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Despite the Falling Snow: A Novel
“A perfectly balanced novel of love and tragedy.”
--- Waterstone’s Books Quarterly (UK)
In present-day Boston, seventy-year-old Alexander Ivanov has built a successful business empire. A kind, passionate man, he has managed to bury the tragic memories surrounding his early life in post-Stalinist Russia with his charismatic late wife, Katya---or so he believes.
Into his life come two women: one will open up the heart Alexander has protected for so long; the other is determined to uncover the truth about what really happened to Katya all those years ago.
Despite the Falling Snow journeys back to the snowbound streets of 1950s Moscow, revealing a city of secrets and treachery, a world of true love lost and friendships betrayed. For only by confronting the past can Alexander move on to his future.
“At its core an unforgettable love story. Yet it is also a political novel of the highest order. Sarif understands, as Arthur Koestler did, the human cost exacted by totalitarian systems. And like Graham Greene, she knows that the worst betrayals are those committed by the ones we love. Her novel is immensely powerful---and deeply moving.
---Steve Yarbrough, author of Prisoners of War and Visible Spirits
“Explores love and tragic loss with the pace of a thriller and a style that is gentle and flowing, a hypnotic combination that eases between the United States and 1950s Moscow. . . . A pure delight, highly recommended.”
--- The Bookseller (UK)
“An intriguing story of love, betrayal, anguish, and despair. . . . An enthralling read.”
--- Daily Dispatch (UK)
:An engrossing story that moves effortlessly between present-day Boston and Soviet Russia, dealing with terrible emotional violence and passionate love.”
--- Writing Magazine (UK)
--- Waterstone’s Books Quarterly (UK)
In present-day Boston, seventy-year-old Alexander Ivanov has built a successful business empire. A kind, passionate man, he has managed to bury the tragic memories surrounding his early life in post-Stalinist Russia with his charismatic late wife, Katya---or so he believes.
Into his life come two women: one will open up the heart Alexander has protected for so long; the other is determined to uncover the truth about what really happened to Katya all those years ago.
Despite the Falling Snow journeys back to the snowbound streets of 1950s Moscow, revealing a city of secrets and treachery, a world of true love lost and friendships betrayed. For only by confronting the past can Alexander move on to his future.
“At its core an unforgettable love story. Yet it is also a political novel of the highest order. Sarif understands, as Arthur Koestler did, the human cost exacted by totalitarian systems. And like Graham Greene, she knows that the worst betrayals are those committed by the ones we love. Her novel is immensely powerful---and deeply moving.
---Steve Yarbrough, author of Prisoners of War and Visible Spirits
“Explores love and tragic loss with the pace of a thriller and a style that is gentle and flowing, a hypnotic combination that eases between the United States and 1950s Moscow. . . . A pure delight, highly recommended.”
--- The Bookseller (UK)
“An intriguing story of love, betrayal, anguish, and despair. . . . An enthralling read.”
--- Daily Dispatch (UK)
:An engrossing story that moves effortlessly between present-day Boston and Soviet Russia, dealing with terrible emotional violence and passionate love.”
--- Writing Magazine (UK)
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
142 people are currently reading
1395 people want to read
About the author
Shamim Sarif
11 books436 followersBorn in the UK, Shamim is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and director.
Her next book, The Athena Protocol, is an all-female YA contemporary action thriller that is published by Harper Teen in September 2019.
Her debut novel, The World Unseen, won a Betty Trask award and the Pendleton May First Novel award.
Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. The book was published by Headline in the UK and St Martin’s Press in the US. The movie stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance in a story of love and betrayal in cold war Russia. Her films have won 47 awards internationally.
Shamim’s third novel, I Can’t Think Straight, formed the basis of her cult hit film of the same name.
Shamim’s book festival appearances include Hay-on-Wye, Cheltenham and Edinburgh.
An accomplished speaker, Shamim has spoken at TED events worldwide, at the INK Conference in India and DLD in Munich. Corporate speaking events have included Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and Disney.
Shamim lives in London with her wife, Hanan, and their two sons
Her next book, The Athena Protocol, is an all-female YA contemporary action thriller that is published by Harper Teen in September 2019.
Her debut novel, The World Unseen, won a Betty Trask award and the Pendleton May First Novel award.
Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. The book was published by Headline in the UK and St Martin’s Press in the US. The movie stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance in a story of love and betrayal in cold war Russia. Her films have won 47 awards internationally.
Shamim’s third novel, I Can’t Think Straight, formed the basis of her cult hit film of the same name.
Shamim’s book festival appearances include Hay-on-Wye, Cheltenham and Edinburgh.
An accomplished speaker, Shamim has spoken at TED events worldwide, at the INK Conference in India and DLD in Munich. Corporate speaking events have included Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and Disney.
Shamim lives in London with her wife, Hanan, and their two sons
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 11, 2016
Review to come. I'm not objective at the moment.
May 12, 2009
I have seen several lesbian genre movies based on Sarif's novels and then found this book. What a wonderful and tragic love story alternating between modern day Boston and Moscow in the throes of the 1950's Cold War just the rule of Stalin comes to a close. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story mixed with politics.
September 2, 2014
I love this novel! It's beautifully written, dramatic, tragic and has a great insight into the 50's history of the then Soviet Union.Shamim Sarif amazes me!
And just as good on second reading!!! Can't wait to see the film!
And just as good on second reading!!! Can't wait to see the film!
August 27, 2012
I read this book in more than a week, which for 350 pages is quite a long time for me. This is because despite the aura of mystery, Communism and international spying, I never found it fascinating enough to read for long stretches at a time.
Fastidious is probably the word that describes it better. It seems that Shamim Sarif wants you to think exactly what she herself thinks about all her characters. Her descriptions are very detailed, with many adjectives, but apply mainly to the characters' psychology, which means you get very little descriptions of Khrushchev-era Russia for instance. Well yes, I have to admit, among other things it was the setting that attracted me to this book, and in this respect I was disappointed by the lack of information.
The fact that every scene is so minutely detailed means that the pace of the action is very slow and laboured. You know that everything, however innocuous, will be recounted for at least a few lines, sometimes a few paragraphs. After some time I just wished the author would get to the point already.
I also found that all characters, except for Estelle, were lacking in depth--even Alexander, the main protagonist, but this was especially true for Melissa and Lauren, who seemed only to represent one characteristic each. Melissa was the hard businesswoman, Lauren the loving niece. I cannot understand how it is possible to spend such great lengths of time to describe every action of your characters and yet have them remain almost completely shallow.
I am trying to find a way to conclude this review by saying something positive, but the truth is, neither style nor plot made this book a great or even particularly good one for me.
[Cross-posted my Tumblr]
Fastidious is probably the word that describes it better. It seems that Shamim Sarif wants you to think exactly what she herself thinks about all her characters. Her descriptions are very detailed, with many adjectives, but apply mainly to the characters' psychology, which means you get very little descriptions of Khrushchev-era Russia for instance. Well yes, I have to admit, among other things it was the setting that attracted me to this book, and in this respect I was disappointed by the lack of information.
The fact that every scene is so minutely detailed means that the pace of the action is very slow and laboured. You know that everything, however innocuous, will be recounted for at least a few lines, sometimes a few paragraphs. After some time I just wished the author would get to the point already.
I also found that all characters, except for Estelle, were lacking in depth--even Alexander, the main protagonist, but this was especially true for Melissa and Lauren, who seemed only to represent one characteristic each. Melissa was the hard businesswoman, Lauren the loving niece. I cannot understand how it is possible to spend such great lengths of time to describe every action of your characters and yet have them remain almost completely shallow.
I am trying to find a way to conclude this review by saying something positive, but the truth is, neither style nor plot made this book a great or even particularly good one for me.
[Cross-posted my Tumblr]
July 27, 2013
This has been such a great book to read. I practically read it in one sitting. The backdrop for this story is the 1950’s Russia. It gives us a good idea of what living in a totalitarian state was like. And it even comes short to what it truly was like I assume. It’s full of suspense, and you put together the puzzle with every other chapter.
The pace is right on, the travel in time back and forth works nicely for the story, and the story is really good. I could really connect with the main characters emotionally and intellectually. It is a beautiful love story from cover to cover, with a spy agenda of course. It’s an interesting ride through the twisted and pleasurable roads of love, with some detours into less pleasurable emotions such as hate, guilt, and betrayal, as well as a glimpse into relationships in general.
It’s great to see what this man, Alexander, makes out of his life even as an older man, despite of his losses and pain. And Katya, whom the whole story revolves around, is truly an intriguing character. She’s seductive, secretive and mysterious, and yet very human. I loved it!
The pace is right on, the travel in time back and forth works nicely for the story, and the story is really good. I could really connect with the main characters emotionally and intellectually. It is a beautiful love story from cover to cover, with a spy agenda of course. It’s an interesting ride through the twisted and pleasurable roads of love, with some detours into less pleasurable emotions such as hate, guilt, and betrayal, as well as a glimpse into relationships in general.
It’s great to see what this man, Alexander, makes out of his life even as an older man, despite of his losses and pain. And Katya, whom the whole story revolves around, is truly an intriguing character. She’s seductive, secretive and mysterious, and yet very human. I loved it!
March 2, 2012
I loveeeed this book beyond words. Shamim Sarif's writing is beautiful and delicate and the story line hooks you in so you feel like a character in the novel! Amazing book.
December 18, 2019
What an unexpected delight. A well written, easy to read story set in 1950's Moscow and modern day Boston. Described as a spy thriller but more of a love story, I think.
July 3, 2020
Everyone should read this book!!
I'm surprised this book is so little known, because it's just a heartbreakingly lovely story, I loved it.
The backdrop for this novel is Russia in the 1950's; the beautiful Katya spies on the idealistic politician Alexander. Tragically she falls in love with him.
The story switches back and forth between Boston in 2000 and Moscow in the late 1950's; that is, every uneven chapter takes place in Boston and every even chapter takes place in Moscow. This pacing actually works out very well. We get to see what Alexander makes of himself after he has defected from his home country of Russia and lost his beloved wife Katya. And we gradually find out the events that led to his defection and with Alexander we find out what happened to Katya.
The characters of Katya and Alexander are the highlights in this book, they are very well written and make the story come to live. Katya is bold, intriguing, but at the same she's damaged and struggling with herself and the path she has chosen. Alexander is introverted, idealistic, but it is his quiet and overwheming love for Katya that makes him so compelling.
This book is by no means perfect; the final conclusion is a bit predictable. However that didn't take anything away from the story. This novel relies more on the narrative and characters than on the plot, but that is harder to do right and Shamim Sarif did it brilliantly.
This is a book that wil get you emotionally invested and remind you why you love reading so much. I would recommend it to everyone!
I'm surprised this book is so little known, because it's just a heartbreakingly lovely story, I loved it.
The backdrop for this novel is Russia in the 1950's; the beautiful Katya spies on the idealistic politician Alexander. Tragically she falls in love with him.
The story switches back and forth between Boston in 2000 and Moscow in the late 1950's; that is, every uneven chapter takes place in Boston and every even chapter takes place in Moscow. This pacing actually works out very well. We get to see what Alexander makes of himself after he has defected from his home country of Russia and lost his beloved wife Katya. And we gradually find out the events that led to his defection and with Alexander we find out what happened to Katya.
The characters of Katya and Alexander are the highlights in this book, they are very well written and make the story come to live. Katya is bold, intriguing, but at the same she's damaged and struggling with herself and the path she has chosen. Alexander is introverted, idealistic, but it is his quiet and overwheming love for Katya that makes him so compelling.
This book is by no means perfect; the final conclusion is a bit predictable. However that didn't take anything away from the story. This novel relies more on the narrative and characters than on the plot, but that is harder to do right and Shamim Sarif did it brilliantly.
This is a book that wil get you emotionally invested and remind you why you love reading so much. I would recommend it to everyone!
July 10, 2015
Simply beautiful. I enjoyed every page and can highly recommend it.
February 23, 2021
I enjoyed this book. The title intrigued me and the book did not disappoint.
It’s a story of romance, history, and espionage.
The book spans two generations and effortlessly transitions back and forth throughout between modern day Boston (early 1990’s) and post Stalin Russia (1950’s).
I will not go into the plot but when the setting was in Moscow, the author allowed me to feel and see the bitter cold and bleakness of that time.
The story is beautifully written. It’s descriptive and vivid as it intertwines the past and present and the domino effect of past life choices and sacrifices that continue throughout time and place. Love, betrayal, history, sacrifice, discovery, and the ability to move on is all here.
Despite the falling snow there is always growth!
It’s a story of romance, history, and espionage.
The book spans two generations and effortlessly transitions back and forth throughout between modern day Boston (early 1990’s) and post Stalin Russia (1950’s).
I will not go into the plot but when the setting was in Moscow, the author allowed me to feel and see the bitter cold and bleakness of that time.
The story is beautifully written. It’s descriptive and vivid as it intertwines the past and present and the domino effect of past life choices and sacrifices that continue throughout time and place. Love, betrayal, history, sacrifice, discovery, and the ability to move on is all here.
Despite the falling snow there is always growth!
September 14, 2016
Easy to read. Interesting plot but the movement between one time period to another on each chapter began to bother me. In the end a good story line
April 7, 2021
3.5. A tragic love story set in Soviet Russia. I loved the Alexander/Katya story. It was beautiful and moving. A thriller, a spy story, and a very moving love story. It should’ve been the entire book. The present time story was so lifeless. The characters were banal and one dimensional and the subplot, u interesting. It was a big distraction from the love story at the heart of the book (Note to writer: an epic love story is weakened by adding in a secondary subplot love story).
The main story was so well done while the other was there simply to move the book forward. It’s clear the writer had cinematic goals. However, a birds eye view/big screen lens is meant for the masses and it breaks the intimacy a reader has with a story. That said, the good part of the book was really quite well done and very engaging. I really wish the writer would’ve focused solely on that storyline and kept to that timeframe. Now that would’ve been a 5 star book.
The main story was so well done while the other was there simply to move the book forward. It’s clear the writer had cinematic goals. However, a birds eye view/big screen lens is meant for the masses and it breaks the intimacy a reader has with a story. That said, the good part of the book was really quite well done and very engaging. I really wish the writer would’ve focused solely on that storyline and kept to that timeframe. Now that would’ve been a 5 star book.
December 15, 2019
I can't review it. I'm still crying.
October 28, 2023
The pacing is well-sustained while still able to hold some level of suspense. The plot is quite strong and the choice to arrange two timelines in alternate chapters works well for the story. The story is cozy, though a little predictable.
May 15, 2016
The story moved me to tears
And believe me that doesn’t happen very often. This novel is beautifully written with sensitivity and intelligence which make this a truly compelling read.
The story spans decades and continents as it unfolds in the Moscow of the 1950s and Boston, USA at the end of the 1990s.
In Boston, Alexander Ivanov is negotiating to sell his highly successful food business to the sharp and incredibly focussed Melissa Johnson, when, whilst taking a break he meets her mother Estelle. He is surprised to find himself drawn to this woman and a friendship develops between the two. Alexander trusts Estelle enough to tell her a little of the wife he lost many years ago, Katya, who still haunts him from beyond the grave.
Switch to Moscow in 1956 and Alexander, a ‘good’ communist and Government employee is persuaded by his friend Misha to go to a party, where he first meets Katya. He is immediately entranced, but at first Katya is only interested in him for information she can feed to the Americans, through her ‘handler’ Misha. Despite her best efforts Katya finds herself falling in love with Alexander and decides that she will no longer work for Misha once she is married. But Misha has a hold on her, a hold he is not prepared to release.
Back to 1998, and Alexander’s niece Lauren, the daughter of Katya’s brother Yuri, decides that for Alexander to move on he needs to know what really happened to Katya. She resolves to go to Moscow with Estelle’s daughter, Melissa, to talk to Misha who she has learned is still alive.
Sarif interweaves the past and almost present and the relationships of those involved into a heart breaking tale of life in Cold War Russia and its echoes in modern Boston. His characters leap off the page and from the first page the reader is captivated.
This is a story of great courage, great love and pitiless betrayal in both time frames. In Moscow it is set against the climate and life is lived ‘Despite the Falling Snow’. In Boston, life is more comfortable but there is still suffering as Alexander is unable to assuage his guilt at leaving Katya to die alone. At the same time Estelle is coming to realise that her ‘good’ marriage is less than she deserves, but is afraid of taking a leap of faith to be with Alexander.
This is not simply a good book, it is an artistic masterpiece which defies the reader to put it down.
I commend it to all lovers of ‘serious’ literature; this is that, but it is also very readable.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
And believe me that doesn’t happen very often. This novel is beautifully written with sensitivity and intelligence which make this a truly compelling read.
The story spans decades and continents as it unfolds in the Moscow of the 1950s and Boston, USA at the end of the 1990s.
In Boston, Alexander Ivanov is negotiating to sell his highly successful food business to the sharp and incredibly focussed Melissa Johnson, when, whilst taking a break he meets her mother Estelle. He is surprised to find himself drawn to this woman and a friendship develops between the two. Alexander trusts Estelle enough to tell her a little of the wife he lost many years ago, Katya, who still haunts him from beyond the grave.
Switch to Moscow in 1956 and Alexander, a ‘good’ communist and Government employee is persuaded by his friend Misha to go to a party, where he first meets Katya. He is immediately entranced, but at first Katya is only interested in him for information she can feed to the Americans, through her ‘handler’ Misha. Despite her best efforts Katya finds herself falling in love with Alexander and decides that she will no longer work for Misha once she is married. But Misha has a hold on her, a hold he is not prepared to release.
Back to 1998, and Alexander’s niece Lauren, the daughter of Katya’s brother Yuri, decides that for Alexander to move on he needs to know what really happened to Katya. She resolves to go to Moscow with Estelle’s daughter, Melissa, to talk to Misha who she has learned is still alive.
Sarif interweaves the past and almost present and the relationships of those involved into a heart breaking tale of life in Cold War Russia and its echoes in modern Boston. His characters leap off the page and from the first page the reader is captivated.
This is a story of great courage, great love and pitiless betrayal in both time frames. In Moscow it is set against the climate and life is lived ‘Despite the Falling Snow’. In Boston, life is more comfortable but there is still suffering as Alexander is unable to assuage his guilt at leaving Katya to die alone. At the same time Estelle is coming to realise that her ‘good’ marriage is less than she deserves, but is afraid of taking a leap of faith to be with Alexander.
This is not simply a good book, it is an artistic masterpiece which defies the reader to put it down.
I commend it to all lovers of ‘serious’ literature; this is that, but it is also very readable.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
April 13, 2016
Despite The Falling Snow is a story of love and betrayal, told in two different eras. The story opens in Boston, USA in November 1998 and the reader is introduced to two of the main characters in the story; Estelle and Alexander. They meet on a bench outside Alexander's business head office, he's just about to close the deal to sell his successful empire. Estelle is the mother of Melissa; the woman who wants to buy it.
The reader is transported back many years to post-Stalin Russia. Alexander is a young man, working for the government, when he meets Katya at a party thrown by mutual friends, his world is turned upside down. Katya appears to be a good, solid communist girl. Working as a school administrator, she has sworn allegiance to the government, despite being orphaned as a teenager when her parents were murdered under Stalin's regime. But all is not as it seems, and Katya is in fact a spy, and her latest mission is to snare Alexander, to steal secrets and to pass them to the Americans.
The modern day setting and characters weave seamlessly with the story of Katya and Alexander's doomed relationship. Estelle and her daughter Melissa open up old wounds for Alexander, yet also seem to cleanse him. As the truth is discovered and secrets unfold, Alexander is able to move on, despite his pain.
Despite The Falling Snow is beautifully written, with characters that are created with care and precision. Characters that the reader will take to heart and will really believe in. Shamim Sarif takes the cold Russian environment and turns it into a sparkling story. Her ability to create such wonderful settings is excellent, her poetic and vivid descriptions are such a pleasure to read.
A stunning and beautiful story, I enjoyed this so much. With themes of love and heartbreak, of despair and discovery, Despite The Falling Snow is a story that transports the reader to icy Russia amongst incredible characters during a fascinating period in history.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
The reader is transported back many years to post-Stalin Russia. Alexander is a young man, working for the government, when he meets Katya at a party thrown by mutual friends, his world is turned upside down. Katya appears to be a good, solid communist girl. Working as a school administrator, she has sworn allegiance to the government, despite being orphaned as a teenager when her parents were murdered under Stalin's regime. But all is not as it seems, and Katya is in fact a spy, and her latest mission is to snare Alexander, to steal secrets and to pass them to the Americans.
The modern day setting and characters weave seamlessly with the story of Katya and Alexander's doomed relationship. Estelle and her daughter Melissa open up old wounds for Alexander, yet also seem to cleanse him. As the truth is discovered and secrets unfold, Alexander is able to move on, despite his pain.
Despite The Falling Snow is beautifully written, with characters that are created with care and precision. Characters that the reader will take to heart and will really believe in. Shamim Sarif takes the cold Russian environment and turns it into a sparkling story. Her ability to create such wonderful settings is excellent, her poetic and vivid descriptions are such a pleasure to read.
A stunning and beautiful story, I enjoyed this so much. With themes of love and heartbreak, of despair and discovery, Despite The Falling Snow is a story that transports the reader to icy Russia amongst incredible characters during a fascinating period in history.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
April 24, 2016
It could have been a sad book, but I never felt that sadness, cos you just knew from the start. Fine I admit, I had some foolish notions of hope. But you need hope!
The book takes place in Boston in -98 and in 50s Soviet. Where you can understand life is crap. In Soviet Alexander and Katya meet. Alexander works for the government, and that means a better place to live, in the city, and other perks. Yes communism sure was good for everyone, not. Katya is a spy and I sure got why. Her parents were killed by the regime. She wanted to fight back (and then she fell in love with the man she spied on.) In a way I should be angry at her, but she loved him, and from early on. But yes she put both in danger.
Then we have Boston. Alexander has a successful catering business- But he is alone. What happened to Katya? In this story his niece and an author tries to solve the puzzle.
I did like the Soviet parts the most, because those had an air of danger and despair. Because in Soviet Russia bread eats you. Ok that makes no sense, I forgot how to do those. Soviet was not a good place to live in. Your neighbor would sell you out for a piece of bread. Anyone would stab you in the back. And she sure lived on the edge. I also liked how he started to see the cracks in the system.
While the Boston parts were just sad, because she was not there!
It was a fast read and I read on to see what would happen. It was interesting and not sad, but a bit melancholic because ....
The book takes place in Boston in -98 and in 50s Soviet. Where you can understand life is crap. In Soviet Alexander and Katya meet. Alexander works for the government, and that means a better place to live, in the city, and other perks. Yes communism sure was good for everyone, not. Katya is a spy and I sure got why. Her parents were killed by the regime. She wanted to fight back (and then she fell in love with the man she spied on.) In a way I should be angry at her, but she loved him, and from early on. But yes she put both in danger.
Then we have Boston. Alexander has a successful catering business- But he is alone. What happened to Katya? In this story his niece and an author tries to solve the puzzle.
I did like the Soviet parts the most, because those had an air of danger and despair. Because in Soviet Russia bread eats you. Ok that makes no sense, I forgot how to do those. Soviet was not a good place to live in. Your neighbor would sell you out for a piece of bread. Anyone would stab you in the back. And she sure lived on the edge. I also liked how he started to see the cracks in the system.
While the Boston parts were just sad, because she was not there!
It was a fast read and I read on to see what would happen. It was interesting and not sad, but a bit melancholic because ....
September 17, 2016
This was a slow-moving book, with the story split between 1950s Communist Russia and 1990s Boston. For my money, most of the Boston story could have been edited out and it would have made for a stronger, more intriguing story.
The main thrust of the story is the mystery surrounding how Katya, wife of Russian defector Alexander, died in the late 1950s. In 1998, Alexander is a successful businessman trying to sell his catering company, but he is still haunted by the death of his wife forty years ago. Although we know Katya died young, we don't know how. Neither, it transpires does Alexander.
In the 1950s, Alexander meets Katya and is immediately smitten. But Katya has a tragic backstory and a secret.
The story flits between the two timelines, but it moves at a glacial pace. The author could have lost all the stuff with Estelle and her husband without losing anything from the main story. It was just an unnecessary distraction.
I wasn't in the least bit surprised by the villain of the piece or what actually happened to Katya. I can't help but feel that there is a much better story in this than the one we've got.
The main thrust of the story is the mystery surrounding how Katya, wife of Russian defector Alexander, died in the late 1950s. In 1998, Alexander is a successful businessman trying to sell his catering company, but he is still haunted by the death of his wife forty years ago. Although we know Katya died young, we don't know how. Neither, it transpires does Alexander.
In the 1950s, Alexander meets Katya and is immediately smitten. But Katya has a tragic backstory and a secret.
The story flits between the two timelines, but it moves at a glacial pace. The author could have lost all the stuff with Estelle and her husband without losing anything from the main story. It was just an unnecessary distraction.
I wasn't in the least bit surprised by the villain of the piece or what actually happened to Katya. I can't help but feel that there is a much better story in this than the one we've got.
November 9, 2016
I shake my head. How can something that's so overwrought from an emotional standpoint be so overwhelming generic at the same time? It's supposed to take place in Boston and Moscow in two different time periods, but neither place or time feels different or authentic. Is this an example of international literary fiction that is, as Tim Parks decries, written a faux universality designed for the translation market?
September 11, 2016
Despite the fact that the story was a little bit predicted, it is an amazing book!
I love the way Shamim writes, how she describes every emotion and characterizes a character.
It is impossible not to feel anything while reading this book. I probably looked like a crazy in the train: laughing, crying, angry face, sad.
I can't wait to watch the movie!
I love the way Shamim writes, how she describes every emotion and characterizes a character.
It is impossible not to feel anything while reading this book. I probably looked like a crazy in the train: laughing, crying, angry face, sad.
I can't wait to watch the movie!
April 24, 2019
Were you angry?”
“Yes, of course I was. But you know, I never felt uncertain that she loved me. She went through a huge change to marry me. She had to find a way to balance her beliefs and her love for me. She was a brilliant, fearless woman. She questioned everything.”
“In what way?”
“In every way.
“Yes, of course I was. But you know, I never felt uncertain that she loved me. She went through a huge change to marry me. She had to find a way to balance her beliefs and her love for me. She was a brilliant, fearless woman. She questioned everything.”
“In what way?”
“In every way.
November 2, 2014
The only thing I don't like about this book is that leaves you wanting so much more! The writing is amazing as always, and the characters are awesome. I wouldn't mind a sequel or prequel or some sort of second part that delves more into the characters lives.
got-bored-so-gave-up
July 13, 2015I read about 30 pages of this but wasn't enjoying the flowery language, so stopped.
April 13, 2016
Really enjoyed this! Good mix of past and present, difficult story sensitively told. Review here: https://theselittlewords.com/2016/04/...
April 27, 2017
Beautifully written with relatable characters that keep your interest and make you sad, happy and even angry at times.
November 10, 2017
Hmm.
I picked up this book from my shelves on a whim, knowing nothing about it except from its blurb.
Within two chapters I knew it had been written to be made into a film. And from the Rotten Tomatoes website, I see that the film is as dire as the book.
*Writer-director Shamim Sarif… is aiming to create a tragic romance out of this intrigue yet misses her target thanks to her contrived plotting and trite dialogue.
*A dreary, incompetently plotted and flatly directed Cold War melodrama …
*… a wearily predictable tale of coincidence and tragedy…
*(My favourite, deliciously patronising) While it struggles to find rhythm, you can’t fault Sarif’s ambitions.
Picture this. Estelle is sitting outside a building in Boston. It’s very cold. A stranger comes by and chats her up. Gosh, Sasha just happens to be the owner of the catering company that her one-dimensional shark-like daughter Melissa is indoors trying to buy. Estelle and Sasha go to his place for lunch where she enthuses about his rustic Italian cooking and he soberly tells her that the most important thing is to have fresh ingredients. [Lisa thinks: oh, yeah, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil in Boston in Autumn. Fresh asparagus too. Lisa thinks: #UnknownUnknown: author is so ignorant about seasonal vegetables she has not done a simple Google search. Author does not know that even if Boston flies ‘fresh’ vegetables in from the southern hemisphere where it is Spring, tomatoes and basil will still not be fresh because they are summer produce. In the off season they will be grown under permaculture or some such, and they will never have the flavour of the tomatoes and basil in season. Lisa also thinks, how come if this character has travelled the world with her one-dimensional professor husband who #FeministCliché frustrated her ambition to be a writer, she’s never had freshly grated Parmesan before?] Prediction: Sasha and Estelle will end up together, director/author earning Brownie points for not being ageist about falling in lurve…
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/11/10/d...
I picked up this book from my shelves on a whim, knowing nothing about it except from its blurb.
Within two chapters I knew it had been written to be made into a film. And from the Rotten Tomatoes website, I see that the film is as dire as the book.
*Writer-director Shamim Sarif… is aiming to create a tragic romance out of this intrigue yet misses her target thanks to her contrived plotting and trite dialogue.
*A dreary, incompetently plotted and flatly directed Cold War melodrama …
*… a wearily predictable tale of coincidence and tragedy…
*(My favourite, deliciously patronising) While it struggles to find rhythm, you can’t fault Sarif’s ambitions.
Picture this. Estelle is sitting outside a building in Boston. It’s very cold. A stranger comes by and chats her up. Gosh, Sasha just happens to be the owner of the catering company that her one-dimensional shark-like daughter Melissa is indoors trying to buy. Estelle and Sasha go to his place for lunch where she enthuses about his rustic Italian cooking and he soberly tells her that the most important thing is to have fresh ingredients. [Lisa thinks: oh, yeah, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil in Boston in Autumn. Fresh asparagus too. Lisa thinks: #UnknownUnknown: author is so ignorant about seasonal vegetables she has not done a simple Google search. Author does not know that even if Boston flies ‘fresh’ vegetables in from the southern hemisphere where it is Spring, tomatoes and basil will still not be fresh because they are summer produce. In the off season they will be grown under permaculture or some such, and they will never have the flavour of the tomatoes and basil in season. Lisa also thinks, how come if this character has travelled the world with her one-dimensional professor husband who #FeministCliché frustrated her ambition to be a writer, she’s never had freshly grated Parmesan before?] Prediction: Sasha and Estelle will end up together, director/author earning Brownie points for not being ageist about falling in lurve…
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/11/10/d...
September 15, 2018
What it made me feel:
- "what would I do"
- what a terrible thing to just receive a letter from the 50s written by your dead wife
- how extraordinary Katya was not in any out-of-this-world way, not in any new bravery kind of way, but in the simple and very real courage of acknowledging that despite the Soviet Union, she did have choices
- the beauty of how blindly Alexander was in love with her
- the ugliness of Mischa's dispassionate betrayal
- how haunting the past can be
- how fates are subject to chance
Breathtaking is a good word for this novel. It's not world-shattering, not super entertaining, the characters aren't cool and unique. But everything felt very real and wowed in a very silent way.
- "what would I do"
- what a terrible thing to just receive a letter from the 50s written by your dead wife
- how extraordinary Katya was not in any out-of-this-world way, not in any new bravery kind of way, but in the simple and very real courage of acknowledging that despite the Soviet Union, she did have choices
- the beauty of how blindly Alexander was in love with her
- the ugliness of Mischa's dispassionate betrayal
- how haunting the past can be
- how fates are subject to chance
Breathtaking is a good word for this novel. It's not world-shattering, not super entertaining, the characters aren't cool and unique. But everything felt very real and wowed in a very silent way.
February 24, 2025
Utterly engrossing and unputdownable!
From start to finish, this was a compelling read, with such thorough character development of every key character in the story. The brutal Stalinist years in the former Soviet Union were strikingly evoked through what Katya and her family endured. As the double-life of Katya began to unfold, she began to come to know the depth of character of the government bureaucrat, Alexander (Sasha), to the point of admiring much about him who she had been assigned to target in her espionage for the Americans in the post WWII Cold War years. Can she keep her emotions cold and clinical enough to continue on this path or will her heart betray her in this high-stakes life of deception and secrets?
From start to finish, this was a compelling read, with such thorough character development of every key character in the story. The brutal Stalinist years in the former Soviet Union were strikingly evoked through what Katya and her family endured. As the double-life of Katya began to unfold, she began to come to know the depth of character of the government bureaucrat, Alexander (Sasha), to the point of admiring much about him who she had been assigned to target in her espionage for the Americans in the post WWII Cold War years. Can she keep her emotions cold and clinical enough to continue on this path or will her heart betray her in this high-stakes life of deception and secrets?
March 28, 2019
Liked the writing very much. Perhaps I'll look up more by the author. What I came away with was the brutal reality of the communist regime of the time and how it destroyed everybody outside of a small group of politicians. Another thought - and maybe my head is in a weird post-surgery space today - is that I am far too shallow a person to be reviewing a book with such deep thoughtful conversations between the characters. Lesbian novel? If you blink it isn't there... is that just a gimmick to attract readers? I feel like each character came floating to the surface sporadically then would drift back into the fuzzy deeps.
July 16, 2024
I have not met Shamim but I am blood related to her. (This has no sway on my review). I am mostly a non fiction reader but having been bed bound for the last few months I have been digesting fiction like there’s no tomorrow. My family members recommended me this book, especially my mother. I picked it up and was instantly hooked, maybe it’s because I’m a lover of learning Russian history and any books with anything to do with Russia entices me. The story is beautiful however and I loved every bit of it. Hugely recommend.
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