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44th out of 558 books
—
464 voters
Push Not the River
by
James Conroyd Martin (Goodreads Author)
A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style, Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries and divided loyalties. It is then, at the young and vulnerable age of seventeen, when Lady Anna Maria Berezowska loses both of her parent...more
Paperback, 496 pages
Published
September 2nd 2004
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2000)
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After reading some enthusiastic reviews, I decided to read this one -- and I hated it. Set in the late 18th century, it tells the story of a young Polish countess, Anna Maria, who goes through every sort of mayhem and abuse during the partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia and Austria. Improbable situations, one-note characters and 'tell, not show' writing sunk this one for me. I understand there's a sequel, but I'm not going there.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/re...more
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/re...more
This is one of those books that I should probably think is terrible, but I.Just.Could.Not.Stop.Reading. Supposedly, this novel is based upon an 18th century Polish noblewoman's diary which was suppressed by her descendants for its scandalous content. The heroine, Anna Maria, certainly goes through all manner of trials and tribulations - everything from rape to being caught in her selfish cousin's scheming. Even though the characterizations are a bit thin and the events more than a bit melodramat...more
This book seemed long at first but I got into it right away. This historical novel takes place during the 1770's in Poland while the French Revolution was developing. Many Polish aristocrats wanted to make reforms not only to save themselves from the guillotine but because they believed in a more democratic way of life for all. Catherine of Russia had her sight on Poland and it was not too long before she helped to divide the opinion of the aristocracy to take over the country aided by Prussia a...more
PUSH NOT THE RIVER is a dream of a book for lovers of historical fiction, panoramic sagas and/or romance novels. Based upon the actual diary of an eighteenth century Polish Countess, Anna Maria Berezowska, this tale sweeps the reader into an adventure in Polish history as they experience the Third of May Constitution which granted freedom to noblemen and peasants alike. The resulting violence and intrigue generated by the Constitution produced an outcome that devastated Poland. It was repeatedly...more
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Based on the diaries of two women who lived during tumultuous Poland in the late 1700s, the novel mirrors the tumultuous lives of Anna Maria Berezowska and Zofia Gronskathose and their families. All of the characters are vivid and real, the plot advances quickly, and it is a time-losing page-turner. While I had a hard time feeling sorry for the ostentatious and cruel aristocrats of Poland, like Zofia, who emulated their peers in Revolutionary France, at the same time I felt pity for the nobles,...more
“Push Not the River” is a gripping tale of love and loss, not just on a personal scale, but on a national scale, as the Polish nation is finally taken over by the Russians in 1794. “Push Not the River,” is a story based on the Countess Anna Maria Berezowska’s diary which she kept from 1791-1794. Her story is fascinating, compelling, and will have the reader anxiously turning the page to find out what happens next.
The story begins with seventeen-year-old Anna reeling from the loss of her immediat...more
The story begins with seventeen-year-old Anna reeling from the loss of her immediat...more
Push Not the River is based on a Polish Countess' diary in the late 1700s. Anna Maria was born into Polands Noble class and reached adulthood during the time of the French Revolution. It was fascinating to read how the French's peasant uprising effected the rest of Europe.
About the plot...The book is long, but you don't notice because it is packed with action. This is one book where you can't guess what will happen next. I'm dying to read the actual diary to see how closely the author stayed to...more
About the plot...The book is long, but you don't notice because it is packed with action. This is one book where you can't guess what will happen next. I'm dying to read the actual diary to see how closely the author stayed to...more
I'm not sure what to say about this book other than to admonish everyone to read it. There are a few different kinds of historical fiction: the mushy, the heavy on the historical, and the brilliant mix of proper history and spectacular story telling. Push Not the River is that later one.
I know next to nothing about the Polish Partitions other than the very basics from my history courses. I knew there were three of them where the empires of Russia, Austria and Prussia swallowed Poland whole; why...more
I know next to nothing about the Polish Partitions other than the very basics from my history courses. I knew there were three of them where the empires of Russia, Austria and Prussia swallowed Poland whole; why...more
2 1/2 stars. Although this was not the author's fault, the numerous mistakes in the e-book version was distracting and incredibly frustrating. I might have enjoyed this book a little more had it not been for the misplaced question marks, numbers and lack of correct spacing between words.
The story was supposedly based on a diary found of a young noble woman in Poland in the late 18th century. I don't know whether the real woman suffered as many injustices as the character did in the novel, but it...more
The story was supposedly based on a diary found of a young noble woman in Poland in the late 18th century. I don't know whether the real woman suffered as many injustices as the character did in the novel, but it...more
This was an amazing book! It is historical fiction and based on the journals of a young Polish woman during the late 1700's. If the novel followed her life at all closely - she lived through one incredible event after the other. I couldn't put the book down and was captivated from the very begining.
I am looking forward to reading the sequel!
I am looking forward to reading the sequel!
First of I love historical fiction...I just wished this had more history in it (and a little less of a romance novel feel). There were parts that were risque. I did love the overall story and the conflict between the two main characters (cousins who both left written records...their translated journals were the basis for this story). I'd love to read the actual journals. Still, I have a personal affection for the Polish people and loved to read of this time in their history. Very believable as f...more
I thought this was a very good historical novel. I like books set in Eastern Europe and those aren't the most common in histoircal fiction. I loved Jan, Anna Maria, and Aunt Stella. Their characters were dynamic and I never thought they were too predictable. Zofia was so conniving and, yet, she would do things to make me favor her again and and again throughout the book. I was frustrated by my love/hate opinion of her. Walter was a complex character who had a lot to do with the novel but really...more
Though this book seems intended more for women, I learned a lot about Polish history during the late 18th century. The story itself is exciting and interesting enough for everyone to enjoy.
Overall a good read, it represented a piece of history I've never really studied before,(Poland about the time of the French Revolution, verging on its own revolution), so I found that part educational, and I want to do some research now about the time period. The storyline is also interesting, based as it is on a diary. I would like to know which elements came from the diary, and which were the fiction though. The one thing I didn't like was the repetition of the theme of the love story -- it w...more
Really liked the first 7 chapters of this book, then it turns into one of those books males write to women about women... so I really was not into this too much, I'd really say 2,5 but I know most of my girlfriends would love this book :)!
I liked Martin's writing style, romantic, but not too flowery. Nice pace to this story too, and the 1791-94 Poland and struggles for freedom were awesomely brought out. I did like how emotionally complicated the girl cousins relationship was. But otherwise the...more
I liked Martin's writing style, romantic, but not too flowery. Nice pace to this story too, and the 1791-94 Poland and struggles for freedom were awesomely brought out. I did like how emotionally complicated the girl cousins relationship was. But otherwise the...more
This book disappointed me. I learned very little about the partition of Poland in the eighteenth century that I did not already know, and felt that there could have been more historical detail woven throughout. The author tried, but failed. Good historical fiction should use the fiction and history organically, but there was more of a flavor of a romance novel, than good historical fiction to this book. Despite the fact that this was based on a real live person’s diary, I found the characters no...more
Push Not the River is supposedly based on the journal of a woman living in Poland during the 1700's. The journal was hidden for centuries and has now been turned into a novel.
It reads like any other novel, and I wish I could compare and contrast with the actual journal to see what was real and what was conjecture. If all of the story is true, it is quite a wild ride for all the people involved.
I have read on other reviews that the characters are either good or bad, with not much in-between. I...more
It reads like any other novel, and I wish I could compare and contrast with the actual journal to see what was real and what was conjecture. If all of the story is true, it is quite a wild ride for all the people involved.
I have read on other reviews that the characters are either good or bad, with not much in-between. I...more
Set it Poland, late 1700's and based on the true 18th Century diary of Anna Maria Berezowska, a Polish countess who lives through the rise and fall of the historic Third of May Constitution.
Anna begins as a young naive woman thrust into the care of another family where she is ridiculed, exploited and used for others purpose and financial gain. As time passes, and the pages did turn quickly, she becomes wise to her surroundings. As the reader, you are cheering her on as she learns through trial a...more
Anna begins as a young naive woman thrust into the care of another family where she is ridiculed, exploited and used for others purpose and financial gain. As time passes, and the pages did turn quickly, she becomes wise to her surroundings. As the reader, you are cheering her on as she learns through trial a...more
Overall? I was bored. I did not enjoy Martin's writing, his voice did not feel authentic for a female perspective. I absolutely could not stand Zofia, such a miserable character. Anna was either extremely and foolishly trusting or clueless. It took her nearly the entire book to even understand her cousin's (Zofia's) intentions. Since this is based on an actual journal I fear Anna was foolish and slow. However, I do not know how much creative license Martin used. I definitely hope that the "thoug...more
This was an incredibly moving story. I'm not sure how factual it was, but I am fairly certain the dates and events were correct. I wsn't very familiar with 18th century Poland, and feel I learned a lot as I was entertained. I prefer to get my historical facts that way, so this was the perfect read for me.
Right until the end I had a 4 star rating in mind. I really cared about Anna from page one, and I'll be the first to admit she had it rough, poor thing. From the death of her father, brother and...more
Right until the end I had a 4 star rating in mind. I really cared about Anna from page one, and I'll be the first to admit she had it rough, poor thing. From the death of her father, brother and...more
Sep 12, 2008
Barb
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Jody and people who are afraid of historical fiction
Simultaneously Fascinating, Frightening and Fantastic
James Conroyd Martin has taken the diary of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska and created a dramatic and moving historical novel.
A friend of Martin's, a direct descendant of the Countess's shared her diary with him, he thought her life was fascinating and spent years researching the historical setting for this novelization. He was unable to get his work published and so initially published the book himself.
Many times while reading this story I f...more
James Conroyd Martin has taken the diary of Countess Anna Maria Berezowska and created a dramatic and moving historical novel.
A friend of Martin's, a direct descendant of the Countess's shared her diary with him, he thought her life was fascinating and spent years researching the historical setting for this novelization. He was unable to get his work published and so initially published the book himself.
Many times while reading this story I f...more
i enjoyed push not the river. it's a sprawling saga based on the diary of a real polish countess, Anna Maria Berezowska, beginning as she loses both of her parents to tragedy. she goes to live with her mother's sister, her aunt stella and uncle leo, and her cousins, walter and zofia. there is great political unrest in poland, and anna's troubles mirror the unrest. i found anna to be an interesting character, yet she was almost too perfect, falling in love with the "boy" from next door, and pinin...more
I really liked this. It felt at times a bit over the top in it's bias towards the female protagonist, but the Polish history and culture was great and not something I had read before, so that was worth it. I also liked that Zofia was a complex character, almost with more depth than Anna, the main character. I found the writing description great, especially about the clothing, which I could picture and it was great to imagine it then. I couldn't put it down at the end, which is always a good sign...more
The cover of the book says this is on par with Gone with the Wind, and from what I know of that movie, I'd agree. It has similar romance and action, lust and betrayal, and it's set against a backdrop of war and cities burning, only this takes place in Poland at the same time as the French Revolution. Probably THE most interesting thing about this book is that it is based on REAL people--a diary hidden away for decades by the descendants because of shameful and risque content. There certainly is...more
The source for this historical novel was the preserved diary of its protagonist. The understanding that these events - and the characters' responses to them - actually occurred incited a very visceral response in me as I peered into the era through their eyes. The details of daily life, tools, attitudes, and politics are stunning. The perspective of a woman's life experience in the late 18th century is priceless - transforming and empowering even in our day.
Mr. Martin's later sequel to this boo...more
Mr. Martin's later sequel to this boo...more
This one kept me up late finishing it. It's based on a journal of a girl in 18th century Poland and I found myself constantly wondering which parts were from the journal and which parts were made up. Also, for having done well on the AP European history exam, I have apparently retained frighteningly little so I (re?)learned something about Polish history. It does start off badly (the story, not the author's writing of it) which made me bit nervous.
I loved this historical novel. It reminded me a lot of "Katherine" by Anya Seton. The characters were so well-developed. I loved our heroine Anna who seemed timid and naive but grew so strong despite her trials. And it has been a long time since a character, who shall remain nameless, has made me so upset! While reading this book I actually went to wikipedia and read the history of Poland from 1500-present. I found out there is a sequel which I will be interested to read.
I really loved this book, I read it in a week because I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reminding myself that this actually happened. It was a nice change, because most historical fiction I come across is based in Britain or America, and I really wanted to read something set elsewhere in Europe. I really got a good sense of what Poland was like in the 18th century and learned a lot.
Beautifully written historical fiction. Also very enlightening about the history Of Poland--it was interesting to learn what was going on there during the French revolution and after the American Revolution. I loved the main character; her growth and strenghth throughout the course of the novel was inspiring and gripping. I've heard there's a sequal, which I'll most definitely read!
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A good piece of historical fiction.... | 1 | 12 | Dec 02, 2008 08:26pm |
James Conroyd Martin is the author of Push Not the River, a novel based on the diary of Anna Berezowska, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the Third of May Constitution. After working on the project for some years without raising interest within the publishing community, Martin self-published in 2001. Just one year later, St. Martin’s Press purchased the book and released a...more
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“What is past, one cannot change,
so each backward glance is a bit of the present slipping away.”
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8 people liked it
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so each backward glance is a bit of the present slipping away.”
Sep 25, 2011 07:55pm
haha - pithy remark
:OD
May 08, 2012 01:56am