Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York, NY : HarperLuxe, c2010.
Description
Former Bolshoi ballerina Nina Revskaya auctions off her jewelry collection and becomes overwhelmed by memories of her homeland, the friends she left behind amidst Stalinist aggression, and the dark secret that brought her to a new life in Boston.
Media reviews
Despite its engaging suspense, pristine character development, and jolting plot twists, the novel’s sentences can feel rambling and comma-heavy. Certain passages burst with unnecessary asides and needless details, which at times can bog down this otherwise gripping conflict. Other times, some
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characters’ behavior is so melodramatic as to make them seem cartoonish. These hammy expressions are distracting, as if to force readers to feel for these characters when, in actuality, such empathy comes naturally to a writer like Kalotay.
The length of the novel also makes for a small but noteworthy letdown—the climax is spectacular but disproportionate to a 459-page story. It comes slowly, meticulously, and fantastically—but then it quickly goes, with a resolution that also feels too short.
Still, Russian Winter is a fantastic first novel. The drama of Soviet oppression isn’t laid on too thick, and the hidebound world of the Bolshoi ballet, though pertinent to Nina’s life, doesn’t suffocate the story. Instead, human emotions breathe human qualities into this novel: passion, pain, love, jealousy, insolence, regret, loneliness, loss. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member DieFledermaus
This is a great first novel, well-written, highly addictive, with interesting characters and an involving plot. I found one of the relationships to be rather predictable and there were a couple issues with the plotting – the ending was rushed and some revelations could have been handled better
The novel is structured as many others – with a past section and present section. The author did a good job of developing the modern-day part as many books that utilize this structure have a dull present section. In fact, initially it was more compelling as Kalotay explores Nina’s routine but not unhappy life and the careers and lives of Drew and Grigori. Nina’s past life starts with her meeting Viktor and at first I was concerned that Nina would be defined only by her relationship but the pair quickly marries and Nina faces a new set of issues - communal living with her condescending, formerly wealthy mother-in-law, a new distance with her own mother, rivalries with an old friend Vera, also a ballerina, and the demands of life as a dancer. Nina and Viktor have some happy times with Vera and Viktor’s friend, the irreverent Jewish composer Gersh, but eventually several members of their circle find themselves targeted by bureaucrats and the secret police. Nina’s rise through the ranks of dancers and individual performances are given a lot of space as well. However, I was hoping to read more about Soviet ‘tractor ballets’ or pro-Communist productions of classics. The ballets that are described are the standard French-Russian 19th c. classics – Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia. A couple popular Soviet ballets are briefly mentioned but there are no descriptions given. Many of the characters face persecution but the issues are not specifically related to Soviet control of the ballet which I thought would have been interesting to read about. Nina’s work-life conflict, the pressure to inform on others and the restrictions on the ballerinas to avoid Western influence could be issues found in any sort of job at the time. The competition and awkwardness that Nina faces after she becomes a prima ballerina could easily be part of any ballet story. Many actual defectors felt stifled in their art but Nina defects mostly for personal reasons. I won’t fault the book for not covering these topics though I was a bit disappointed.
The present-day story was engaging as well. I got involved in the lives of Grigori and Drew though there’s an extremely obvious romance as a plot point. Grigori is a widower who has difficulty moving on from his wife’s death and finds his job as a professor becoming irrelevant. Drew is passionate about her job but realizes that her success has not measured up to what her family and friends think she should have – she’s divorced and avoiding a relationship. The quirks and side characters, as well as the interesting look into the history of the jewels and Drew’s family, are appealing though I didn’t like the impression that the author seemed to give about how undateable Drew was. Even the seemingly unsympathetic characters are given motivations and are shown from different angles. There’s a secret that’s teased from the opening pages and is revealed halfway through but it was pretty obvious. The important part is how is develops in the past so I thought the author should have just come out and said what it was instead of playing coy. For the most part, though, these issues don’t detract from the reading. The book is a good size but I finished it in just a few sittings.
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– but overall this is a good read. I enjoyed reading about ballet in the Soviet times but hoped for more specific details though this is probably because I recently read a history of ballet. Nina Revskaya, a former star dancer for the Soviet Union, lives in Boston in the mid-2000’s and mysteriously decides to sell off her jewels. In the present, her life collides with Drew Brooks, a dedicated woman who works for the auction house, and Grigori Solodin, a professor who studies the work of Nina’s husband, the poet Viktor Elsin, who works with Drew to uncover the history of the jewels. Nina recalls her past – her work at the Bolshoi, her meeting and marriage with Viktor, professional friendships and rivalries, and the uneasy and repressive atmosphere of Moscow just before the death of Stalin.The novel is structured as many others – with a past section and present section. The author did a good job of developing the modern-day part as many books that utilize this structure have a dull present section. In fact, initially it was more compelling as Kalotay explores Nina’s routine but not unhappy life and the careers and lives of Drew and Grigori. Nina’s past life starts with her meeting Viktor and at first I was concerned that Nina would be defined only by her relationship but the pair quickly marries and Nina faces a new set of issues - communal living with her condescending, formerly wealthy mother-in-law, a new distance with her own mother, rivalries with an old friend Vera, also a ballerina, and the demands of life as a dancer. Nina and Viktor have some happy times with Vera and Viktor’s friend, the irreverent Jewish composer Gersh, but eventually several members of their circle find themselves targeted by bureaucrats and the secret police. Nina’s rise through the ranks of dancers and individual performances are given a lot of space as well. However, I was hoping to read more about Soviet ‘tractor ballets’ or pro-Communist productions of classics. The ballets that are described are the standard French-Russian 19th c. classics – Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia. A couple popular Soviet ballets are briefly mentioned but there are no descriptions given. Many of the characters face persecution but the issues are not specifically related to Soviet control of the ballet which I thought would have been interesting to read about. Nina’s work-life conflict, the pressure to inform on others and the restrictions on the ballerinas to avoid Western influence could be issues found in any sort of job at the time. The competition and awkwardness that Nina faces after she becomes a prima ballerina could easily be part of any ballet story. Many actual defectors felt stifled in their art but Nina defects mostly for personal reasons. I won’t fault the book for not covering these topics though I was a bit disappointed.
The present-day story was engaging as well. I got involved in the lives of Grigori and Drew though there’s an extremely obvious romance as a plot point. Grigori is a widower who has difficulty moving on from his wife’s death and finds his job as a professor becoming irrelevant. Drew is passionate about her job but realizes that her success has not measured up to what her family and friends think she should have – she’s divorced and avoiding a relationship. The quirks and side characters, as well as the interesting look into the history of the jewels and Drew’s family, are appealing though I didn’t like the impression that the author seemed to give about how undateable Drew was. Even the seemingly unsympathetic characters are given motivations and are shown from different angles. There’s a secret that’s teased from the opening pages and is revealed halfway through but it was pretty obvious. The important part is how is develops in the past so I thought the author should have just come out and said what it was instead of playing coy. For the most part, though, these issues don’t detract from the reading. The book is a good size but I finished it in just a few sittings.
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LibraryThing member dianaleez
Daphne Kalotay's 'Russian Winter' is set around the framework of an aged Russian prima ballerina reflecting on her past. Nina Revskaya is offering her fabled jewel collection at auction for the benefit of the Boston ballet. And with each jewel comes a memory or two. We have not only Nina's personal
Skillfully interwoven with Nina's story is that of contemporary language professor Grigori Solodin, translator of poems written by Nina's late husband and possessor of a valuable amber necklace that may belong to a suite of amber owned by Nina.
Kalotay creates characters of great depth and emotional intensity. And the reader is caught up not only in the mystery of Nina’s past and Girgori’s present, but also in larger themes of trust and love, mistakes and redemption.
It is to her credit that kalotay's story can be read as riveting mystery and as a compelling exploration of the human heart.
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history, but also the story of Russia under Stalin and the effect of the intentional mistrust engendered by the State on its citizens.Skillfully interwoven with Nina's story is that of contemporary language professor Grigori Solodin, translator of poems written by Nina's late husband and possessor of a valuable amber necklace that may belong to a suite of amber owned by Nina.
Kalotay creates characters of great depth and emotional intensity. And the reader is caught up not only in the mystery of Nina’s past and Girgori’s present, but also in larger themes of trust and love, mistakes and redemption.
It is to her credit that kalotay's story can be read as riveting mystery and as a compelling exploration of the human heart.
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LibraryThing member ImBookingIt
Russian Winter was an all-round wonderful read!Nina Revskaya was the best part of the book, in both her younger and older guises. She had such a strong, vibrant personality, and I loved seeing how the one grew into the other.The historical sections of the book gave me a glimpse I'd never seen into
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post WWII Russia, and what life was like there.The modern parts presented a wonderful puzzle, based on jewelry from that long lost era.Throughout all of this are an array of fantastic characters that really came to life, whether they had a major roles or minor ones. Certainly, Nina; her husband Victor Elsin, a well known but not quite famous poet; Grigori Solodin, the translator who has dedicated his career to Elsin for not quit objective reasons; and Drew, who stumbles into the questions that Nina's jewels bring to the surface, and pursues the answers (personal and professional) that she needs; these major characters are memorable. So are those of Victor's mother, a displaced aristocrat; Vera, Nina's childhood friend; and more.The book was emotionally satisfying and intellectually stimulating. The writing was beautiful, adding up to a wonderful book. Show Less
LibraryThing member bachaney
Russian Winter is the story of Nina Revskaya, a beautiful prima ballerina with a prestigious Moscow ballet during the post war Soviet Period. Nina's whole life is about the ballet and her commitment lands her at the top of her field. When she meets and falls in love with a handsome state poet,
Russian Winter is an excellent work of historical fiction. From Nina's early life set before World War II to her life as a prominent but still poor ballerina, this novel transports the reader to Soviet Russia and the world of high stakes ballet. I thought the historical segments were well balanced with the modern story, where Grigori is trying to discover his true connection to Nina. This novel definitely has a good twist that kept me guessing until the very end. I thought all of the characters were well developed and interesting. This is a great work of historical fiction for fans of the genre.
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Viktor Elsin, her life seems complete. But then people around her start to come under suspicion by the state, and Nina must decide how to protect herself. This story in the Soviet period is complimented by a modern day story set in Boston where Nina is selling some of the jewels that she has acquired over her life. A professor, Grigori Solodin, has a piece of jewelry that matches some of Nina's, but how? Will the secrets from Nina's past be unraveled in the present? Russian Winter is an excellent work of historical fiction. From Nina's early life set before World War II to her life as a prominent but still poor ballerina, this novel transports the reader to Soviet Russia and the world of high stakes ballet. I thought the historical segments were well balanced with the modern story, where Grigori is trying to discover his true connection to Nina. This novel definitely has a good twist that kept me guessing until the very end. I thought all of the characters were well developed and interesting. This is a great work of historical fiction for fans of the genre.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Stories that revolve around a physical object always intrigue me. The hidden history a thing has been a silent witness to can be a great way to tell a story and fire the imagination so that’s why I picked up this book which hinges on a woman selling her jewelry collection. For the most part it
It does have a good sense of mystery and Nina’s dramatic past. While I can understand where she’s coming from, Nina is a jerk and continues to be a jerk because she can and people let her. She’s content that she’s revered and respected, but doesn’t care if no one likes her. She uses her history as an excuse to deny things to people, be rude and keep herself at a distance. I didn’t want to spend time with her, but finished the book so I could know what happened. It wasn’t wholly predictable and had some good moments of surprise. Nina’s past and Gregori’s present came together nicely.
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delivers, but it was a little prolonged in places where the pacing just dragged.It does have a good sense of mystery and Nina’s dramatic past. While I can understand where she’s coming from, Nina is a jerk and continues to be a jerk because she can and people let her. She’s content that she’s revered and respected, but doesn’t care if no one likes her. She uses her history as an excuse to deny things to people, be rude and keep herself at a distance. I didn’t want to spend time with her, but finished the book so I could know what happened. It wasn’t wholly predictable and had some good moments of surprise. Nina’s past and Gregori’s present came together nicely.
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LibraryThing member TheCrowdedLeaf
I’ve always enjoyed novels set in Russia. Something about the tragic mystery of the Romanov’s, the colorful spiraling St. Basil Cathedral towers, and the romance of softly falling snow and fur muffs. Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay is all those beautiful sensations rolled into one, with the
Alternating between present day Boston and 1950s Russia, Russian Winter is the story of once famous ballerina, Nina Revskaya, and the trials she endured while a young woman in a cold country who wants nothing more than to dance. Now old and alone, Nina has decided to auction off her famous jewels to benefit the Boston Ballet Foundation. The provenance of a particular set of amber jewelry, and the mysterious donator who contributes a matching amber necklace, set the scene for a literary mystery going back to the turmoil of Stalinist Russia, a time of intense speculation and fear.
Daphne Kalotay submerges the reader in the beauty of the ballet, the mystery of Russia, and the pain and trials of an aging woman with a heartbreaking tale to tell. Nina is cold and distant in her old age, but she wasn’t always that way and Kalotay shows us her younger years by beautifully transitioning back in time. Russian Winter is much like the ballerinas in the story; enigmatic and alluring. Perfect for the coming cool weather, it’s deliciously long and will catch you from the start with a hint of mystery, a hint of romance, and a determined and easily flowing plot.
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fabulous addition of ballerinas and antique jewels.Alternating between present day Boston and 1950s Russia, Russian Winter is the story of once famous ballerina, Nina Revskaya, and the trials she endured while a young woman in a cold country who wants nothing more than to dance. Now old and alone, Nina has decided to auction off her famous jewels to benefit the Boston Ballet Foundation. The provenance of a particular set of amber jewelry, and the mysterious donator who contributes a matching amber necklace, set the scene for a literary mystery going back to the turmoil of Stalinist Russia, a time of intense speculation and fear.
Daphne Kalotay submerges the reader in the beauty of the ballet, the mystery of Russia, and the pain and trials of an aging woman with a heartbreaking tale to tell. Nina is cold and distant in her old age, but she wasn’t always that way and Kalotay shows us her younger years by beautifully transitioning back in time. Russian Winter is much like the ballerinas in the story; enigmatic and alluring. Perfect for the coming cool weather, it’s deliciously long and will catch you from the start with a hint of mystery, a hint of romance, and a determined and easily flowing plot.
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LibraryThing member hollysing
Why is the pendant worn backwards…and which woman wears it?
The cover of Russian Winter beguiled me, but did not answer the many questions that hammered at my brain as Nina’s story unfolded. I paid diligent attention to the carefully spun-out clues in the novel and was spellbound until the end.
I reveled in author Daphne Kalotay’s use of language. She juxtaposes present day Boston with post WW II Soviet Union where artists struggle with their private turmoil and fears behind the iron curtain. Her flashbacks are expertly cast in the present tense. So much of what is beautiful in this world—ballet, poetry, music, love, creative expression, hope—is intertwined with betrayal, fear, loss, poor health. Detailed descriptions of the jewelry to be auctioned are uniquely placed between chapter headings. Kalotay has a way of bringing simple images to life with phrases like “a squadron of hairpins.”
“Dancers must remember everything.” Retired ballerina Nina Rebskaya, who has defected to the United States and seeks to sell her jewel collection to benefit the Boston ballet, suffers such a fate. Nina, who visualized the optimum performance of the next step in her choreography as she felt the floor beneath her feet, becomes the retired benefactress, body rigid and wheelchair-bound, tracing the lines of the past in her memories.
The career of a ballerina is ephemeral but the value of a gemstone endures. Intrigue seduces. Art is transforming. Ponder all of this in the captivating novel, Russian Winter.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
The cover of Russian Winter beguiled me, but did not answer the many questions that hammered at my brain as Nina’s story unfolded. I paid diligent attention to the carefully spun-out clues in the novel and was spellbound until the end.
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Sometimes we savor a book—read a bit, then put it away until tomorrow so that it may be pondered. Not so with Russian Winter. I was swept away and contentedly disconnected from the rest of my life for the hours I spent within its pages.I reveled in author Daphne Kalotay’s use of language. She juxtaposes present day Boston with post WW II Soviet Union where artists struggle with their private turmoil and fears behind the iron curtain. Her flashbacks are expertly cast in the present tense. So much of what is beautiful in this world—ballet, poetry, music, love, creative expression, hope—is intertwined with betrayal, fear, loss, poor health. Detailed descriptions of the jewelry to be auctioned are uniquely placed between chapter headings. Kalotay has a way of bringing simple images to life with phrases like “a squadron of hairpins.”
“Dancers must remember everything.” Retired ballerina Nina Rebskaya, who has defected to the United States and seeks to sell her jewel collection to benefit the Boston ballet, suffers such a fate. Nina, who visualized the optimum performance of the next step in her choreography as she felt the floor beneath her feet, becomes the retired benefactress, body rigid and wheelchair-bound, tracing the lines of the past in her memories.
The career of a ballerina is ephemeral but the value of a gemstone endures. Intrigue seduces. Art is transforming. Ponder all of this in the captivating novel, Russian Winter.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
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LibraryThing member BlackSheepDances
Russian Winter is an engrossing fiction novel from Daphne Kalotay that combines personal history with notorious events in human history. Flashbacks from Stalin-era Russia combine with the modern life of a Russian defector, Nina Revskaya, once famous as a Bolshoi ballerina. As she enters her final
In the meantime, Drew, the auction house assistant, is charged with the task of determining the provenance of the pieces. A mystery arises as a new pendant is anonymously donated...one that would appear to be linked with Nina's set. The significance is clear: there's more to the story than Nina is willing to reveal. And it is the verification of the jewels history that becomes a story of assumptions and lies, and the betrayals that come as a result from them.
The story was well paced, and plot twists developed that kept the mystery going. I also found the in-depth portrayal of the auction house's job of verifying historical jewelry fascinating. However, I had a few issues with the substance of the novel overall. One, I got the impression almost that a formula was being followed...'reveal this much detail at a time, then hold back, move on, and sprinkle foreshadowing liberally'. It worked, but once completed, the novel felt a bit manipulated. Another thing was I think the author wanted to show two powerful, independent women in action; and yet, both women (Drew and Nina) lacked warmth and were really kind of boring. The men in the story-Grigori and Viktor-were far more interesting and vibrant to read about. The women seemed passive in comparison.
The flashbacks of Russia were of the most basic historical components: poets, vodka, intellectual suppression, mysterious arrests, the ballet, corruption, and poverty. In other words, there was nothing new added that dipped beneath a mere surface knowledge of "Russia 101." I would have loved if the book could have added historical details that would have revealed more complexity to the characters, in the way Vasily Grossman's Everything Flows uncovered a pain that explained its character's actions with more humanity. And yet, to someone unfamiliar with Russian history, they might find it a good introduction to the unique events of the region's history.
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years, she decides to have a Sotheby's-style auction house sell her gems...purportedly to donate the funds to the Arts. However, it soon becomes clear that she has more personal reasons to divest of the jewelry-some of the pieces harbor memories that are too painful to hold on to. In the meantime, Drew, the auction house assistant, is charged with the task of determining the provenance of the pieces. A mystery arises as a new pendant is anonymously donated...one that would appear to be linked with Nina's set. The significance is clear: there's more to the story than Nina is willing to reveal. And it is the verification of the jewels history that becomes a story of assumptions and lies, and the betrayals that come as a result from them.
The story was well paced, and plot twists developed that kept the mystery going. I also found the in-depth portrayal of the auction house's job of verifying historical jewelry fascinating. However, I had a few issues with the substance of the novel overall. One, I got the impression almost that a formula was being followed...'reveal this much detail at a time, then hold back, move on, and sprinkle foreshadowing liberally'. It worked, but once completed, the novel felt a bit manipulated. Another thing was I think the author wanted to show two powerful, independent women in action; and yet, both women (Drew and Nina) lacked warmth and were really kind of boring. The men in the story-Grigori and Viktor-were far more interesting and vibrant to read about. The women seemed passive in comparison.
The flashbacks of Russia were of the most basic historical components: poets, vodka, intellectual suppression, mysterious arrests, the ballet, corruption, and poverty. In other words, there was nothing new added that dipped beneath a mere surface knowledge of "Russia 101." I would have loved if the book could have added historical details that would have revealed more complexity to the characters, in the way Vasily Grossman's Everything Flows uncovered a pain that explained its character's actions with more humanity. And yet, to someone unfamiliar with Russian history, they might find it a good introduction to the unique events of the region's history.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: The afternoon was so cold, so relentlessly gray, few pedestrians passed the long island of trees dividing Commonwealth Avenue, and even little dogs, shunted along impatiently, wore thermal coats and offended expressions.
Nina Revskaya, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet in Stalinist
When you get right down to it, there's not all that much that's new in the plot of Russian Winter. Girl dances. Girl falls in love. Girl suffers heartbreak and betrayal. Girl runs away and begins a new life. But it's what Kalotay weaves into this plot that makes this novel special.
In many ways, Kalotay's book was right up my alley. I enjoy reading about ballet, and jewelry collections and their histories can fascinate me. Both of these things were very satisfying in Russian Winter, but the best piece of all was showing life in the Russia of Stalin-- where a prima ballerina lives in a communal apartment shared with her husband, mother-in-law and thirty-three other people. Each family has one room. There is one telephone for all. There is one toilet and one washroom for all. There is one kitchen with three stoves and six tables. It is a world where secrets can kill you, so you learn to lock away pieces of your soul until the lock rusts and the key no longer works.
Once characters like Nina are seen in the setting in which they became adults, they change right before your eyes and become multi-dimensional. It doesn't matter that the basic plot has been used before. This may be Kalotay's first novel, but I hope it isn't her last.
Nina Revskaya, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet in Stalinist
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Russia, is spending her remaining years in Boston. Crippled by arthritis and feeling that her body has betrayed her, Nina has become a bitter, secretive old woman. When a man shows up on her doorstep with a piece of jewelry and questions, Nina puts her entire jewelry collection on the auction block rather than part with the answers to his questions. Little does Nina know, but protecting her secrets won't be that easy. Drew Brooks, an associate at the Boston auction house, is researching the history of Nina's jewels, and Grigori Solodin, the man on her doorstep, will not take no for an answer.When you get right down to it, there's not all that much that's new in the plot of Russian Winter. Girl dances. Girl falls in love. Girl suffers heartbreak and betrayal. Girl runs away and begins a new life. But it's what Kalotay weaves into this plot that makes this novel special.
In many ways, Kalotay's book was right up my alley. I enjoy reading about ballet, and jewelry collections and their histories can fascinate me. Both of these things were very satisfying in Russian Winter, but the best piece of all was showing life in the Russia of Stalin-- where a prima ballerina lives in a communal apartment shared with her husband, mother-in-law and thirty-three other people. Each family has one room. There is one telephone for all. There is one toilet and one washroom for all. There is one kitchen with three stoves and six tables. It is a world where secrets can kill you, so you learn to lock away pieces of your soul until the lock rusts and the key no longer works.
Once characters like Nina are seen in the setting in which they became adults, they change right before your eyes and become multi-dimensional. It doesn't matter that the basic plot has been used before. This may be Kalotay's first novel, but I hope it isn't her last.
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LibraryThing member LaBibliophille
I really enjoyed Russian Winter, the first published novel by Daphne Kalotay. Kalotay is a skillful writer. She blends the past with the present so well.
Nina Revskaya is a Russian ballerina who escaped from Stalin’s Soviet Union in the early 1950’s. Now in her 80’s and living in Boston,
Each chapter is highlighted by the auction house description of a piece of jewelry; some worth hundreds of dollars, some tens of thousands. Through flashbacks and scenes in the present, we learn how Revskaya obtained each piece of jewelry. Intertwined with her story is that of Grigori Solodin, a professor of Russian who owns a companion piece to Revskaya’s set of amber jewelry. Solodin anonymously donates his piece to the auction in hopes of getting Revskaya’s attention. He had previously tried to contact her, since he believes they have a familial connection. Solodin is adopted and knows nothing of his birth parents.
Holding the novel together is Drew Brooks, an associate at the auction house. She is interested in Solodin’s piece of jewelry, and how it fits into the set and how Solodin obtained it. Drew has no better luck than Solodin in questioning Revskaya about the piece but, with Solodin’s help, is able to research and reach some conclusions.
I highly recommend Russian Winter.
Nina Revskaya is a Russian ballerina who escaped from Stalin’s Soviet Union in the early 1950’s. Now in her 80’s and living in Boston,
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Revskaya is auctioning off her extraordinary jewelry collection for the benefit of the Boston Ballet.Each chapter is highlighted by the auction house description of a piece of jewelry; some worth hundreds of dollars, some tens of thousands. Through flashbacks and scenes in the present, we learn how Revskaya obtained each piece of jewelry. Intertwined with her story is that of Grigori Solodin, a professor of Russian who owns a companion piece to Revskaya’s set of amber jewelry. Solodin anonymously donates his piece to the auction in hopes of getting Revskaya’s attention. He had previously tried to contact her, since he believes they have a familial connection. Solodin is adopted and knows nothing of his birth parents.
Holding the novel together is Drew Brooks, an associate at the auction house. She is interested in Solodin’s piece of jewelry, and how it fits into the set and how Solodin obtained it. Drew has no better luck than Solodin in questioning Revskaya about the piece but, with Solodin’s help, is able to research and reach some conclusions.
I highly recommend Russian Winter.
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LibraryThing member tarenn
RUSSIAN WINTER by Daphne Kalotay is an interesting historical set in present day Boston and 1950 Russia. It is well written with depth,details, twists and turns. It has mystery, tragedy, heart break, secrets, terror of war, mystery of Russia, ballerinas, a touch of romance, history, and the pain
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and trials of an aging woman. It interwines the past with the present in detail. The characters are rich, determined, and the plot flows easily. It shows the transformation of a yound hopeful Nina into the frustrated and resigned elder Nina. If you enjoy a hint of mystery, a hint of romance, and a lot of drams this is the book for you. This book was received from Good Reads for review and details can be found at Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and My Book Addiction and More. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
Russian Winter was an excellent and engrossing read. A former ballerina's decision to auction her extensive jewelry collection causes a walk down memory lane and a search for identity and love for three interconnected characters. The glimpses of Soviet life under Stalin are particular haunting, as
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are the consequences of Soviet persecution. A good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member jcwlib
***Full disclosure: This book was provided for free by Harper Collins at their Book Buzz session part of ALA Annual Conference ***
Nina Revskaya star of the Bolshoi Ballet decides to auction off her jewelry that was given to her by her husband, poet Viktor Elsin. She met him after a performance one
Nina is surprised one evening when her best friend from childhood - Vera - appears at the dressing room for soloists. Vera left the Krakow Ballet to come to the Bolshoi. Vera meets Gersh shortly after that and they fall in love. Nina ends up getting pregnant twice, but decides to end the pregnancies because of her career. Vera ends up pregnant with Gersh's baby - Grigori.
Grigori grows up to be a Russian professor. He believed all his life that Vikor & Nina are his parents. He translates Vikor's poems to English. He also tries to reach out to Nina with a picture of a necklace and documents he thinks are linked to her.
Drew Brooks from the auction house is intrigued by Nina's history. She asks her to provide stories about the jewels to help create the supplementary book for the auction. This book goes back and forth between post WWII Moscow and present day Boston. As Drew explores the origin of Grigori's necklace, they find out together that his parents are not who he thinks they are.
Both intensely romantic, but historically fascinating and scrupulous, Russian Winter is a love story and an adventure which is completely riveting from the first page.
Nina Revskaya star of the Bolshoi Ballet decides to auction off her jewelry that was given to her by her husband, poet Viktor Elsin. She met him after a performance one
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night and they shared an immediate connection. Nina meets him again a few weeks later and they start to date. She meets his best friend Gersh - a composer - "fighting" against the government ideals. Nina is surprised one evening when her best friend from childhood - Vera - appears at the dressing room for soloists. Vera left the Krakow Ballet to come to the Bolshoi. Vera meets Gersh shortly after that and they fall in love. Nina ends up getting pregnant twice, but decides to end the pregnancies because of her career. Vera ends up pregnant with Gersh's baby - Grigori.
Grigori grows up to be a Russian professor. He believed all his life that Vikor & Nina are his parents. He translates Vikor's poems to English. He also tries to reach out to Nina with a picture of a necklace and documents he thinks are linked to her.
Drew Brooks from the auction house is intrigued by Nina's history. She asks her to provide stories about the jewels to help create the supplementary book for the auction. This book goes back and forth between post WWII Moscow and present day Boston. As Drew explores the origin of Grigori's necklace, they find out together that his parents are not who he thinks they are.
Both intensely romantic, but historically fascinating and scrupulous, Russian Winter is a love story and an adventure which is completely riveting from the first page.
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LibraryThing member Clara53
A vivid, inspiring novel, with a touch of poignant mystery skillfully included and resolved... a sort of book that makes one go and find out the other things the author has written (in this case - a prize-winning collection of stories). The world of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater Ballet, amber jewelry so
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inherent to Russia, Stalin's USSR - the author's thorough research, coupled with unequivocal talent for telling the story makes it an unforgettable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member RivkaBelle
Going in to the reading, I was almost giddy with anticipation - I have a 'thing' for jewelry, and I thought this was going to be a lovely exploration of ballet and jewels and ballerinas in Russia-once-upon-a-time. That was not exactly what I got. However, I was not devastated - this ended up being
While it took me a little bit to figure out the way Kalotay was telling the stories involved, once I figured out the 'trick' to reading, I was quickly engrossed. There are four story lines unfurling simultaneously: Nina's present, as she is struggling against Time & Age; Drew's journey to self-discovery, aided by her work with Nina's auction collection; Grigori's battle against memory and fight for identity; and Nina's past - which started everything. I was fascinated by the accounts of Communist Russia, and the lives of the artists as represented by Nina and her friends. That time is so foreign to me, so unexplored, I felt like I was truly getting a glimpse into a different world. As everything in the individual story lines grows and develops, eventually tying together in a stunning ending.
So while Russian Winter was not exactly what I expected, I'm glad I read it - there are details and ideas of life in Russia that made me think, and there are threads of humanity explored and discussed that are universal. The characters' discoveries can apply to any and all of us. That, I think, is part of what makes a book a keeper: the ability to create characters that are human. These characters are flawed and imperfect, but they are real. Their stories feel real. And there's just enough jewelry-talk to make me feel like I got what I wanted.
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a good read (and there are pages before every chapter that feature a piece from Nina's collection that is up for auction featuring descriptions like would appear in an auction catalogue).While it took me a little bit to figure out the way Kalotay was telling the stories involved, once I figured out the 'trick' to reading, I was quickly engrossed. There are four story lines unfurling simultaneously: Nina's present, as she is struggling against Time & Age; Drew's journey to self-discovery, aided by her work with Nina's auction collection; Grigori's battle against memory and fight for identity; and Nina's past - which started everything. I was fascinated by the accounts of Communist Russia, and the lives of the artists as represented by Nina and her friends. That time is so foreign to me, so unexplored, I felt like I was truly getting a glimpse into a different world. As everything in the individual story lines grows and develops, eventually tying together in a stunning ending.
So while Russian Winter was not exactly what I expected, I'm glad I read it - there are details and ideas of life in Russia that made me think, and there are threads of humanity explored and discussed that are universal. The characters' discoveries can apply to any and all of us. That, I think, is part of what makes a book a keeper: the ability to create characters that are human. These characters are flawed and imperfect, but they are real. Their stories feel real. And there's just enough jewelry-talk to make me feel like I got what I wanted.
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LibraryThing member picardyrose
Disliked the main character -- I don't think I got to the halfway point before I got tired of her.
LibraryThing member ACQwoods
I had seen this book recommended a number of times and it did not disappoint; I devoured the entire novel in one (long) day! The story revolves around Nina Revskaya, a ballerina in the Bolshoi Ballet during the Stalin era who now lives in Boston. She has decided to auction off some of her
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extraordinary jewelry collection. Each piece recalls for her a story or an event in her life. The auction house is surprised when an anonymous donor comes forward with an unusual necklace which is a clear match to earrings and a bracelet donated by Revskaya. Nina clearly knows something about it, but refuses to speak to Grigori Solodin, the necklace's mysterious donor. As the story of Nina's life unravels, so too do many of Grigori's beliefs about himself. The novel touches on many themes and subplots but they are woven together beautifully. Show Less
LibraryThing member Smits
A lovely book with a wonderful combination of mystery, russian history, and romance set up on the stage of sovet Russia and the Bolshoi ballet. It is written in a time travel going back to WW11 and then to present day and it is a testamount for me when I like reading during either of the dates of
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time. Uusally I prefer either the past parts of a book or the present parts. I was drawn in to the mystery of the amber jewlery and captivated with Nina Revskaya. Show Less
LibraryThing member readingwithtea
“Probably that sliver of doubt was always with her, lodged inside her, as it was inside everyone, about everybody else”
One-time prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet Nina Revskaya, now wheelchair-bound in Boston, decides to sell her impressive jewellery collection for the benefit of the Boston
I write this review having just finished the book this morning and mostly read it solidly, straight through. I’m left with a feeling of enduring, beautiful sadness. Kalotay has crafted a mystery of sorts (why did Nina leave? Why is the professor so convinced that he has a connection to her? Why is she selling the jewellery?) and maintains it with the suspense of the threat of arrest for political dissent in Stalinist Russia. Yet it is the personal tragedies that are most haunting: the tragedy of Nina’s friend Vera, her parents shipped off to who knows where. Of Viktor, forced to compromise his artistic ideals in order to survive. Of Gersh, forced to the same, but refusing. Of Zoya and her unrequited love. The ending packs the biggest punch, as the true tragedy of Nina’s escape from Russia is revealed, both to Nina herself and to the reader.
I was surprised to see that Kalotay does not have a background in ballet; she has clearly done her research well and has some good contacts. Similarly, her research on gemstones and auctions is clearly displayed but fortunately not in depth, or the story could quickly get bogged down. I was also rather pleased that the connection between Grigori and Nina has a serious twist in it – for it to be what the reader easily assumes during the main part of the book would have been saccharine.
Nina is an excellent lead character; one empathises and acknowledges her struggles, but her flaws are also clear. Her pride and stubbornness are occasionally frustrating when the reader knows what is going to happen anyway, but she is a well-crafted and consistent protagonist. Solodin’s story had a few too many loose threads, or rather, Kalotay tries a little too hard to make him interesting. Recently deceased wife, potential for a scandalous love affair, unclear parentage, evidently interesting up-bringing; it feels like the novel was supposed to be more balanced towards Solodin and the editorial red pen was uneven in its application, leaving the Solodin storyline rather bare and Nina’s over-developed by comparison.
This was a highly enjoyable debut novel, “intelligent chick lit”, and I look forward to reading more of Kalotay’s work.
One-time prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet Nina Revskaya, now wheelchair-bound in Boston, decides to sell her impressive jewellery collection for the benefit of the Boston
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Ballet Foundation. As she looks at the treasures of her past, she recalls her life on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Drew Brooks, in charge of the auction, pries deep into Nina’s life with the help of the obsessive Professor Solodin to try to add some historical colour to Nina’s precious jewels.I write this review having just finished the book this morning and mostly read it solidly, straight through. I’m left with a feeling of enduring, beautiful sadness. Kalotay has crafted a mystery of sorts (why did Nina leave? Why is the professor so convinced that he has a connection to her? Why is she selling the jewellery?) and maintains it with the suspense of the threat of arrest for political dissent in Stalinist Russia. Yet it is the personal tragedies that are most haunting: the tragedy of Nina’s friend Vera, her parents shipped off to who knows where. Of Viktor, forced to compromise his artistic ideals in order to survive. Of Gersh, forced to the same, but refusing. Of Zoya and her unrequited love. The ending packs the biggest punch, as the true tragedy of Nina’s escape from Russia is revealed, both to Nina herself and to the reader.
I was surprised to see that Kalotay does not have a background in ballet; she has clearly done her research well and has some good contacts. Similarly, her research on gemstones and auctions is clearly displayed but fortunately not in depth, or the story could quickly get bogged down. I was also rather pleased that the connection between Grigori and Nina has a serious twist in it – for it to be what the reader easily assumes during the main part of the book would have been saccharine.
Nina is an excellent lead character; one empathises and acknowledges her struggles, but her flaws are also clear. Her pride and stubbornness are occasionally frustrating when the reader knows what is going to happen anyway, but she is a well-crafted and consistent protagonist. Solodin’s story had a few too many loose threads, or rather, Kalotay tries a little too hard to make him interesting. Recently deceased wife, potential for a scandalous love affair, unclear parentage, evidently interesting up-bringing; it feels like the novel was supposed to be more balanced towards Solodin and the editorial red pen was uneven in its application, leaving the Solodin storyline rather bare and Nina’s over-developed by comparison.
This was a highly enjoyable debut novel, “intelligent chick lit”, and I look forward to reading more of Kalotay’s work.
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LibraryThing member amandajoy30
I found the story in this book very engaging. The different storylines, about Nina living and being a prima-ballerina in Russian, and then what ultimately led to her decision to leave; and the other storyline about the auction and the amber necklace. But as much as I was engaged with the storyline,
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I found the characters a little lacking. Ultimately, I wanted to know what was going to happen because I was curious about the story, not because I felt for the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member countrylife
Or you escaped, like Zoltan. Lived to tell the truth. It was one of the reasons Zoltan’s work mattered so greatly, each poem a message that had jumped a wall, burrowed a tunnel out of prison, survived to tell the rest of the world its news. So many others – other people, other poets – never
Nina Revskaya, a ballerina with the Bolshoi Ballet, having reached old age in the US after her defection from Russia, has decided to auction her jewels to benefit the Boston Ballet. Her life story, and that of her husband, the poet Viktor Elsin, is slowly unveiled. There is a professor in Boston whose specialty is Elsin’s work; he has also become interested in Nina and the story behind her jewels. The woman into whose hands the work of the auction is placed also tries to piece together their history in order to enhance the sale.
This was a learning experience for me as I know nothing about ballet. The behind the scenes look at the life of a ballerina, and life in Stalinist Russia was fascinating. I don’t feel myself equal to discussing the merits of mystery books, as I’m only a recent convert to the genre. But I really did enjoy this one.
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made it.Nina Revskaya, a ballerina with the Bolshoi Ballet, having reached old age in the US after her defection from Russia, has decided to auction her jewels to benefit the Boston Ballet. Her life story, and that of her husband, the poet Viktor Elsin, is slowly unveiled. There is a professor in Boston whose specialty is Elsin’s work; he has also become interested in Nina and the story behind her jewels. The woman into whose hands the work of the auction is placed also tries to piece together their history in order to enhance the sale.
This was a learning experience for me as I know nothing about ballet. The behind the scenes look at the life of a ballerina, and life in Stalinist Russia was fascinating. I don’t feel myself equal to discussing the merits of mystery books, as I’m only a recent convert to the genre. But I really did enjoy this one.
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LibraryThing member allisonmacias
This book was riveting. I loved it. It had all a great story needs; mystery, love, oppression, and the need to understand the past. At any time while reading this book, I had two to three theories about how all these stories connect. Kalotay leaves nothing out, while keeping the mystery alive.
This
This
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is a wonderful book and if you get the chance, read it. You won't be disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member mojomomma
An absorbing novel set in post World War II Soviet Union in which Nina rises to become the star of the Bolshoi and the circumstances around her eventual defection to the west. each chapter is framed by a piece of her jewelry which is Described from the auction catalog which in her old age she is
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donating to the Boston Ballet. the competing story line of Grigori, and his attempt to get close to Nina is also intriguing. Show Less
LibraryThing member 2LZ
Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay was a very absorbing book, and it is just the kind of book that I like. The book alternates between the present and the past. It starts in the present with an older Nina who is in a wheelchair. She was a prominent Russian Ballerina and she is living in Boston. She
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wants to auction off her jewelry and the proceeds are to go to the Boston Ballet Company. Aging Nina is not a very happy woman. She reflects back on her life in Russia from when she was a young girl. Every chapter (and they are longer than I normally like) starts off with an auction lot number with a description of the piece of jewelry being auctioned and the auction price. Each piece of jewelry holds a memory for Nina, and the story unfolds through these memories. Show Less
LibraryThing member anglophile65
I was 125 pgs in and cut my losses. Didn't captivate me. Too much detail about academia that was not of interest to me.
Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2012)
Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Shortlist — 2011)
Language
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
430 p.; 23 inches
ISBN
0062002422 / 9780062002426
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