Customer Reviews

The White Night of St. Petersburg

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was not a bad book, but, I think the fact that it's a translation from the French does give it it a stiff quality. (I think there is also a ghostwriter involved.) Also, the initial leap from present to past is somewhat awkward in execution (the first chapter begins like a memoir in the first-person, then proceeds into a novel, occasionally returning to the first-person.)

There were parts of this book that were better than others, particularly when the action was restrained to the characters of Nikolai & Fanny (where the writing really came alive), but then, there were sections that dragged a bit (for me, the sections written in the first-person).

However, the story grew on me, and it always held my interest. I think 3 stars is a fair rating as I don't think I'd want to read this one again, which is my criteria for a 4 or 5 star read.

An interesting slice of history, well written, competently translated. Other books of Prince Michael's show photos of this Romanov who survived Soviet Russia, in Moscow, living long enough to see the fall of Communism. Fascinating!

I couldnt even finish reading this book. Prince Michael has done better.