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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorker's treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanov's. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia's Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller's daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya's letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend.
From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigre's who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history.
Review:
I love historical novels that tell me about a part of history I don't know much about. While, of course, I have been taught about the Russian revolution that lead to the formation of the Soviet Union, I didn't know much beyond the execution of the royal family. Lost Roses, by Martha Hall Kelly, filled in the gaps with gripping details of how the lives of both peasants and aristocrats were turned upside-down by the forces of change. I liked the narrative style, the historical details, the various settings, and the characters. While I wish the story focused less on the ultra wealthy, this was still a very compelling novel.
What I Liked:
Narrative Style:I liked the alternating chapters with the first person narratives of three characters: Eliza (a wealthy American), Sofya (Eliza's aristocratic Russian friend), and Varinka (a peasant girl hired by Sofya). Each woman's story intersected with another. While they each had their own concerns and worries, all of them are swept up in the historical events of WWI and the Russian revolution.
Historical Details:
The depth of historical details in this book is truly breathtaking. From what each character wore, to what they ate, to how they amused themselves, a vivid picture of the time comes into focus. I was surprised by how rigid American mourning rituals were, especially considering this was only a hundred years ago. The emphasis on letter writing, and reading books was also wonderful to read.
Characters:
Each of the three main characters has a compelling story. Eliza Ferriday is a wealthy American who seems to be, at first, unaffected by world events. She is friends with Sofya and is worried sick when their communications are cut off during the Russian Revolution. To alleviate her fears for her friend, she creates a charity to help recent Russian immigrants in the United States. But soon, WWI begins to affect even Eliza as men are shipped overseas to fight in the war.
Sofya is a newly married school friend of Eliza's. She visits Eliza in America at the beginning of the story, but soon must return to Russia. Sofya's harsh change in circumstances over the course of the book brings to light how brutal the revolution was on aristocrats.
Varinka is the youngest main character. A young teen as the story begins, she is continually abused by another peasant. I think since she was so used to being mistreated, she has a hard time sympathizing with anyone else's pain.
If you've read the author's other novel, Lilac Girls, you will also recognize Eliza'a daughter, Caroline Ferriday. In this novel, we see Caroline as a young girl. While this is a fun extra, she is not the main focus of Lost Roses.
What I Didn't Like:
Focus:I really wish there would have been a greater focus on the sufferings of other types of people than just the wealthy in Russia. While the author certainly does use Varinka's story to show how peasants viewed the revolution, the main focus was on the suffering of the aristocracy. Yes, they did suffer greatly, but middle and lower income people suffered for centuries under Imperial rule. It's hard to feel badly for Sofya's family when they had been profiteering off the masses for centuries.
Character's Awareness:
I wish that Sofya, in particular, had a little more awareness about the suffering of the masses caused by the ruling class in Russia. She had many opportunities to make amends (especially when she had all the information concerning secret Swiss bank accounts). Instead, the book focuses in on how much Sofya has lost. This made it hard for me to empathize with Sofya.
Rating:
Release Date: April 9th, 2019
Author: Martha Hall Kelly
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 448 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: With excellent historical details, this is a gripping novel of the Russian revolution.
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