Helpful Score: 1
I purchased this book awhile ago, while I was still in the middle of the original Anna Karenina, anticipating wanting to read a modern take on the story. Early on, I thought it would be interesting to see how it could translate to a contemporary setting, how it might compare and what may be different due to technology and possibly location.
The first thing I noticed was how well the author managed to capture the same tone that existed in the original novel. Its hard to describe, and maybe the tone exists in the original because its a translation, but I got the same feel out of this novel and I really enjoyed that.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=3391
The first thing I noticed was how well the author managed to capture the same tone that existed in the original novel. Its hard to describe, and maybe the tone exists in the original because its a translation, but I got the same feel out of this novel and I really enjoyed that.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=3391
Helpful Score: 1
Impressive debut novel! Taking inspiration from Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Irina Reyn brings Anna's character into the 21st century. In Reyn's imagination, Anna is a Russian-Jewish immigrant living in New York. In a comfortable marriage to an older man, Anna feels restless and unfulfilled, and begins a reckless affair with her cousin Katya's boyfriend.
I loved absolutely everything about this novel - from the mesmerizing descriptions, to novel's tragic sense of humor and the hopeless characters. Being a Russian immigrant myself, and having dated Bukharian men, I constantly found myself thinking, "Yes! This is exactly how things work!" while reading the book. Reyn's chapter on the "Great Russian Soul" was priceless; her take on the Jewish-Russian immigrants in NYC and the Bukharian community was dead-on.
This is not a happy-ending novel; the characters can be thought of as hopeless, self-centered, and to have no redeeming qualities. However, that was part of the novel's appeal. I've found that there are few books that stay away from the cliche everything-works-out endings, and Reyn was definitely not afraid to take that chance. A stellar debut on all counts!
I loved absolutely everything about this novel - from the mesmerizing descriptions, to novel's tragic sense of humor and the hopeless characters. Being a Russian immigrant myself, and having dated Bukharian men, I constantly found myself thinking, "Yes! This is exactly how things work!" while reading the book. Reyn's chapter on the "Great Russian Soul" was priceless; her take on the Jewish-Russian immigrants in NYC and the Bukharian community was dead-on.
This is not a happy-ending novel; the characters can be thought of as hopeless, self-centered, and to have no redeeming qualities. However, that was part of the novel's appeal. I've found that there are few books that stay away from the cliche everything-works-out endings, and Reyn was definitely not afraid to take that chance. A stellar debut on all counts!
