I won this book from Librarything. I seemed to have developed a fascination with contemporary Russia. I look for books and novels set in 20th and 21stI won this book from Librarything. I seemed to have developed a fascination with contemporary Russia. I look for books and novels set in 20th and 21st century Eastern Europe. The picture of life for most people is both bleak and fascinating. Pomerantsez's Russia is no different. Given his work as a television producer of what is notionally "reality tv" for over 10 years in Russia, he has accumulated a tremendous amount of interesting information about the politics and economics of contemporary Russia, and anecdotes about the lives of various people living in this somewhat crazy world. Also, because the author is a native Russian speaker -- who lived in the UK for most of his adult life -- he seems well positioned to get information and to digest. Unfortunately, at times the information and anecdotes are presented rather randomly and without any real narrative or theme. This explains my 3 star rating. However, it is worth the read for those interested in the subject matter....more
I won this book on Librarything and really did not know anything about the book, publisher or author. I was quite surprised to receive such a thin booI won this book on Librarything and really did not know anything about the book, publisher or author. I was quite surprised to receive such a thin book with big writing. Another reviewer on Goodreads gave it context. I gather it is designed to encourage adult new or reluctant readers. With that perspective, I appreciated it. The characters and story are very light, but it's quite funny. The comparison to Janet Evanovich is apt. And it's set in Hamilton Ontario, which is quite an achievement. ...more
I won this book from Librarything, and I was glad I did. I was not familiar with Grodstein and don't think I would have chosen to buy this book based I won this book from Librarything, and I was glad I did. I was not familiar with Grodstein and don't think I would have chosen to buy this book based on the description of the story. I would have assumed that it was meant to be didactic. However, it was beautifully written and deceptively complex. Characters struggling with faith, science and how to make sense of life. There is no clean resolution, but a suggestion that extremism in any form is dangerous, and that meaning can come from small and big connections between people. None of which is conveyed in a didactic manner, but rather through lovely complex characters. It make me feel like reading other books by Grodstein....more
I won this book from Librarything's early reviewer program, so here comes my honest review. The writing was very readable in its sparse simplicity. I I won this book from Librarything's early reviewer program, so here comes my honest review. The writing was very readable in its sparse simplicity. I liked the concept of the story -- a story about a man who locks himself up in a room for three years following the death of his son for which he feels responsible. I found his wife's agony about his refusal to leave his room and engage with her was vivid and heart wrenching. But I must agree with other reviewers who found the character of the "rental sister" to be an unrealistic male fantasy. Her emotions were unreal. And the ease with which they start a sexual relationship and the main character consequently leaves his room have the effect of making his grief seem shallow. To sum up: readable but somewhat frustrating....more
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