Reading 1001 discussion

Under the Yoke is THE core Bulgarian historical fiction and it is built on a classical romantic structure not unlike James Fenimore Cooper although written 60 years later. However, because Vazov is writing about events he was actually part of that took place only a dozen years before his writing, the book takes on a modern day urgency and gritty reality at times.
Our hero Boicho is introduced by a heroic act when he saves an old man and a young child from a pair of brutal Turkish bandits. He then needs to live in disguise as a teacher in the village while becoming an agitator for a nationalistic Bulgarian rebellion against the Ottoman Empire and its sultan. The love story between himself and the mistreated and orphaned woman named Rada is very classic; they fall in love, there is a misunderstanding and the misunderstanding is resolved which is all portrayed as "running into each other's arms, copious tears, etc."
The amazing thing about the book is that it starts out introducing us in a charming way to a whole slew of characters in the village, their oddities and their loves, while extolling the incredible beauty of the Bulgarian countryside: "all greenness and freshness where eternal spring reigned". However slowly the book turns toward the rebellion and the people that are joining together for the love of their country. Bulgaria itself becomes the bride in this love story.
The rebellion fails which is somewhat of a spoiler but as this is history anyone googling Bulgaria would know this. The key elements are how the rebellion failed and the tragedy of this uprising. This part of the book is very well drawn.
I enjoyed learning about Bulgaria and thought this book should have a place on the 1001 list.

I agree with everything Gale said above, I just wanted to love the reading experience more. I gave it 3 stars.