What do you think?
Rate this book
La Peste sur vos deux familles: Un roman au coeur de la mafia russe
Ce 25 décembre 1991, alors que l'accession au pouvoir de Boris Eltsine annonce la dissolution de l'Union soviétique, Roman Timourovitch est de retour à Moscou. Fils du légendaire parrain Timour le Boiteux, il constate rapidement que l'appétit des familles mafieuses qui se disputent le contrôle de la capitale n'a désormais plus de limites. Mais les haines ancestrales et le cercle infini de la vengeance sont un héritage bien difficile à porter, surtout depuis qu'il a trouvé en Yulia, la fille de l'ennemi juré de son père, le même désir de s'en affranchir. Nés sous des étoiles contraires, ils vont devoir s'allier pour tenter de défier leur destin.À l'heure où la guerre des gangs menace d'embraser Moscou, le retour du fils prodigue déclenche un cataclysme qui, sous la plume experte de Robert Littell, prend des allures de tragédie shakespearienne au suspense implacable.
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2022
50 people are currently reading
2733 people want to read
About the author
Robert Littell
49 books444 followersAn American author residing in France. He specializes in spy novels that often concern the CIA and the Soviet Union. He became a journalist and worked many years for Newsweek during the Cold War. He's also an amateur mountain climber and is the father of award-winning novelist Jonathan Littell.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 23, 2024
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Littell, and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Robert Littell returns with another great piece of historical fiction. Set during and just after the fall of communism in Russia, Littell take the reader on a journey about the struggles and the filling of gaping holes in the country’s political and power changes during ideological instability. Littell has a history of touching on key aspects and pulling the reader into the middle of the action, keeping it raw and fully enthralling. Littell captivates with ease and keeps the reader wondering how things will turn out, when with the knowledge of history’s decisions.
When Mikhail Gorbachev makes a speech on December 25th, 1991, announcing his resignation os the president of the Soviet Union, few take notice. The flag is lowered and the end of a superpower soon follows. In a power and political void, the country intends on reaching for democracy, but the timing is not as smooth as it ought to be. In that void, the Russian mafia sees their opportunity and lays roots to steer power in their direction.
Control of the country soon takes over, as the Jewish mafia seeks to push for its own control of the country. Violence is rife and blood flows freely, all while the people are waiting got democratic solutions to steer them in the right direction. There is no end in sight and people soon worry that this could be worse than the system they recently left behind.
Caught in the middle of it all are two young lovers—Yulia, the daughter of a Jewish mafia leader, and Roman, son of a Russian mafia godfather—seek to rise above it all and make a difference for themselves. However, as sworn enemies, these two will seek a modern-day Romeo and Juliet to seek love. Question remains, will things end any differently than the Bard’s popular play? Littell keeps things sharp as he meanders throughout the great political void and educates the reader at the same time.
Robert Littell is a great writer, whose novels have always left me wondering. I love learning as I read, something that Littell does well as he pushes the narrative along. There is a sense of tension and momentum gain while things limp along in the story itself. Littell flavours things with a variety of angles, using narrative techniques I quite enjoyed. His characters also add something to the story and keep things intense while history marches on.
Plot twists provide entertainment and education throughout, leaving the reader wondering what awaits them, even as history’s keen pathway stands out. There is something well worth the reader’s attention and Littell keeps things relatively realistic, while positing what might have been. I am eager to get my hands on another Littell novel soon, if only to add to my knowledge of the region.
Kudos, Mr. Littell, for your great work
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Robert Littell returns with another great piece of historical fiction. Set during and just after the fall of communism in Russia, Littell take the reader on a journey about the struggles and the filling of gaping holes in the country’s political and power changes during ideological instability. Littell has a history of touching on key aspects and pulling the reader into the middle of the action, keeping it raw and fully enthralling. Littell captivates with ease and keeps the reader wondering how things will turn out, when with the knowledge of history’s decisions.
When Mikhail Gorbachev makes a speech on December 25th, 1991, announcing his resignation os the president of the Soviet Union, few take notice. The flag is lowered and the end of a superpower soon follows. In a power and political void, the country intends on reaching for democracy, but the timing is not as smooth as it ought to be. In that void, the Russian mafia sees their opportunity and lays roots to steer power in their direction.
Control of the country soon takes over, as the Jewish mafia seeks to push for its own control of the country. Violence is rife and blood flows freely, all while the people are waiting got democratic solutions to steer them in the right direction. There is no end in sight and people soon worry that this could be worse than the system they recently left behind.
Caught in the middle of it all are two young lovers—Yulia, the daughter of a Jewish mafia leader, and Roman, son of a Russian mafia godfather—seek to rise above it all and make a difference for themselves. However, as sworn enemies, these two will seek a modern-day Romeo and Juliet to seek love. Question remains, will things end any differently than the Bard’s popular play? Littell keeps things sharp as he meanders throughout the great political void and educates the reader at the same time.
Robert Littell is a great writer, whose novels have always left me wondering. I love learning as I read, something that Littell does well as he pushes the narrative along. There is a sense of tension and momentum gain while things limp along in the story itself. Littell flavours things with a variety of angles, using narrative techniques I quite enjoyed. His characters also add something to the story and keep things intense while history marches on.
Plot twists provide entertainment and education throughout, leaving the reader wondering what awaits them, even as history’s keen pathway stands out. There is something well worth the reader’s attention and Littell keeps things relatively realistic, while positing what might have been. I am eager to get my hands on another Littell novel soon, if only to add to my knowledge of the region.
Kudos, Mr. Littell, for your great work
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 6, 2024
Is there a way out of the vicious circle of Russian violence?
In the early 1990’s as the Soviet Union suspended all Communist Party activity, people discovered ways to make some money. For some, it was starting small businesses, for others it was becoming part of an organization that made money in more indirect methods. Groups known as vory v zakone, “thieves in law”, carved out their own pursuits and territories, many by providing “protection” to the fledgling new businesses popping up.,,they called it providing a roof. But, as often happens, there were conflicts between these groups in determining who was in charge of “roofs” for which businesses. A period known as The Great Turf War saw fights, some of them quite bloody, erupt between the different vory. Against this backdrop, the son of one vor and the daughter of a rival vor meet, begin a relationship against the objections of their families and try to escape the futures that seem inevitable.
With a title taken from Mercutio’s line in Shakespeare”s “Romeo and Juliet” and characters named Roman Monsurov and Yulia Caplan who belong to warring clans, it doesn’t take a literary scholar to see that there is a twist on Romeo and Juliet going on here. I was attracted to the novel by its setting, a time period and place about which I realized I knew little….what happened inside the former Soviet Union during the years after Gorbachev left office. From that perspective, I found this novel did help me learn a bit about that time by showing the activities and actions of these two particular groups. The story itself, however, disappointed me. I had read the author’s brilliant “The Company” years ago, and looked forward to a similarly well-crafted work here. Instead, I found the hopping around from one time period and/or narrator to another in different chapters detracted from a cohesive story, and while some of the male characters were well developed I found those of the female characters less so. If the time period is of interest to you, than you may want to pick up a copy for that reason alone….just don’t expect this to be like some of the author’s previous works. I do thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me access to an early copy of A Plague on Both Your Houses.
In the early 1990’s as the Soviet Union suspended all Communist Party activity, people discovered ways to make some money. For some, it was starting small businesses, for others it was becoming part of an organization that made money in more indirect methods. Groups known as vory v zakone, “thieves in law”, carved out their own pursuits and territories, many by providing “protection” to the fledgling new businesses popping up.,,they called it providing a roof. But, as often happens, there were conflicts between these groups in determining who was in charge of “roofs” for which businesses. A period known as The Great Turf War saw fights, some of them quite bloody, erupt between the different vory. Against this backdrop, the son of one vor and the daughter of a rival vor meet, begin a relationship against the objections of their families and try to escape the futures that seem inevitable.
With a title taken from Mercutio’s line in Shakespeare”s “Romeo and Juliet” and characters named Roman Monsurov and Yulia Caplan who belong to warring clans, it doesn’t take a literary scholar to see that there is a twist on Romeo and Juliet going on here. I was attracted to the novel by its setting, a time period and place about which I realized I knew little….what happened inside the former Soviet Union during the years after Gorbachev left office. From that perspective, I found this novel did help me learn a bit about that time by showing the activities and actions of these two particular groups. The story itself, however, disappointed me. I had read the author’s brilliant “The Company” years ago, and looked forward to a similarly well-crafted work here. Instead, I found the hopping around from one time period and/or narrator to another in different chapters detracted from a cohesive story, and while some of the male characters were well developed I found those of the female characters less so. If the time period is of interest to you, than you may want to pick up a copy for that reason alone….just don’t expect this to be like some of the author’s previous works. I do thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me access to an early copy of A Plague on Both Your Houses.
Did not finish
February 13, 2024DNF (did not finish) at 10%
Initially drawn to the cover and premise of the book, after a couple chapters I quickly realized it is not for me. Violent, brutal, crude. And the audiobook narrator sucks at pronouncing Russian words so there’s that too.
Initially drawn to the cover and premise of the book, after a couple chapters I quickly realized it is not for me. Violent, brutal, crude. And the audiobook narrator sucks at pronouncing Russian words so there’s that too.
June 4, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Set during the final decay of the Soviet Union, this book tells the story of Roman (Romeo) and Yulia (Juliet) as their families are plagued not only by each other, but also the changing political, economic, and social climate of Russia. Roman is worldly and inquisitive and a bit of a romantic, who is swept off his feet by Yulia as he simultaneously comes to terms with the expectation that he will take over his father’s role as the head of the Vory. Yulia, headstrong and cold, is at first unreceptive to Roman’s flattery and grand ideas, but decides to take a risk with him when she realises she will never be able to gain the freedom she seeks in the Vory because of her gender.
This book was interesting even beyond the two enigmatic main characters as it exposed the seedy underbelly of the crime, corruption, and capitalist mechanisms of the late USSR turning Russian Republic. Littlell painted a complex portrait of life in this period, and highlighted characters of various backgrounds, status, and ethos to enhance his description of the turning of the century in Russia. Roman in particular is such a compelling character as he walks the line between tradition and modernity, loyalty and survival, family and future. I often found myself forgetting that this book was a Romeo & Juliet retelling as it sets itself so firmly in its own unique setting, perspective, and characterisation. This book is perhaps even more tragic than Shakespeare's text as it recounts the tale of not only two young star-crossed lovers, but of a society corrupted by greed which, readers know, will not be saved in decades to come.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#APlagueonBothYourHouses #NetGalley
Set during the final decay of the Soviet Union, this book tells the story of Roman (Romeo) and Yulia (Juliet) as their families are plagued not only by each other, but also the changing political, economic, and social climate of Russia. Roman is worldly and inquisitive and a bit of a romantic, who is swept off his feet by Yulia as he simultaneously comes to terms with the expectation that he will take over his father’s role as the head of the Vory. Yulia, headstrong and cold, is at first unreceptive to Roman’s flattery and grand ideas, but decides to take a risk with him when she realises she will never be able to gain the freedom she seeks in the Vory because of her gender.
This book was interesting even beyond the two enigmatic main characters as it exposed the seedy underbelly of the crime, corruption, and capitalist mechanisms of the late USSR turning Russian Republic. Littlell painted a complex portrait of life in this period, and highlighted characters of various backgrounds, status, and ethos to enhance his description of the turning of the century in Russia. Roman in particular is such a compelling character as he walks the line between tradition and modernity, loyalty and survival, family and future. I often found myself forgetting that this book was a Romeo & Juliet retelling as it sets itself so firmly in its own unique setting, perspective, and characterisation. This book is perhaps even more tragic than Shakespeare's text as it recounts the tale of not only two young star-crossed lovers, but of a society corrupted by greed which, readers know, will not be saved in decades to come.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#APlagueonBothYourHouses #NetGalley
March 3, 2024
Thank you Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copies and the chance to review it honestly.
I received this book as a physical gifted copy and ab audiobook through NetGalley. I tried to read it as a physical book and unfortunately I couldn’t get in to it, which is why I requested it as an audiobook. It sounded like something I’d enjoy but it missed the mark for me. I will say, I did enjoy the narrator and because of him, I was able to finish the book. Now I don’t think my issue was the story itself, I just always have a love/hate relationship with mafia stories and historical fiction… I just didn’t love this one. It’s a violent one and I think it’s supposed to be a Romeo & Juliet reimagining. As always, please take my opinion with a grain of salt. There are a ton of mixed reviews so you’ll just need to check it out for yourself if it’s on your TBR.
Happy reading
I received this book as a physical gifted copy and ab audiobook through NetGalley. I tried to read it as a physical book and unfortunately I couldn’t get in to it, which is why I requested it as an audiobook. It sounded like something I’d enjoy but it missed the mark for me. I will say, I did enjoy the narrator and because of him, I was able to finish the book. Now I don’t think my issue was the story itself, I just always have a love/hate relationship with mafia stories and historical fiction… I just didn’t love this one. It’s a violent one and I think it’s supposed to be a Romeo & Juliet reimagining. As always, please take my opinion with a grain of salt. There are a ton of mixed reviews so you’ll just need to check it out for yourself if it’s on your TBR.
Happy reading
February 27, 2024
A good, quick read for anyone who's interested in Russian history/crime, or looking for a uniqe Shakespeare retelling. I thought maybe I was being a bit harsh on the book for it's female characters, but a quick glance at the other reviews shows that it's a common problem. Setting and time period only makes up for so much of it, I think... Not enough to warn people away, but worth warning that it's there.
November 11, 2025
В период распада Советского Союза вернувшийся на родину сын осетинского авторитета влюбляется в дочь лидера враждебного еврейского ОПГ.
Неизвестно почему, но серьезного и уважаемого журналиста Роберта Лайтелла, всю жизнь строчившего шпионские триллеры, к своему девяностолетию потянуло хулиганить.
Уже в прологе он, знакомя с ориджином папы героя, задал тон, сообщив, что гэбня в 14 сломала ему нос и пальцы, чтобы за воровство кошельков отправить на zonu, где, услышав стихи Пушкина, зеки дружно стучат ложками от восторга. Там он и становится vorom v zakone, у которого в бригаде есть незаконнорожденный внук Распутина Misha. И только долбанув таким образом читателя по голове, литератор переносит действие в рождество 91-ого, в канун падения Горбачева, выводя на сцену протагониста - сынка pakhana.
Наиболее идиотское тут то, что старший Лайтелл очевидно немало знает про Россию и кубики у него правильные, но башенку из них он собирает максимально бредовую, с одной лишь целью - шокировать дичью забугорного потребителя, который, открыв рот, проглотит набитое чучело книги, являющееся не более чем парком аттракционов для иностранца, где ходят на свидания на могилу жены Сталина, говорят про войну, Пастернака, репрессии и прочие увлекательные факты из уроков истории. Ну и чтобы читающий совсем наложил в штаны, поминают некоего набирающего силы питерского чекиста, хотя его тогда политически вообще не существовало. Добивает же Лайтелл своё повествование классической ошибкой бесцельного пихания слов из языка оригинала вместо их нормального перевода, чтобы добавить аутентичности.
Klanys mamoi, tvoiy mat, azeri, razborka, bespredyel, strelka, solnzevskaya brotherhood, zakuski, menti и многое другое бомбардирует мозг каждую минуту, мешая читать, и, вынуждая постоянно останавливаться, чтобы утереть слезы.
Но, как оказалось, и это не главная беда. Совершив все возможные клюквенные грехи, фабульно писатель смог предложить лишь плохо сляпанных вместе "Ромео и Джульетту" и "Крестного отца" в шапке ушанке, чьи персонажи неприятны, а лирические диалоги заставят покраснеть самого отъявленного графомана.
"Чума на оба ваших дома" - ужасный криминальный роман, ещё более невыносимый в качестве любовного, чей серпасто-молоткастый костюм клоуна, как ни странно единственное, что позволяет дочитать до конца, поскольку хотя бы смешит.
Неизвестно почему, но серьезного и уважаемого журналиста Роберта Лайтелла, всю жизнь строчившего шпионские триллеры, к своему девяностолетию потянуло хулиганить.
Уже в прологе он, знакомя с ориджином папы героя, задал тон, сообщив, что гэбня в 14 сломала ему нос и пальцы, чтобы за воровство кошельков отправить на zonu, где, услышав стихи Пушкина, зеки дружно стучат ложками от восторга. Там он и становится vorom v zakone, у которого в бригаде есть незаконнорожденный внук Распутина Misha. И только долбанув таким образом читателя по голове, литератор переносит действие в рождество 91-ого, в канун падения Горбачева, выводя на сцену протагониста - сынка pakhana.
Наиболее идиотское тут то, что старший Лайтелл очевидно немало знает про Россию и кубики у него правильные, но башенку из них он собирает максимально бредовую, с одной лишь целью - шокировать дичью забугорного потребителя, который, открыв рот, проглотит набитое чучело книги, являющееся не более чем парком аттракционов для иностранца, где ходят на свидания на могилу жены Сталина, говорят про войну, Пастернака, репрессии и прочие увлекательные факты из уроков истории. Ну и чтобы читающий совсем наложил в штаны, поминают некоего набирающего силы питерского чекиста, хотя его тогда политически вообще не существовало. Добивает же Лайтелл своё повествование классической ошибкой бесцельного пихания слов из языка оригинала вместо их нормального перевода, чтобы добавить аутентичности.
Klanys mamoi, tvoiy mat, azeri, razborka, bespredyel, strelka, solnzevskaya brotherhood, zakuski, menti и многое другое бомбардирует мозг каждую минуту, мешая читать, и, вынуждая постоянно останавливаться, чтобы утереть слезы.
Но, как оказалось, и это не главная беда. Совершив все возможные клюквенные грехи, фабульно писатель смог предложить лишь плохо сляпанных вместе "Ромео и Джульетту" и "Крестного отца" в шапке ушанке, чьи персонажи неприятны, а лирические диалоги заставят покраснеть самого отъявленного графомана.
"Чума на оба ваших дома" - ужасный криминальный роман, ещё более невыносимый в качестве любовного, чей серпасто-молоткастый костюм клоуна, как ни странно единственное, что позволяет дочитать до конца, поскольку хотя бы смешит.
March 15, 2024
A Russian Vory Romeo and Juliet set in 1991.
June 29, 2022
Le dernier Littell on est forcément obligé de le lire. Et on est un peu déçu pour être honnête. Trop court (moins de 300 pages). Trop simple ( histoire d’amour et guerre des gangs qui se termine trop vite ). Bref a des années-lumière de La Compagnie. A oublier.
February 7, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Audio for an audiobook to voluntarily read and honestly review.
A Plague on Both Your Houses is a Romeo and Juliet retelling in the immediate time after Soviet Russia falls and the people are awaiting what comes next. Jewish and Russian mafia rule the streets, promising protection for vulnerable businesses. But can each family protect their clients from the ticking time bomb in their houses?
Roman is Osset (Russian) and Yulia is Jewish. They are forbidden from mingling, but that doesn't stop them. Yulia is a firecracker, an independent spirit who is unafraid of mischief but desperately wants out from under her father's thumb and circle of violence. Roman spent time at university in London and was influenced away from the backwards workings of the Soviet leftovers and mafia violence.
I read Russian classic lit and history, as well as Shakespeare and Shakespeare retellings. I was familiar with nearly all of the real political figures and places named in the book. I am the absolute ideal reader for this one!
With that said, I'm quite shocked by the critical reviews already out for this book. Like in the original Romeo and Juliet, none of the characters are especially likable; the insta-love between R & Y is totally cringe; and the senseless violence is maddening. The ending is tragic, just like the play. In fact, I found that the Russian mafia setting made the competition and hatred between the houses much more real than I felt in the original play. It was so believable! And I appreciate the historicity of the setting as well. I liked the mentions of food, places, and culture.
Yulia is particularly unlikeable, but I declare that she isn't meant to be an ideal woman archetype in any sense at all. Like Juliet and like you'd expect from the wealthy daughter of an elite criminal, she's flighty, headstrong, and wants to make her own way. She's no pretty picture of women, and I think it's wrong to accuse the author of misogyny. She's a very consistent character from start to finish. Her backstory and character are well established to explain why she would so easily go with Roman.
I must comment about the ending one more time. It's excellent. I can't spoil it, but I thought the author did great to be to the original while making it his own.
Content warnings: sex is talked about a lot but there isn't anything explicit on the page, exactly, but I still wouldn't recommend this for readers who want something "clean" of sexual content as the way some things are mentioned are graphic. Lots of violence, which should be obvious from the description of the book. Lots of swearing, which again should be obvious.
Regarding the audiobook, I did have to restart it a few times to get my bearings. I usually listen to audio between 2.5-3x speed, but since this contains so many foreign words without context spoken in a Russian accent, I had to slow it down to 1.5x. At the beginning, the words like Vory and Osset were hard to place, but once I got it down, I tracked the info just fine. It was excellent though! I would totally listen to this narrator again. And I'm so thankful for a story set in Russia to have had a narrator who told it with a great Russian accent after listening to so many classic Russian novels narrated with an English accent.
A Plague on Both Your Houses is a Romeo and Juliet retelling in the immediate time after Soviet Russia falls and the people are awaiting what comes next. Jewish and Russian mafia rule the streets, promising protection for vulnerable businesses. But can each family protect their clients from the ticking time bomb in their houses?
Roman is Osset (Russian) and Yulia is Jewish. They are forbidden from mingling, but that doesn't stop them. Yulia is a firecracker, an independent spirit who is unafraid of mischief but desperately wants out from under her father's thumb and circle of violence. Roman spent time at university in London and was influenced away from the backwards workings of the Soviet leftovers and mafia violence.
I read Russian classic lit and history, as well as Shakespeare and Shakespeare retellings. I was familiar with nearly all of the real political figures and places named in the book. I am the absolute ideal reader for this one!
With that said, I'm quite shocked by the critical reviews already out for this book. Like in the original Romeo and Juliet, none of the characters are especially likable; the insta-love between R & Y is totally cringe; and the senseless violence is maddening. The ending is tragic, just like the play. In fact, I found that the Russian mafia setting made the competition and hatred between the houses much more real than I felt in the original play. It was so believable! And I appreciate the historicity of the setting as well. I liked the mentions of food, places, and culture.
Yulia is particularly unlikeable, but I declare that she isn't meant to be an ideal woman archetype in any sense at all. Like Juliet and like you'd expect from the wealthy daughter of an elite criminal, she's flighty, headstrong, and wants to make her own way. She's no pretty picture of women, and I think it's wrong to accuse the author of misogyny. She's a very consistent character from start to finish. Her backstory and character are well established to explain why she would so easily go with Roman.
I must comment about the ending one more time. It's excellent. I can't spoil it, but I thought the author did great to be to the original while making it his own.
Content warnings: sex is talked about a lot but there isn't anything explicit on the page, exactly, but I still wouldn't recommend this for readers who want something "clean" of sexual content as the way some things are mentioned are graphic. Lots of violence, which should be obvious from the description of the book. Lots of swearing, which again should be obvious.
Regarding the audiobook, I did have to restart it a few times to get my bearings. I usually listen to audio between 2.5-3x speed, but since this contains so many foreign words without context spoken in a Russian accent, I had to slow it down to 1.5x. At the beginning, the words like Vory and Osset were hard to place, but once I got it down, I tracked the info just fine. It was excellent though! I would totally listen to this narrator again. And I'm so thankful for a story set in Russia to have had a narrator who told it with a great Russian accent after listening to so many classic Russian novels narrated with an English accent.
December 1, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy of of this fictional tale about two households both alike in dignity during the fall of the Soviet Union, and two people trying to find love and freedom among the underworld forces that are starting to take power.
Chaos creates opportunity. And there was no period of chaos that created opportunity for so many as the fall of the Soviet Union. While people, countries, even the world was celebrating the end of the "Evil Empire" as some called it, forces were starting to gather, coming from gulags, and the underworld. As Boris Yeltsin tried to make Russia into a democracy the Russian mafia began to show their strength, moving quickly into positions, buying property, arms, people, almost before many could decide their price. Nature abhors a vacuum, and rival gangs began to fight for the opportunity. And a new Russia was beginning to rise. A Plague On Both Your Houses is a novel, by journalist and master espionage writer Robert Littell about these times and the people who want nothing to do with this New World Order. However family is a very tough legacy to escape from.
The book begins in the gulag where we meet the gang that within twenty years will be vying for power as head of the Russian mafia. A man who misses out on most of his son Roman's life. We jump to the fall of the Soviet Union, with Roman returning from a sojourn in London, learning about Shakespeare, and a little about the world. Roman's exile was both for his protection and to keep him away from a woman he feels strongly about, Yulia, the daughter of a Jewish crime lord, and an enemy to Roman's father. Roman and Yulia must deal with their families, a collapsing country, and corrupt officials as the violence around them comes close to home, old family feuds are continues, and the dreams of a new country, start to turn into a nightmare.
My Grandfather introduced me to the works of Robert Littell years ago I think with the Sisters, and I have read pretty much everything he has done. This book is not as large as The Company, and is a pretty quick read, but still has a good story and interesting characters. And as with all of Littell's books is well researched and really well written. There is a Shakespeare theme, that seems a little heavy handed, but doesn't really get in the way of the story. This is a dark novel, about a very grim time, and in some spots can be very shocking, and of its time, which would be the early 90's. Littell story does jump in time, from past to present, to past again, but Littell never loses the narrative and is very good about keeping the story flowing and never bogging down, or losing the plot. Another fine book from a master at espionage.
Recommended for readers who enjoy their spy books not shaken or stirred, but told well with compelling characters, actions and lots of believable moments and research. Littell makes his characters seem like people one knows caught up in situations that just keep getting worse, with only their wits to help them survive.
Chaos creates opportunity. And there was no period of chaos that created opportunity for so many as the fall of the Soviet Union. While people, countries, even the world was celebrating the end of the "Evil Empire" as some called it, forces were starting to gather, coming from gulags, and the underworld. As Boris Yeltsin tried to make Russia into a democracy the Russian mafia began to show their strength, moving quickly into positions, buying property, arms, people, almost before many could decide their price. Nature abhors a vacuum, and rival gangs began to fight for the opportunity. And a new Russia was beginning to rise. A Plague On Both Your Houses is a novel, by journalist and master espionage writer Robert Littell about these times and the people who want nothing to do with this New World Order. However family is a very tough legacy to escape from.
The book begins in the gulag where we meet the gang that within twenty years will be vying for power as head of the Russian mafia. A man who misses out on most of his son Roman's life. We jump to the fall of the Soviet Union, with Roman returning from a sojourn in London, learning about Shakespeare, and a little about the world. Roman's exile was both for his protection and to keep him away from a woman he feels strongly about, Yulia, the daughter of a Jewish crime lord, and an enemy to Roman's father. Roman and Yulia must deal with their families, a collapsing country, and corrupt officials as the violence around them comes close to home, old family feuds are continues, and the dreams of a new country, start to turn into a nightmare.
My Grandfather introduced me to the works of Robert Littell years ago I think with the Sisters, and I have read pretty much everything he has done. This book is not as large as The Company, and is a pretty quick read, but still has a good story and interesting characters. And as with all of Littell's books is well researched and really well written. There is a Shakespeare theme, that seems a little heavy handed, but doesn't really get in the way of the story. This is a dark novel, about a very grim time, and in some spots can be very shocking, and of its time, which would be the early 90's. Littell story does jump in time, from past to present, to past again, but Littell never loses the narrative and is very good about keeping the story flowing and never bogging down, or losing the plot. Another fine book from a master at espionage.
Recommended for readers who enjoy their spy books not shaken or stirred, but told well with compelling characters, actions and lots of believable moments and research. Littell makes his characters seem like people one knows caught up in situations that just keep getting worse, with only their wits to help them survive.
October 21, 2025
When I lived in Chicago, I was a season ticket holder to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and friends and I would laugh that every production set a Shakespeare play in an unlikely place. There was the one in 19th century Russia and the one from the leather-clad gay underground of the 1970s. It seemed silly sometimes – we even speculated that they went with whatever costumes they could get from some other production – but it eventually grew on me. There’s something to seeing Shakespeare in different settings that universalizes the work. That’s not generally my jam – I’m a historicist at heart – but it has its moments, and I’ve come to respect it.
I say all that because this is basically a costume drama of Romeo and Juliet in the Moscow world of organized crime as it arose after Perestroika. We have Roman, son of the Jewish crime boss, in love with Yulia, daughter of the Ossetian crime boss. The rest, well, there isn’t much to spoil if you’ve read your Romeo and Juliet.
I will say that this grew on me slowly. I get the feeling Littell would rather see this as a movie than a printed book, and it’s hard to fault him for that ambition. Still, it’s dialogue heavy – though perhaps that’s another nod to the source material.
And, to his real credit, Littell often gives striking lines. I wouldn’t call this Chandleresque, but every so often someone says something that gives you a glimpse at a dark way of seeing the world.
I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portrayal of Russian organized crime, but there’s some fun there as well. Once it becomes clear that we’re dealing with a retelling of Romeo and Juliet (and that really should be clear pretty much out of the gate), it’s a good game to see which secondary character from the play gets mapped onto which character here. To take one example, Friar Laurence appears here as a British pilot (Flyer Lawrence?) who flies Roman – and sometimes Yulia – back and forth, almost to their escape.
I can’t call this high art, and I will include it on my running list of Jewish gangster stories with some reluctance, but there’s denying that it’s often clever and that it’s succinctly told. I enjoyed more and more as it went along, and I have to hand it to Littell for an adaptation that works in the same way as those Chicago Shakespeare performances.
I say all that because this is basically a costume drama of Romeo and Juliet in the Moscow world of organized crime as it arose after Perestroika. We have Roman, son of the Jewish crime boss, in love with Yulia, daughter of the Ossetian crime boss. The rest, well, there isn’t much to spoil if you’ve read your Romeo and Juliet.
I will say that this grew on me slowly. I get the feeling Littell would rather see this as a movie than a printed book, and it’s hard to fault him for that ambition. Still, it’s dialogue heavy – though perhaps that’s another nod to the source material.
And, to his real credit, Littell often gives striking lines. I wouldn’t call this Chandleresque, but every so often someone says something that gives you a glimpse at a dark way of seeing the world.
I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portrayal of Russian organized crime, but there’s some fun there as well. Once it becomes clear that we’re dealing with a retelling of Romeo and Juliet (and that really should be clear pretty much out of the gate), it’s a good game to see which secondary character from the play gets mapped onto which character here. To take one example, Friar Laurence appears here as a British pilot (Flyer Lawrence?) who flies Roman – and sometimes Yulia – back and forth, almost to their escape.
I can’t call this high art, and I will include it on my running list of Jewish gangster stories with some reluctance, but there’s denying that it’s often clever and that it’s succinctly told. I enjoyed more and more as it went along, and I have to hand it to Littell for an adaptation that works in the same way as those Chicago Shakespeare performances.
January 14, 2024
I read a free advance digital review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Years ago, I enjoyed Littell’s novel, The Company, about the CIA. I thought he’d have an interesting take on the great turf wars that various criminal gangs fought in the 1990s void following the collapse of the USSR. Unfortunately, this novel is not what I anticipated. Instead, it’s as if somebody mixed up the chapters of The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet. It’s alternatively about two Moscow gangs going to the mattresses, and the doomed love (more like lust) story of the progeny of the two gangs’ leaders. That could be pulp-y fun, but not in this case.
Littell either knows nothing about women or is a misogynist. He thinks that the emblem of a feminist is going braless. Littell thinks that a beautiful woman who rejects a man because he’s her cousin’s lover would suddenly find him irresistible when he asks her if she wants to fornicate (using the one-syllable version of that term). Littell includes a female character who he paints as an idiot about history, yet she is a professor of literature. And to call Littell’s dialog clunky would be a vast understatement. It’s painful to read.
As I’m sure you know, the title of this book refers to Mercutio’s line in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as he is dying following a sword fight incited by the ongoing Capulet/Montague feud. Littell works hard to drive home the Romeo and Juliet theme, starting with the title. Then Roman’s first girlfriend is named Rosalyn (to sound like Romeo’s pre-Juliet love, “Fair Rosaline”). (Hmm, a Russian Jewish girl named Rosalyn?) Of course, Roman and Yulia sounds like Romeo and Juliet. There are many other Romeo and Juliet references in the text, just in case the reader is too dense to get the parallel. Littell pushes way too hard at the Romeo and Juliet theme. A little subtlety would have worked much better.
A few of the gangster parts of the book are entertaining—though it’s hard to tell if they bear any relationship to the reality of the Moscow turf wars of the 1990s—but the Roman and Yulia parts are cringeworthy.
Years ago, I enjoyed Littell’s novel, The Company, about the CIA. I thought he’d have an interesting take on the great turf wars that various criminal gangs fought in the 1990s void following the collapse of the USSR. Unfortunately, this novel is not what I anticipated. Instead, it’s as if somebody mixed up the chapters of The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet. It’s alternatively about two Moscow gangs going to the mattresses, and the doomed love (more like lust) story of the progeny of the two gangs’ leaders. That could be pulp-y fun, but not in this case.
Littell either knows nothing about women or is a misogynist. He thinks that the emblem of a feminist is going braless. Littell thinks that a beautiful woman who rejects a man because he’s her cousin’s lover would suddenly find him irresistible when he asks her if she wants to fornicate (using the one-syllable version of that term). Littell includes a female character who he paints as an idiot about history, yet she is a professor of literature. And to call Littell’s dialog clunky would be a vast understatement. It’s painful to read.
As I’m sure you know, the title of this book refers to Mercutio’s line in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as he is dying following a sword fight incited by the ongoing Capulet/Montague feud. Littell works hard to drive home the Romeo and Juliet theme, starting with the title. Then Roman’s first girlfriend is named Rosalyn (to sound like Romeo’s pre-Juliet love, “Fair Rosaline”). (Hmm, a Russian Jewish girl named Rosalyn?) Of course, Roman and Yulia sounds like Romeo and Juliet. There are many other Romeo and Juliet references in the text, just in case the reader is too dense to get the parallel. Littell pushes way too hard at the Romeo and Juliet theme. A little subtlety would have worked much better.
A few of the gangster parts of the book are entertaining—though it’s hard to tell if they bear any relationship to the reality of the Moscow turf wars of the 1990s—but the Roman and Yulia parts are cringeworthy.
February 12, 2024
Robert Littell, who has written many excellent novels about the world of espionage, ventures a bit outside of his comfort zone with “A Plague On Both Your Houses”, a retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” set in Russia during the Great Turf War of the early 1990’s where different Russian gangsters vied for control of the newly liberated economy. Anyone who has read Shakespeare’s tale knows that this probably isn’t going to end very well, but here we go anyway!
In the power vacuum that existed after the fall of communism came the Russian gangs, vory v zakone, (“thieves in law”), taking over territories and providing “roof” or protection to the newly sprouting private businesses. We meet the two families, the Monsurovs who are run by an old-school, code-of-thieves, time in the gulag capo, and the Caplans, an upstart Jewish gang who is trying to muscle in on the old-school territories. Each of the gang leaders has a child, Roman Monsurov and Yulia Caplan respectively. Roman is aware that the world is changing, he has spent time in London and realizes that his father needs to adapt, that the old ways are being moved aside. Yulia is a rebellious girl, doing things to go against her father and trying to break away from her family, her destiny.
Of course, these “star-crossed lovers” meet and fall in love (lust?), running away from their responsibilities. But we know that you cannot escape your fate, as both Roman and Yulia are pulled back to reality, because one must always avenge the family.
This is an okay update on Shakespeare, one of many who have tried. At times the parallels feel a bit heavy-handed, and the violence and sex are a bit over the top. The setting isn’t always used to its fullest, it could very easily be set in 1920’s Chicago or 1970’s New York City with very little change to the story. We learn a little about Russia in the 1990’s, but it seems like we only glimpse a small part of what was going on. I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Littell’s espionage books, this one was a bit harder to enjoy.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
In the power vacuum that existed after the fall of communism came the Russian gangs, vory v zakone, (“thieves in law”), taking over territories and providing “roof” or protection to the newly sprouting private businesses. We meet the two families, the Monsurovs who are run by an old-school, code-of-thieves, time in the gulag capo, and the Caplans, an upstart Jewish gang who is trying to muscle in on the old-school territories. Each of the gang leaders has a child, Roman Monsurov and Yulia Caplan respectively. Roman is aware that the world is changing, he has spent time in London and realizes that his father needs to adapt, that the old ways are being moved aside. Yulia is a rebellious girl, doing things to go against her father and trying to break away from her family, her destiny.
Of course, these “star-crossed lovers” meet and fall in love (lust?), running away from their responsibilities. But we know that you cannot escape your fate, as both Roman and Yulia are pulled back to reality, because one must always avenge the family.
This is an okay update on Shakespeare, one of many who have tried. At times the parallels feel a bit heavy-handed, and the violence and sex are a bit over the top. The setting isn’t always used to its fullest, it could very easily be set in 1920’s Chicago or 1970’s New York City with very little change to the story. We learn a little about Russia in the 1990’s, but it seems like we only glimpse a small part of what was going on. I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Littell’s espionage books, this one was a bit harder to enjoy.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
February 28, 2024
2.5 stars
I was interested in this book because it was described as "a thrilling tale of love and war" set in a period of Russian history that was interesting to me. I also saw reviews that referred to the novel as a Romeo and Juliet retelling during the Moscow turf wars between the Jewish mafia and the Ossete vory v zakone. Sounded like a wonderful book to me!
I wish the author had stuck with just the Moscow turf wars, as the male characters involved had depth and the story of the rivalries was fascinating. The tension between the factions built to a crescendo, giving the reader a true understanding of what was being disputed, and why revenge was being sought. As in any good historical fiction, I learned a bit of history along with reading a good story. The turf wars is what made me stick with the book to the end.
The romance between Roman and Yulia, which shared equal billing with the turf wars in the synopsis, was vapid to the point of distracting from the whole story. The female characters, especially Yulia, were ridiculously simple, and the dialogue between Roman and Yulia was almost silly at times. I didn't get any romantic feelings about their relationship, at all, and felt that the 'romance' added nothing to the story.
I listened to the novel as an audiobook, narrated by Ramiz Monsef. While Monsef did an admirable job attempting Russian accents, and female voices, I would recommend reading a print copy of the book, as the storyline jumps between timelines and character POVs, which is a bit more difficult to follow in audio, I have found.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for the audio copy of A Plague on Both Your Houses by Robert Littell. The opinions in this review are my own.
I was interested in this book because it was described as "a thrilling tale of love and war" set in a period of Russian history that was interesting to me. I also saw reviews that referred to the novel as a Romeo and Juliet retelling during the Moscow turf wars between the Jewish mafia and the Ossete vory v zakone. Sounded like a wonderful book to me!
I wish the author had stuck with just the Moscow turf wars, as the male characters involved had depth and the story of the rivalries was fascinating. The tension between the factions built to a crescendo, giving the reader a true understanding of what was being disputed, and why revenge was being sought. As in any good historical fiction, I learned a bit of history along with reading a good story. The turf wars is what made me stick with the book to the end.
The romance between Roman and Yulia, which shared equal billing with the turf wars in the synopsis, was vapid to the point of distracting from the whole story. The female characters, especially Yulia, were ridiculously simple, and the dialogue between Roman and Yulia was almost silly at times. I didn't get any romantic feelings about their relationship, at all, and felt that the 'romance' added nothing to the story.
I listened to the novel as an audiobook, narrated by Ramiz Monsef. While Monsef did an admirable job attempting Russian accents, and female voices, I would recommend reading a print copy of the book, as the storyline jumps between timelines and character POVs, which is a bit more difficult to follow in audio, I have found.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for the audio copy of A Plague on Both Your Houses by Robert Littell. The opinions in this review are my own.
February 26, 2024
Hey there book lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming at you with a review of Robert Littell’s A Plague on Both Your Houses. I have coffee in my system, and my thinking cap on, so let’s do this!
I love all kinds of fiction. One genre my grandfather got me addicted to is crime fiction, not only in reading but in other media forms as well. Last week, Robert Littell’s A Plague on Both Your Houses popped into one of the discount e-book email I get for $5.99, I figured I like Littell’s work, so why not?
To sum this book up, it is a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet set in post-Cold War Russia, when various mobs are vying for the top spot. It is Christmas Day 1991, and Mikhail Gorbachev gave a ten-minute speech announcing his resignation. The red flag atop the Kremlin was lowered and the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Up from this rose the Russian mafia. they offered a “roof” for the new businesses that are sprouting up. Two rival houses are at war, and caught up in the war are Roman and Yulia, two star-crossed lovers caught up in the path of one of Russia’s bloodiest periods in history.
This book was entertaining. It was also a fast read, the pace was consistent and I was able to finish it in a day and a half. That being said, the layout of the book is a bit disjointed. Chapters in the middle of the book would be better served in the beginning. It was worth the $5.99 I paid for it, but I would have been more disappointed if I had to pay more.
I give this one 3 bookmarks out of 5!
I love all kinds of fiction. One genre my grandfather got me addicted to is crime fiction, not only in reading but in other media forms as well. Last week, Robert Littell’s A Plague on Both Your Houses popped into one of the discount e-book email I get for $5.99, I figured I like Littell’s work, so why not?
To sum this book up, it is a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet set in post-Cold War Russia, when various mobs are vying for the top spot. It is Christmas Day 1991, and Mikhail Gorbachev gave a ten-minute speech announcing his resignation. The red flag atop the Kremlin was lowered and the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Up from this rose the Russian mafia. they offered a “roof” for the new businesses that are sprouting up. Two rival houses are at war, and caught up in the war are Roman and Yulia, two star-crossed lovers caught up in the path of one of Russia’s bloodiest periods in history.
This book was entertaining. It was also a fast read, the pace was consistent and I was able to finish it in a day and a half. That being said, the layout of the book is a bit disjointed. Chapters in the middle of the book would be better served in the beginning. It was worth the $5.99 I paid for it, but I would have been more disappointed if I had to pay more.
I give this one 3 bookmarks out of 5!
January 27, 2024
A Plague on Both Your Houses is a mix of a Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet filled with Russian history. I really enjoyed the historical facts, though I did wonder how much of it I could rely on as truth, especially some of the more sensational stories that I was not able to verify with a simple internet search. The ending action scenes were my favorite part of the novel, though they were restricted to the very end.
I found the structure at the beginning to be a bit confusing, but the story becomes more linear throughout. My primary reason for the lower rating is due to the portrayal of women. There is a recurring question of whether various women are wearing bras. The first time, it was uncomfortable, but the second and then third times felt egregious. It speaks to a lack of awareness of audience. While this may be historically and/or culturally appropriate (though I question that deeply), it is extremely off-putting for modern audiences.
Overall, this is a best fit for those looking for a novel rich with Russian history and plenty of Shakespearen illusions, while also willing to overlook the flawed presentation of female characters.
A note on the audiobook: The narrator, Ramiz Monsef, did an excellent job of the various British and Russian accents. I enjoyed his narration very much.
Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this advanced copy to review!
I found the structure at the beginning to be a bit confusing, but the story becomes more linear throughout. My primary reason for the lower rating is due to the portrayal of women. There is a recurring question of whether various women are wearing bras. The first time, it was uncomfortable, but the second and then third times felt egregious. It speaks to a lack of awareness of audience. While this may be historically and/or culturally appropriate (though I question that deeply), it is extremely off-putting for modern audiences.
Overall, this is a best fit for those looking for a novel rich with Russian history and plenty of Shakespearen illusions, while also willing to overlook the flawed presentation of female characters.
A note on the audiobook: The narrator, Ramiz Monsef, did an excellent job of the various British and Russian accents. I enjoyed his narration very much.
Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this advanced copy to review!
February 5, 2024
This book was an interesting combination of Russian history and a Romeo and Juliet retelling. I am struggling to write a review for this book, just as I struggled to connect with these characters and storyline.
Overall, I felt that the story plot was good. The initial half(ish) of the book is told in dual timeline, and then switches to current timeline only. I usually do not enjoy dual timeline stories, so I was happy when this turned current only.
The one thing that remains with me more than anything is that one mafia boss has a bad nostril that seems to be constantly whistling!
Many other reviewers comment on the way that women are portrayed and described in this book. While I wasn't thrilled with how they were portrayed - there seemed to be a considerable focus on hyper sexualizing them - it didn't stop me from continuing on.
Big kudos go to the narrator, Ramiz Monsef, who did an exceptional job with the narration and especially the accents. Very well performed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.
Overall, I felt that the story plot was good. The initial half(ish) of the book is told in dual timeline, and then switches to current timeline only. I usually do not enjoy dual timeline stories, so I was happy when this turned current only.
The one thing that remains with me more than anything is that one mafia boss has a bad nostril that seems to be constantly whistling!
Many other reviewers comment on the way that women are portrayed and described in this book. While I wasn't thrilled with how they were portrayed - there seemed to be a considerable focus on hyper sexualizing them - it didn't stop me from continuing on.
Big kudos go to the narrator, Ramiz Monsef, who did an exceptional job with the narration and especially the accents. Very well performed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.
December 23, 2023
“A Plague on Both Your Houses” by Robert Littell is the Romeo and Juliet inspired story of Roman and Yulia, that come from different Russian Mafia families. It is set in 1991, after the fall of communism during the time the transitional government was in place. This transition led to a rise in the Russian mafia and turf wars throughout Russia and the region.
The concept and political landscape at the time lent itself to what could have been a great historical fiction novel, however, it came up short and I ended up DNFing at 50%. The book lacked the historical depth for me to get a sense of time and place and the transitions in point of view limited the character development I desired. At 50% I was still unclear of the main themes of the book. I also had trouble with the writing of the female characters in general. If you go in knowing more about Russian History and the Russian Mafia, this book might interest you, but for me, I didn’t get enough depth to understand the backstory or characters so the book felt flat.
The concept and political landscape at the time lent itself to what could have been a great historical fiction novel, however, it came up short and I ended up DNFing at 50%. The book lacked the historical depth for me to get a sense of time and place and the transitions in point of view limited the character development I desired. At 50% I was still unclear of the main themes of the book. I also had trouble with the writing of the female characters in general. If you go in knowing more about Russian History and the Russian Mafia, this book might interest you, but for me, I didn’t get enough depth to understand the backstory or characters so the book felt flat.
October 16, 2023
There’s an attraction between Roman and Yulia, and maybe the romance could go somewhere. Sadly, for them, they are on opposite sides of Moscow’s Great Turf War in the early 1990s. Their fathers both head rival mafia families, one Russian, one Jewish. Can they find a way? Maybe, but their story isn’t the only thing going on in this book. As well as a view of life in Russia, there is also an insight into the mechanics of a mafia family. How they live, how they make ‘a living’ and, ultimately, how some of them die.
I really enjoyed this book. It is told from various points of view, with some chapters involving the ‘front story’ and some the ‘back story’. Luckily, there is a brief note at the top of each chapter explaining who is involved and when. It was really clever.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC is exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It is told from various points of view, with some chapters involving the ‘front story’ and some the ‘back story’. Luckily, there is a brief note at the top of each chapter explaining who is involved and when. It was really clever.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC is exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2024
littell’s latest
Wow! I have been readIng Robert Littell’s espionage novels for close to 50 years. This is a Russia novel, but very different. It takes place in Moscow during the first days of January 1992, as Gorbachev and friends were exiting and the future was unknown. This is a homage to Romeo and Juliet, but in this incarnation, they are Roman and Yulia. They are the children of the Biggest gangsters in Moscow, One Jewish, the other Georgian. It is an interesting concept and Littell still has a wonderful understanding of the Russian sensibility. The criminal subculture is explained with interesting examples of their culture. Plus a love story.
Wow! I have been readIng Robert Littell’s espionage novels for close to 50 years. This is a Russia novel, but very different. It takes place in Moscow during the first days of January 1992, as Gorbachev and friends were exiting and the future was unknown. This is a homage to Romeo and Juliet, but in this incarnation, they are Roman and Yulia. They are the children of the Biggest gangsters in Moscow, One Jewish, the other Georgian. It is an interesting concept and Littell still has a wonderful understanding of the Russian sensibility. The criminal subculture is explained with interesting examples of their culture. Plus a love story.
May 19, 2024
1991 and in Russia the Mafia wars are about to kick off. The son of an old-school boss with a kind of code of honour falls in love with the daughter of a Jewish boss, just as they start to clash. The cops are on the case, but the cops have decided the best thing to do is to help them kill each other. It's hard to see this nasty brutal world as romantic, but Littell melds the mob thriller to the model of a classic tragic romance, because by comparison with what's coming, it's all puppies and fluffy clouds. Reminds me of Jack Womack's Let's Put The Future Behind Us - the end of an era that by no means can be looked on with nostalgia - except in comparison to the things that follow.
March 6, 2025
Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991 gave a speech in which he announced his resignation as Soviet president. Democracy was supposed to flourish in Russia but into the empty space the criminals came in to play. The Russian mafia quickly came into being. The Russian and the Jewish mafia fought each other for power. In this book the son of the Russian mafia and the daughter of the Jewish mafia are attracted to each other but their father's trying to kill each other and do not want their children together.
February 11, 2024
Disappointed.
After having recently read The Company, I was looking forward to Littell's latest.
The beginning was a bit of a slog, with very little action and seemed disjointed.
Rather than weaving together multiple storylines that produce intrigue and interest, the storylines were confusing.
And as soon as the story got interesting? It ended.
So perhaps I expected way too much. It's hard to top The Company.
After having recently read The Company, I was looking forward to Littell's latest.
The beginning was a bit of a slog, with very little action and seemed disjointed.
Rather than weaving together multiple storylines that produce intrigue and interest, the storylines were confusing.
And as soon as the story got interesting? It ended.
So perhaps I expected way too much. It's hard to top The Company.
June 3, 2024
This book starts slow, and I was initially worried it would be shackled by the source material. It is interesting and made me think of Goncharov which was what interested me in the first place!
There was one part towards the beginning which seemed out of character for Roman (i.e. arguing with some form of tankie and using all sorts of quotes and sources) that seems more like the author's own thoughts leaking through.
Once the action picks up, it really picks up though and the story is fun.
There was one part towards the beginning which seemed out of character for Roman (i.e. arguing with some form of tankie and using all sorts of quotes and sources) that seems more like the author's own thoughts leaking through.
Once the action picks up, it really picks up though and the story is fun.
April 1, 2024
An eye for an eye, with interest”.
The tangents to Romeo and Juliet’s star-crossed lovers, similar family names and the 1990’s Russian perspective are all factors that kept me interested. The story was fast paced enough, but as an audiobook you had to pay attention to which family was seeking their revenge during each chapter, May have been easier to follow in print.
The tangents to Romeo and Juliet’s star-crossed lovers, similar family names and the 1990’s Russian perspective are all factors that kept me interested. The story was fast paced enough, but as an audiobook you had to pay attention to which family was seeking their revenge during each chapter, May have been easier to follow in print.
June 3, 2024
Romeo and Juliet adapts surprisingly well to the vory turf war in Moscow in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. From Siberian labor camps to the seaside in Yalta, to the brutalist Soviet architecture, the Russian setting plays into the drama. There is nothing romantic about this telling; it is a tragedy through and through.
March 18, 2024
Fairly slow moving but had interesting parts. If you love Russian history, this might be one you'd enjoy. Otherwise, I think it's one that will feel a bit dense to most.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for this complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Publishing for this complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.
March 31, 2024
Littell has slipped off his game of intricately woven espionage. This novel is nothing more than a run-of-the-mill Russian mafia with a Romeo-Juliet twist. Early on, it's apparent where the story is going, so not suspenseful.
First time I ever rated one of his novels less than five stars.
First time I ever rated one of his novels less than five stars.
August 28, 2022
Pas mal, se lit bien mais pas extraordinaire non plus. L’histoire est assez basique et j’attendais quelque chose de plus sophistiqué.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews