Fascinating review of the life of a woman at the center of multiple historical vortices and upheavals. Like many intelligent, driven women of her time and class, she had many opportunities available that others did not - and many avenues blocked that would have been available to someone of a less elevated station. The forces outside of her and inside of her tore her apart in the middle of her life, but she emerged stronger to create a life that is hard to define by any common term. An excellent biography of interest to anyone who enjoys topics of European/Russian history, religious calling, and studies of women who stand out in their time.

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