Original title: The Bronze HorsemanPublisher: HarperCollins
Release date: Januray 1st, 1997
Finished date: February 23rd, 2015
Pages: 912
Read in: English
Synopsis
The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.
Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.
Source: GoodReads
Final Rating: ★★★★
«“I found my true love on Ulitsa Saltykov-Schedrin, while I sat on a bench eating ice cream.”
“You didn’t find me. You weren’t even looking for me. I found you.”Long pause. “Alexander, were you… looking for me?”“All my life.”»~~~~~«Alexander was the one who crossed the street and said, I’m yours.»
I read this over a period of 8 days. I can tell you right away that this was not due to my not liking the story. It was because unfortunately, I do not read for a living, and I couldn't stretch the hours on my days enough to read 900 pages non-stop.
In The Bronze Horseman we follow Tatiana, a young and incredibly naïve Russian girl through the beginning and then the development of World War II.
«The Russians were unparalleled in their suffering, the English in their reserve, the Americans in their love of life, the Italians in their love of Christ, and the French in their hope of love.»
This was her idea of the different nations in the beginning of the book. I have seldom seen such a huge character development in a book. Tatiana starts out as a weakling and ends up as a strong and remarkable woman.
It is written beautifully. I felt cold when she felt cold, I felt hungry when she was hungry. And I felt the overwhelming despair of not being able to do anything about it.
Yes, a major part of this book portrays a love-triangle. But this is the kind of love-triangle I don’t mind reading about. One that is well-written. One that is not the whole plot.
Throughout the book, we see very clearly the interaction between Tatiana and Alexander evolve with and because of war. I loved their first moments together, sweet short moments in which innocence was still present.
“In America we have a custom. When you’re given presents for your birthday, you’re supposed to open them and say thank you.”
Tatiana nervously looked down at the present. “Thank you.” Gifts were not something she was used to. Wrapped gifts? Unheard of, even when they came wrapped only in plain brown paper.“No. Open first. Then say thank you.”She smiled. “What do I do? Do I take the paper off?”“Yes. You tear it off.”“And then what?”“And then you throw it away.”“The whole present or just the paper?”Slowly he said, “Just the paper.”“But you wrapped it so nicely. Why would I throw it away?”“It’s just paper.”“If it’s just paper, why did you wrap it?”“Will you please open my present?” said Alexander.
The following extended review contains spoilers
If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.
