Russian Winter (Paperback)
Description
When Nina Revskaya puts her remarkable jewelry collection up for auction, the former Bolshoi Ballet star finds herself overwhelmed by memories of her homeland, and of the events, both glorious and heartbreaking, that changed her life half a century earlier. It was in Russia that she discovered the magic of dance and fell in love, and where, faced with Stalinist aggression, a terrible discovery incited a deadly act of betrayal—and an ingenious escape to the West.
Nina has kept her secrets for half a lifetime. But now Drew Brooks, an inquisitive associate at a Boston auction house, and Grigori Solodin, a professor who believes Nina's jewels hold the key to unlocking his past, begin to unravel her story—setting in motion a series of revelations that will have life-altering consequences for them all.
About the Author
DAPHNE KALOTAY, author of the acclaimed Calamity and Other Stories, has a Ph.D. in literature from Boston University, and she has since taught creative writing at Middlebury College, Boston University and Skidmore College. Kalotay has received fellowships from the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, Vassar, Yaddo and the MacDowell Colony. She lives in the Boston area. Visit her online at www.daphnekalotay.com.
Praise for Russian Winter…
âeoeAn exceptional debut novel. . . . Delving into Ninaâe(TM)s life with the Bolshoi Ballet, her life among the Soviet Unionâe(TM)s artist community and her escape from the Stalinist regime add glamour and historical flavor to this novel of secrets, intrigue and wonderfully described priceless gems.âe
-USA Today
âeoeWith sure and suspenseful artistry, Daphne Kalotay intersperses the unfortunate and tortuous histories of Nina, Elsin, and their artist friends with new discoveries and disclosures. The several stories draw together in a conclusion that is surprising, fitting, and satisfying.âe
-Boston Globe
âeoePart romance, part mystery, this elegant debut captures the dangerâe"and refugeâe"of love in Stalinâe(TM)s era.âe
-Good Housekeeping
âeoeThis tale of a Russian ballerina who defected to Boston is a history lesson inside an evocative novel about art and betrayal.âe
-O magazine
âeoeDaphne Kalotay captivates in a soaring debut novel. An elegant, compelling puzzle of family, memory and solitude that brings to life modern-day Boston and postwar Russia through a profound love story. Graceful, moving and unexpected.âe
-Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club
âeoeTender, passionate, and moving, Daphne Kalotayâe(TM)s debut novel about ballet, jewels, love and betrayal is also a delicious form of time travel. I loved it.âe
-Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us
âeoeRUSSIAN WINTER. . . is engaging and affecting. It could well be the debut novel of the year.âe
-Philadelphia Inquirer
âeoeA complex story that, in the end, boils down to the simplest of elements: love, fear, disappointment and loss. An auspicious first novel, elegantly written and without a false note.âe
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
âeoeKalotay has created appealing, well-rounded characters in well-researched settings. . . . This is a briskly paced, fresh, and engaging first novel dealing with the pain of loss and the power of love.âe
-Booklist
âeoe[A] magnificent tale of love, loss, betrayal and redemption. . . . The emotional center of the book holds everything together. . . . [A] final riptide of revelations leaves the reader profoundly moved.âe
-Washington Post Book World
âeoeKalotay has brought to life hidden worlds with the verve of an expertly executed tour jeté.âe
-Maclean's
