[(Russka)] [ By (author) Edward Rutherfurd ] [June, 1998]

Another one of the same. Sarum and The Forest, and now Russka. I do like the format but I did get a bit fed up three quarters of the way through.The author constantly alludes to things which are about to happen in the next scene e.g. "Afterwards, she could never explain to herself how it was that the madness had seized her..." or "He was bound to have got into trouble sooner or later. And as Olga reminded Alexis, one didn't have to do much to be in hot water these days". This put me on tenterhooks and instead of relaxing with this book I was constantly waiting for the sword of Damacles to fall on the poor unfortunate whose turn it was in that part of the story.However, and it is a big however - I shall never see Russia and its surrounding lands in the same way again. I have an understanding of the country's history and thereby, a much better understanding of its present. Although I did get bogged down by page 700 (who can blame me) I still want to get starting on Edward Rutherford's London as soon as I've finished the frothy historical novel I've just started (to give my brain and my blood pressure a rest).