Customer Reviews

The Summer Garden: A Love Story

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading The Bronze Horseman for the third time and Tatiana & Alexander for the second, I got my hands on The Summer Garden (after ordering it from amazon.uk, of course).
The last in the trilogy, The Summer Garden was worth the wait. It works at a different speed than the other two. Where The Bronze Horseman was white-hot, full of adventure, betrayal and love and Tatiana & Alexander was full of tortured love, The Summer Garden is the "what happens next?"
When Tatiana and Alexander are finally able to be together, how do the handle their past and still manage to move forward? This book was much more about their relationship, rather than their love. Can they survive the day-to-day life and everything that goes with it?
Though this may seem like a boring premise for a book, it is actually quite engrossing. Seeing Alexander and Tatiana handle jobs and family and age may throw off some fans of The Bronze Horseman, but I couldn't put it down. I loved following these characters through the years. I think it was a great way to end the trilogy, I felt like I had lived the lives of these characters and when the characters are Tatiana and Alexander, that is a great feeling to have.
Now that I have finished this trilogy, I look forward to reading Simons' other novels.

*Possible Spoilers for those unfamiliar with the first two books*

The Summer Garden completes the trilgy that Paullina Simons began in The Bronze Horseman and continued in The Bridge to Holy Cross (UK title is Tatiana and Alexander), bringing to an end the story of lovers Tatiana and Alexander. The Bronze Horseman concerns the genesis of the love affair, when Alexander, a young soldier in the Red Army falls in love at first sight with Tatiana Metanova- the sister of his girlfriend, Dasha at the begining of the second World War. The lovers first challenge is attempting to navigate their relationship to avoid hurting Dasha with whom Tatiana is very close. However that quickly takes a backseat when the seige of Leningrad begins and Tatiana fights for her own survival and that of her family. Eventually Tatiana and Alexander marry but Alexander is called back to the front- Tatiana follows him until Alexander realizes that a secret from his past is putting both of their lives in danger. In desperation he fakes his own death (which he believes is imminant) and assures that a pregnant and grieving Tatiana will give birth to her child in America. The sequel begins soon after- we learn that though Alexander has been taken prisoner he has survived and is desperately trying to get to Tatiana. Meanwhile a heartbroken Tatiana tries to make a life for herself and her newborn son in America, but is tormented by her lack of closure regarding Alexander's death. In desperation Tatiana leaves her son, Anthony with a friend, joins the Red Cross and goes to a recently defeated Berlin where she discovers Alexander in a POW camp. Alexander and Tatiana succeed in a desparate escape from Europe and are reunited with their son in America where they begin their lives together.

Thus, the Summer Garden begins when Tatiana and Alexander, both barely into their 20's have survived the worst that the twentieth century, and humanity itself can offer. Their next challenge comes from one another-they must learn to adjust or a life where they can share a relationship openly, where they don't face death and destruction on a daily basis. After facing brutal battles, POW camps, and the horrors of the Holocaust, Alexander fears that he is too emotionally damaged to be a good husband and father. Meanwhile Tatiana misinterprets Alexander's emotional distance as a boordom with her and their son, Anthony. As the pair attempt to find a balance in their new life, cold war paranoia threatens their family. The first half of the novel deals with these very day to day challenges over the course of the next 3 decades. As readers we come to know Tatiana and Alexander as they learn to like eachother as well as love eachother, and deal with challenges that every couple, everwhere face. We get to know these heroic characters in a "normal" life as well as in life and death situations, and we feel that we know the characters better for it.

The second half of the novel deals witn life and death once again. When Anthony grows up as an American, he reveres his father to whom he is very similar. To his parents dismay he volunteers for active duty in Vietnam where he goes missing. Unsure if he has been taken prisoner or gone AWOL, the family is in a horrible limbo until a letter Anthony wrote to a former lover gives them an obsure clue. Now Alexander leaves his beloved Tatiana with their other children while he heads into the heart of Vietnam to rescue his son. Here, we truely see Alexander as a father for the first time: He is desperate to find his firstborn and desperate to survive the attempt and return to his family.

Parts of The Summer Garden feel tedious and slow moving because they deal with everyday challenges while we are used to seeing these characters face the extraordinary. But these are necessary challenges for Tatiana and Alexander to face in order to be believable in readers minds. At times I felt that Simons focused far too much on their characters sex lives but I realized that Tatiana and Alexander are able to reconnect and express feeling for one another physically long before they are able to do so verbally. These bedroom scenes that initially feel gratuitous are actually a way of depicting a growing relationship and the struggle to express the deapest reaches of love that the characters feel. While the other novels dealt with issues of life and death, this novel deals with life- what Tatiana and Alexander have fought for, for so long.

Interespersed with the action of the novel we see flashbacks of a time before the war, before Alexander, when a young Tatiana first is confronted with evil and the struggle to survive. This subplot also futher develops Tatiana's realationship with Dasha and why it so important to her in The Bronze Horseman.

As a trilogy we really come through these books with a sense of knowing these characters through and through- we see the events of Leningrad and their meeting through the eyes of Alexander as well as Tatiana, scenes from their childhoods and their experiences separately, as well as what they share together and why. This allows us to feel that we know them, and we care for them far more deeply- it allows us to share in their fears and stuggles and find joy in their day to day lives together.

I've now read everything Paullina Simons has written to date, and I can't wait for her next book. Now that I know "what happens next" I might reread this trilogy at a slower pace at some point so that I can savor it more.

Alexander and Tatiana met and fell in love in The Bronze Horseman. Separated by betrayal and a world war, the two overcame incredible odds to find each other again in Tatiana & Alexander. In The Summer Garden, the final book in the trilogy, they are together at last, yes, but strangers. Changed in irrevocable ways by the circumstances they endured while apart, both must strive to let go of painful memories and learn to communicate again. This book is full of emotional highs and lows, and great joyful moments, as Tatiana and Alexander carve out a new life for themselves and their young son in America. It's a must read for anyone who loved the first two books!

This third installment in the trilogy strongly finds its footing amidst the backdrop of America's Cold War. Tatiana & Alexander stumble along the way, trying to adjust to the more "mundane & everyday" course of living. They're trying to keep the fireworks alive in their marriage against the reality of 1950s conformity & conservatism (Simons really captures this era Extremely Well, reflective of peers, pressures -- very reminiscent of "Revolutionary Road").

On the path to rediscovering themselves and each other, this realistic portrayal of a Post-War Marriage finds universality no matter what era we're in, no matter which war. We all have our battles to face, be it our inner demons, our outer conflicts, finding meaningful work, while trying to meet each others needs and grow together. Everyday life ain't always easy.

To the Critics of this fine Swan Song, I say this: the thrill & adventure of the first 2 books (Bronze Horseman, Tatiana & Alexander) has No Place in this book! It is simply Not Realistic. The pacing is appropriate. And I still could not put the book down - I did not want this journey to end. For indeed, it is a journey of a lifetime.

To the Cynics of this story, is your life so fascinating & intense Every Day? Is it even possible to live it on the Edge like that? Bronze Horseman/Tatiana and Alexander captures all the highs & lows of a rollercoaster. And Summer Garden has plenty of highs & lows of its own. But it cannot be sustained in the "do or die" mode of WWII. It is not realistic.

My Grandfather fought in the French Resistance in WWII, hiding his family, risking his very life -- Can You Imagine the INTENSITY? The Stress? The Fear? The Audacity?

His reward was surviving and finally making his way to America, to make a home, make a life. The adjustment was Not Easy. So when I tell you that his love for my Grandmother surpassed all love stories, that their Old World Kitchen always smelled of food and bread, as my Grandfather twirled my Grandmother around the kitchen, kissing her in front of us grandchildren (mind, they were in their 70s and still in love as ever), I can say with certainty that Paullina Simons caught the True Essence of Survival and a Fully Lived Life.

And yes, my Grandfather carried his past along. He was Not Perfect. He was larger than life, like Alexander, even Cocky and Dominant like Alexander -- He Had To Be! It was HOW HE SURVIVED! And my Grandmother adored him for who he was -- just like Tatiana.

A Gorgeous Coda to Storytelling, that waaaay surpasses Diana Gabaldon's beat-the-horse-to-death Outlander series. The beauty here is that Paullina Simons wrote a satisfying life story in only 3 books. How I wish there was more! (I am looking forward to reading the anecdotal stories in the Cookbook, Tatiana's Table, next.)

Give this book a credit for what it is - a love story. And if you decide not to read it based on some pulp-fiction cheap romance reader critiques, then it's your loss. If you think you can do better, I challenge you to write your great american novel and get it published by a real publisher. Go for it. I dare you.

Meanwhile, I get the joy of cherishing these books again and again. Having lived vicariously through my Grandparents' stories of survival and love, I can tell you that Simons got it pegged in all 3 books! Bravo!

I knew that I was going to take my time on this book. It was the last of the triology and I waited SOOO long for this book that it gave me something to look forward to.

It was in no way, shape or form as good as The Bronze Horseman, but it eloquently ended the saga of Tatiana and Alexander. I was worried through the entire book that I would be depressed for weeks when it was done, but luckily I was wrong.

Paullina Simons cannot write a bad book. In fact, she cannot even write a good book. She has written only wonderful books.

Too much. Too, too much. Why extend a great love story into a trilogy? (Answer: it probably involved money.)

The Bronze Horseman was an excellent story in many ways: the tense secret that is behind Alexander; the story of his parents; the overwhelming love between Tatiana and Alexander, which they had to conceal for so long; the siege of Leningrad and what it did to Tatiana's family...for these qualities, I would rate TBH a 90. It's got some real flaws -a cast of mostly weak, somewhat stereotypical, supporting characters --only Tatiana and Alexander seem fully drawn. But their story is so readable, their relationship so tension-driven and ultimately so loving, you can hardly put the book down.

The sequel to TBH, Tatiana and Alexander, I thought was less good, showing up all the poor qualities of Simons as a writer. Once again: somewhat shallow, poorly drawn supporting characters, who surround Tatiana in America, and then her inconclusive wanderings throughout the USA before she suddenly retrieves the decisive and stubborn character she had become at the end of TBH, and makes a plan to rescue Alexander. But, on the other hand, we learn more about Alexander (some of it not very heroic) and the escape is admirably tension-filled, despite all those unbelievable stops to make love... I'd rate it a 65-70.

But THE SUMMER GARDEN. THE SUMMER GARDEN begs the question: How much is too much when it comes to a great love story?

It's not a bad book -- bad in the sense of being unreadable -- but, I had a hard time picking it up again once I put it down. It was HEAVY going. Especially toward the end, when the chapters begin to speak to what's going on with the couple's children and grandchildren, it just became... very methodical, very slow. It wasn't a novel anymore, it was a list: This grandchild married A, and had 3 children, B did this; C created that ...

I honestly thought 'Tatiana and Alexander' did the better job of closing out this couple's story. He was rescued by an exceptionally brave and loving woman, and then they lived happily thereafter. Had a few children. Still loved each other; maybe at slow simmer instead of hot flame. The End. Personally speaking, I didn't need to know more.

One thing is for sure: you will be emotionally drained when you finish this series. The story picks back up about a month after Tatiana and Alexander have returned from Russia. They are finally reunited after years of separation and suffering. YES!--but wait, life isn't exactly smooth sailing when they reach the states. Alexander copes (or rather tries to cope) with his past of torture while he was imprisoned. Interactions between the couple are awkward and tense, not to mention the new dynamic of adding a child to the mix. I couldn't keep the pages turning fast enough to see if these two could ever get back what they had in Russia.

Alexander and Tatiana are passionate, stubborn, and courageous. This mixture collides time after time to create some of the most tender (and on the flip-side) most fiery scenes. As with the previous two books, the dialog is brilliant. The problems they face in the states aren't as life-threatening as the ones in Russia, but they have just as much potential to destroy all they have fought for. Trust-Betrayal-Jealousy-Forgiveness: all the big ones. No one doubts how much these two love each other, but can their foundation that began in war-torn Leningrad stand the test of time?

One thing this book is NOT: predictable.

The author took some huge risks with the characters and storyline, and that made it wonderfully real to me. I cherished every second of it.

I cannot begin to explain how much this trilogy means to me. It is so powerful.

This book was such a wonderful read if you loved The Bronze Horseman, and Tatiana and Alexander. I devoured every page and loved reading about their lives in America. Splendid reading.

Without the blizzards and war of the Siege of Lenningrad and WWII in general, the Summer Garden becomes a very different kind of story for Tatiana and Alexander who have finally reunited in America. With their son they rediscover who they are and meet challenges that neither could have seen coming. Their personalities and the ways in which they conflict and bind them together are so masterfully illustrated - these characters become so completely alive to the reader. They both come from such unimaginable struggles it is difficult to believe they could have a normal life - and both Tatiana and Alexander struggle with this idea as well. A wonderful closing to the beautiful story of the most dynamic love story ever written.

The Summer Garden is the third book of the Tatiana and Alexander trilogy which began with The Bronze Horseman.

Now living in the United States with their son, Anthony, Tatiana and Alexander seek to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of World War II. Alexander is dealing with trauma from his time as a POW in Germany and it is getting in the way of happiness with Tatiana. The family travels all over the country, earning a living doing odd jobs while trying to find their way back to one another amid struggles, bitter fights, blame and accusations. It is a painful period for both--each questioning the strength of their love for the other and Anthony constantly caught in between, at times, resenting his father's presence; his place as the man of the house upsurped by his own father.

The Summer Garden deals with the ups and downs of a marriage spanning nearly half a century, taking us on a ride of joy, tragedy, sorrow and danger. It is possible to read Simons's second book, "Tatiana and Alexander" and leave the story at that. The Summer Garden is not necessary unless you need to know what happens next--which turns out to be the reality and not the fairy tale.

With that, I have to cover some of the things I didn't care for in the story and that is it's uneccessary length. What we really needed was a good editor. Much of the details of T&A minutia could have been edited, as well as the excessive talk about Reagan's cold war era defence policies and the excessively long Thanksgiving Day celebration, which Simons uses to tell us about Tatiana and Alexander's grandchildren ad nauseum. I kept finding myself saying, "Alright, the book is almost over. Finish it already!"

Simons still manages to write an engaging book but much of the magic of the Bronze Horseman is missing because there is no longer any great anticipation between the two lovers. Now it becomes a story of a married couple trying to keep life from tearing them apart. Of course, they succeed, but not without its battle scars. (I have to say that I enjoyed the pre-Alexander story of Tatiana's summer in Luga more than the heaviness of their life in present-day America.)

A highly engaging but uneccessary to the saga read.