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The House of Special Purpose

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 1,119 ratings · 165 reviews

Russia, 1915: At the age of 16, Georgy Jachmenev steps in front of an assassin's bullet intended for the heart of a senior member of the Russian Imperial Family. He is instantly proclaimed a hero. Before the week is out, his life as the son of a peasant farmer is changed forever when he is escorted to St Petersburg to take up his new position - as bodyguard to Alexei Roman...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published May 7th 2009 (first published January 1st 2007)

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May 08, 2013 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013_release_read, mainstream, read_2013, t1_recommended_2013, review_fbc

An unexpectedly compelling read that mixes well trodden ground (last days of the Tsar's rule, Rasputin, the murder of the Tsar and his family) with a well thought narrative structure that presents snippets from the future life of two survivors of the times.

Narrated by Georgy Jachmenev, son of a muzhik from an imperial estate who distinguishes himself by saving the life of an Imperial Duke and gets appointed as bodyguard to the Tsar and his family, in particular to the young, sick and fragile Tsa...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Megan-Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Kristine

Shelves: russia, favorites

This might be the most perfect book I have ever read.

I picked it up at a library book sale because I couldn't walk out without buying something, and I recognized the title referring to Ipatiev House from my long-term obsession with the Romanovs and Imperial Russia. Within the first half dozen pages, I found out the main character is a librarian at the British Library; I thought, wow, this was a better find than I was expecting--I just got my library science degree, and special collections like t...more This might be the most perfect book I have ever read.

I picked it up at a library book sale because I couldn't walk out without buying something, and I recognized the title referring to Ipatiev House from my long-term obsession with the Romanovs and Imperial Russia. Within the first half dozen pages, I found out the main character is a librarian at the British Library; I thought, wow, this was a better find than I was expecting--I just got my library science degree, and special collections like the BL are near and dear to my heart. Other little personal touches kept popping out at me the whole time, and even though I've said before I never know if I like a book until the last page, this one was a consistent 5-stars for me from page one.

Georgy Daniilvech Jachmenev is an 80-year-old retired librarian living in London and trying to come to grips with the fact that his wife is dying. Before that, he was a peasant farmer in a tiny Russian village; accidentally saving the life of a member of the Imperial family, he is whisked away to glamorous St. Petersburg to become the bodyguard to the most important person in Russia: Tsarevich Alexei Romanov.

The book also utilizes one of my favorite storytelling methods, too: mixing up the timeline. It starts near the end, with the narrator as an old man in London; the second chapter goes into his boyhood in Russia at the end of the last century. Every other chapter, then, moves the "present" part back a decade and the "past" part forward a couple of years until they join up.

Honestly, everything about this book was perfect, and it wasn't just the subject matter, because I generally don't even try fiction about the Romanovs. But I don't mind telling you, I cried through the last three chapters, and that was a good, good thing.

My favorite way to read a book is to know as little as possible about it going in, so that's all I'm going to say about the plot--I think that knowing absolutely nothing about the book made it a better experience for me, and so I think your experience will also be better if you don't know any more. If this makes you want to read it, then it's enough. Go enjoy this book!

Review from Hundredaire Socialite (less)

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May 18, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The cover of this book seduced me from the library shelf, and I'm glad it did. I have a few pet reading subjects: anything English or about England, medieval Europe, 20th century India, and late 19th to early 20th century Russia (Anna Karenina and War and Peace are two of my favoirte novels). Something about that uniform and the beautiful roses said Russia to me, and I was right. I wasn't familiar with the term "house of special purpose", so that didn't clue me in. If that phrase means anything...more

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May 02, 2013 Life Between Coffee Spoons rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This may be one of the best constructed books I've had the fortune of reading. As someone who usually shies away from historical fiction due to its burdensome focus on the setting, I must say Boyne was a very pleasant recommendation.

The story opens with 80-year-old Georgy facing the harsh reality that his beloved Zoya is succumbing to cancer. His thoughts then turn to the past, when he was a mere teenager who went from being a poor farmer to bodyguard to the Tsarevich Alexei Romanov. In a struct...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Ionia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The historical aspect of this book was fabulous. The author clearly did a lot of research into the time period the book is set in and the overall subject matter of the story. Unfortunately, it was also this that I felt made this book fail a bit in some areas.

While the history included in this novel was wonderful, it seemed like the author became lost in it, leaving the rest of the tale floundering a bit. I love this author and the previous books have all been amazing, but this one didn't have t...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Laila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well. Well.

I loved it, I did. John Boyne is a fantastic writer, and this story was powerful. The back and forth fragments of the past and present were intriguing, and kept you on the edge until the last moment, whether you be historically learned or not. Obviously, you know what's coming if you did know the history, but that doesn't take out the thrill of it. The thrill, as well as the magic of the romance and grandeur, the tension of the war, the strains on the family.

I also adore how human Boy...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Mariana Santos rated it 3 of 5 stars

It took me a weekend to read this book . It's an easy reading , quite touching and fairly entertaining, will probably keep you hooked . People who like pretty love stories will probably adopt it as a favorite.However , the reason which made me read this was the reason why I didn't like it better.

Well,I'm obsessed with the Romanovs , have always been .When I heard that this book was related to their story I just couldn't pass by it. I wrote a history essay about their finals days when I was grad...more It took me a weekend to read this book . It's an easy reading , quite touching and fairly entertaining, will probably keep you hooked . People who like pretty love stories will probably adopt it as a favorite.However , the reason which made me read this was the reason why I didn't like it better.

Well,I'm obsessed with the Romanovs , have always been .When I heard that this book was related to their story I just couldn't pass by it. I wrote a history essay about their finals days when I was graduating highschool, I had done tons of research and I strangely knew every single detail about their life in the Ipatiev house and I like to think to myself that I knew each one of their characters very well. Unfortunately I can't say the same about Boyne .

* SPOILERS ahead , if you haven't read it be careful*

There were points in which I caught myself thinking if he had actually ever made a background research before writing this . He did get some details right , like the fact that Nicholas loved Anastacia ,the way he speaks to Alexandra, his fears of being murderes due to his granfather's accident, the visit to Stavka, the czarina having helped as a nurse during the war and such ; but others were almost hard for me to swallow, like for instance - spoiler alert! - the fact that Anastasia would have escaped so easily, the lack of vigilance inside the Palace, a boy with no experience at all assuming such an important , high position...! Come on Boyne! You had me rolling my eyes.
Not to mention some other details like the fact that they were , first of all ,executed in the basement and there were no windows . Secondly , during their last days every soldier of the house had their eyes fixed on every move they made - even the short period of time they were allowed outside was calculated ! So yeah , I know it's fiction Boyne , I know that we are not supposed to compare to the real thing , but I thought you went a little overboard with that ending... PS: don't you actually think that they would look for Anastasia when they saw she wasn't there? Did you really think that they would simply "forget " about her ,let her go?

I know I'm being a bully for picking on such details , even my sister was irritated when I spent 10 minutes enumerating the reasons why this story would never be possible. Well , if we pass through this fixation of mine with reality , the book was , how can I put it , enjoyable . The story of the older Georgui seemed to me to be of a better quality than the rest. It's an touching, sad book , and I think the author manages to play with the characters emotions well, and the passages which took place during memorable periods like WWII and the Cold War were also nicely built and with interesting details .

But in the end , Boyne just didn't amuse me. This was the first of his books that I've ever read , and I wouldn't pick another one eagerly. He is not very creative beyond the common place , his characters, excluding the main ones , are unidimensional , plain and poorly developed. His narrative is well structured and cohesive ,objective without being too dry. But his descriptions are dull and sound rather amateurist ( i lost the count of how many times he would say "he/she looked skinnier and his/her hair had lost it's color" to describe someone sad , or how he would describe Rasputin the same way a childrens book describe the evil witch), the superficial way in which he deals with secundary characters annoyed and irritated me - they were as flat as stick figures.

It was a nice passtime , but this book is no masterpiece . I smiled , I felt sorry and sad , I even had a difficulty putting it aside , I admit it! Probably if I din't knew so much about the Romanov I would have like it quite well, but I was rather critical than amused by the fact that it deviated so much from the reality which with we are all so acquainted . (less)

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May 21, 2012 Nicki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: europe, fiction, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the tale of a young Russian, Georgy, who finds himself as bodyguard to the Tsarevich Alexei in the final years of Romanov rule. Georgy often finds himself in the thick of things as Russia moves from a monarchy to a republic.

The novel centres around Georgy's improbable romance with one of the Grand Duchesses and his unshakeable love for his wife, another Russian emigre.

The story moves backwards and forwards between time periods as Georgy tells of his life. We see young Georgy coming to S...more This is the tale of a young Russian, Georgy, who finds himself as bodyguard to the Tsarevich Alexei in the final years of Romanov rule. Georgy often finds himself in the thick of things as Russia moves from a monarchy to a republic.

The novel centres around Georgy's improbable romance with one of the Grand Duchesses and his unshakeable love for his wife, another Russian emigre.

The story moves backwards and forwards between time periods as Georgy tells of his life. We see young Georgy coming to St Petersberg to serve the Imperial Family and how his relationships with various members of the family develop. We see old Georgy watching his beloved wife, Zoya, battle the end stages of cancer. We see Georgy in Paris after the October Revolution and in London from the 1930s onwards.

As a narrator, Georgy isn't always a very sympathetic character. He can be incredibly naive, which often feels like a clumsy exposition tool so the author can explain certain things to the reader. Georgy can be very self-centred, which I found quite off-putting in places. He also has an uncanny knack for being smack dab in the middle of historic events as they happen, which is highly unlikely for a peasant turned soldier. That's fine a few times, but really stretches credibility when it happens time and time again.

The story plods at times, but I stuck with it because the fall of the Romanovs is one of those subjects that has always fascinated me. The history is a bit off in places, but will only jar if you already know a fair bit about what happened to the Romanovs in the House of Special Purpose in Ekaterinburg.

There is a twist to the tale, which I guessed early on, but I won't spoil it for you if you want to read this.

The most interesting bits for me were those set in revolutionary Russia. I could have done without some of the interim years, like Georgy and Zoya's domesticity. I guess the author felt that much of that was needed to put the central secret in context, but I thought it was unnecessary. Overall, I thought the novel needed to be pacier to make it into a real page-turner.
(less)

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Dec 14, 2010 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historic

I've always been fascinated by the Russian Revolution, although I know that it wasn't romantic or beautiful in real life. Still, I love reading books about Russian princesses and balls in sparkling halls. John Boyne did a great job in creating his story about the last Tsar and his family, especially by choosing to use the voice of someone who had - at first - nothing in commom with the royal family. I thought that the love story between Anastasia and the main character was really well elaborated...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Gloria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I came up with this book by chance. I was trading some books I didn't want anymore and when I was losing hope of finding something that I did want in the store, this book kind of appeared. When I saw the plot (Romanovs, come on!) and the fact that Boyne wrote The Boy in the Striped Pajamas which I only saw the movie, but it was pretty moving, it sold itself to me.

Let's go to facts. Those are low in the book, so don't expect high doses of reality. It's a major work of fiction and you shouldn't...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Melanie Cremins rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://dakimel.blogspot.com/2013/04/i...

I enjoyed the atmosphere Boyne presented of life in Russia a century ago - it is a world both strange and familiar. I mean, I had a few tidbits in my brain about the Romanov dynasty, the connections to other European royalty, the mysterious princess Anastasia, that weird Rasputin dude. But it isn't something I've read a lot about, and I liked the way Boyne drew them.

Still, with all the good, there was something just a little distancing me from this book. I...more

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May 21, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romanovs, россия, all-of-the-feelings, far-off-places, favorites, fiction, historical-fiction, male-pov, read-in-2013

“It was a story of guilt. And of blame. Misplaced blame.”

4.5/5 stars

This is going to read less like a review and more like a clumsy, gushing love letter. I loved this book, I truly did, and the story is going to stay with me for a very long time. When I finished reading, after my eyes quit feeling like they might start leaking at any moment, I never wanted to let the book go. Like Rose and Jack in Titanic am I with The House of Special Purpose, except I am totally willing to move over and make s...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Janina rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 29, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mientras acompaña a su esposa Zoya, que agoniza en un hospital de Londres, Georgi Danilovich Yáchmenev rememora la vida que han compartido durante sesenta y cinco años, una vida marcada por un gran secreto que nunca ha salido a la luz. Los recuerdos se agolpan en una sucesión de imágenes imborrables, a partir de aquel lejano día en que Georgi abandonó su mísero pueblo natal para formar parte de la guardia personal de Alexis Romanov, el único hijo varón del zar Nicolás II. Así, la fastuosa vida e...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Elena V. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

As soon as I found out this book was about the Romanovs I knew it had to be mine. I had great expectations with it that were gladly met. I know many people say it's too predictable, well, it wasn't for me. In fact, the last chapters where the big secret is finally revealed were such a pleasant surprise, even though sadly that didn't happen in reality. It's obvious that this book isn't historically accurate since it mixes reality and fiction, but the parts about the Russian Revolution are very we...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Kristine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kristine by: Megan-Marie

Shelves: favorites, historical, novel, realistic-fiction, romance, want-to-own

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Apr 17, 2013 Inés Muñoz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

La historia nos presenta a Georgi, un anciano cuya esposa se encuentra a punto de fallecer. Al enfrentarse a este momento, el protagonista hace un recorrido a lo largo de su vida. Desde su infancia en su pueblo natal hasta su entrada como guardián del joven zarévich, Alexis, en el Palacio de Invierno de la Rusia de los zares.

Me ha gustado mucho cómo está escrito, el autor ha logrado dejarme fascinada con su forma de escribir y transmitir emociones en esta novela. Los capítulos se van alternando...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Caidyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 25, 2012 Elif rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meine Meinung
Bücher enthalten Leben, das ist wahrscheinlich jeder Leseratte bewusst. Doch die meisten Bücher behandeln eine bestimmte Zeit im Leben eines Protagonisten. Hin und wieder gibt es jedoch auch solche, die ein ganzes Leben thematisieren. Nicht bis ins kleinste Detail und vielleicht nicht direkt ab der Geburt bis zum Tod und doch begleitet man diese Person fast ihr komplettes Leben lang.
Person ist ein gutes Stichwort. Denn trotz dass der Roman fiktiv ist, hatte ich die ganze Zeit das G...more Meine Meinung
Bücher enthalten Leben, das ist wahrscheinlich jeder Leseratte bewusst. Doch die meisten Bücher behandeln eine bestimmte Zeit im Leben eines Protagonisten. Hin und wieder gibt es jedoch auch solche, die ein ganzes Leben thematisieren. Nicht bis ins kleinste Detail und vielleicht nicht direkt ab der Geburt bis zum Tod und doch begleitet man diese Person fast ihr komplettes Leben lang.
Person ist ein gutes Stichwort. Denn trotz dass der Roman fiktiv ist, hatte ich die ganze Zeit das Gefühl, dass mir der Erzähler, der Protagonist, gegenüber sitzt und mir diese Geschichte erzählt. Wie ein Märchen. Ein Märchen, aber eines, das sich an Erwachsene richtet, mit Schrecken, Trauer, Schuld, Fehlern, Vorwürfen und Toden, und trotzdem ruhig erzählt, ohne Hast. Manch einer mag das für mangelnde Spannung halten und das Buch ist sicher nichts für jedermann, doch mir hat der Erzählstil sehr zugesagt.
Es fällt mir schwer, meine Meinung in Worte zu fassen, ohne zu viel von der Handlung zu verraten. Es sei so viel gesagt, dass ich John Boyne, obwohl ich erst dieses Buch von ihm gelesen habe, für einen sehr begabten Schriftsteller halte. Der Roman ist sehr passend aufgebaut. Georgi erzählt kapitelweise aus seiner Jugend, der Zeit, in der er im Winterpalais des Zaren gelebt hat, und aus seiner Zeit im Ausland. Seine Jugend ist chronologisch geschildert, wohingegen die Auslandsjahre in einer unbestimmten Reihenfolge geschildert werden. Das bleibt dennoch übersichtlich, weil die Kapitelüberschrift verrät, in welchem Jahr man sich aufhält. Beide Stänge sind sehr spannend und entgegen meiner Erwartung hatte ich nicht den Drang, Seiten zu überspringen, um den anderen Strang wieder aufzunehmen, im Gegenteil, das Interesse wurde in beiden Fällen geweckt. Am Ende treffen sich die Handlungsstränge bei einer Jahreszahl, bevor das Buch zum Schluss kommt.
Dieser Aufbau hat mir sehr zugesagt. Die Kapitel waren anfangs für meinen Geschmack zwar viel zu lang, da ich es nicht gern habe, wenn ich mitten im Kapitel aufhören muss zu lesen, was hierbei unvermeidbar war, jedoch habe ich mich schnell daran gewöhnt, später hat es mich gar nicht mehr gestört.
Nicht nur deshalb halte ich John Boyne für einen zurecht gelobten Schriftsteller. Auch sein Schreibstil hat mich von der ersten Seite an in seinen Bann gezogen. Es ist die perfekte Mischung aus Dialogen, Beschreibungen und Gedankengängen. Jeder einzelne Satz hat gepasst, ich hatte keinen Moment das Gefühl, dass er etwas besser hätte schreiben können.
Nun ist das Buch ja trotzdem nicht dünn. Bei dickeren Büchern habe ich manchmal die Befürchtung, dass der Autor zu viel „schwafelt“. Dass zu viel Nebensächliches behandelt wird, dass die Story auch auf weniger Seiten gut rübergebracht werden könnte. Hier war das nicht der Fall. Zwar geht es nicht nur um Georgi und Soja, es werden noch viele andere Personen behandelt, doch genau das macht dieses Buch aus. Es ist eine Lebensgeschichte, mit allem, was dieses Leben beinhaltete. Alles baut aufeinander auf, alles führt zum Buchende. Und wenn die Charaktere auch noch allesamt mit einer gewissen Tiefe beschrieben werden, dass man sie wie reale Personen vor Augen hat, dann kann ich mich erst recht nicht beschweren. Die Hauptpersonen gehen Entwicklungen durch, sie leiden, lernen und leben. Das ist genau das, was ein gutes Buch ausmacht. Auf die Tatsache, dass die Story meine Lieblingsepoche in der Weltgeschichte behandelt, bin ich noch nicht eingegangen. Russland am Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts, der Übergang zum Sowjetregime und der weitere Verlauf. In diesem Fall wird jedoch alles aus einer anderen, mir bisher noch nicht begegneten Perspektive beschrieben. Nämlich aus der Sicht der Zarentreuen. Über die Aristokraten lernt man ja nie wirklich etwas positives. Und doch leidet man hier mit den Romanows, obwohl man weiß, dass sie nicht fehlerlos waren und obwohl man weiß, dass Georgi in seiner Sicht zum Zaren geblendet ist, weil dieser ihn aus dem Dorf in ein besseres Leben geholt hat. Mir war die ganze Zeit bewusst, dass der Protagonist deshalb stets in hohen Tönen von den Romanows geredet hat (und weil er in Anastasia verliebt war), doch gerade das hat den Roman für mich noch interessanter gemacht, eine mir bis dahin komplett unbekannte Sichtweise.
Als letztes sei gesagt, dass dieses Buch natürlich fiktiv ist. Es beruht zwar auf einem geschichtlichen Ereignis, doch geschichtliche Personen werden angepasst und abgeändert. Doch das ist auch gut so – wenn ich Fakten will, lese ich ein wissenschaftliches Buch. Das sollte man in diesem Fall nicht erwarten, und trotzdem kann man viel erfahren.

Fazit
Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn – dieses Buch hat genau meinen Geschmack getroffen. Sehr empfehlenswert für jene, die sich ebenfalls für die russische Vergangenheit und insbesondere für die Romanows interessieren und auch für solche, die ein in sich abgeschlossenes, sehr schön geschriebenes, fast märchenhaftes, ruhiges und doch schicksalsschweres Buch lesen wollen. Von mir gibt es – wie sollte es anders sein – 5 von 5 Sternen.(less)

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May 11, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, vine, fiction, romanov

Four and a half stars. This was such a beautifully written book and I especially adored the main character, Georgy. His narrative alternates between his youth in Russia and his life in exile. What is especially effective is how his post-Russian life is revealed backward, from 1981, then back through the decades revealing different periods of his life with his wife Zoya. This device allows the traumatic events of their past to be revealed gradually, and I found this kept me engaged throughout.

As...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Dot rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dot-s-booklist-2013

This novel is set in Russia and England and spans the greater part of the 20th century. The main character, Georgy, is born into a peasant family but a chance encounter with a highly placed member of the Imperial Family causes him to be taken to St Petersburg where he is trained in the Light Guard and becomes a companion/bodyguard to the heir to the throne. In 1981, as his wife lies dying in a hospital bed in |London, he reflects on his life and the impact of historical events that have shaped i...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Paulien rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In English: The house of special purpose.
It has been a great book. Interesting and halfway the book I start to figure out who Zoya might be really. So I was curious till end, only just to find out that I was right.
Well written, I could picture it all very easily. And was very intrested about the period of the Tsar Nicolas II. I have read some books about that time. This was a nice extra information, of course partly fiction information.
I have enjoyed it, but I was now and then confuse about th...more

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May 09, 2013 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-century, fiction, historical-fiction, library-loan, russia

Most everyone knows how I feel about John Boyne. If I were inclined to stalk an author in order to read even his grocery list, Boyne would probably be that author.

So it pains me to report how absolutely meh I felt after reading The House of Special Purpose. Frankly, it was the subject matter: he takes us to revolutionary Russia, a veritable feast of possibilities, and gives us the old, stale Anastasia thing again? I had a hard time accepting this. In fact, I kept hoping - right up until the ver...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Alessandra R. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 06, 2013 July rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cuando leí la reseña no despertó demasiado interés en mi, a pesar de que se que las reseñas no siempre son como deberían ser, por Dios! ¿Quien escribe las reseñas en las contraportadas de los libros?, si la reseña fuera buena hace mucho que hubiera leído ese libro! Me encanto! si, claro, tiene historia, para ser exacta, la novela se desarrolla alrededor de un joven que por circunstancias de la vida termina trabajando como guardia personal de Alexis Romanov, la dinastía Rusa, las guerra, el… ¿Cóm...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Babi rated it 5 of 5 stars

O Palácio de Inverno - http://tintapink.blogspot.com.br/

O Palácio de Inverno é contado em primeira pessoa pelo ponto de vista de Geórgui Danielovicht Jachmenev , ele, aos 80 anos de idade e com sua amada esposa, Zoia, hospitalizada, recorda aleatoriamente os acontecimentos que mudaram sua vida, do momento em que salvara o grão-duque Nicolau Nicolaievitch, irmão do czar, até o momento em que conhecera o seu grande amor. Entre passado e presente, John Boyne cria um enredo complexo, completo e com...more O Palácio de Inverno - http://tintapink.blogspot.com.br/

O Palácio de Inverno é contado em primeira pessoa pelo ponto de vista de Geórgui Danielovicht Jachmenev , ele, aos 80 anos de idade e com sua amada esposa, Zoia, hospitalizada, recorda aleatoriamente os acontecimentos que mudaram sua vida, do momento em que salvara o grão-duque Nicolau Nicolaievitch, irmão do czar, até o momento em que conhecera o seu grande amor. Entre passado e presente, John Boyne cria um enredo complexo, completo e com uma força emocional que arrebatará o leitor em suas primeiras páginas.

Nunca havia lido nada de John Boyne, autor de O Menino do Pijama Listrado, e sem sombra de dúvidas essa foi uma das melhores experiências literárias que eu já tive, lerei outros livros do autor muito em breve.

Imagine uma torrente de emoções, todas elas, passando por você, tudo misturado. É o que este livro me causou, muitas emoções e reações misturadas, suspiros, eletricidade, reviravoltas, algumas delas até muito previsíveis.

Geórgui é um homem tão bondoso, tão doce que me fez, em muitas ocasiões, suspirar. Sua lealdade ao Czar me fez amá-lo. Ele poderia, e tinha tudo para, ter se revoltado, mas permaneceu firme com suas crenças intactas. Seu amor inabalável, sua gentileza e bondade para com as pessoas... Mesmo errando, sendo egoísta em algumas situações, ele sempre foi um homem correto, ao meu ver.

"(..) há momentos em que eu invejo a sua juventude, mas tento não pensar muito. Um ancião não deve ter inveja de quem vem para ocupar seu lugar, e recordar o tempo quando eu era jovem, saudável e viril é um ato de masoquismo que é inútil. "

O aspecto mais interessante sobre a obra de Boyne é a mistura ficção + eventos históricos, o autor escreve como se tudo fosse verídico, o que dá margem para várias teorias. Fazendo uma pesquisa básica descobri onde o autor tomou partida para escrever sua história, mas não posso contar. Me encantou a mistura de ficção com realidade, foi maravilhoso conhecer mais sobre os Romanov, o Palácio de Inverno, saber mais sobre a situação econômica do povo na época e a guerra, me deu muito em que pensar.

Se você procura um romance que arrebatará até os corações mais gélidos, se você procura uma trama histórica de tirar o fôlego a cada capítulo, se é um aficionado (ou não) pela história russa, não pode deixar de ler este livro.

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Jul 15, 2010 Banafsheh Serov rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The House of Special Purpose
John Boyle

Georgy Daniilavich is a Russian peasant whose life takes a dramatic turn when he saves the life of Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholavich, the uncle of Tsar Nicholas II. Moved to the Winter Palace in Petrograd, Georgy finds himself at the centre of the Royal life at a time of great turmoil in Russian history.
Going back and forth between the Russian Court and Georgy’s later life in London - where he lives in exile with his wife Zoya – the story follows the events th...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Maryana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

I am a fan of John Boyne's books for younger readers and this was the first adult book of his that I have read. I hate to say this, but it was a disappointment. With such a talented author and such an interesting history to work from, I was expecting more.The romance was less real and more descriptive, sacrificing depth for emotion and passion. The 'revelation' at the end of the book was predictable. Also, and possibly worst of all, there seemed to be no purpose to the journey of the characters....more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 05, 2011 Karen Duff rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, library, russia, real-book, 2011

Georgy is a Russian peasant who saves the life of the Tsar's cousin and as a reward is given a position as bodyguard to the Tsarevich, moving from his village to the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. The story moves between the Russian court and Georgy's life in London, where he and his wife Zoya have settled after first going to Paris when they fled the Russian Revolution.

While this was an enjoyable read there were some implausible moments, such as Georgy becoming the Tsar's confidant and two of...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this beautiful and imaginative work of historical fiction, two stories run parallel: Georgy Jachmenev's formative years among the Russian Imperial Family, and the latter part of his life with his wife Zoya. As the first is told chronologically, the second moves back in time, until the two threads dovetail into an unexpected ending.

There is a gentleness and simplicity to Boyne's style that immediately immerses the reader into the era and the characters. He achieves such a perfect balance betw...more

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About John Boyne

John Boyne (born 30 April 1971 in Dublin) is an Irish novelist.

He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and studied Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where he was awarded the Curtis Brown prize. But it was during his time at Trinity that he began to get published. To pay his way at that stage of his career, he worked at Waterstone's, typing up his drafts by night.

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“It occurs to me that even though Zoya and I are both still alive, my life is already over. She will be taken from me soon and there will be no reason for me to continue without her. We are one person, you see. We are GeorgyandZoya.” — 6 people liked it

“Hay veces en que le envidio su juventud, pero trato de no pensar mucho en eso. Un anciano no debe tener celos de aquellos que vienen a ocupar su puesto, y recordar el tiempo en que era joven, sano y viril es un acto de masoquismo que no sirve de nada.” — 2 people liked it

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