Angel of Vengeance: The "Girl Assassin," the Governor of St. Petersburg, and Russia's Revolutionary World

by Ana Siljak

In the Russian winter of 1878 a shy, aristocratic young woman named Vera Zasulich walked into the office of the governor of St. Petersburg, pulled a revolver from underneath her shawl, and shot General Fedor Trepov point blank. “Revenge!,” she cried, for the governor's brutal treatment of a political prisoner. Her trial for murder later that year became Russia's "trial of the century," closely followed by people all across Europe and America. On the day of the trial, huge crowds packed the courtroom. The cream of Russian society, attired in the finery of the day, arrived to witness the theatrical testimony and deliberations in the case of the young angel of vengeance. After the trial, Vera became a celebrated martyr for all social classes in Russia and became the public face of a burgeoning revolutionary fervor. Dostoyevsky (who attended the trial), Turgenev, Engels, and even Oscar Wilde all wrote about her extraordinary case. Her astonishing acquittal was celebrated across Europe, crowds filled the streets and the decision marked the changing face of Russia. After fleeing to Switzerland, Vera Zasulich became Russia's most famous "terroristka," inspiring a whole generation of Russian and European revolutionaries to embrace violence and martyrdom. Her influence led to a series of acts that collectively became part of “the age of assassinations.” In the now-forgotten story of Russia's most notorious terrorist, Ana Siljak captures Vera's extraordinary life story--from privileged child of nobility to revolutionary conspirator, from assassin to martyr to socialist icon and saint-- while colorfully evoking the drama of one of the world’s most closely watched trials and a Russia where political celebrities held sway.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Russia, Biography, Politics, Russian History, True Crime

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 2008

About the author

I am currently a professor of Russian and East European history at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. In addition to Russian history, I am interested in the history of terrorism and in Russian literature.

Reviews

[AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about the Vera Zasulich that shot the governor of St.Petersburg in 1878, not about the Vera Zasulich that sent a prescient letter to Karl Marx in 1881, though they are the same person. Zasulich's correspondence with Marx is mainly how she's remembered these days, and what introduced me to her. However, if you want to read a book about the thought of Vera Zasulich, or how she came to her politics, or even a book that incorporates some of life's work into a biographical sketch of her early days, this isn't that book. In the first chapter, Siljak refers to Zasulich's "impenetrable writings on socialist theory" and "illegible notes on Marx and Hegel," so you know this isn't going to be any kind of theoretical book nor an intellectual history. Instead you will find out if Vera was pretty or not (she wasn't, and that's a fact that will be mentioned multiple times), what she wore (very plain clothing), and who her boyfriends were. That said, this is a well-researched and engagingly written account of 19th century Russian radicalism. For much of the text, Zasulich isn't there at all. Mostly this is useful and good, as Siljak gives ample background on the emergence of socialist politics in Russia, and fully develops the auxiliary set of characters. (Really, the emergence of radicalism in Russia IS the narrative, and Zasulich is more of a framing device than the main story.) Occasionally, it drags on, such as the endless description of rural childhood, which will tire anyone who's read at least one Russian novel in her life, although it's possible I was just cranky that day.

As deeply informative as it was, I had some problems with the tone of this book. 'Tone' is a terrible hook to hang a critique on, but it's also a bummer to read a book about 'Russia's Revolutionary World' that could be subtitled "Really, tsarist Russia wasn't that bad." If I had the time or energy, I'd comb the text looking for examples to develop my point; the most specific one I can think of off the top of my head are the strangely loving descriptions of new prison architectures (so healthy and scientific!). It's not as if there isn't plenty to critique about revolutionary Russians- they were often naive, some were prone to bizarre and shameful bursts of extreme violence against their own cohort, and many were susceptible to manipulative and charismatic men. But they were also responding to systemic violence and injustice in their societies, extending their concern for those outside of and beneath their social class

There is also the problem with Siljak's use of the word 'terrorist.' It appears in the text without a definition. Terrorism in a notoriously slippery term, but if we are to believe that Dmitrii Karakozov, who attempted to assassinate Tsar Alexander II in 1866, was "Russia's first terrorist," I want to know why. It must mean that peasant rebellions were not terrorism, no matter how many landlords were killed in those uprisings. It wasn't terrorism when a rival royal factions staged a coup, say when Catherine's supporters assassinated Tsar Peter III in 1762, or when Tsar Paul 1 was assassinated in 1801. And it certainly wasn't terrorism when an oppressive regime held people in horrific conditions, without official charges, for years at a time. So what makes a depressed noble, who thought the Tsar was responsible for suffering of the Russian people, a terrorist? He didn't target civilians to achieve his political aims. He was, however, part of radical socialist group. There is a moment after Zasulich's trial for attempted assassination that the radicals themselves begin to use the appellation of terrorism, or so Siljak led me to believe, and I also want to know what that term meant to them. Terrorism is a deeply loaded term, and although I know this book is intended for a wide reading audience and not just nit-picky academics like myself, I think it's critical to define one's terms.

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fans of 19th century political terrorism, this might very well become a classic, fundamental work. Here's why: unlike a lot of histories of this sort of thing. Siljak never gets bogged down in stupid, impenetrable academistry. Using contemporary accounts and memoirs, she reconstructs Vera Zasulich's attempted murder of St Pete's governor, but more importantly, she provides an exhaustive (without feeling overwhelming) account of the rise of political extremism in Russia. Nechaev, Herzen, Bakunin--it's all here, probably more cohesive and readable than many works on the subject. In fact, Zasulich's botched killing is more a placemarker, trying to show how an impressionable young woman could get to that point, and then the account revels in the aftermath. The book's one weak point (pinpointing Zasulich as the linchpin for all future terrorism) can be overlooked, because the account of what followed does touch on several key bits.
Also useful as a study of 19th century imperial Russian law, penology and policework! A win-win-win!

[Ruby Jusoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review) Ana Siljak. Heavy on history. Not a fun book. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this. Covers a lot of issues on Russian radicalism and socialism during the 19th century. Not what I expected, though. I wanted to read about our main figure, Vera Zasulich but ended up discovering the whole radical movement itself.
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I learnt a lot about Russia from 1850s to 1900s. Imperial Russia was strong but deemed too autocratic. What is interesting for me is that the initial radicals and socialists came from the privileged class - upper middle-class who could read and write. They felt shocked and guilty over the suffering of the serfs (hard labourers and low-income workers) and swore to change the system. It does affirm the fact that the educated ones have the most access to knowledge and ideas.
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Vera Zasulich was one of such people. All her life, she was thrown from one rich relative to another. Hence, her inclination to belong was strong. She was in-between the rich and the poor. She had to start working as an adult to fend for herself. Socialism and radicalism gave her an ideological home. At the age of 18, she was imprisoned for 2 years in solitary confinement. Wow, I was shooketh! This made her a survivor and inspired her plan to assassinate the Governor of St. Petersburg.
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What drove her into being an assassin? Love, basically. Love for her country. She noticed that the movement was obsessed with powerful leaders who could not get things done. They were brilliant but too stuck in their own egomania. Vera wanted to shake things in an extreme manner. She read that the government had mistreated political prisoners and decided that she had to send the public a message. That, she did. The Governor did not die. She, however, became a famous figure and was acquitted.
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Unfortunately, Vera's acquittal inspired many violent acts of her peers. They believed that violence is necessary to impact change. She disagreed and became a recluse. Later in life, she became a Marxist philosopher, dying around the time Imperial Russia ended.
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There are two narratives here - one on the movement and one on Vera. What is fascinating is that they do not always move together.

[Brayden Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll split the difference at 3 stars. There are certainly interesting parts of the book and the last chunk covering Vera's trial , release and life afterwards are definitely the best. It was interesting to see Vera's commitment to the revolution change once the shape of the movement changed as Lenin rose to power. It's a shame she passed just too early to see her country truly free of the Tsarist dominance she lived under. There may be a level of generational difference in her decision to side with the mensheviks and certainly surprising that someone who previously committed revolutionary violence would think that Parliamentarism would result in the Marxist world that she had subscribed too but then again the Mensheviks would have included others of her generation.

All told this book is great for adding the introductory layer of Russian socialist movements to the history I have learned. Creating an ever clearer picture of that history.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is less the story of one person than it is one person's story at the heart of a greater movement of revolution, resistance, and violence...without which the traumatic events of the early 20th century would not have occurred in Russia. This books sheds massive light on the people and forces that eventually lead to the revolution, and offers a vast new perspective on how to approach what was coming. Equal parts savage enthusiasm and terrible disillusionment, this is a magnificent piece of work.

[xDEAD ENDx · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's lots of fantastic historical information here connecting some of the influences and friendships of late 19th century Russian revolutionaries.

The book falls short in that the author lacks any sort of real understanding of the different groups/ideas/ideologies she is discussing. In fact, she even dismisses them as "impenetrable writings on socialist theory." For a book about "nihilists" and "anarchists" and "socialists" in a time where Marxism is taking root, it's actually really important that the differences are explained, because the consistent references to how Leninism is rooted in nihilism via Nechaev are sort of unacceptable as surface statements.

But that's sort of the problem with academics writing about revolutionaries. If you're on the outside, you're never going to understand them, and if you're on the inside, you'd be wise not to write about them.

[Kaydon_the_dino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know we Americans have been saying this since forever but.... Russians, amiright? If you are like me, and got sucked into the tale of the last of the Romanovs as a kid and have always had a fascination with it, you should also read this book as it covers the twists and turns that revolutionary thought took in the half century prior to the rise of the Bolsheviks.

Also, the author’s parents are named Dragoslav and Dragana and I literally cannot think of anything cooler.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing this for a class might post my full 1000 word review here

[Sooz · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a fascinating read ... and where do i start? with the stunning similarities between the 1860's in Russia and the 1960's in America? with my sympathy for Alexander II who really was dedicating to reform - but had no idea how the people would push as soon as the iron grip of the Czar was relaxed a bit? nothing could happen fast enough. for all his good intentions - the first 'glasnost'- he still represented hundreds and hundreds of years of oppression ... AND as America found out, freeing the slaves was just the first step on a long and painful road leading to equality ... a journey that is still far from being successfully completed. so yeah, i have some sympathy for poor old Alexander II. got to say i also have a lot of sympathy for the long list of activist, both the free-love utopian driven idealist, and the more radical versions. each activist movement did what they thought was right ... their error was hubris. the arrogance of believing they knew what the outcome of their actions would be. the best of intentions right? Vera Zasulich had the best of intentions and yet her trial did not have the outcome she was certain it would ... and from that point on, nothing went according to plan.

there is just a ton of information in this book that has little to do with Vera Zasulich directly, but provides context to her life both prior to her assassination attempt and following the verdict of her trial. it provides a true understanding of how and why Russia was revolution-bound. from the nihilist of Fathers and Sons, to the rational egotist of What Is To Be Done or the antithesis of 'the new man' in Notes From the Underground, to the birth of terriorism. yes, reading this book, you will discover how and when and why the modern day 'cell' structure of terriorist groups came to be.

there is just a ton of information, but it reads -for the most part- like a best-selling spy novel. okay, to be honest i never read spy novels, all i mean to say is that for all you will learn, you will will also be engaged, and even entertained by a riveting story that had far-reaching implications. a story that literally set the stage for a revolution and for the terror that followed. years later Camus would say that the Russian terrorist of the 19th century -so convinced of the purity, the righteousness, the beauty of the actions- paved the way for all the violence -in the name of justice- that would almost ruin Russia. the violence that would come to be known simply as 'the terror'.

so you see it is impossible for me to even start. why would i. Ana Siljak did just about a perfect job writing a 300 page book that is surprisingly readable considering how dense it is with information on some pretty complicated ideals. she did a masterful job. just read it.

[Laura Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideally, 3.5. A very interesting look at the anarchist movement in Russia in the 1860s and '70s. Not enough about Vera, however, and those were the most interesting parts for me since reading her story and learning more about her compelled me to buy the book. There is more about Nechaev than Vera and he is a far less sympathetic character. I would love to read her autobiography, but it does not appear to be translated into English. Another biography the author mentions and recommends is out of print. Kind of frustrating. But if you are looking for an overall view of the anarchist movement of the times, I'd recommend this book.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crazy impressive amount of research went into this book. And what a story!

[Menace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resenha "O anjo da vingança"



O livro da autora Ana Siljak -O Anjo da Vingança - é o pontapé inicial para poder entender como foi o período soviético dos anos de 1850 à 1880. Todas as tramas políticas que envolvem a sociedade daquela época. A intensificação dos movimentos socialistas na Rússia e o surgimento das ideias niilistas.


O inverno russo de 1878, uma aristocrata jovem e tímida chamada Vera Zasulich entrou no gabinete do prefeito de São Petersburgo, sacou um revólver de seu volumoso manto cinza e deu um tiro no general Fedor Trepov à queima-roupa. "Vingança!" -gritou ela - vingança pelo tratamento que o prefeito dispensara a um preso político.
No final do ano, o julgamento de Vera por tentativa de assassinato tornou-se o "julgamento do século", seguido por gente de toda Europa e América.
A história da primeira terrorista russa, que conquistou milhares de seguidores e que à princípio foi a porta de entrada para os grandes atos terroristas que aconteceram na Rússia e em toda Europa durante o século XIX.


Essa biografia da Vera foi uma leitura completamente aleatória que por ventura veio em um excelente momento. Neste ano me desafiei à ler livros políticos -ou biografias de grandes figuras políticas - e de alguma forma tentar entender mais sobre assuntos como: esquerda/ direita; comunismo/ capitalismo. Socialismo/neoliberalismo; os privilégios da burguesia e principalmente as dificuldade que o proletariado enfrentava;
Tomar uma posição política não é fácil e é algo que se deve pensar e estudar, e graças a esse aprofundamento muito assuntos começaram a ficar explícitos de uma forma que eu não achei ser possível.
Muitas coisas abordadas pelo autora, em muitos casos faz com que o leitor pense se de fato isso aconteceu ou é uma ficção cientifica, pois é muito insano que todas as tramas politicas abordadas e trazidas à tona de uma forma completamente diferente pode de alguma forma ter acontecido à apenas alguns anos atrás.
A história de vida da Vera, de como ela virou uma revolucionária, o exílio na Sibéria, a tristeza e a depressão e a prisão na qual ficou presa por anos sem ter contato coma a família e tantas outras coisas que ela passou. Uma heroína por muitos, uma terrorista para tantos outro, de uma coisa é certa. Vera Zasulich foi uma mulher brilhante, inteligente e admirável que merece ser lembrada pela mente extraordinária, sua paixão pela sua pátria Rússia e seu desejo de ver os pobres e menos desfavorecidos em um mundo melhor, sem injustiças social e longe de governantes tiranos.

É por isso e por muitos outros muitos outros motivos que esse livro merece cinco estrelas, ele é instigante, revolucionário e maravilhoso em todas as perspectivas

[sarai · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think this book broke me out of my Scholarly History slump that i've been in since i finished grad school. four and a half stars rounded up.

i wouldn't actually call this a book about vera zasulich. this is a monograph about late 19th century russian radicalism that uses vera as its frame story - and i appreciate that all the more, as i have never liked biographies but love the technique that contextualises both the setting and the central figure within each other. as someone who's passingly familiar with this bit of russian history (about two weeks spent on this period in a russian history class plus a 19th century russian lit class), i did gain a lot more knowledge from this book, and it shed a new light on a lot of other things i remembered in a vacuum. (maybe i'll go reread fathers and sons now. not dostoyevsky though i still hate him)

habit forced me to go hunting for scholarly book reviews before i wrote my own goodreads review, and the only one i could find was a single page long review by jane mcdermid in slavic studies. mcdermid's only critique was the novelistic, overdramatic tone that siljak takes when describing her subjects, and i'd like to add to that the way she describes the self-growth and inner turmoil within vera and her contemporaries. considering how heavily researched this book is, i'm sure that it draws on a lot of personal writings (and vera definitely wrote a lot) but it still feels a bit overblown, as if siljak is trying to write to a lay audience - which, to be fair, it seems that she is, considering that the publisher is not university-affiliated. and of course i cannot critique that too far, having also been characterised as writing for the educated layperson in my own scholarly work, but it's still a bit jarring when juxtaposed with the detailed history. analysis is relatively shallow, but i'm not super pressed about that again considering the context of the book. and i do have to admit - i sped the FUCK through this, so i suppose that the dramatic and novelistic style worked out, in the end.

[Wesley H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel of Vengeance is a fascinating study of the life of Vera Zasulich, who assassinated the Governor of St. Petersburg, which not only chronicles her life but also interweaves the growth of the radical socialist movement in late 19th century Russia. I could not put this book down as I read it and it was so interesting to see how average Russians like Vera were transformed into hardened state terrorists who wanted to see the downfall of their country's government system. The book uses the life of Vera as a tool to weave in the various factions of the socialist movement and the people who led it down the path to terror. If you are interested in socialist Russia or the larger European revolutions of the 1800s then this is the book for you. I highly recommend it!

[Ricardo Martini Kato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nota: 3.9/5.0

A semente de uma revolução pode germinar nas mais inocentes e boas intenções que poderiam ter. O czar Alexandre assume no lugar do seu pai Nicolai que foi truculento e perseguidor. “Iluminado” pelas modernidades europeias, expos a Rússia a liberdades que até então não estavam na pauta do dia.
Se por um lado isso parecia positivo, por outro, movimentos questionadores e disruptivos começaram a questionar o status quo e daí tudo se descambou.
O “Anjo da vingança” retrata a vida de Vera Zasulich e seu crime, e como a resistência contra um governo opressor transforma mentes e corações em atos desesperados de terrorismo.
O niilismo surge e com isso a Rússia nunca mais será a mesma…

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the book covered both the story of Vera as well as the context surrounding the assassination and what it led to. I would have liked a little more on what came after and the widespread effects of the age of assassination, particularly through the lens of what we know now. The book is well-written and very approachable.

[Diana Laffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A biography of an extraordinary Russian revolutionary: a woman of great courage and independence.

[Rebecca Huston]

I found this to be quite a read, detailing the life and legend of Vera Zasulich, a nineteenth century aristocratic woman who shot the mayor of St. Petersburg, Russia, and became an icon for revolutionaries. The author intersperses Vera's life with an exploration of radical books and thinking, along with how it influenced the modern terrorists of today. Be warned that it is not easy reading -- at times the narrative gets very dry, but I also found it compelling with a lot of information that I knew nothing about, but did a great deal in explaining how revolutions take hold. Not for everyone, but those interested in Russian history and thought, will be rewarded. Four stars overall, and recommended.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.mylot.com/post/2925747/rev...

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been fascinated by Vera Zasulich, the Russian revolutionary and assassin, since I first learned about her in a history class in college. She's truly a compelling figure, and it was great to learn a little more about her life through this book. I do wish it had been more focused specifically on Vera, though, instead of delving quite so deeply into the vaster world of the Russian revolutionary movement before and after her. Some context is great and extremely helpful, but I ended up feeling as if the whole book were context with only like two chapters actually about Vera herself. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a more straight-ahead biography of her, or possibly try to get my hands on her memoir!

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. At first I was intrigued, but puzzled--why write a book about a failed assassination? But I continued to read and found out. That failed assassination opened up the world of Russian revolutionaries from the 1840's to the end of the century, setting up the Russian revolution in the 20th century. The story of the "girl assassin" communicates what life in Russia was like, the people who saw the horrible inequities and injustices and tried to do something to change life for the better, their failures and failings and how they finally ended up. Really fascinating, but it does require a real commitment of time and effort to absorb this book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We must pay attention to the particular characteristics of the moral nature of crimes against the state. The physiognomy of such crimes is often quite variable. That which yesterday was considered a crime against the state, today or tomorrow becomes a highly respected act of civic courage. State crimes are often just the untimely expressions of a doctrine of premature reform, the preaching of that which is not yet ripe and whose time has not yet come."

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly excellent history, tells a story that has been lost in the short term memory of modern society about the origins of terrorism and the link between terror, oppression and media. Very well worth looking at.

[l · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contextualizes Zasulich's act. It's a good read but anyone who has covered 1860s Russian lit should be familiar with the material tbh (the 'to the people' movement, Fathers & Sons, What is to be done?, Nechaev etc). It doesn't really provide much analysis.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and complex story of the rise of revolution in 19th-20th century Russia.

[Hester]

The story sounds interesting and I really wish I could have stuck with it but I couldn't. I found it too boring. I put this book in the donation box at work.

[Alisalias]

Interesting story of a mostly forgotten revolutionary.

[LOL_BOOKS]

ANGEL OF VENGEANCE IS NON-FICTION ABOUT A RUSSIAN LADY TERRORIST.

WAS IT GOOD?

I LIKED IT.