Customer Reviews

Tatiana and Alexander

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To me, The Bronze Horseman was an acquired taste -- I wasn't crazy about it in the beginning, but it won me over in more ways than one by the time the book came to end. I was dying to read the sequel, but said sequel isn't available yet here in the US, so I had to order a copy on the UK site. Tatiana and Alexander is not only a brilliant sequel, it is by far better than the first installment. This novel captured me in so many ways it is unbelievable. So, this one picks up where TBH left off. The World War II Leningrad is in progress, and it has torn Tatiana and Alexander apart. Tatiana, bearing Alex's unborn child, flees to America where she finds work, makes friends and begins a life that more or less makes sense. But her terrible grief plagues her. She thinks Alexander is dead, and she finds this knowledge difficult to cope. Alexander isn't dead, but he might as well be. He is to be executed for treason and espionage. And the fact that he's an American passing off as a Russian citizen may not help his case. Will these two star-crossed lovers be together again, or will the war come between them indefinitely? There are various twists throughout the novel.

This novel captured me in such a way that it was almost impossible to put down from the moment I started reading it. The protagonists are so much more well rounded and better developed this time around. The further development is essential, for I felt that the author focused too much on the aspect of the Leningrad Siege than in the characters in TBH. Well, the main characters were well developed -- it was the secondary characters that felt underdeveloped to me -- but knowing more about them is great. The way the story is written leaves you with a feeling that you want to read more. And, boy, do I wish there were another sequel out! This novel enthralled me and made me cry in various occasions and my heart went out for Tatiana and Alexander. Theirs is a love that has gone through all kinds of trials and struggles and yet fails to die. The historical aspects are wonderful and accurate. You can tell that the author used a lot of attention to detail in the writing process. This saga has gotten all the better and I've begun to like it more than Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I hope the author will come out with more because I am dying to know what will happen next. Paullina Simons is a must-read author and I can't wait to read the next installment of this enlightening historical saga.

I needed more Tatiana and Alexander, so the book was a real treat. However, I am not writing to review the book, rather to alert people that "TATIANA and ALEXANDER" is the same book as "THE BRIDGE TO HOLY CROSS" by Paullina Simons. It has a different title and cover picture, but the ONLY OTHER difference is the size of the print. I did receive a better price on "TATIANA and ALEXANDER" and the print was larger.

In this melodramatic, epic sequel to "The Bronze Horseman", Paullina Simons follows Tatiana and Alexander after their parting when Alexander is presumed dead, and pregnant Tatiana escapes to America via Finland and Sweden. Love and war are the two main motifs here and the story focuses more on Alexander, than on Tatiana (who was the central character in "The Bronze Horseman"), although the action goes back and forth between these two protagonists. Additionally, the time and space constraints do not apply (as opposed to "The Bronze Horseman" where the rules of chronology applied, here the narration is non-linear) - the action jumps freely between the past, when Alexander is a boy and a teenager, and present, when he struggles during the war as a prisoner and soldier, and between Alexander's journey from Russia to Germany, and Tatiana's life in the New York City with their baby son, Anthony.

The novel begins in Boston, in the 1930s, when Alexander's parents, the Barringtons, make the crucial decision to emigrate to the Soviet Union and renounce the American citizenship. This was already mentioned in "The Bronze Horseman", but here Alexander's family life and childhood in the Soviet Union are described in grisly detail. The disappointment with Communism and subsequent deterioration of the family shape Alexander into the tough, secretive man, living only for himself, desperate to survive, running away into the steppe and finally to Leningrad, where he becomes an officer in the Red Army - until he meets Tatiana and the love for her turns his life upside down. Alexander survives Soviet prison and interrogations, the work with the prisoners' battalion, the escape with the soldiers under his command through ruined Poland, running away from the ruthless, deathly Stalinist system, and the prisoners' camp in Germany, although he is starving, wounded and physically at the end of his capability. On his way, he meets Tatiana's long lost twin brother, only to lose him again, and tests the friendship and the military fidelity and discipline.

Tatiana in America holds to the strange, unexplainable belief, that in Europe torn apart by the war she can find her husband, although everyone believes him dead. All her efforts are directed only towards this goal, To reunite with Alexander, she overcomes unbelievable obstacles and, of course, they are finally reunited and move to Arizona (I hope this is not a spoiler, since it is the ending to be expected in such novel, isn't it?)... So that their story can be continued in the last part of the trilogy, "The Summer Garden", which I cannot wait to read.

Surely, the ending in Arizona is a little absurd (although, who knows, maybe it was possible then), as well as all the coincidences that bring Tatiana and Alexander together. When the novel is read as a romance, it is pretty old-fashioned (rare nowadays in the tradition of "Gone With the Wind", "Doctor Zhivago" or "The Blue Bicycle"), and no doubt, delivers its promise and is a material for a great movie. For me, the highest value of "Tatiana and Alexander" is in the fabularized background and descriptions of the reality of the Soviet life in the hardest period of the 1930s, the spies and moles, the interrogation methods. Paullina Simons was born in Leningrad, in the dissident family. Her parents and grandparents, heavily stricken by the Communist regime and the war, escaped to the US in 1973, when Paullina was 10, so probably she has some first-hand information about the times, which she faithfully portrayed in her novels.

I first read "Bronze Horseman" in 2001, when I purchased it in England (before it came out in the U.S.) I got so wrapped up in it, that I purchased my copy of Tatiana and Alexander from England because it wasn't coming out fast enough for me. Tatiana and Alexander is a continuation of the "Bronze Horseman," which was a fantastic read, with a hanging ending - and Tatiana and Alexander provides more of the saga in a riveting way. I really hated to put the book down to go do other things - the story was so captivating and the characters were so real. As a novice on 20th century Russian History, Ms. Simons does an great job providing an accurate, historical canvas to weave her story of two individuals whose love for each other is so powerful that it can persevere through separation and war. Be sure to read the Bronze Horseman before this however.

In this melodramatic, epic sequel to "The Bronze Horseman", Paullina Simons follows Tatiana and Alexander after their parting when Alexander is presumed dead, and pregnant Tatiana escapes to America via Finland and Sweden. Love and war are the two main motifs here and the story focuses more on Alexander, than on Tatiana (who was the central character in "The Bronze Horseman"), although the action goes back and forth between these two protagonists. Additionally, the time and space constraints do not apply (as opposed to "The Bronze Horseman" where the rules of chronology applied, here the narration is non-linear) - the action jumps freely between the past, when Alexander is a boy and a teenager, and present, when he struggles during the war as a prisoner and soldier, and between Alexander's journey from Russia to Germany, and Tatiana's life in the New York City with their baby son, Anthony.

The novel begins in Boston, in the 1930s, when Alexander's parents, the Barringtons, make the crucial decision to emigrate to the Soviet Union and renounce the American citizenship. This was already mentioned in "The Bronze Horseman", but here Alexander's family life and childhood in the Soviet Union are described in grisly detail. The disappointment with Communism and subsequent deterioration of the family shape Alexander into the tough, secretive man, living only for himself, desperate to survive, running away into the steppe and finally to Leningrad, where he becomes an officer in the Red Army - until he meets Tatiana and the love for her turns his life upside down. Alexander survives Soviet prison and interrogations, the work with the prisoners' battalion, the escape with the soldiers under his command through ruined Poland, running away from the ruthless, deathly Stalinist system, and the prisoners' camp in Germany, although he is starving, wounded and physically at the end of his capability. On his way, he meets Tatiana's long lost twin brother, only to lose him again, and tests the friendship and the military fidelity and discipline.

Tatiana in America holds to the strange, unexplainable belief, that in Europe torn apart by the war she can find her husband, although everyone believes him dead. All her efforts are directed only towards this goal, To reunite with Alexander, she overcomes unbelievable obstacles and, of course, they are finally reunited and move to Arizona (I hope this is not a spoiler, since it is the ending to be expected in such novel, isn't it?)... So that their story can be continued in the last part of the trilogy, "The Summer Garden", which I cannot wait to read.

Surely, the ending in Arizona is a little absurd (although, who knows, maybe it was possible then), as well as all the coincidences that bring Tatiana and Alexander together. When the novel is read as a romance, it is pretty old-fashioned (rare nowadays in the tradition of "Gone With the Wind", "Doctor Zhivago" or "The Blue Bicycle"), and no doubt, delivers its promise and is a material for a great movie. For me, the highest value of "Tatiana and Alexander" is in the fabularized background and descriptions of the reality of the Soviet life in the hardest period of the 1930s, the spies and moles, the interrogation methods. Paullina Simons was born in Leningrad, in the dissident family. Her parents and grandparents, heavily stricken by the Communist regime and the war, escaped to the US in 1973, when Paullina was 10, so probably she has some first-hand information about the times, which she faithfully portraited in her novels.

As always, the first will always be the best and the most memorable but like myself and many others, I simply cannot get enough of Tatia and Shura.

TATIANA & ALEXANDER is the sequel to THE BRONZE HORSEMAN, both, by Paullina Simons. I felt that TATIANA & ALEXANDER was a very emotional story compared to the first novel. Critics say that this novel was almost as well written as the first, and that the characters were more developed. However, to me, it WAS more emotional and it pained me to the point that I cannot go on any further. It took me a WHOLE year to finish this novel, just because I was busy with work, university, and boyfriend (we know how boyfriends can take A LOT of our time). But I knew I had to finish it to know what becomes of Tatia and her Shura.
I felt that it was excurciatingly slow at first. It seemed like the story brightened up and took a turn of fate when I was three quarters of the way from finishing it. I get bored easily when a novel drags on, part of the reason why it took me a year to finish.

There is also a final novel of the Bronze Horseman series called THE SUMMER GARDEN. I will not spoil the story but reading this novel is not a necessity unless you are a fan of Tatiana and Alexander. But, you DO have to read TATIANA & ALEXANDER for your heart to have rest and your mind to be at peace.

Happy Readings!

Tatiana and Alexander are going on my list of most favorite couples of all time. I finished the Bronze Horseman (which, by the way, is an absolute must read before trying this one-- you will not come anywhere near realizing the depth of emotion unless you read that first) and then had to wait two weeks to get my copy of this book shipped from the UK. It was SO worth the wait. I sobbed through parts of it as though these people were my family members, and was astounded at the gift the author has for wringing emotion from the reader and truly capturing "it" with words. The ending left me breathless. Paullina Simons blew me away with this series, and they are all on my keeper shelf where they will stay so I can re-read them over and over again. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Another riveting novel by Paullina Simons. This sequel completes the story of The Bronze Horseman that had the cliffhanger ending. The emotions are again very strong and so sad in places that I had to break away from the book for awhile before I could continue reading. This is the story of such an enduring love that you will be enthralled.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Tatiana and Alexander are separated for the majority of this book and don't even know if one another is alive. World War 2 is shown in its grueling, depressing, and gritty reality as the two lovers attempt to deal with their lives without each other. I was also intrigued to read about Ellis Island and New York City during the war. Tatiana is an endearing and wonderfully strong character, packed in the tiny body of a young woman. She has more determination, stamina, and faith than 10 people together. She is not a Christian, but does more angelic deeds and has a more moral character than any heroine I have ever read about in this type of fiction. Alexander is the warrior of warriors or the "Eveready battery bunny" that just keeps going and going and going despite unsurmountable hardships. A good portion of the book is told through his eyes. Although he attempts to always do the right thing, he manages to surround himself with "friends" who betray him. Tatiana is the only steadfast beacon of hope in his life. (I loved everything about Alexander except his chain-smoking.) If you can make it through several hundreds of pages of painful emotions, you will be rewarded with a happy ending.

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that it is too difficult to find. Local bookstores in the USA do not carry it, but Amazon does.

I was lucky enough to have read The Bronze Horseman written by this superb author a few years ago. At that time, I was completely taken by her elegant words and heart-wrenching look at one of the most truly powerful love stories since Dr. Zhivago first premiered on the scene.

Just in case you're one of the unlucky ones who missed the first book, each fantastic page introduced readers to Tatiana and Alexander. My heart was stolen when I first came across Tatiana. This was a young woman - teenager - who had the bravery and courage of a lioness. Her will was so strong, absolutely no one could stop her from doing what she thought was right. She met Alexander, who was a young officer in the Red Army. Although not born in Russia, Alexander had a back story (which is explored in this second book). When they first met, the backdrop was the horrible invasion that Hitler mounted in 1941 against Russia. And, I have to tell you - from the scenery to the intricate historical detail - this author "hit the ball out of the park."

Now, in this second tale, we meet back up with Tatiana who believes that her life is absolutely shattered. Alexander is dead...so she thinks, and the child they made together is growing inside her as she stares out at the boats in the wharf, wondering whether or not it's even worth it to flee the country and try to build a life for her baby. There is a part of her that truly believes she should give up, because without the love of her life, nothing much matters to Tatiana anymore. But her ramrod-straight spine and powerful will pushes her forward, and the next time she sees a `misty glass-like expanse of greenish sea' there is a huge iron arm lifted in the air, holding her mighty flame of freedom above the NY harbor and welcoming Tatiana to her new home.

Alexander, meanwhile, hasn't died; although, with the pain and agony of being held in a prison where Stalin's secret police have accused him of being a spy, there are times when Alexander wishes he'd perished on the battlefield. All he can think of is that his beloved Tatiana made it out of the horrific country and is starting a new life for herself in America. The author unveils Alexander's, past as he sits in prison thinking about how he got in the position he finds himself. We go back in time to see when he and his family left the safer, white-shingled, peaceful American town behind, in order to go to Russia and stand-up for their communist views. Long ago, when Alexander was eleven, his father told him that he was so excited to go back home to Russia and live in freedom - shouting their communist ideas from the hilltops. The man so wanted to live his faith and beliefs without being persecuted. Unfortunately, Alexander's parents weren't quite prepared for the wretched smells, fetid and dark hotels, and slovenly conditions that they were walking directly into.

My favorite chapters of this book are still the ones that focus on the road that Tatiana has to travel. As a long admirer and researcher of Ellis Island, it was so interesting to be by Tatiana's side as she went through inspection, met up with a Doctor and his nurse who help the immigrants coming to shore, and raise her baby in (still, to this day) the most remarkable city on the map. When Tatiana sees the buildings crowded together in that amazing skyline, you - as the reader - can only imagine what the upstart NYC looked like to the people who had nowhere else to go, and came to our shores with fear, desperation, and, most of all, hope in their hearts and minds.

Every chapter of this book is a surprise, and the romance is still one of the most beautiful I've ever read. In fact, one of my favorite lines from any book comes from this author when Tatiana said: "We walk alone through this world, but if we are lucky, we have a moment of belonging to something, to someone, that sustains us through a lifetime of loneliness." You just can't get more perfect than that when it comes to showing readers a love so powerful and pure. Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Amy Lignor, [...] Reviewer

There is now a 3rd book in the series called The Summer Garden. It follows Tatiana & Alexander's life in USA through all the ups and downs of living with their memories. Again it is a book that is impossible to put down.