Helpful Score: 1
ochen skooshnya kniga (russian: very boring book). Where do I start with this train wreck? Pella is with her co-writer Phillips and it shows. I can only presume that he was the one responsible for the editing, and perhaps keeping this book somewhat realistic in its purpose. This book is a great departure in the series. I caution those who have read the first three, this one was a chore to get through. As the name suggests, it is about the next generation of Federcenkos/Bureninin (Christinin) clans. I have question many things about the previous books in authenticity and plausibility and this one is no different. It is a bit Russian, with some Russian history, but more like diet soda --never a replacement for the real thing. The 4th book skips some 15-16 years. Somehow we are to believe that Tsar Alexander III's reign was mostly peaceful and boring, which is why it was skipped. Not true, check history, and you will see more revolutionary pot boiling before Nicholas II comes to the throne. (Maybe she was in a hurry and couldn't wait to get to Nicholas?) Believe it or not, the violence was nothing like the first two books depicted. Alexander III's reign did nothing to cool the movement, only provided a steady acceleration. The real seeds of the revolution sow in the years that the author OMITS. Outside of making Mariana old enough to court men and reunite with Count Dmitri, this makes little sense to skip a formidable point in the Russian revolutionary movement. (This is the same series that starts with Alexander II reign --15 years AFTER the freeing of the serfs. The book series should have started with Alexander III's reign with the opening scene Alexander II's death.) As a student of Russian history, I wondered where this series would hit a serious snag plot and time line wise and here it is. I won't go into the ludicrous introduction of American Daniel Trent and Anickin helping out the strike movements in America--too bizarre. If you don't care about authenticity and history, this may be fine book. However, even then, it was quite boring. Folks, this may have inspired me to write my own--at least I respect Russian history.
