A Review of VERONIKA from Javacat

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A Review of VERONIKA from Javacat

I want to share this review of VERONIKA from Javacat with everyone on the blog. Sandy

javacat says:

January 31, 2012 at 9:10 pm (Edit)

VERONIKA: The Siberian's Tale: A Hero's Journey in a Modern World

In his first work of fiction, Sandy Krolick weaves a powerful tale of ancient knowledge and modern challenge in the story of a young man navigating the seductive and treacherous world of modern Russia.

Writing from his adopted Siberia, Krolick (The Recovery of Ecstasy: Notebooks from Siberia) creates a compelling figure in Sergei, the tale's protagonist. The story unfolds as Sergei moves from his small village in the Altai Mountains to navigate the larger and more complicated worlds of Moscow and beyond. We follow the young man as he discovers his power and reclaims his past, learns of love lost and regained, and rediscovers what matters most. Krolick allows us to see through Sergei's eyes, and we keep reading.

The characters capture the taste, culture, and clash of forces at work in modern Russia and in the world at large. As the drive for development and modernization rises, the author deftly adds counterpoint in voices that connect to the land, the mountains, the ancient ways. Krolick creates scenes that are tense, sensual, idyllic, magical. He offers up reconciliation in ways that are unexpected and touching. The novel ends with a powerful acceptance of return and rediscovery, and a clear path for change.

VERONIKA: The Siberian's Tale is a rich and compelling story, well told.