The Mirrored World" by Debra Dean is a very short historical novel about St. Xenia. I thought I would be enchanted by the Russian world in the 1700's. The cover is gorgeous. I really love historical fiction. I loved the part at the beginning about material possessions weighing down the soul. And also the idea of very old memories of childhood seeming like a dream. That I loved so much.

Then, as the book went on, I lost that previous enchantment. I had read of Catherine the Great before and the book refers to her as the German princess but it only touches on her shortly. I would have loved to have seen the tying together of the poverty of the beggars and the opulence of royalty.

Xenia found great beauty and fascination in nature when she was a child and later she referred to herself as a fool. I couldn't get inside of her feelings or thoughts. There was not enough depth to Xenia or Nadia, the friend that she grew up with.

The subject of a mad woman who gains saint hood could have been so much more satisfying than it was. I had read of Catherine the Great before and the book refers to her as the German princess but it only touches on her briefly. I would have loved to have seen the contrasts between the poverty of the beggars and the opulence of royalty. I wanted more information about the Russian customs.

Xenia found great beauty and fascination in nature when she was a child and later she referred to herself as a fool. I got angry at her for not understanding herself as a child. I couldn't get inside of her feelings or thoughts. There was not enough depth to Xenia or Nadia, the friend that she grew up with.

The subject of a mad woman who gains sainthood could have been so much more satisfying than it was.

I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program but that had no influence upon my review.