани обрати, които искрено ме изненадаха. Много, много добро четиво, което разглежда отношенията между хората в ситуации на откровен терор и ужас, а борбеността им за оцеляване е отвъд разумните граници.
"Писъците на едно дете ще бъдат по-оглушаващи от воюващите войски на Русия, взети заедно."
Почувствах искрено състрадание към героите и преживяванията им. Толкова реално звучи всичко в книгата, че е дори леко плашещо на моменти. Романът ме омая и заради човечността, която се излъчва от всяка дума, заради описаната болка, трудности и всички невъзможно взети решения от героите и изобщо - заради неизказаното и тайното и това, което остава между редовете.
"Започва да се чувства объркана и мътна. Вече не може да каже нищо, дори да иска, защото не знае къде е устата ѝ, къде е всичко останало. Не знае дали не се е разпаднала на твърде много парчета и дали те могат да се скрепят обратно."
Е, освен да ви кажа, да прочетете "Порцелановата кукла". Побързайте, докрая на 2022 година има още малко време, за да откриете нова любима книга.
April 10, 2024
A decent historical fiction family saga 🤫 Parts were so intriguing and others too slow for my taste. 😬
December 9, 2023
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I fell in love with her writing style.
☆Going into this book, I didn’t know much about Russian history. I feel that Loesch’s writing style/research included a history lesson hidden inside a compelling story about family secrets, love, loss, betrayal, political upheaval, war and survival.
☆It’s a beautiful dual-timeline saga surrounding 20th-century Russia encompassing many devastating events during that time period.
☆The story is revealed to us through the eyes of two women: starting in 1915 with Tonya, her story includes the Russian Revolution and the tragic aftermath. The second timeline is Rosie’s; we are immersed as she uncovers many past secrets. Both stories were equally interesting and the connection between the two MCs blended together seamlessly.
☆If you are a fan of mysteries and/or Russian fairytales, I would highly recommend reading this one!
☆Going into this book, I didn’t know much about Russian history. I feel that Loesch’s writing style/research included a history lesson hidden inside a compelling story about family secrets, love, loss, betrayal, political upheaval, war and survival.
☆It’s a beautiful dual-timeline saga surrounding 20th-century Russia encompassing many devastating events during that time period.
☆The story is revealed to us through the eyes of two women: starting in 1915 with Tonya, her story includes the Russian Revolution and the tragic aftermath. The second timeline is Rosie’s; we are immersed as she uncovers many past secrets. Both stories were equally interesting and the connection between the two MCs blended together seamlessly.
☆If you are a fan of mysteries and/or Russian fairytales, I would highly recommend reading this one!
December 30, 2022
Какъв брилянтен завършек на една уникално силна книжна 2022! Тази година прочетох страхотни книги и дадох десетки 5⭐️! Не можех и да си мечтая да затворя последната страница, на последната прочетена книга за годината с такова удовлетворение и тя да се нареди сред най-големите ми любимци!
“Порцелановата кукла” безапелационно короновам като една от най-най-страхотните книги, които прочетох тази година! Няма едно нещо, което да не ми хареса в романа. Завладя ме още с пролога и от първата до последната си страница, тази вълшебна приказка ме носи като буйна река до самия си финал ❤️
Обичам тази книга, поради много и различни причини - историята, героите (изградени прекрасно, съчувствах им, намразих ги, обвинявайх ги), навръзването на различните нишки и разкриването на семейните тайни, стила на авторката, метафорите, които срещнах на места бяха жестоки, зловещите приказки, които четем от дневника на едн аот главните героини, това че сме в Русия, епичната любовна история, всички грешки, които допуснаха героите и не на последно място - това, че книгата за мен е обяснение в любов към “Анна Каренина”.
Брилянтна, великолепна, изумителна!
“Порцелановата кукла” безапелационно короновам като една от най-най-страхотните книги, които прочетох тази година! Няма едно нещо, което да не ми хареса в романа. Завладя ме още с пролога и от първата до последната си страница, тази вълшебна приказка ме носи като буйна река до самия си финал ❤️
Обичам тази книга, поради много и различни причини - историята, героите (изградени прекрасно, съчувствах им, намразих ги, обвинявайх ги), навръзването на различните нишки и разкриването на семейните тайни, стила на авторката, метафорите, които срещнах на места бяха жестоки, зловещите приказки, които четем от дневника на едн аот главните героини, това че сме в Русия, епичната любовна история, всички грешки, които допуснаха героите и не на последно място - това, че книгата за мен е обяснение в любов към “Анна Каренина”.
Брилянтна, великолепна, изумителна!
May 9, 2023
The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch follows 3 generation of Russian women starting in 1917 thru the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The book moves around alot throughout the years. It does become confusing at times. As the book moves on the story streamlines better. It all comes together. I learned a lot about Russian History. The narrator is one of my favorites: Saskia Maarleveld. This novel offers a little bit of drama, family, romance, betrayal and revenge.
December 26, 2022
DNF
Определено начинът на писане ме влуди на много ранен етап от 15% и няма да я довърша. Сегашно време. Разхвърляно. Повторения. Недостоверност, въпреки иначе грамотната фактология. Апломб, патетични възклицания и бис без нужда. Всички реквизити на YA и new adult. Никак не подхожда нито на сегашната времева линия, нито на тази в миналото, а на руски сюжет пък подхожда най-малко. Няма нито една жива допирна точка нито с концлагерната литература на самите руснаци, нито с по-новите им не многобройни заглавия, където се осмислят травмите. Всъщност книгата е най-близка с конвейерния, безлично сантиментален стил на Даниел Стийл и нейната “Зоя”, но навремето Даниел Стийл ми беше далеч по-прегледна и по-приятна за четене и не толкова претенциозна.
В съвременния прочит на англоезичните млади авторки Русия се оказва равнозначна на вид северно фентъзи с мрачно сантиментални нотки и НКВД. Но докато при Катрин Арден, например, има наистина красив и поетичен приказен момент, тук витае хаос от опити за модерно писане. Нещо като: “Русия! Концлагери! Болшевики! Ау, че яко!”. В тази фабрична щампа няма нищо лошо, ако тя все пак е единственият ограничен канал за досег с руската история и култура.
Определено начинът на писане ме влуди на много ранен етап от 15% и няма да я довърша. Сегашно време. Разхвърляно. Повторения. Недостоверност, въпреки иначе грамотната фактология. Апломб, патетични възклицания и бис без нужда. Всички реквизити на YA и new adult. Никак не подхожда нито на сегашната времева линия, нито на тази в миналото, а на руски сюжет пък подхожда най-малко. Няма нито една жива допирна точка нито с концлагерната литература на самите руснаци, нито с по-новите им не многобройни заглавия, където се осмислят травмите. Всъщност книгата е най-близка с конвейерния, безлично сантиментален стил на Даниел Стийл и нейната “Зоя”, но навремето Даниел Стийл ми беше далеч по-прегледна и по-приятна за четене и не толкова претенциозна.
В съвременния прочит на англоезичните млади авторки Русия се оказва равнозначна на вид северно фентъзи с мрачно сантиментални нотки и НКВД. Но докато при Катрин Арден, например, има наистина красив и поетичен приказен момент, тук витае хаос от опити за модерно писане. Нещо като: “Русия! Концлагери! Болшевики! Ау, че яко!”. В тази фабрична щампа няма нищо лошо, ако тя все пак е единственият ограничен канал за досег с руската история и култура.
December 15, 2022
Брилянтна!
February 13, 2023
The Last Russian Doll is a dual-timeline novel set mostly in Russia. In 1991, Rosie (Raisa) is engaged to be married and taking care of her mother in London. When her mother dies suddenly, she leaves Rosie a key and a mystery. Rosie applies for a job in Russia, hoping to take that key and answer a lifetime’s worth of questions. In 1915, Antonina (Tonya) is trapped in a loveless marriage as the Bolshevik revolution is beginning.
This is a gorgeous saga, filled with mystery and Russian fairytales. The history of 20th-century Russia is told through the eyes of two women. The story encompasses many devastating events: the 1917 Revolution, the Russian Civil War, Stalin’s purges, and the siege of Leningrad during WWII. Rosie arrives back in Russia as the Soviet Union is nearing its end, determined to make sense of her past. The weaving together of the stories of Rosie and Tonya is a perfect tapestry of tragedy, romance, and survival. Fairytales and porcelain dolls add another intriguing layer. This magical but tragic blend of history and fiction transports us straight to Russia during many turbulent periods in its past. It is an absolutely mesmerizing read.
Fans of Russian history and folklore, and anyone who just wants to read an amazing novel, should pick this one up immediately.
I received a free copy of this book via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
This is a gorgeous saga, filled with mystery and Russian fairytales. The history of 20th-century Russia is told through the eyes of two women. The story encompasses many devastating events: the 1917 Revolution, the Russian Civil War, Stalin’s purges, and the siege of Leningrad during WWII. Rosie arrives back in Russia as the Soviet Union is nearing its end, determined to make sense of her past. The weaving together of the stories of Rosie and Tonya is a perfect tapestry of tragedy, romance, and survival. Fairytales and porcelain dolls add another intriguing layer. This magical but tragic blend of history and fiction transports us straight to Russia during many turbulent periods in its past. It is an absolutely mesmerizing read.
Fans of Russian history and folklore, and anyone who just wants to read an amazing novel, should pick this one up immediately.
I received a free copy of this book via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
March 7, 2023
Има книги, които те хващат за гърлото и не те пускат. Винаги съм обичала приказки, а тази книга беше точно това - една дълга приказка. Фактологията е вярна, но самите герои, реакциите им, прибързаните им действия или бездействието им - имаше нещо нелогично в тази книга, особено ако я четеш като логичен човек, който следва хода на историята. Но като всяка хубава приказка, в един момент не само историята те кара да забравиш всичко това, но и напротив - осъзнаваш, че в друг стил, по-реалистичен, по-документален, тя не би била изобщо толкова въздействаща и толкова всепоглъщаща. Това е от книгите, за която мога да жертвам съня или плановете си, а те, за съжаление, стават все по-малко. Ако трябва да я опиша с две думи, те ще бъдат "очаквай неочакваното". И мога да добавя - не бързай да се отказваш, защото понякога дългите приказки, както и тези с неочакван край се помнят завинаги.
March 19, 2023
1977. A father and his oldest daughter are murdered in their home in Moscow while the mother is away. The youngest daughter, Raisa, is left unharmed by the assailant. Fearing for their lives, Raisa and her mother flee to London, where they live in constant fear and grief, as no one is ever arrested or charged for the murders.
1991. Raisa thinks she has finally left the past behind. She now goes by the name "Rosie," studies at Oxford for a promising career, and has a handsome and wealthy fiancé. But when her mother passes away, leaving behind cryptic messages and clues, Rosie thinks it's time to return to Russia to finally understand and bury the past.
1917. Antonina Nikolayevna (Tonya to her friends) is a beautiful and genteel woman from rural Russia who marries into Russian nobility, but with a husband who treats her as an object and a society that increasingly views her as overprivileged, snobby, and irrelevant, she is unhappy. Her actions set off a chain of events that will continue to have effects for a century to come.
This novel is complex, with dual timelines across a nearly 100-year-span of history. My knowledge of Russian political history is limited, and while I was able to understand this well enough (I suspect because it focuses more on romance than on history), I think knowing more about the Bolsheviks, Stalin, Lenin, Gorbachev, and Yeltsin would have been helpful. Indeed, I think that is one of the novel's primary weaknesses: it assumes too much knowledge of Russian history and glosses over major historic events in order to prioritize romance. Normally I would be happy to have the focus on romance, but here in a work of historical fiction, particularly about a place and time with which I am not familiar, I was upset by it.
Still, the female characters, Rosie and Tonya, are strong and do a great job drawing me in. Often in stories with multiple timelines, I find myself enjoying one more than the others, but here I like them both. I like trying to untangle the threads of their lives and figure out how they're connected to each other. I like their love interests, too, although Rosie's is horribly underdeveloped; at the very end of the novel, he says he will now be an "open book" and tell Rosie all about himself, but we don't actually get to see any of it.
I do enjoy the plot with all of its twists and turns, and I raced through the book to get to the ending to see how everything resolves. But the ending leaves me disappointed.
Overall, I'm not sure how to rate this book. It takes a big swing, and it doesn't miss, but it doesn't hit a home run, either. I'd call it a solid double, trying to steal third base. 3.5 stars.
1991. Raisa thinks she has finally left the past behind. She now goes by the name "Rosie," studies at Oxford for a promising career, and has a handsome and wealthy fiancé. But when her mother passes away, leaving behind cryptic messages and clues, Rosie thinks it's time to return to Russia to finally understand and bury the past.
1917. Antonina Nikolayevna (Tonya to her friends) is a beautiful and genteel woman from rural Russia who marries into Russian nobility, but with a husband who treats her as an object and a society that increasingly views her as overprivileged, snobby, and irrelevant, she is unhappy. Her actions set off a chain of events that will continue to have effects for a century to come.
This novel is complex, with dual timelines across a nearly 100-year-span of history. My knowledge of Russian political history is limited, and while I was able to understand this well enough (I suspect because it focuses more on romance than on history), I think knowing more about the Bolsheviks, Stalin, Lenin, Gorbachev, and Yeltsin would have been helpful. Indeed, I think that is one of the novel's primary weaknesses: it assumes too much knowledge of Russian history and glosses over major historic events in order to prioritize romance. Normally I would be happy to have the focus on romance, but here in a work of historical fiction, particularly about a place and time with which I am not familiar, I was upset by it.
Still, the female characters, Rosie and Tonya, are strong and do a great job drawing me in. Often in stories with multiple timelines, I find myself enjoying one more than the others, but here I like them both. I like trying to untangle the threads of their lives and figure out how they're connected to each other. I like their love interests, too, although Rosie's is horribly underdeveloped; at the very end of the novel, he says he will now be an "open book" and tell Rosie all about himself, but we don't actually get to see any of it.
I do enjoy the plot with all of its twists and turns, and I raced through the book to get to the ending to see how everything resolves. But the ending leaves me disappointed.
Overall, I'm not sure how to rate this book. It takes a big swing, and it doesn't miss, but it doesn't hit a home run, either. I'd call it a solid double, trying to steal third base. 3.5 stars.
October 18, 2023
This is a dual-timeline historical fiction set mostly in Russia.
In 1991, Rosie (Raisa) is engaged to be married. She takes care of her mother in London.
But…
When her mother dies suddenly and leaves her a key…
She also leaves her a mystery.
So…
Rosie decides to get a job in Russia, hoping this key will answer questions her mother never provided her while she was alive.
In 1915, Antonia (Tonya) is trapped in a loveless marriage as the Bolshevik revolution is beginning.
This story takes readers through the 1917 Revolution, the Russian Civil War, Stalin’s purges, and the siege of Leningrad during WWII which educates readers on the history of Russia.
Through a multi-generational plot and use of fairytales and porcelain dolls, the story begins to unfold. Taking us through the two different timelines and POV’s.
Although the historical premise was interesting...
Unfortunately…
There were a couple of plot holes regarding the mystery that felt a bit convoluted.
And thus…
The story could have used a bit more polishing. 3.5 stars.
October 3, 2022
“It will be all or nothing. This life, or him. This palace, or that cellar. Royalty, or revolution.”
Rosie is currently residing in England with her fiancé. She goes to see a famous man named Alexey Ivanov speak in London. She already knows he is looking for an assistant and she wants him to choose her. This would mean leaving England and returning to Russia to hopefully face the demons she has been fighting with all along since she left fourteen years ago.
I love, love, love reading books with dual timelines, so this was right up my alley being told from the POV of Raisa aka Rosie in 1991, and Antonina aka Tonya starting in 1915 continuing over decades. Each timeline was equally engaging and entertaining as the other, which was a bonus. This is a one of those books you pick up and you do not want to put down because you cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next. The author did such a fantastic job of keeping me captivated. You get the mystery of how these two timelines are going to be tied together which keeps you engaged along with a ton of rich, Russian history intertwined.
At first, I was confused by the inclusion of the fairy tales at the beginning of some of the chapters (what do they mean?). But as you continue through the book, you come to learn that they were written by one of the characters and describe actual moments in their life. I thought this was such a lovely touch. The author notes that all of them were written by her and not based on preexisting stories. She did such an excellent job on them (so much so that I personally think she should look into writing a book of them).
This historical fiction gem gives you a little bit of everything; Russian history, hardships, romance, political strife, heartache, commitment, determination, true love and new love. It does not disappoint!
“Love should not be a frenzy, Mama used to say. You will know it by how quiet it is. How it grows over time, every day a little bit more, a little bit stronger, without anyone noticing, until it’s all you can see, like the White Nights of St. Petersburg. Until it is just a fact of life.”
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rosie is currently residing in England with her fiancé. She goes to see a famous man named Alexey Ivanov speak in London. She already knows he is looking for an assistant and she wants him to choose her. This would mean leaving England and returning to Russia to hopefully face the demons she has been fighting with all along since she left fourteen years ago.
I love, love, love reading books with dual timelines, so this was right up my alley being told from the POV of Raisa aka Rosie in 1991, and Antonina aka Tonya starting in 1915 continuing over decades. Each timeline was equally engaging and entertaining as the other, which was a bonus. This is a one of those books you pick up and you do not want to put down because you cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next. The author did such a fantastic job of keeping me captivated. You get the mystery of how these two timelines are going to be tied together which keeps you engaged along with a ton of rich, Russian history intertwined.
At first, I was confused by the inclusion of the fairy tales at the beginning of some of the chapters (what do they mean?). But as you continue through the book, you come to learn that they were written by one of the characters and describe actual moments in their life. I thought this was such a lovely touch. The author notes that all of them were written by her and not based on preexisting stories. She did such an excellent job on them (so much so that I personally think she should look into writing a book of them).
This historical fiction gem gives you a little bit of everything; Russian history, hardships, romance, political strife, heartache, commitment, determination, true love and new love. It does not disappoint!
“Love should not be a frenzy, Mama used to say. You will know it by how quiet it is. How it grows over time, every day a little bit more, a little bit stronger, without anyone noticing, until it’s all you can see, like the White Nights of St. Petersburg. Until it is just a fact of life.”
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2023
В един перфектен свят щеше да е забранено на разни дамички от Сан Франциско или Ел Ей да пишат нелепи книги, ситуирани в бившия СССР . Но тъй като не живеем в перфектен свят, поне си спестете това литературно недоразумение. Абсурдна, алогична, нелепа от началото до края, книгата е изключително слаба и е пълна загуба на време.
Малинка No 1 за 2023г.
П.П. все още си мечтая за добре написана сага (в стил Филипа Грегъри, да кажем) за Романови и за бурните години около и след Революцията от 1917г.
Малинка No 1 за 2023г.
П.П. все още си мечтая за добре написана сага (в стил Филипа Грегъри, да кажем) за Романови и за бурните години около и след Революцията от 1917г.
August 11, 2023
Una super novelaza. Impecable, impresionante e impactante.
Es una historia familiar a caballo entre dos épocas: el presente, en el año 1991 y el pasado, en Rusia, desde los años posteriores a la revolución bolchevique de 1917 hasta los años 60.
Rosie, nacida en Rusia y establecida en el Reino Unido (a raíz de que su madre huyera con ella de Rusia, después de la muerte de su padre y de su hermana) viaja a Rusia por un motivo profesional, pero también con la idea de indagar acerca de esas muertes, después del fallecimiento inesperado de su madre.
Mediante capítulos alternos entre el pasado y el presente, vamos descubriendo poco a poco la vida actual de Rosie y la vida de sus antepasados en Rusia. Ella (Raisa, su nombre original) descubre cosas insospechadas sobre su familia rusa.
Los capítulos que se desarrollan en el pasado son impactantes: la revolución de 1917, las purgas, el desarrollo del comunismo, la resistencia en Leningrado al ataque de la Alemania nazi, los años posteriores, etc. La caracterización es tan buena que los personajes y sus vivencias nos transportan totalmente a esa época.
Raisa no puede creer lo que está descubriendo acerca de su familia, está componiendo un puzzle donde hay piezas que encajan y otras no.
Finalmente, todo el puzzle se completa y sabemos quien es quien en esta historia.
Me ha encantado. Solamente hay una cosa al final, sobre Alexei Ivanov que no me ha convencido. Pero que no le quita ninguna estrella a esta novela tan buena.
Recomendable totalmente 👌
Es una historia familiar a caballo entre dos épocas: el presente, en el año 1991 y el pasado, en Rusia, desde los años posteriores a la revolución bolchevique de 1917 hasta los años 60.
Rosie, nacida en Rusia y establecida en el Reino Unido (a raíz de que su madre huyera con ella de Rusia, después de la muerte de su padre y de su hermana) viaja a Rusia por un motivo profesional, pero también con la idea de indagar acerca de esas muertes, después del fallecimiento inesperado de su madre.
Mediante capítulos alternos entre el pasado y el presente, vamos descubriendo poco a poco la vida actual de Rosie y la vida de sus antepasados en Rusia. Ella (Raisa, su nombre original) descubre cosas insospechadas sobre su familia rusa.
Los capítulos que se desarrollan en el pasado son impactantes: la revolución de 1917, las purgas, el desarrollo del comunismo, la resistencia en Leningrado al ataque de la Alemania nazi, los años posteriores, etc. La caracterización es tan buena que los personajes y sus vivencias nos transportan totalmente a esa época.
Raisa no puede creer lo que está descubriendo acerca de su familia, está componiendo un puzzle donde hay piezas que encajan y otras no.
Finalmente, todo el puzzle se completa y sabemos quien es quien en esta historia.
Me ha encantado. Solamente hay una cosa al final, sobre Alexei Ivanov que no me ha convencido. Pero que no le quita ninguna estrella a esta novela tan buena.
Recomendable totalmente 👌
January 6, 2023
История, която те държи и след финала. Герои, които не искаш да пуснеш. Семейна сага, драма, незабравима. Потопих се не само в руските привички, но и в силата на семейната обреченост. Много силна история. Препоръчвам!!!!
“Но приказките не съществуват, драги Читателю. Нито тази, която разказвали на нея, нито тези, които току-що прочете”.
“Но приказките не съществуват, драги Читателю. Нито тази, която разказвали на нея, нито тези, които току-що прочете”.
December 10, 2022
Декември е. Краят на една година и така нататък. Честно казано не съм очаквала, че ще срещна книга, която да се нареди сред любимите ми именно сега, в залеза на 2022. Но точно това се случи с прочита на “Порцелановата кукла”.
Всъщност не е правилно да кажа с прочита, защото знаех, че книгата ще остави завинаги следа в мен още с първите страници. Обичам семейни истории, бях сигурна, че ще я харесам, но се оказах напълно неподготвена за това, което ме очакваше в нея. Исках да седна на дивана и да не стана повече, докато не завърша “Порцелановата кукла”, но нарочно се спирах, проточвах и отлагах да я чета, защото не исках да свършва. В крайна сметка, въпреки всичките ми усилия да отложа максимално финала, я завърших снощи и бързам да се опитам да ви разкажа за това невероятно чудо, за тази емоционална въртележка и скъпа на сърцето ми история.
Трудно ми е да пиша за книги, които са ме докоснали толкова много. От самото начало героите се настаниха в сърцето ми все едно винаги са имали място там, което ги е чакало да го заемат. Историята е вълнуваща, затрогваща и същевременно присъстват доста тъмни краски, които през цялото време ми даваха усещането, че чета една мрачна приказка за възрастни. Винаги обаче се насилвах да акцентирам върху светлината, да се надявам всичко да е наред и все пак приказката да има щастлив край.
Срещаме Роузи, чието рождено име е Раиса. Родена е в Москва, но ние я намираме в Лондон, където с майка ѝ са пристигнали преди години след трагично събитие. Майката отказва да даде отговори на въпросите, които терзаят младото момиче, но след смъртта си оставя след себе си тетрадка с приказки, която отвежда Роузи обратно към корените ѝ. Чрез втора сюжетна линия от 1917 година се запознаваме с друга млада жена, Тоня, и нейната съдба. Както знаете, от тази година нататък присъстват политически събития, които предизвикват жестоки трусове в живота на хората десетилетия наред, които няма как да не повлияят и на нашата героиня.
Няма да разказвам повече за сюжета, всъщност резюмето на гърба на книгата е написано повече от прекрасно и не искам да ви издавам повече. Наред с всичко, което ме впечатли, много завладяваща беше цялата политическа обстановка, която неотлъчно присъства на заден фон. А самата авторка толкова интересно е преплела нишките в историята, че беше истинско удоволствие да разплитам всичко, макар откритията да тежаха като камък на гърдите ми.
Ако обичате семейни истории, ако имате интерес към политическите събития в Русия от периода 1917 до 1991 година или ако просто искате да прочетете една невероятна книга, с две ръце мога да ви препоръчам “Порцелановата кукла”. Искам повече хора да достигнат до нея, да открият магията ѝ и няма да спра да говоря за нея, да я препоръчвам и да убеждавам всички, че ТРЯБВА да я прочетат, защото е специална и неповторима и човек има много какво да си вземе от нея. ❤️
Всъщност не е правилно да кажа с прочита, защото знаех, че книгата ще остави завинаги следа в мен още с първите страници. Обичам семейни истории, бях сигурна, че ще я харесам, но се оказах напълно неподготвена за това, което ме очакваше в нея. Исках да седна на дивана и да не стана повече, докато не завърша “Порцелановата кукла”, но нарочно се спирах, проточвах и отлагах да я чета, защото не исках да свършва. В крайна сметка, въпреки всичките ми усилия да отложа максимално финала, я завърших снощи и бързам да се опитам да ви разкажа за това невероятно чудо, за тази емоционална въртележка и скъпа на сърцето ми история.
Трудно ми е да пиша за книги, които са ме докоснали толкова много. От самото начало героите се настаниха в сърцето ми все едно винаги са имали място там, което ги е чакало да го заемат. Историята е вълнуваща, затрогваща и същевременно присъстват доста тъмни краски, които през цялото време ми даваха усещането, че чета една мрачна приказка за възрастни. Винаги обаче се насилвах да акцентирам върху светлината, да се надявам всичко да е наред и все пак приказката да има щастлив край.
Срещаме Роузи, чието рождено име е Раиса. Родена е в Москва, но ние я намираме в Лондон, където с майка ѝ са пристигнали преди години след трагично събитие. Майката отказва да даде отговори на въпросите, които терзаят младото момиче, но след смъртта си оставя след себе си тетрадка с приказки, която отвежда Роузи обратно към корените ѝ. Чрез втора сюжетна линия от 1917 година се запознаваме с друга млада жена, Тоня, и нейната съдба. Както знаете, от тази година нататък присъстват политически събития, които предизвикват жестоки трусове в живота на хората десетилетия наред, които няма как да не повлияят и на нашата героиня.
Няма да разказвам повече за сюжета, всъщност резюмето на гърба на книгата е написано повече от прекрасно и не искам да ви издавам повече. Наред с всичко, което ме впечатли, много завладяваща беше цялата политическа обстановка, която неотлъчно присъства на заден фон. А самата авторка толкова интересно е преплела нишките в историята, че беше истинско удоволствие да разплитам всичко, макар откритията да тежаха като камък на гърдите ми.
Ако обичате семейни истории, ако имате интерес към политическите събития в Русия от периода 1917 до 1991 година или ако просто искате да прочетете една невероятна книга, с две ръце мога да ви препоръчам “Порцелановата кукла”. Искам повече хора да достигнат до нея, да открият магията ѝ и няма да спра да говоря за нея, да я препоръчвам и да убеждавам всички, че ТРЯБВА да я прочетат, защото е специална и неповторима и човек има много какво да си вземе от нея. ❤️
January 24, 2022
Discover the locations in The Porcelain Doll
Get this on your TBR pile. It's an intricate tale involving two timelines and two women with a secret that crosses time and boundaries. There are numerous references to Russian fairytales and folktales and the whole book is a treat to read. The writing is lovely and characters really fascinated me. The author mentions just how passionate she is about the subject of Russian history and heritage and you can tell. I almost felt I was reading a Russian classic.
Get this on your TBR pile. It's an intricate tale involving two timelines and two women with a secret that crosses time and boundaries. There are numerous references to Russian fairytales and folktales and the whole book is a treat to read. The writing is lovely and characters really fascinated me. The author mentions just how passionate she is about the subject of Russian history and heritage and you can tell. I almost felt I was reading a Russian classic.
April 4, 2022
Thank you to the author and publisher, Allison & Busby, for giving me the opportunity to read a proof of this incredible novel.
It's a magnificent, beautifully-written tale set during two turbulent eras in 20th century Russian history. One timeline follows the story of Antonina/Tonya from 1915, encompassing the Russian revolution and its aftermath. The other timeline follows Rosie/Raisa in 1991, as she tries to uncover the secrets of her past. The settings are so well described that I found myself swept along, totally immersed in the lives of these two women. Fabulous!
It's a magnificent, beautifully-written tale set during two turbulent eras in 20th century Russian history. One timeline follows the story of Antonina/Tonya from 1915, encompassing the Russian revolution and its aftermath. The other timeline follows Rosie/Raisa in 1991, as she tries to uncover the secrets of her past. The settings are so well described that I found myself swept along, totally immersed in the lives of these two women. Fabulous!
August 16, 2025
Great historical fiction about Russian revolution and historical events that took place in the early 1990’s. Dual timelines that were explaining the turbulent times of Russian history. The ending was perfect! I enjoyed both POVs. If you like historical fiction, then this book will be for you.
Enjoy 🍷
Enjoy 🍷
February 10, 2023
“Каквото е писано, не може да се размине.”
“Разбираш ли, казваше тя, ако някога се наложи да жертваш себе си за някого, когото обичаш, това не е жертва.”
“Разбираш ли, казваше тя, ако някога се наложи да жертваш себе си за някого, когото обичаш, това не е жертва.”
April 13, 2023
This is a wonderful plot-driven story that includes many aspects of current and past Russian/Soviet history, from the revolution, to the siege of Leningrad to the 1990’s. Dolls and fairy tales play a large role in the narration of the story, which is a wonderful and interesting twist on normal novel-writing. The novel starts with Raisa, our heroine, living in London with her unhappy, alcoholic mother, who has a collection of Russian dolls. Raisa is invited by a Russian historian to spend some time in Moscow as his assistant. From there the backstory evolves and the characters become alive. During revolutionary times, we meet an unhappily married princess, a vocal revolutionary, an evil-minded noblewoman and her daughter. The scenes of revolutionary times are vividly drawn. We experience the siege of Leningrad – written with its own wonderful twist of a character writing stories on walls from with the paper and glue had been removed to serve as food. We see the horrific lifelong effects of imprisonment in the Gulag – long after the prisoner has been technically “freed”. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel - - not only did it have lots of Russian history and well done characters, but the use of the dolls and the fairy tales added a great deal to its intrigue. My only negative is that the plot is quite intricate, and I did feel that one large piece of the plot was not resolved to my satisfaction (but maybe I need to reread that part!).
May 21, 2023
“My mother used to say that a memory is a foreign object in a body,’ she says. ‘You think it’s part of you. Inherent to you. But as soon as you remove it, you see it for what it is. That’s why Mama wrote in diaries all her life. If you get it out of you, it can’t destroy you from within! But you must pull it out!”
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January 26, 2023Кристен Лъш - "Порцелановата кукла", изд. ""Benitorial"2022, прев. Майре Буюклиева
Не прочетох тази книга.
Изживях я.
Има книги, които пожелавам още щом видя корицата или прочета заглавието, още преди дори да съм прочела анотацията. Особено когато в заглавието се споменава предмет. Историите, свързани със стари картини, бижута ,семейни реликви или други ценни по някакъв начин предмети, винаги са ме привличали необяснимо. Тази беше от тях. После, разбира се прочетох резюмето на корицата и вече бях убедена, че искам да я прочета.
Четох я бавно и дълго. И отначало се упреквах, че не съм избрала добре момента, че не трябваше да я започвам в толкова натоварено време, че трябваше да изчакам, докато имам време за четене. После обаче си казах, че може би точно така трябва да се чете тази история - бавно, дълго, внимателно, защото - и това беше следващото ми осъзнаване - това далеч не е една-единствена история. Дори не са две - разказваните паралелно отдавнашна история на Тоня и съвременната история на Роузи. Тази книга е плетеница от истории, съдби, събития. И признавам, че понякога ми беше трудно да "разплитам", връщах се назад и се опитвах да свържа нишките. Но книгата нито за миг не престана да ми бъде интересна, четях и губех представа за времето, докато потъвах в историите.
Кристен Лъш е изключително умела разказвачка. Макар в книгата да има две времеви линии, този път, за разлика от доста други книги с такива, и двете звучат еднакво убедително. Има нещо леко клиширано в описанието на отношенията на Ричард и Роузи, почти от самото начало ми беше ясно как ще се развият нещата между тях, но дори не броя това за минус. Защото всичко останало е толкова омайващо, така увличащо, че не ми остана време да мисля за тези отношения. Всеки от основните герои е описан толкова убедително, че можех да си ги представя в конкретния момент, да ги видя, да ги чуя дори. Някои описания бяха толкова силни, че спирах насред изречението и затварях книгата, за да мога да се съвзема и да продължа.
Кристен Лъш умее изключително добре да подвежда читателя, да го кара да си мисли, че е разбулил загадката или че ей сега, само след секунди, ще успее да го направи. Лично мен успя да ме заблуди многократно - на няколко пъти бях убедена, че съм разкрила кой е авторът на приказките, и дори намирах доказателства за това, а малко по-късно теорията ми рухваше с гръм и трясък. Към края имаше събития, които изобщо не очаквах, в съвременната времева линия се повиха личности, които изобщо не очаквах да "срещна". В тази книга има всичко: история, любов, жестокост, загадки - и всичко това е толкова умело смесено, че читателят е убеден, че то не само се е случило, а и че се е случило точно по този начин и в написаното няма и една измислена дума.
Ако трябва да опиша историята в "Порцелановата кукла" само с няколко думи, те ще са тези: увлекателна и "повличаща", загадъчна и въздействаща. История, която не можеш да оставиш, докато я четеш, а когато затвориш и последната страница на книгата, тя не иска да те остави.
Безкрайно се радвам, че прочетох тази книга. Ще я помня дълго и най-вероятно някой ден ще се върна отново към нея.
Защото в хубавите истории всеки път можем да открием нещо ново.
Не прочетох тази книга.
Изживях я.
Има книги, които пожелавам още щом видя корицата или прочета заглавието, още преди дори да съм прочела анотацията. Особено когато в заглавието се споменава предмет. Историите, свързани със стари картини, бижута ,семейни реликви или други ценни по някакъв начин предмети, винаги са ме привличали необяснимо. Тази беше от тях. После, разбира се прочетох резюмето на корицата и вече бях убедена, че искам да я прочета.
Четох я бавно и дълго. И отначало се упреквах, че не съм избрала добре момента, че не трябваше да я започвам в толкова натоварено време, че трябваше да изчакам, докато имам време за четене. После обаче си казах, че може би точно така трябва да се чете тази история - бавно, дълго, внимателно, защото - и това беше следващото ми осъзнаване - това далеч не е една-единствена история. Дори не са две - разказваните паралелно отдавнашна история на Тоня и съвременната история на Роузи. Тази книга е плетеница от истории, съдби, събития. И признавам, че понякога ми беше трудно да "разплитам", връщах се назад и се опитвах да свържа нишките. Но книгата нито за миг не престана да ми бъде интересна, четях и губех представа за времето, докато потъвах в историите.
Кристен Лъш е изключително умела разказвачка. Макар в книгата да има две времеви линии, този път, за разлика от доста други книги с такива, и двете звучат еднакво убедително. Има нещо леко клиширано в описанието на отношенията на Ричард и Роузи, почти от самото начало ми беше ясно как ще се развият нещата между тях, но дори не броя това за минус. Защото всичко останало е толкова омайващо, така увличащо, че не ми остана време да мисля за тези отношения. Всеки от основните герои е описан толкова убедително, че можех да си ги представя в конкретния момент, да ги видя, да ги чуя дори. Някои описания бяха толкова силни, че спирах насред изречението и затварях книгата, за да мога да се съвзема и да продължа.
Кристен Лъш умее изключително добре да подвежда читателя, да го кара да си мисли, че е разбулил загадката или че ей сега, само след секунди, ще успее да го направи. Лично мен успя да ме заблуди многократно - на няколко пъти бях убедена, че съм разкрила кой е авторът на приказките, и дори намирах доказателства за това, а малко по-късно теорията ми рухваше с гръм и трясък. Към края имаше събития, които изобщо не очаквах, в съвременната времева линия се повиха личности, които изобщо не очаквах да "срещна". В тази книга има всичко: история, любов, жестокост, загадки - и всичко това е толкова умело смесено, че читателят е убеден, че то не само се е случило, а и че се е случило точно по този начин и в написаното няма и една измислена дума.
Ако трябва да опиша историята в "Порцелановата кукла" само с няколко думи, те ще са тези: увлекателна и "повличаща", загадъчна и въздействаща. История, която не можеш да оставиш, докато я четеш, а когато затвориш и последната страница на книгата, тя не иска да те остави.
Безкрайно се радвам, че прочетох тази книга. Ще я помня дълго и най-вероятно някой ден ще се върна отново към нея.
Защото в хубавите истории всеки път можем да открием нещо ново.
December 16, 2022
"Някога Валентин можеше да накара хората да повярват във всичко. Някога и двамата бяха разказвачи. Нейните истории започваха далеч и отдавна; неговите - тук и сега. Нейните истории вече се бяха случили, неговите предстояха да се случат. Тя имаше кошмари от миналото, а той - мечти за бъдещето. Той искаше да стигне до всеки човек на света, докато тя отчаяно се опитваше да стигне до себе си."
February 17, 2022
I often find that in novels with a dual time structure one of the timelines – usually the earlier one – is more engaging than the other. This was definitely not the case in The Porcelain Doll because the author has managed to create two equally compelling storylines that blend past and present in a deliciously satisfying way. The structure works because the connections between the two stories are so strong that one never seems secondary to the other. Indeed, it feels that one could not exist without the other.
Starting in Russia in 1915, Tonya’s story spans decades encompassing the Revolution of October 1917, the Russian Civil War, the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, the siege of Leningrad during World War 2 and beyond. All of these events impact on Tonya and those close to her in dramatic ways, forcing her to make almost impossible choices to protect herself and those she cares for. As she observes at one point, ‘the choice in this country is not between right and wrong. It is between life and death’. Hers is a powerful, often harrowing, story of betrayal, loss, sacrifice and the sheer will to survive, often against seemingly unsurmountable odds. It’s also a heartbreaking love story that brought to mind elements of Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.
Rosie’s story takes place in 1991, an equally pivotal time in Russian history. It’s the era of perestroika and glasnost that would ultimately result in the collapse of the Soviet Union. But a new regime does not mean that old wounds can be forgotten. Far from it. The turbulent events in the country of Rosie’s birth reflect that in her own life. She continues to be haunted by memories of events earlier in her life, events that have left her with unanswered questions and a kind of survivor’s guilt. At one point Rosie is warned, ‘There is no enlightenment to be found in the past. No healing. No solace. Whatever we are looking for will not be there’. However, that warning doesn’t stop Rosie trying to find out more about her family history and to decode the answers she believes lie hidden in her mother’s stories. What she discovers will change everything she thinks she knows and thought she wanted.
As the two storylines interweave, nothing is quite what it seems – and often no-one is quite what they seem either. The way the author has crafted the multi-layered plot is akin to a Rubik’s Cube where you think you’ve just about arrived at the solution only to find there’s a piece out of place. There are some moments of breathtaking revelation and twists that I certainly didn’t see coming.
Storytelling is an underlying theme of the book whether that’s stories created to entertain, to pass on cultural myths and legends, to record for posterity life experiences, to act as propaganda or set out a vision for the future. Storytelling itself may even be a means of survival. And sometimes stories are the only way traumatic events can be processed and communicated.
I absolutely loved The Porcelain Doll. It kept me enthralled until the very last page.
Starting in Russia in 1915, Tonya’s story spans decades encompassing the Revolution of October 1917, the Russian Civil War, the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, the siege of Leningrad during World War 2 and beyond. All of these events impact on Tonya and those close to her in dramatic ways, forcing her to make almost impossible choices to protect herself and those she cares for. As she observes at one point, ‘the choice in this country is not between right and wrong. It is between life and death’. Hers is a powerful, often harrowing, story of betrayal, loss, sacrifice and the sheer will to survive, often against seemingly unsurmountable odds. It’s also a heartbreaking love story that brought to mind elements of Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.
Rosie’s story takes place in 1991, an equally pivotal time in Russian history. It’s the era of perestroika and glasnost that would ultimately result in the collapse of the Soviet Union. But a new regime does not mean that old wounds can be forgotten. Far from it. The turbulent events in the country of Rosie’s birth reflect that in her own life. She continues to be haunted by memories of events earlier in her life, events that have left her with unanswered questions and a kind of survivor’s guilt. At one point Rosie is warned, ‘There is no enlightenment to be found in the past. No healing. No solace. Whatever we are looking for will not be there’. However, that warning doesn’t stop Rosie trying to find out more about her family history and to decode the answers she believes lie hidden in her mother’s stories. What she discovers will change everything she thinks she knows and thought she wanted.
As the two storylines interweave, nothing is quite what it seems – and often no-one is quite what they seem either. The way the author has crafted the multi-layered plot is akin to a Rubik’s Cube where you think you’ve just about arrived at the solution only to find there’s a piece out of place. There are some moments of breathtaking revelation and twists that I certainly didn’t see coming.
Storytelling is an underlying theme of the book whether that’s stories created to entertain, to pass on cultural myths and legends, to record for posterity life experiences, to act as propaganda or set out a vision for the future. Storytelling itself may even be a means of survival. And sometimes stories are the only way traumatic events can be processed and communicated.
I absolutely loved The Porcelain Doll. It kept me enthralled until the very last page.
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