A Russian Sister

by Caroline Adderson

In this witty and colourfully peopled novel, Caroline Adderson effortlessly plunges the reader into a nineteenth-century Russian tragicomedy. Aspiring painter Masha C. is blindly devoted to Antosha, her famous writer-brother. Through the years Antosha takes up with numerous women from Masha’s circle of friends, yet none of these relationships threaten the siblings’ close ties until the winter he falls into a depression. Then Masha invites into their Moscow home a young woman who teaches with her—the beautiful, vivacious and deeply vulnerable Lika Mizanova—with the express hope she might help Antosha recover.

The appearance of Lika sets off a convolution of unrequited love, jealousy and scandal that lasts for seven years. If the famously unattainable writer has lost his heart to Lika as everyone claims, why does he undertake a life-threatening voyage to Sakhalin Island? And what will happen to Masha if she is demoted from “woman of the house” to “spinster sister”? While Antosha and Lika push and pull, Masha falls in love herself—with a man and with a mongoose—only to have her dreams crushed twice. From her own heartbreak Masha comes to recognize the harm that she has done to her friends by encouraging their involvement with Antosha, but it is too late for Lika, who will both sacrifice herself for love and be immortalized as the model for Nina in Chekhov’s The Seagull.

A Russian Sister offers a clever commentary on the role of women as prey for male needs and inspiration, a role they continue to play today. At the same time the novel is a plea for sisterhood, both familial and friendly. Chekhov’s The Seagull changed the theatre. A Russian Sister gives the reader a glimpse behind the curtain to the fascinating real-life people who inspired it and the tragedy that followed its premiere.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Canada

384 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2020

About the author

Caroline Adderson grew up in Alberta. After traveling around Canada, she moved to B.C. to go to university and has mostly lived there ever since. She started writing seriously after university, eventually going on to write two internationally published novels (A History of Forgetting and Sitting Practice) and two collections of short stories for adults (Bad Imaginings and Pleased To Meet You). When her son was five, she began writing seriously unserious books for young readers (Very Serious Children; I, Bruno;and Bruno For Real). Her contribution to the Single Voice series is her first really serious book for young readers and her first book for teens.

Caroline’s work has received numerous prize nominations including the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist, the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. A two-time Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and three-time CBC Literary Award winner, Caroline was also the recipient of the 2006 Marian Engel Award, given annually to an outstanding female writer in mid-career in recognition of her body of work. She also won the 2009 Diamond Willow Award—voted on by lots of nice kids in Saskatchewan—for her children’s novel Very Serious Children.

Caroline keeps writing for readers of all ages every day. She also does a little teaching at Simon Fraser University and hangs out with her husband, a filmmaker, their 10-year-old son, and their naughty dog, Mickey, a Jack Russell terrier who is very lucky to be cute or she would never get away with all she does. Caroline’s advice to young writers is to read, read, read and write, write, write, and never get a Jack Russell terrier.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. I added this story to my WTR list after seeing a GR recommendation; and,
2. January 2025 is my self-declared "A and B Authors" Month!

Praises:
1. author Caroline Adderson writes a masterful study in characterization! Adderson's protagonist is Maria (Masha), Anton Chekov's younger (and only) surviving sister. Even though his whole family was intent on pleasing this physician/author, it's Masha's devotion to her famous brother that is the focus of this story.
Masha's desire to feel important to her friends and to Anton by introducing them to him eventually had her questioning her loyalty when she comes to the gradual realization as to why she felt the need to be his "supplier of women". She feels such angst that, even though he is ill with tuberculosis, Anton's arrogance and narcissism destroys the lives of some of her closest friends, most notably the likable but tragic Lika. She also comes to grips with his control over her personal romantic life;
2. although I've heard of Anton Chekhov, I've never read anything by this Russian playwright/author. This story had me Googling his personal background and significance of his works, specifically The Seagull;
3. Adderson's use of figurative language is so vividly poetic;
4. I loved learning about Masha's attachment to Svolich, the mongoose Chekov brought home with him after a lengthy trip abroad. Her relationship to this animal speaks volumes as to Masha's awakening regarding Anton's egotism and disregard for others; and,
5. narrator, Xe Sands's delivery is extraordinary! Her overall tone and well-timed phrasing made me feel like I was in Masha's head.

Niggles: None!

Overall Thoughts:
This story was not what I expected at all - it was BETTER!
A biographical fiction that delved deeply into these people's lives left me engrossed throughout! Absolutely brilliant!

[Shaena Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading A Russian Sister three times! Twice in manuscript form, and then as the finished novel. I fell in love with love Lika, the beautiful, damaged, life-giving protagonist. She is so beautifully depicted, and we can see how she becomes the model for that great romantic figure, Nina, in Chekhov's The Seagull. The love story between Lika and Chekhov is fascinating. The imagery that builds a sense of time and place is also remarkable. Motes of being that shaft the reader. Vintage Adderson. And Masha, watchful and cryptic, is exactly how one would imagine Chekhov's Masha, "in mourning for my life." She's funny and harrowing, simultaneously. I felt when I was finished that I had taken a trip back in time. This is a brilliant novel, and one every lover of historical fiction and/or Russian literature will love to sink into.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novels I've read in quite a while. I can't praise this book highly enough. It's the story of a complicated family that includes a great writer, Anton Chekhov; his sister, who has centred her life around her brother; Chekhov's humanitarian work as a doctor and his struggles as a writer, and several love affairs that go hilariously wrong. Adderson's brilliant writing makes you feel that you are really in Russia in the 19th century, and gives you a real sense of the varieties of Russian life. Although sad things happen, she has a light, ironic touch that makes the sadness not only bearable, but frequently funny. A delight.

[Anne Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been years since I’ve read a book by Caroline Adderson, and I don’t remember anything about the last book itself other than the fact I loved it. Adderson is one of those writers that motivates me to pick up her work, regardless of the genre, and she’s quite multi-talented, having released a few children’s books in 2020 alongside this adult novel. Her latest for us big kids, A Russian Sister is historical fiction is based on the life of famous Russian writer Anton Chekov. If you’re like me and know nothing about Russian literature, have no fear! No prior knowledge is necessary to enjoy this novel, the fact that it’s based on real people will have no bearing on your enjoyment of this book, it’s the characters that makes this one memorable.

Plot Summary

Masha is devoted to her older brother Antosha, a famous writer and medical doctor who saves lives by day and pens bestselling books by night. We follow these two siblings and the rest of their family from 1890-1896, beginning with the death of their alcoholic brother and the continued on-and-off illnesses of Antosha, who suffers a variety of ailments that add to his moody disposition. Despite this, he has an ever-increasing fan club of people who want to be near him, including lots of women. Although he remains steadfastly against marriage he’s a terrible flirt, and one woman, Lika, Masha’s best friend, falls particularly hard for him. Masha wants Antosha to be happy so she brings her female friends home for him to socialize with, but she also gets wildly jealous when another woman takes his attention away from her. She’s also the one who introduced Antosha and Lika, so she feels responsible for all the heartache this has caused Lika. As Masha ages and remains single, a few men propose marriage but they are all pushed away by both Masha and Antosha, while a revolving door of friends come in and out of their lives. Everyone behaves badly at some point in this novel, yet you can’t help but sympathize with each of their positions. Plus, it’s Russia in the 1800s, so life isn’t easy for any of them.


Author Caroline Adderson, photo by Jessica Wittman
My Thoughts

By simply reading my summary you can see where the tension lies in this novel; why is Masha so weirdly obsessed with Antosha? Why can’t they just stay out of each other’s business? What remains unsaid in the dialogue overpowers what is actually said. The characters aren’t voicing their concerns for a mixture of reasons, partly because bluntness and emotional honestly wasn’t as culturally acceptable at that point in history, but also because both Masha and Antosha preferred the conversations inside their head to the ones outside their bodies. This is particularly surprising because this famous family (although to be clear, they are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination) seems to collect fans and friends quite easily. They buy a farm outside of Moscow to save money, and yet people are constantly coming to visit them, throwing the siblings’ steady rhythm off whenever a new body enters the home. Even worse, Antosha’s income as a writer is saving the family from the brink of poverty, so their parents and other siblings are forever grateful to him, their surviving brother swerving between gratitude and bitterness at his success. Their hero-worship muddies their view of his true self, but it’s obvious to the reader that Antosha manipulates women, toying with their emotions, regularly promoting himself as an honest man but regularly visiting brothels to ‘fulfill his physical needs’.

Despite the family squabbles and blindness to Antosha’s ego, not much happens in this book. There are extended periods of bickering between Masha and her girlfriends, long and arduous medial journeys that Antosha uses to escape his familial responsibilities, and lots of extended trips to country homes for rest and merriment. For many readers, this isn’t a problem, because like I’ve said many times, I enjoy books that focus on relationships rather than events and I know I’m not alone in that. But for those looking for a detailed look at Chekhov’s life or an intense exploration of Russian history, you will find neither of those things here. Instead, Adderson focuses on the bonds that push and pull friends and family, the complicated dance we play with each other while living out our day-to-day lives.

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[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read (and enjoyed) all of Caroline Adderson's novels, but this one is now my favourite. I was a bit concerned at first that perhaps I'd need to be very familiar with Chekhov's works (which I'm not) to appreciate this book, but that's not the case. It's just a good story, beautifully told. Adderson recreates the late 19th century Russian world of Masha and her famous brother in amazing detail, using actual historical events, while making every character completely human (even the mongoose), believable, and compelling. As always, her use of language is second to none. This is a book to savour.

[Stewart Goodings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book evokes a period of Russian history and literature with eloquence and imagination. Adderson portrays the characters of Anton, Masha, and Lika with such affection and nuance that you feel you are there with them. The dialogue is witty and realistic. And reading about them makes me at least want to learn more about the real life people so ably described in the novel. I wished it would not end, but just keep on sharing the lives and loves and heartbreaks of these amazing characters. Highly recommended. Stewart

[Rhoddi · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the writing for the most part was decent, it's hard to want to keep reading when all the characters are so disagreeable to follow. There's only so much whining and pining this reader can take.

[Mary W. Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Russian Sister is a beautiful book to hold and a great pleasure to read. Thanks to Caroline Adderson’s thorough research into late 19th century Moscow and the Russian countryside, we are welcomed into the world of Anton Chekhov, his sister Maria (Masha) and their friends and family as assuredly as if we had travelled back in time.

The story focuses on Masha Chekhov, a teacher who – at almost 30 – is as devoted to the famous Russian author as any sibling could possibly be. She is proud of his writing achievements and of his physical presence in her life, and she is dedicated to ensuring that his every need is met. She finds him difficult to fathom, particularly when it comes to his romantic interests, and she is torn between marrying him off to one of her female friends and trying to keep him single so that she herself can look after him for the remainder of his life. (He is already ill from the tuberculosis that will eventually kill him, and she worries about him constantly). The same emotional dilemma means that she cannot decide whether to allow herself to be courted by other men or to remain unmarried.

Adderson writes with great strength, confidence and humour (the scenes involving Svoloch, the mongoose Anton brings home from a trip, and Svoloch’s “wife,” a civet cat, are laugh-out-loud funny). Her turns of phrase are deft and apropos: at one point, a pianist and potential suitor gives Masha a look so sympathetic that she “almost heard Tchaikovsky playing out of his eyes.” Whether readers are familiar with Chekhov’s seminal literary works or not, they will appreciate the insights into his world and his life that are offered by this admirable novel. (Tip: Adderson’s Instagram page, _carolineadderson, features photos of several of the locations in the book.)

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for book club. I don't recall ever reading anything by Chekhov, as I was always focused on science and learning other languages, and I know next to nothing about Russian history. I beefed up my understanding and enjoyment of A Russian Sister by watching a film adaptation of The Seagull, and concurrently reading The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia. I also made a big pot of cabbage soup and ate a few perogies :)

[Sara Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible read. Quiet and intimate, sensual and tragic, mundane and fraught and natural, I felt like I was a member of the inner circle of this historic set of people. I read Anna Karenina a few months ago which made for an interesting vantage point of The Russian Sister. The two books share many similar themes and motifs: devotion to others versus art and self, intelligence and understanding versus dissonance and restraint. Love, sex, trains, theatre, cigarettes, serfdom, mistresses, suitors, and scandals. I couldn't put the book down and my children ate poorly for two days. They survived though, and I remain in awe of this book and this author.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[SeaShore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Masha is the only daughter of her parents and she has four brothers, of whom Antosha is her favorite. He was younger than her and as a daughter, she never got beaten but Antosha got beaten badly; so badly beaten by his father, he had a hiding place in the house and after the rats found him, Masha would always check on him. This caused their closeness and even as adults they became absorbed with each other but especially from Masha's side. As adults, she became a teacher and she painted -sounds like excellent artwork- and he was doctor/physician as well as writer. Everyone wrote plays and stories. Antosha used it to express his thoughts and that's what he did when he shocked everyone with his play, The Seagull which exposed Marsha's and Lika's life.
Antosha's manuscript came to mind again. The passage about the flogging. He had described it with such clinical precision. Every five blows the executioner had taken a little break to give his poor tired arm a half-minute's rest.
He put this manuscript where Masha could find and read it.
Punishment is perpetual. You can never come back from that place. You're there forever..
Antosha cannot tolerate extended intimacy, According to Dunia. He reacts to it the way others react to pain. Lika understood him and was happy to have her baby daughter Christina but she died anyway just as Antosha wrote in his play.

[Peggy Forde · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could not honestly recommend this book. Despite the glowing jacket reviews, I struggled to finish it. Based on the writer and playwright, Anton Chekhov, his sister Masha, and their family and friends, the story is full of drama but not much happens. Events are alluded to that, at a time when TV shows like Bridgerton and The Great are attracting massive followings, could have been "spiced up". Masha is a tedious, prudish spinster with repressed desires she doesn't want or understand. Her slavish devotion to her brother is not explained until the end of the book and, even then, not fully. I confess I have never read or seen a play by Chekhov. Perhaps if I had, I would have got more from this book.

[Maggie Dwyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If, as I do, you love Chekhov, read this book. Anderson has imagined the daily life and social circles of Anton and his devoted sister, Masha, and the love affairs, artistic rows, and she even invents a love interest for Anton, the beautiful “silver eyed” Lika . It is full of delights.

I wonder what the wonderful theatre company The Chekhov Collective would do with this material. Their production of I TAKE YOUR HAND IN MINE Based on the letters of Chekhov and his wife, Olga, was superb.
Now I will look for my copy of Chekov’s Sister by. W.D. Wetherell which tells Masha’s story. After his death in 1904 and through her production of The Seagull in Nazi occupied Yalta.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The genre of rich and famous is not my cup of tea. But given this book as a gift, I felt obliged to read it.
The Chekhov family is not rich and famous, but famous and idle. I think it is the idleness that bores me. Nothing really seems to happen in this book, other than chasing after a mongoose, and vague weird attempts at love affairs.
I really tried to finish the novel, but only got about 4/5 through. I didn't care for any of the characters, and even when giving up, I felt no compulsion to skip to the end, or skim to figure out what would happen. There seemed no point.

[Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life..all about life and family. Old country ways. Old country life.
The family 'dynamics' in this story are very usual per what is nowadays talked of as 'patriarchal'..male is head of family..sons are 'needed' to carry on the family name etc. and daughters are 'loved girls'.
I liked the ways the story was written..leaning every which way.
Thank you Caroline Adderson.

[Joanne Culley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Russian Sister is an amazing glimpse behind the scenes of the famous author Anton Chekhov's personal life - his family, his loves, his medical career and his writing, through the lens of his younger sister Masha. Based on Chekhov's letters, stories and plays, Adderson brings to life this period in 19th c. Russia peopled with larger-than-life characters of the time.

[Klimtchick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close and at times minutely detailed view of sibling love between Masha and her brother Anton Chekhov, overlayed by the (in this case) subtle cruelty of female submission to the needs of male artistic genius. Fascinating counterpoint to the biopic about Chekhov focused on his journey to the Sakhalin penal colony.

"The next day, the foul weather cleared. Nature, embarrassed by her recent tantrum, put on all her charms, casting sequins on the new snow, welcoming the birds. Ice tasselled all the telegraph lines." p. 197

[Cherop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a book of fiction based on historical facts. It took awhile to get into this book but once I started enjoying it I enjoyed it a lot. I had no idea how it might end but was a bit disappointed in it. It seems the women in Russia of a certain age were doomed to a dismal life.

[Barbara Lambert]

A fascinating, vivid, intimate window into the life of Chekhov - so Chekhovian it might have been written by the great Russian writer himself. I love this book.

[Faye Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read.

[Ngu · Rating 3 out of 5]

this author is really worth another read.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the time period and setting but the story just went on and on …will it finally wind down to an ending. I was disappointed with the ending.

[Ilze Bremze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, but this one I found really boring.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chekhov’s sister as a young woman

[K.E. Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book that paints a fictional account of Chekhov's life during a career downturn, and it is based on painstaking research. The settings are so detailed you feel like you've been dropped into the life of this oddball family, with their almost slavish devotion to their superstar brother and son, Antosha. A nuanced story set around the virginal and repressed sister Masha, and the impressionable Lika, both of them are hopelessly devoted to a man with many great qualities but a serious case of commitment-phobia. Lika is the heart of the story, the one we root for, while the brother and sister team are frustratingly oblivious to the hurt they inflict.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughly enjoyed it. It meandered through the lives of the novels many characters, all of whom were based on the family, friends and aquaintences of the Russian writer Chekhov. Rich in its broad descriptions on the world they lived in and sparse in the details regarding the personal. It felt like walking through a fog covered landscape with a detailed map. Very good read.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard getting into this book as the first 60 pages were mainly whining and pouting by the main character. Also, the voice of the narrator seemed more current English than 1880’s Russia. But it got better and the story was quite good

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disjointed writing and really dislike able characters.