Gorgito's Ice Rink

by Elizabeth Ducie

Two small boys grieving for lost sisters — torn between family and other loves. Can the fulfilment of one promise make up for the failure to keep an earlier one?

When Gorgito Tabatadze sees his sister run off with a soldier, he is bereft. When she disappears into Stalin’s Gulag system, he is devastated. He promises their mother on her death-bed he will find the missing girl and bring her home; but it is to prove an impossible quest.

Forty years later, Gorgito, now a successful businessman in post-Soviet Russia, watches another young boy lose his sister to a love stronger than family. When a talented Russian skater gets the chance to train in America, Gorgito promises her grief-stricken brother he will build an ice-rink in Nikolevsky, their home town, to bring her home again.

With the help of a British engineer, who has fled to Russia to escape her own heartache, and hindered by the local Mayor who has his own reasons for wanting the project to fail, can Gorgito overcome bureaucracy, corruption, economic melt-down and the harsh Russian climate in his quest to build the ice-rink and bring a lost sister home? And will he finally forgive himself for breaking the promise to his mother?

This is a story of love, loss and broken promises. It is Gorgito's story, through the eyes of the people whose lives he touched.

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2014

About the author

I was born and brought up in Birmingham. As a teenager, I won a holiday to France, Spain and Portugal for writing essays and poetry in a newspaper competition. Despite this promising start in the literary world, I took scientific qualifications and spent more than thirty years as a manufacturing consultant, technical writer and small business owner, publishing a number of pharmaceutical text books and editing a technical journal along the way. I returned to creative writing in 2006 and since then, I have written short stories and poetry for competitions — and have had a few wins, several honourable mentions and some short-listing. I am also published in several anthologies.

Under the Chudleigh Phoenix Publications imprint, I have published four solo collections of short stories and co-authored another two. I also write and lecture on business skills for writers running their own small business. My debut novel, Gorgito’s Ice Rink, which was published in 2014, was Runner Up in Writing Magazine's 2015 Self-Published Book of the Year Awards. In August 2018, it received a Chill With A Book Award. My second novel, Counterfeit!, was published in 2016. It is the first in a series of international thrillers. It came third in the Literature Works 2015 First Page Writing Prize. The second in the series, Deception!, came out in September 2017, and Corruption! came a year later. The fourth and final part of the series will be published in September 2024. In the meantime, I have written the Coombesford Chronicles, a series of cosy crime, set in and English village.

Having left Birmingham to study in London, I lived for more than twenty years in Wilmington, Kent. In 2007, I moved to the South West of England, where I live with my husband, Michael, in a converted granary sited picturesquely on the banks of, and occasionally within the path of, a small stream. In 2012 I graduated from Exeter University with an MA in Creative Writing and closed down my technical consultancy in order to concentrate full-time on my writing.

I was editor of the Chudleigh Phoenix Community Magazine, a monthly online newsletter for fourteen years, finishing in 2023. I am a member of the Chudleigh Writers' Circle and was one of the organisers of the annual Chudleigh Literary Festival which ran from 2011 to 2019. I was Director of the Exeter Literary Festival for 2020 and 2021. I am also a member of Exeter Writers, South Hams Authors' Network, Teignmouth Writers and the Women in Publishing community in the US. I spend far too much time on Facebook and Twitter, but have met some wonderful members of the writing community as a result.

When I am not writing, I am a keen reader and singer. I also enjoy live theatre of any kind, share with my husband a love of fine dining, and am a real sucker for the kind of country house hotel where you can kick off your shoes and curl up with a book in front of a log fire.

I would like you to believe I am also a keen walker, enjoying the beauties of Dartmoor and the South Devon coastline—but, as a writer, I'm good at making things up.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ An Endearing, Heart Felt, Authentic Read.

Gorgito’s Ice Rink is a heart warming and compelling story about family, loss, reuniting, set in Russia, using alternate timelines.

Gorgito's goddaughter Yulia is very talented and passionate about ice skating.
Gorgito is desperate not to let history repeat itself, by letting Yulia disappear never to return.

So he comes up with a plan to build her an ice rink in the hope she returns and stays.

Maria, Gorgito's sister run away during the war to be with a soldier, never returning home and never in contact. Unable to ever find Maria, Gorgito can't face the heartache again. So he hopes that the ice rink will bring Yulia back home.

Gorgito’s Ice Rink is a heart felt and poignant read.
Ducie has created an Authentic and Emotional read, you can see how much passion and research she has done into creating what it was like in Russia and it's rich history.
The Characters are wonderfully engaging and well written.

Overall Gorgito’s Ice Rink is a wonderfully unique, endearing and compelling read, it has a sprinkle of romance, emotion, heartbreak, friendship, it's rich in history and gives the reader a deeper insight into the history and life of Russia.
I highly recommend this gem of a book.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.


My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma's grandmother is Russian and Emma speaks the language well. She's an engineer and is being sent to Nikolevsky to work on a factory project. Gorgito, the owner of the factory, is a passionate man. He doesn't only want to expand his business, he also wants to build an ice rink for his goddaughter. This means Emma has a lot of work to do and while being in Russia she might learn more about herself than she ever thought she would.

After many years Gorgito still hasn't found his older sister Maria. She left when he was a child and he's never been able to locate her. He promised his mother he'd track her down, but so far he doesn't have any leads. His goddaughter Yulia wants to go to America to become a professional ice skater. Her brother Dima will be left behind just like Gorgito all those years ago. That's why Gorgito wants to build an ice rink. Maybe he can convince Yulia to stay home, so history won't repeat itself. Can Emma help him to succeed at this enormous project?

Gorgito is a special man. He's positive and enthusiastic, he's always got some kind of plan and nothing is too crazy for him. I immediately liked him and admired his cheerful personality and sunny disposition. He's a dreamer with a big heart. He welcomes Emma with open arms and therefore she feels at home in Nikolevsky straight away. She struggles with the choice between two countries, does she belong in England or in Russia? She's sweet and caring and she's also smart and practical, which makes her good at what she does. She doesn't take impulsive decisions, which makes her a perfect candidate to work together with Gorgito. She can help him to make his dreams become reality.

Gorgito's Ice Rink is an interesting book. Elizabeth Ducie starts her story at a slow pace, so it's easy for the readers to get to know her main characters and find out more about the factory and life in Russia. Gradually she adds more layers to the story and quickens the pace. I enjoyed learning something about the Russian way of life and loved reading about a country that went through many changes in the years Elizabeth Ducie describes. She clearly knows a lot about her subject and that instantly fascinated me.

I liked that Gorgito's Ice Rink is set in different periods of time. Before Emma came to Russia Gorgito lived in a small village with his parents and sister. She describes their lives and tells Maria's history, which was my favorite part of the story. True love complicates her life and because of it she leaves her family. I was impressed by her bravery and had tears in my eyes when I read about what happened to her and why Gorgito couldn't find her. Every main character is somehow connected to Gorgito. I loved how I got to know him really well by reading about the lives of the people he loves. Everything together makes Gorgito's Ice Rink an original and fabulous book, I liked it very much.

[Cathie Hartigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Elizabeth Ducie. Gorgito's Ice Rink is mainly set mainly in Russia during the 1990’s, it weaves together the past and present lives of ordinary people trying to make things happen. When Emma Chambers travels to Nikolevsky, to start work at the pharmaceutical plant, she has no idea about her colleague Gorgito’s plan to build an ice-rink. He believes that it will encourage his goddaughter, Yulia the talented young skating star, to come back home. But Russian bureaucracy and in particular, Victor, the local mayor, are major obstacles. Why Gorgito is so determined and why Victor is equally determined to stand in his way?
Gradually, a past love story of unfolds. In the difficult and repressive post war years, Maria, Gorgito’s sister runs away to find her soldier lover. Where her journey takes her and how her story impacts on Gorgito, Emma and the local community forms a substantial part of this novel.
Gorgito’s Ice-Rink is a moving story, full in insight into Russian life. I leant a lot.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Ducie writes a debut novel that is heartwarming and also heartbreaking story set in Russia. The story is unique and powerful, with characters I enjoyed to read about. Gorgito Tabatadze is one of them. He is kind, impulsive, and nothing is impossible for him. He will make good on his promise he made many years ago to his mother to find their long lost sister, Maria.

Emma Chambers, an engineer from England raised by her Russian grandmother, is fluent in Russian and takes an assignment in Russia in a pharmaceutical plant owned by Gorgito in Nikolevsky despite the bureaucracy, the politics, and the role of women in Russia.

Ducie was able to write about the beautiful traditions of Russia through a very well researched story. The book is divided into 6 parts and moves from current time (2005) to mid 90's and in 1949 - though most of the story was set in the 90's. The story's pacing is just right and you really get to know the characters in the beginning with beautiful stories of life in Russia and build the story of Gorgito's loss and promise. The description of the traditions, the food and family life was a great addition to the background of this story to build Gorgito's character.

This was a very enjoyable and satisfying read for me with a very unique and interesting story line. I gleaned a lot about the Russian Gulag, the Russian life and traditions, and the importance of love, family and dreams that crosses any cultural divide.

I look forward to reading other books by Elizabeth Ducie.

Thank you for the free ebook copy provided by the author.

[Jéssica · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was three things that made me want to know more about this book: the title, the cover and the fact that I knew the name of the author since I had previous read a book of hers. And when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to enter this story and meet these characters.

There are so many elements that I loved in this story, from the characters and their background, to the interactions between them and the obstacles they have to surpass. The storyline touched my heart and by being set in a different time than our own present, it transport us to the world of these characters.

Family, friendship, enemies and promises. There is a realism to this novel that I absolutely love, making me emotional and feel as though I was part of the group and living side by side with them, thanks to the descriptions and the connectivity.

Emma and Gorgito were definitely well written characters that made me compelled to turn the next page and learn what they were going to do next. They both have strong qualities, and they are dealing with their with their problems in different ways. And although I don't know much about Russia, I could envision the scenery and all the other characters that made Emma and Gorgito's story keep moving.

It was the world described in this novel, as well as the other characters, that made it an interesting book. Starting at a slow pace, it grew and got more intriguing with each revelation, each action, each character and scene introduced.

I won't say more about the actually plot, because I want people to feel and make their own opinions. But I do recommend this novel to everyone that likes the kind of story that touches historical elements, as well as follow the main characters as they try to accomplish their goals in their quest.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read this book, the rain was driving down outside, the wind was picking up – but it all entirely passed me by as I was whisked away to rural Russia in the 1990s, to find the book’s characters battling with bureaucracy, following their dreams and struggling to deliver their promises. The story itself – on the surface, larger than life factory owner Gorgito’s quest to build an ice rink at Nikolevsky to enable his god-daughter Yulia to fulfil her dreams without leaving her homeland and young brother behind – is simply wonderful.

But there’s also a compelling history behind the opposition and enmity of local mayor Victor – and that’s a fascinating and emotional story, as we find out more about Gorgito’s promise to his mother through his sister Maria’s first person telling of her heartbreaking post-war story. I really loved the way the book was structured, both story lines with their echoes of love and loss – this really was story-telling at its very best.

And I equally enjoyed the story of Emma – an English engineer working with Gorgito in his factory in Nikolevsky, becoming his friend and confidante, while facing personal challenges of her own and finding her way in an unfamiliar environment, with an unexpected and convincing touch of romance along the way.

There’s a realism about Emma’s life evidently drawn from the author’s first hand experience, and I really enjoyed all the little touches – like the trick with vodka and water! – that brought the realities of her day-to-day so vividly to life. The author’s depiction of rural Russia within the timeframe of the story (and the post-war years) was also remarkable – great descriptions, decline and decay, and you could feel the weight of wading through officialdom, with power invested in individuals who frequently misuse it.

I’d recommend this book most highly – an engrossing story, a very sure emotional touch, and an opportunity to explore a culture and way of life that was totally outside my experience. I’m just sorry it took me so long to get round to reading it…

[Daniela Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of 1990s Russia (which I personally knew very little about before reading this book) this intriguing novel is not only a human story full of understated emotion but also a tribute to gallantry and an examination of the human ego. Gorgito - a successful and self-made man in a place where 'manhood' is measured by glasses of vodka and by the power to make things happen - is on a mission to build an ice-rink for his goddaughter - a talented ice-skater whose talent is going to waste in their small town.

Through this vehicle of narration the author skilfully weaves a tale full of hidden motives and obvious challenges, with memorable characters that stay with the reader well after the last page has been turned. Emma, an Englishwoman following her career but forgetting to examine her own heart, befriends Gorgito and through this unlikely friendship discovers many things about her own journey as a woman and as a human-being. A riveting story that left me wanting to read more from Elizabeth Ducie.

[Bodicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma finds another family in Russia to call her own in this tale of one man’s wish to put a wrong right at any cost. Gorgito failed to fulfill a promise to his mother to find his sister and bring her home. When another young lad is distraught at his own sister’s departure to America to train with professionals, Gorgito promises to tempt her back home by building an ice rink in their town.

This is a lovely story. It beautifully depicts what Russia was like for those living there in the 1990′s. The uncertainty, the loss of personal liberty and the bribes. The author writes from first hand experience of the times in this story and this shines through. I particularly liked the various love stories threaded through this story; unrequited, difficult, impossible, all consuming and fulfilling. Gorgito’s passion for his cause is palpable and the ending is immensely satisfying too. This is a tale of misunderstandings, assumptions and regrets and makes for an involved and emotional read.

[Emelie Johansson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a copy of this through Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit hesitant to start this, because it is not what I usually read and I was afraid that I would not like it. But the more I read the more I liked the story. It is very complex and drags you in, both by plot and characters. The story has many characters and it is so interesting to follow all of them and the ending almost made me cry because the story is so emotional. If you like history, family and reading about Russia I definitely recommend this book to you.

[Judith Cranswick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novel with a very different setting. I know very little about Russia and the world described in the novel so I became as intrigued by the whole background as much as by the story which is thoroughly believable - so much so that one wonders how much is fiction and how much based on real events. The characters are complex - real individuals with whom the reader can empathise. A very enjoyable and satisfying read.

[Jo - Cup of Toast · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Gorgito’s Ice Rink centres on Gorgito, living in Nikolevsky, with focus too on those around him especially Emma, the British engineer who helps him manage his ideas and projects to bring them to fruition. Through them and a host of additional characters, the narrative moves seamlessly backwards and forwards in time bringing the wider story to life and dealing with loss and heartache honestly and realistically. Gorgito is a grown man, but still retains the emotions of the small boy who lost his sister in part through marriage and relocation, but as we discover, due to historical circumstance too. When he sees an opportunity to keep another young boy and his sister together he takes it, whatever the obstacles may be. Through the novel we better understand not just the challenges that he faces but the reason that they are there, and the deeper meaning between fractious adult relationships.

Historical events are deftly threaded through the story and add interest and depth to the novel. Through her words, Ducie brings Russia to her readers. The scenery is so vivid it is easy to envisage Gorgito’s factory in Nikolevsky, and we take a charming trip to Moscow at one point with Emma when we feel like a tourist in the city ourselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was elegantly written, engaging the audience through Gorgito’s triumphs and sadness. The characters moved me, I wanted to hear their stories, to understand their history and to hope for their future alongside them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves travel or history. The words glow from the pages and will keep you engrossed in their tale.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading stories set in far-flung places I have never visited and this story set in Russia, mainly in the 1990s has so much intrinsic interest. The author’s knowledge of the area and period brings it to life, full of vivid descriptions, you can visualise the setting and the bureaucracy that dominates life there.

The story. as the title suggests is about Gorgito, a forty-something factory owner who wants to build a professional ice rink in his hometown of Nikolevsky. The primary motivation is to bring his goddaughter home, from where she is training in the USA. Her brother misses her, and Gorigito knows what that feels like.

The story slips back over forty years when Gorgitos sister left him to follow her heart, with tragic results, his quest to build the ice rink is as much for her. as his goddaughter. His sister’s story, full of love and loss is particularly poignant, capturing the danger and sacrifice of Stalin dictatorship.

The ice rink project’s most virulent opponent is the mayor, who has his reasons, which are another memorable strand to this story. Emma a British engineer helps Gorgito with more than his factory, and she finds unexpected solace in return.

A delightful mix of family, friendship and romance are tempered with bureaucratic frustrations and emotional angst, to make this a complex, poignant story, in an enigmatic setting,

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

[ChillwithabookAWARD With · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgito's Ice Rink by Elizabeth Ducie has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
www.chillwithabook.com

"This is a beautiful read and transports the reader to a 1990s Russia where life was very very slowly emerging from the breakdown of the Soviet Union."

"There is love, envy, power and dreams that set the life paths of the main characters."

"It is different and that is what made it a lovely read."

Pauline Barclay
Founder of Chill with a Book Awards

[Marcia Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgito’s Ice Rink is an intriguing novel set in Russia. The story begins slowly, allowing the reader to learn about Gorgito’s factory and life in Russia and get to know the main characters. The story switches to different time periods and the author handled this well allowing the reader to follow the compelling story with ease. I loved how the different elements of the story all came together at the end and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Gorgito’s Ice Rink” is an interesting story, especially for someone with little knowledge of Russia. This book is a tale of love, loss and broken promises that deserves a little love on its publication birthday. I’m sure many people will enjoy this story and learn a little bit while reading too.

My review: https://whatrebeccasread.wordpress.co...

[Csimplot Simplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!

[Becca McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely family drama

Beautiful, easy prose with plenty of humanity. Interesting look at Russian modern history through the eyes of likable, believable characters

[N.A. Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgito’s Ice Rink is at its core a family saga, set largely in Russia and alternating in time between the mid to late 1990’s and the post-WW II era in 1949. It derives from the author’s travel experiences and her background in helping writers set up and run their small businesses. The story develops from the loss of their sisters by two small boys, one in the 1990s and another in 1949.

Emma Chambers meets the larger-than-life Georgian, Gorgito Tabatadze, when she takes over for another in her company in order to get Gorgito’s factory up and running in the picturesque town of Nikolevsky, Russia, in 1995. She discovers, while watching figure skaters on the River Volga, that Gorgito wants to build an ice rink for the most talented of them, Yulia Semenova, to draw people to his town. Having had a Russian Grandmother, Emma speaks the language and fits well into the community. When Yulia is lured to the US to train, leaving her little brother Dima behind, Gorgito becomes even more determined to fulfill his plan, in order to bring Yulia home. Gorgito himself lost his sister, Maria, who left home without telling anyone where she was going. She was following the love of her life, an older soldier she’d met in her tiny rural town, to Moscow. She disappears from Gorgito’s life and he cannot find her in the vast spaces of Russia and with the Communist regulations of the time.

The first part of the book is written in third person omniscient. I think because of this, the reader never makes the emotional connection with Emma that is made in the second part of the book with Maria. Maria’s story is told in first person, and because of that, this part of the book came alive and spoke to me.

In part three, Emma returns to Nikolevsky, despite the fact her first job there was over; she discovers her husband has had an extended affair with their next door neighbor during her long absence and realizes she has no strong ties to what was her home. Gorgito enlists her to help him run his factory and run interference with the local Mayor, who has very personal reasons for blocking the construction of the ice rink. Can Emma and Gorgito overcome bureaucracy, corruption, economic melt-down and the harsh Russian climate to get the ice-rink built and bring home a lost sister?

The strength of this book is in its characters and the accurate descriptions of life in Russia. Gorgito himself is a scene stealer, with all his foibles and love for life. Victor Romanovitch, the Mayor, undergoes a transformation as the story progresses, as the reader learns more about him and Maria. Maria, is colorful, if foolish, but loyal and deeply in love with Alexander Rastinov, who reminds me of the character Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind: bookish, loyal and proud, but deeply caring of his family.

The Russian background comes through loud and clear, the English background much less so. Having lived in a Soviet satellite during the Cold War, I found the author’s descriptions of life in Russia to be spot on – politics, regulations, food, deprivations, and the spirit of the people.

Gorgito’s Ice Rink is a leisurely read that gradually draws the reader into the saga. It is informative to readers not familiar with that time and place, and while emotionally understated, is a lovely story.

[Margaret Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should declare an interest in this book as the author and I helped each other to edit our books. Elizabeth has made some interesting changes to the novel from the time I first read it. It is a tale of broken promises, misunderstandings and love. The novel is set in Russia in both the 1990s and 1950's; a country the author knows well and I found the descriptions of the countryside fascinating.
The character of Gorgito is totally believable as he fights bureaucracy, to build the ice rink and reunite a brother and sister. Emma Chambers, the English engineer is well drawn and her marital problems and her love affair with a Russian journalist add depth to the story line.
It is ideal reading for a winter's evening.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russia is a country I know very little about (other than the usual stereotyping) but one which fascinates me. So the setting for this novel was intriguing from the outset, and played a prominent part in the story. I was soon drawn into the lives of the people who were so important to Gorgito, in both his past and present. Although I knew I had to get up early in the morning, I couldn't stop reading as I had to find out how all the strands were woven into the final whole. I laughed in places, and cried in places, and finally put the book down feeling I had been on a very worthwhile journey. I am looking forward to further novels by Elizabeth Duce.

[Anne Allen]

Fascinating insight into life in Russia

The story follows the lives of three women and the passion of one man, Gorgito, to build an ice rink in rural Russia in honour of his lost sister and his god-daughter, a professional ice skater. Their stories intermingled over the years, going from England to Russia to the US. The writing is good and descriptive, building up images of places far removed from most people's experience. I look forward to her next book.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway. I really liked it. The characters were easy to get to know and overall it was a good read.