Highest Virtue

by Alan Stang, Khanna (Illustrator)

"The Highest Virtue is a story of madness. It is a story of Russia during the Revolution, when people went mad with fear, with hate, with hunger and power- as the communists took over. It is the story of maria Danilova, the young ballerina spoiled by wealth, who is suddenly stripped of everything and must fight to survive. It is the story of the men who loved her; Michael, the bitter ex-convict, betrayed into servitude; Telegin, the master of opporunism and deception; Orloff, her uncle, torn between his promise to save her and his Cause. It is the story of the collapse of an Empire, of civil war, of conspiracy and riots, cowardice and heroism, teeming with characters in a style as big as Russia. But more than anything else, the Highest Virtue is the story of people who suffer brutality, betrayal, starvation and rape- and who nevertheless refuse to give up hope." This excerpt is taken from the dust jacket of this book.

497 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1974

Reviews

[Rebekah Glass · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough read. I read it to challenge myself and it was a challenge! I had to take notes to keep track of the characters. I learned a bit about communism, socialism, and the Russian revolution. The ending made no sense, and definitely did not satisfy the need for a decent ending. My grandmother was said to have called this book “so good!” So I guess I learned something about her too.