"Tender, passionate, and moving, Daphne Kalotay's debut novel about ballet, jewels, love and betrayal is also a delicious form of time travel. I lo...
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Jun 16, 2011
Jessica
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I enjoyed this story, the way the author was able to weave at least two of the main characters' stories together so artfully--Drew is more tangential to my mind, though I was gunning for her (and her intended) from early on. Her story, though, isn't as compelling by far as Grigori's and Nina's. However, a good story, and I learned a vast amount about Soviet Russia, jewels, and the ballet. I watched Black Swan during the reading of this novel, and the two worked strangely well together.
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Mar 08, 2011
Susan
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Our faculty had an interesting discussion about Russian Winter last week. All enjoyed it very much, some were disappointed in the end (no spoiler) just thought it ended too abruptly. Characters were well drawn and there was an interesting mix of types, all unique and human. One gets a real sense of the lack of privacy and constant prying of Soviet eyes on its citizens in the era of the late 40's and early 50's. Nina, Paulina and Vera also take us into the grueling and competitive world of the
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Feb 21, 2012
Dizzyc
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Oh, wow! This is a stunning debut from Daphne Kalotay and is going to the top of my Best Reads for 2012!
The novel moves back and forth between modern day Boston and post World War 2 Russia.
The story centres around 3 main characters...
Nina - a principal dance with post war Bolshoi Ballet. As graceful in her mind in her frail 80's as she was on stage all those years ago, she decides to auction her collection of precious jewellery to benefit others. As the atte More...
The novel moves back and forth between modern day Boston and post World War 2 Russia.
The story centres around 3 main characters...
Nina - a principal dance with post war Bolshoi Ballet. As graceful in her mind in her frail 80's as she was on stage all those years ago, she decides to auction her collection of precious jewellery to benefit others. As the atte More...
Feb 17, 2012
Marleen
rated it:
The blurb on the back:
“When Nina Revskaya, once a great star of the Bolshoi Ballet, decides to auction her jewellery collection she believes she has finally drawn a curtain on her past. Instead she is overwhelmed by memories of her life a half-century before.
It was in Russia that she fell in love – and where, spurred by Stalinist aggression, a terrible discovery led to a deadly act of betrayal.
Now living in Boston, Nina has kept her secrets for half a lifetime. But two people will More...
“When Nina Revskaya, once a great star of the Bolshoi Ballet, decides to auction her jewellery collection she believes she has finally drawn a curtain on her past. Instead she is overwhelmed by memories of her life a half-century before.
It was in Russia that she fell in love – and where, spurred by Stalinist aggression, a terrible discovery led to a deadly act of betrayal.
Now living in Boston, Nina has kept her secrets for half a lifetime. But two people will More...
Jan 12, 2012
Pingwing
rated it:
This was a really great book. As I’ve mentioned before, I love historical fiction, so this book really appealed to me. I also love when a story successfully weaves multiple narratives/perspectives, as this one does.
Nina Revskaya is now an old woman living in Boston, confined to her wheelchair, depending on assistance from Cynthia, her nurse, for daily tasks. She was once a prima ballerina in the Bolshoi ballet during Stalinist Russia though, and the story blends Nina’s current life More...
Nina Revskaya is now an old woman living in Boston, confined to her wheelchair, depending on assistance from Cynthia, her nurse, for daily tasks. She was once a prima ballerina in the Bolshoi ballet during Stalinist Russia though, and the story blends Nina’s current life More...
Jan 07, 2012
Beth
rated it:
Fun read! I loved learning about Soviet Russia during the Stalinist early 1950s period. I used to study ballet, and I especially enjoyed reading about Revskaya's training and performances with the Bolshoi. It was also fascinating to learn about life under Communism--the scarcity of housing and food and clothing, the necessity for communal living, and especially the constant fear of being reported. The book opens with the arrest of the parents of Revskaya's childhood best friend and the threat of
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Dec 31, 2011
Kim
rated it:
3 1/2 stars.
I took this description off Amazon: 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 ingeniou More...
I took this description off Amazon: 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 ingeniou More...
Oct 13, 2011
Dana
rated it:
Nina Revskaya is a former ballerina with the Bolshoi ballet. She is now living in Boston in a wheelchair and has decided to auction her precious jewelry. She believes this might ease her mind about the memories of her past life.
Nina auditioned and was accepted into the Bolshoi ballet school. She dedicated her life to her dance. All around her Stalin made his mark and people disappeared into the night. Neighbours informed on each other. People were packed into small apartments and life More...
Nina auditioned and was accepted into the Bolshoi ballet school. She dedicated her life to her dance. All around her Stalin made his mark and people disappeared into the night. Neighbours informed on each other. People were packed into small apartments and life More...
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Aug 30, 2011
Catherine
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My friend Ann gave me this book and told me it was a good read--I had no particular expectations, didn't know anything about it, hadn't read any reviews--so a pretty pure response! I liked it very much--especially as the story got going and the characters and time periods sorted themselves out. The mystery at the heart of the novel (where did Grigori get the amber necklace, how were Nina's and Grigori's amber related, who are Grigori's birth parents?) pulled me in and kept me interested, and t
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Apr 07, 2011
switterbug (Betsey)
rated it:
Daphne Kalotay imbues the crowd-pleasing qualities of commercial fiction with a soft and sensuous literary touch in this novel of exile and family, love and betrayal. From the Stalinist aggression of Russia to the peaceful, snowy streets of Boston, the reader is taken on a page-turning journey of professional ballet, fancy jewels, and ethereal poetry. This is an historical romance written by a scholar to appeal to readers seeking a satisfying escape.
As the novel opens in contemporary B More...
As the novel opens in contemporary B More...
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Dec 14, 2010
Stephanie
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I love novels that unfold the way Russian Winter by Daphne Kolatay did - shrouded in a mystery that's slowly, tantalizingly revealed through multiple narratives and flashbacks.
The story starts out simply enough: Nina, a former Bolshoi ballerina is putting up her jewels for auction. As Nina inventories her jewels, she also reluctantly inventories her life - setting in motion a painful remembrance of her past in communist Russia and who she left when she defected: her husband, the han More...
The story starts out simply enough: Nina, a former Bolshoi ballerina is putting up her jewels for auction. As Nina inventories her jewels, she also reluctantly inventories her life - setting in motion a painful remembrance of her past in communist Russia and who she left when she defected: her husband, the han More...
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Dec 07, 2010
Alins
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Oct 08, 2010
Kindaangelic
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I just happened to see this book on the Goodreads website..off to the side where they put fan faves/new authors. I am so glad that my library had it and I was able to read such an interesting piece of history/fiction. I am not a ballet fan and knew nothing about it,but I found this book to be really interesting and had an insight to the that world as well as the old Russia that I had read about. Nina is such a curmudgeon at 1st, it was hard to even like her. I thought I had figured out the plot
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Sep 12, 2010
Russian Winter is an engrossing fiction novel from Daphne Kalotay that combines personal history with notorious events in human history. Flashbacks from Stalin-era Russia combine with the modern life of a Russian defector, Nina Revskaya, once famous as a Bolshoi ballerina. As she enters her final years, she decides to have a Sotheby's-style auction house sell her gems...purportedly to donate the funds to the Arts. However, it soon becomes clear that she has more personal reasons to divest of
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Sep 11, 2010
Felice
rated it: 
The cover got me. I had to stop and look. It's pretty isn't it? Even though there is nothing at all original about the art. The cover beckons but alas it does not fulfill. It's unfinished. It's the start of a beautiful cover and yet it's oddly blank. The flat clarity of the figure verses the worn depth of the background surface don't mesh. They fight each other instead of complimenting each other. Sadly that turned out to be a prophecy for the novel.
Russian Winter is a cradle More...
Russian Winter is a cradle More...
Sep 10, 2010
Corinne
rated it:
The elderly Nina Revskaya has jewels to auction, a life's worth of beauty and baubles that came as the result of her role as a prima ballerina in Russia and all over Europe. Drew's job is to make these jewels as attractive to the public as possible and this means knowing the history, Nina's history - which she staunchly refuses to hand over. Drew isn't the only one interested in Nina's Russian life, however. Grigori, a professor of Russian languages, has his own reasons to believe that the story
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Sep 09, 2010
Susan
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Daphne Kalotay's debut novel is a stunning and moving portrayal of love, loss, betrayals, and the enduring human spirit. It celebrates life and art and the bond between them. Nina Revskaya is a former Bolshoi ballerina, living out her last days in Boston. As the story progresses, it is clear that much of the time, however, her mind and her heart are back in Stalin's Russia.
Nina's decision to sell her amazing collection of jewelry, amassed through the decades, to benefit the Boston Ball More...
Nina's decision to sell her amazing collection of jewelry, amassed through the decades, to benefit the Boston Ball More...
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Sep 05, 2010
Karen
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Jul 18, 2011
Jo Anne
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A beautifully written novel about a post World War II Soviet Russian ballerina's desire to sell her jewels she received as a gift from her late husband.
I felt captured from the very beginning of this novel. It is told from the perspective of three characters unknowingly all connected to each other and Soviet Russia, despite living in modern day Boston. I liked all three characters. They are all haunted by their pasts and because of that they have a problem trusting in true love. Each More...
I felt captured from the very beginning of this novel. It is told from the perspective of three characters unknowingly all connected to each other and Soviet Russia, despite living in modern day Boston. I liked all three characters. They are all haunted by their pasts and because of that they have a problem trusting in true love. Each More...
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Sep 12, 2010
Holly
rated it:
Why is the pendant worn backwards...and which woman wears it?
The cover of Russian Winter beguiled me, but did not answer the many questions that hammered at my brain as Nina’s story unfolded. I paid diligent attention to the carefully spun-out clues in the novel and was spellbound until the end. Sometimes we savor a book—read a bit, then put it away until tomorrow so that it may be pondered. Not so with Russian Winter. I was swept away and contentedly disconnected from the rest of m More...
The cover of Russian Winter beguiled me, but did not answer the many questions that hammered at my brain as Nina’s story unfolded. I paid diligent attention to the carefully spun-out clues in the novel and was spellbound until the end. Sometimes we savor a book—read a bit, then put it away until tomorrow so that it may be pondered. Not so with Russian Winter. I was swept away and contentedly disconnected from the rest of m More...
Jan 21, 2012
Renae
rated it:
There are a great many books out there that follow the same basic premise as Russian Winter. Two connected story-lines, one in the present day, one in the past. I’ve read only a few of these sort of books, but this one blows all others out of the water.
What I Liked: First off, the balance between modern-day America and Soviet Russia was perfect. Both sides of the story were wonderfully developed, the connections growing stronger as more of Nina's story was revealed. I loved the delica More...
What I Liked: First off, the balance between modern-day America and Soviet Russia was perfect. Both sides of the story were wonderfully developed, the connections growing stronger as more of Nina's story was revealed. I loved the delica More...
Nov 25, 2011
Angela
rated it:
I really liked this story. It has sort of the same feel as THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN by Kate Morton as you follow three characters trying to uncover pieces of the past and holding to their own secrets. I loved the Russian history (which is the major part of the story). It was fascinating to see behind the scenes at the Bolshoi ballet and life in the newly created USSR. Like you would expect from a story in this time, there is plenty of agonizing, heart-wrenching events. But also lots of sweetnes
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May 05, 2011
Staci
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My Thoughts: I was pulled into this story from the very first chapter. The whole premise of the book intrigued me from the beginning and I have to say that the author delivered a stellar read. I especially enjoyed how the author weaved Nina's past into her present. It came together cohesively and really added that extra special layer to this story. The jewels had me mesmerized and I often found my mind wandering as to what they looked like and feeling a sort of attachment to them. Strange, huh?
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Nov 25, 2010
Jackie
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The jewels that Nina Revskaya decides to sell at auction set in motion a series of paths to clues about her country, her husband, her best friend, and herself. A prima ballerina for the Bolshoi Ballet, Nina, now eightyish, feels she must part with her extensive collection of gems to fund a faltering ballet program. The young woman chosen to conduct her auction, Drew Brooks, delves more deeply into the story of the jewels and of Nina's life, than Nina thought necessary. But in doing so, Nina's me
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Sep 16, 2010
Giovanni
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I have to say I was surprised by this one. I normally don’t read this type of novel, but I am glad I didn’t judge a novel by its cover. The woman on the cover either has her head or a necklace on backwards, it confused me a bit. Russian Winter is the debut novel of Daphne Kalotay. She attended Brown U’s creative writing program, where her stories won the school’s Florence Engel Randall Fiction Prize and a Transatlantic Review Award from the Henfield Foundation. I have not heard of either o More...
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Dec 09, 2011
Katie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 12, 2011
Candice
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What an amazing story! A beautifully-written tale that takes the reader from the post-World War II Soviet Union to modern-day Boston. The lives of the Soviet ballerinas are rendered with such detail. There’s also a feeling of what it was like to live in the USSR at that time and to worry about friends who are sent to prison or to exile.
The main character, Nina Revskaya, was a prima ballerina with the Bolshoi in the 1950s. She has a close group of friends, mostly people of the art More...
The main character, Nina Revskaya, was a prima ballerina with the Bolshoi in the 1950s. She has a close group of friends, mostly people of the art More...
Mar 25, 2011
Becomingme
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I really liked this book, though I will admit at the beginning, it was a bit dull as it took awhile for the story to wind up. I was also a bit disappointed that the climax of the plot happened so close the end of the book that there not a lot of resolution...I wanted to hear more about what happened to Gregori, Drew, and Nina. If Ms. Kalotay extended the ending just a bit, it would have made it so much better(and perhaps 5 stars). However, the story was intriguing, the characters rich and com
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Mar 11, 2011
Amy
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Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay is a captivating read that is part historical novel and part mystery novel. Nina Revskaya, once a prima ballerina in the Bolshoi Ballet is now confined to a wheelchair in her Boston home, has agreed to sell her sizable and valuable jewelry collection at auction. Drew Brooks, a young associate at the auction house that will be selling Ms. Revkaya’s collection, is faced with researching the history of the jewels and forced to attempt to unravel the truth about an
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Feb 25, 2011
Stacy
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I really really liked it and couldn't put it down. Reading the journal entries made me think about my own known and unknown eastern european ancestors. I especially enjoyed reading the words from Drew's grandfather, written to his own infant daughter. His lack of formal schooling was apparent, but you could feel the love he had in his words, and you could feel the love he had FOR words. Having read such similar uneducated words from a letter of my own great-great grandfather written in Hungar
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