Lara's Gift

by Annemarie O'Brien

Young Lara is being groomed in the family tradition to take over as Count Voronstov's next kennel steward, breeding borzoi dogs worthy of the Tsar. But then Lara's baby brother is born and she finds herself supplanted as her father decides to make her brother the next kennel steward. Going against her father's wishes and becoming increasingly sure of her special gift of understanding these incredible dogs, Lara risks everything when she reveals the truth about her visions. Now she must save Zar, her favorite borzoi and the one she raised from birth, from a hungry pack of wolves. Only then can she find her own, extraordinary destiny. . . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Animals, Dogs, Fiction, Young Adult

208 pages, Library Binding

First published August 6, 2013

Reviews

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Lara dreams of becoming the next kennel steward, following in her father’s footsteps raising prestigious borzoi dogs on Count Vorontsov’s countryside estate. When her mother has a newborn son, Lara is caught between honoring her family’s traditional values and her own dreams. Suddenly Lara’s father suggests that she should stop spending time with her beloved dogs and learn skills that would be more useful in finding a husband. Lara has a deep connection to the borzoi, especially her beloved Ryczar, and will go to great lengths to protect them - especially against ferocious wolves. Readers will be swept along by the challenges Lara faces as she struggles to convince her father that she should be able to become the next kennel steward, raising borzoi dogs worthy of the Tsar. In her debut novel, Bay Area author O’Brien takes readers into the world of a Russian noble estate in 1914. O’Brien weaves in many historical, cultural and linguistic details to create a fully realized setting, without overpowering the story. An author’s note provides interesting background on O’Brien’s interest in borzoi dogs, Count Vorontsov’s famous kennel, and other historical aspects of this story.

[Ann Jacobus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read an advance copy of this book due out from Knopf in the fall (2013) and know the author so admit some bias, but LARA’S GIFT is simply classic children’s literature. The reader is immersed in the world of Tsarist Russia at the turn of the 20th century, as well as in the tumultuous life of Lara and her family in a rural Russian village. Lara’s father is in charge of the Count’s kennels and cares for the noble Borzois who are bred to hunt wolves. Lara has a gift not only with the dogs but also that she gets encouraging or terrifying glimpses of the future. In a man’s world, she wants nothing more than to be allowed to be the next kennel master doing what she loves, but her father won’t hear of it, especially once Lara gets a new baby brother. A special friendship (might it become more?) with the charming Count’s son who shares Lara’s love for the dogs may help her achieve her goal. This story is both old fashioned and thoroughly modern, with action, romance, and really scary wolves. A fabulous read for ages 10 and up.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1914 tsarist Russia, fourteen-year-old Lara dreams of being in charge of the borzoi dogs that her father raises for nearby Count Vorontsov. But the birth of a baby brother prompts her father to start making wedding plans for Lara and to relieve her of her duties in the kennel. To her father's displeasure, Lara experiences visions relating to the dogs, allowing her to know when a litter is going to be born or when something is threatening the dogs. But her father fears what will happen to someone with her special gift and insists that she hide it. Lara has strong bonds with all the dogs, but especially one with Zar, who she saved as a pup when he was the runt of the litter and destined to be killed. Although he is still smaller than his litter mates, Zar has a strong heart, runs swiftly, and is relentless when pursuing the wolves that plague the countryside. This book is filled with interesting tidbits from Russian history as well serving as a tribute to the love between a girl and her dog. The juxtaposition of beauty and savagery in the scenes that occur in the woods reveals a great deal about nature. My heart ached for Lara throughout many of her experiences.

[Alyssa Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up at random from the library. I like Russia, I like dogs, and I like a strong willed female lead so why not?
I'm aware that this is young adult/written for kids.. But I wasn't very impressed with the writing. I personally don't believe you have to "write down" to kids so they can understand. I think that removes the learning aspect of reading at that age.
It was a cool idea and a decent little story. A bit cliche for my taste but oh well. I would have liked the visions a lot better if Lara had been special and unique in having them though, rather than it ending up being some weird genetic thing supposedly passed down through their family for ages but also banned from use.. That was all kinda weird.
But A for effort.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely awesome read! I love the historical Russian setting and all the details about borzoi! I hope my grandchildren get as much enjoyment from this as I did!

[Tiffany Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely Russian middle grade novel about a young peasant girl, Lara, who helps her father with raising Borzoi hunting dogs. She bonds with the runt of a litter of pups, named Zar, and while she believes Zar could be a great hunting dog, her father feels he is not up to par with the other dogs. Not to mention, with the birth of Lara's baby brother, things shift and she is no longer able to work with the dogs and must attend her mother and baby brother, apprenticing under her mother and there's talk of finding a suitable husband for Lara. However, when Zar ends up being the top hunting dog Lara believed him to be and becomes a noble hero, Lara is allowed to remain working alongside her father and the dogs she loves. I truly enjoyed this novel about family, traditions, growing up, finding one's voice and finding one's place in the world.

[Sydney Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book because it's about a girl and her talent with sled dogs. Lara had a vision about the new female dog. The dog was going to have her babies that night. She told her father and he told her not to believe her visions. During the course of the story, she has visions and it's actually really cool because I know everything that's going to happen before the rest of her family. One of the dogs die and she is devastated. She is a very good trainer and super sweet to the dogs. This is a really good book. She trained great hunting dogs. Her dad didn't have much faith in her. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dogs.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. It's an entertaining middle grade, if not a bit violent for its target audience.

The beginning, while interesting, upset me a bit. Lara's father was very oppressive toward her, but I know this was just being true to the time period.

The father's mentality as a dog breeder is, sadly, the same mentality of many breeders to this day; if the pup isn't born perfect for shows or the hunts, it isn't worth anything. As someone who works in rescue and experienced this firsthand, I think this is good for kids to read so they can see that this is a reality.

I liked learning more about Russia. I find this to be a very interesting setting, and I hope to read more books taking place there in the future. I loved that this was informative but not boring.

I was very surprised at the amount of violence in this story. I thought this would be a light read, but this ended up being rather gory in parts, which I usually like, expect that in this case a lot of the violence was toward animals. I can imagine some younger children who pick this up for the cute dog on the cover being upset by this.

If you're a mature middle grade reader, or someone who wants to learn more about Russia or how dog kennels work, I think you would find this book very interesting. It's rather short, and not boring at all, even with the historical aspect.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lara is the daughter of the kennel steward. She has been trained since birth to take over once her father retires. Her father desperately hopes for a boy to carry on the tradition and doesn't really want Lara to be the steward. Lara loves the dogs they breed, the famed Russian borzoi, and one day wants to have a dog fine enough for the czar. Lara also has a secret. She has visions related to the dogs. Her father wants her to stop having visions and to keep them a secret. But what if her visions may save the dogs or her father?

I liked the historical aspect of this story and the fact that I learned something new. I had never heard of borzoi or of their significance in Russia. I thought O'Brien got a lot of the historical prejudices perfect in the story as well. My only issues were the visions and the quick turn-around of the ending. There was no explanation for the visions and since the story was pretty straight-forward historical fiction other than them I found them a little out of place. The ending just seemed too abrupt a change for the rest of the story.

[Anastasia L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book, it's about a girl named Lara and her family breeds dogs worthy enough for the Tsar. She keeps having visions and her dad tells her to keep it in and not listen to them . Lara starts freaking out when her visions start coming true. Should she tell her family or continue concealing it?


I really enjoyed this book, but I felt it was more for a younger audience and was a quick read. The book had a lot of detail and how Lara felt. I really enjoyed her loyatly for the dogs, and she would do anything for them and and protect them in anyway she can.This book is for people that want something quick to read and also something interesting .

[Bethany Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bethany Walsh 10/29/15

Book name: Lara's Gift
Author: Annemarie O'Brien
Genre: Adventure or A
Main Characters: Lara, Lara's Parents, Alexander
Setting: Russia, Parent's Kennels

One girl's choice to try to overcome old Russian traditions. Lara grew up in a time where girls were supposed to take after their mothers and marry at a young age. Lara enjoyed working in the kennels with her father to breed Borzoi dogs for the nobles to help protect their farms from wolves. She was good at helping in the kennel and raised a runt of the litter which she called Zar who became her friend and one of the best hunting dogs.

If you like dogs then you may enjoy this book.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Lara is being trained to be the next kennel master and take care of the legendary dogs of the Tsar; the borzoi. She has a gift with the dogs, but when a boy is born into the family, he is poised to take her position as kennel-master-in-training. Can Lara find some way to prove that she is worthy to tend to the borzoi?
First of all, this is a great book. It's a quick, entertaining read. I liked it a lot! It's a story of finding where your true talents lie. I love a good gentle story!

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow start to this book, but it picked up after a few chapters. A nice story about a country that I have read very much about or read books that had Russia as a setting. Interesting to find out about a dog breed I was familiar with. Love the book jacket cover, it actually drew me to the book. I was glad to see the morphing of the father in this story as Lara the daughter tries to break through a male dominated field.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

1914 Russia, borzoi puppies, wolf hunts ... a beautiful story and a lovely introduction to Russian history for young readers. Wolves come out being the 'bad guys' once again, but this rings true of the times. Passages by Pushkin are sprinkled through the story and Rasputin references introduce this colorful character. O'Brien includes an Author's Note, a glossary, and a bibliography, all of which are appreciated.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was indeed great, but not one of my favorites. I definitely did enjoy reading it, but it wasn't 'attention grabbing'. The fact that it was taking place in Russia, intrigued me. But the story plot was kinda all over the place. First Lara was training Zar, then the Borzoi is out fighting wolves, then Lara has to save him, then vise versa. Though, this was very enjoying to read.

[Thistle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick synopsis : Set in Russia in the early 1900s, Lara wants to take over her family's profession (breeding Borzoi dogs), but alas she's a girl.

Brief opinion : I'm not sure this book knew what it wanted to be. On one hand, it was a realistic look at the time period and the dog breed. On the other, Lara had psychic visions of the future, which apparently ran in her family. The dogs also tended to act too human.

Plot : Since Lara's father had no sons, he is teaching her everything she needs to know to breed, raise, and train Borzoi dogs. Then when Lara's mother gives birth to a boy, Lara is tossed to the side.

Through the story, wolves are a constant evil threat. (Like the dogs, they had too many human traits for my liking.)

In a rather fast ending, Lara's father does a 180 on all aspects of everything and Lara's dreams come true.

Writing/editing : Other than the frequent use of Russian words, the writing and editing were fine. There was a glossary of words at the end of the story, but that wasn't much use when you're reading on an ereader. (The glossary didn't even appear in the table of contents.)

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : Unfortunately there's a lot I did not like about this story and nothing I did.

- The whole psychic vision subplot completely did not work for me at all.
- Some of the Russian words I could pick up from context, but all in all they were frequent, frustrating speed bumps while reading.
- The dogs (and wolves) were way too human. Like a male dog being proud as the female he mated with gave birth. Dogs strutted in pride, threw out their chests, etc.
- While I understand that during this time period wolves would be a threat, the whole "evil wolf" thing got to be a bit much.
- The entire story just wasn't any fun to me and I didn't believe most of the plot.

Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️ - Disliked.

[Munchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and historically accurate novel for Russia back in the early 20th century. Lara is a Stewart for her Kennel where her father breeds Borzoi which are hunting dogs. Due to being a woman, she struggles to keep her place at the kennel thanks to her brother being born.

I truly felt for Lara since much like her growing up, I too wanted to be a boy and be treated better by others. But by the end, Lara proves to her dad that she's capable, she belongs with the dogs and her special gift is a blessing, not a curse. The only thing I'd like to have seen was the relationship build up more for Alexander and Lara. And that the ending seemed abrupt. Like there was more that was supposed to happen. Still, the ending made you feel happy inside despite a pretty grim chapter and the dreadful feeling of Lara being ignored or overlooked by her father for a good chunk of storytelling. I enjoyed the characters in this tale and appreciated the author for teaching us something new about Russia by providing poems/songs and having words being taught to us in the russian language. I appreciate it when a book also teaches you something new. I'd recommend reading this as it now has a place on my bookshelf permanently.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, middle-grade historical fiction about a young girl who longs for more from her life than an arranged marriage, but whose fate is not in her own hands.

As an only child, Lara has been raised following her father in the borzoi dog kennels her dad runs. But her father longs for a boy child to take on the family tradition of being Count Voronstov's kennel stewards, breeding borzoi dogs worthy of the Tsar. Lara knows that as soon as a baby brother is born, her place in the kennel, where she feels most at home and most appreciated will be gone. When and if her baby brother is born, she will be forced into an arranged marriage and forced to learn more "womanly" skills like her mother's sewing for the countess.

Meanwhile, Lara begins to have "visions" that seem to foretell the future. She knows her visions are real, but her father demands that she suppress them.

Lara's story reveals the prospects of life in 1910s Russia.

A story of hope, longing, determination, family love, tradition, breaking barriers.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA fiction is based on the daughter of a family who bred and trained borzoi dogs in Voronsova, Russia during the Imperial Era before the political upheaval of the early 20th century. At the time, only nobility could own borzoi and given as gifts, never sold. Even though her family is officially in charge of these dogs, they still belong to the Count.

Young Lara loves working with these unique dogs, but her brother is next in line in the family business. She sees potential in a young pup who later plays an important part in the story, and she wrestles with growing up and tradition which would mean giving up what she loves.

I tried to figure out why it was YA since it seems like a middle reader level. I think it's because of the climactic wolf hunt at the end that has some gore. Lara also has "visions" which are part of the Russian Orthodox theme in the book. I enjoyed the story and the fascinating history of borzoi dogs.

[Manca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find fantasy books with elements of Russian folk tales, myths and legends perfect to read in wintertime. They are beautiful, innocent, magical, but also raw or even cruel, just like this season. And therefore maybe more appropriate for adults than children. I loved Lara's story and the depiction of borzoi as gentle giants that they truly are. I admit the ending made me a little sad since Lara had to give up Zar, but I understand why it was written this way and it does fit the story. Reading Author's note, I was delighted to find Mrs O'Brien owns borzoi too. Her dogs (yes, I found photos online) look just like I imagined Zar and his siblings.
In the end, I was a little sorry to read the e-book. The hardback has a beautiful cover and I would love to have it on my bookshelf. Well, I still might.

[Christy Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lyrical opening of LARA’S GIFT pulled me right into world of 1910s Imperial Russia where young Lara yearns to fulfill her dream of following in the family tradition to become the next kennel steward. She shows herself to be an empathetic character as she rescues Zar, the runt of the new borzoi litter from being culled after a vision reveals that this dog is destined for greatness. Lara battles obstacles. If a brother is born, will she will have to sacrifice her dream? How can she trust her own gifts when her father forbids her to speak of her visions? How can she prove Zar’s worth to the world? The strong bonds between humans and dogs as well as the complex relationships between family members give depth to this gripping story. I could not put it down!

[Cathren Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. O'Brien captured a unique place and time in a way that others have not. It was particularly fascinating to see a view of imperial Russia that wasn't about large scale politics as much as it was about a personal and individual story. The rich description carries us to a place that we may never get to a visit--a time which we will surely not.

It was deeply emotional, and Lara shows us how women and girls can find their power even in a time and place when women are unempowered. That offers important hope to all of us today as women and girls around the world continue to struggle for equality.

[Helen Pyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fascinating story of a young girl fighting to follow her passion and talents at a time when it’s taken for granted that young men, not women, are the only ones who can do the job of breeding Borzoi fit for a Tsar. O’Brien does a spectacular job of immersing readers in Lara’s exotic world and of depicting life in Imperial Russia. Beautifully written, with gorgeous sensory descriptions and insights into a period of history I had previously known very little about, Lara’s Gift gives us a young heroine we can cheer for!

[Kai has a dream · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lara's Gift is a beautiful story about the breeding of Borzois in Russia during the 1900s. I really enjoyed the author's style and the frequent Russian words used in the dialogue. (There is a guide to all of the Russian words and their meanings in the back of the book.) As a girl who loves to learn about dog breed history, I was delighted by the story of a young girl who chose dogs and their breeding as her way of life, even though it was unusual during that time period. If you enjoy historical fiction, dogs, russian culture, and especially borzois, you'll love Lara's Gift.

[Nanette Heffernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love gripping historical fiction and Lara’s Gift didn’t disappoint. Set in imperial Russia, the story follows young Lara on her journey to take over the family kennel and breed the prestigious borzoi dogs. Sadly her dreams are shattered when a baby boy joins the family and is destined to run the kennel when he is old enough. This is a beautifully written empowering story full of adventure for girls of all cultures and ages. Lara will show them the power of following your dreams and never giving up.

[Tara Ethridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel is set in the Russia of long ago and is about a peasant family who runs the Count’s borzoi dog kennel. Lara, the daughter, is gifted with dogs and also gifted with visions of the future; however, bc she is a girl, she won’t be permitted to have that job for much longer. We have a large Russian population at our school and they (and others!) are going to love this book: history, Russian words, Pushkin’s poetry scattered throughout and a great story of strong will and determination.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world that Lara lives in is the females sow and the males take care of dogs. But Lara never has wanted to sow so she decides to convince her dad that she could be a good dog trainer by taking care of one herself named Zar. They go on very adventurous journeys, some will make you cry and some will enlighten you. This book is for people who love animals and loves to break the rules. The book gets straight into the action and tells you the antagonist almost immediately.

[Shanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful historical novel about Russia. Even though it's targeted for middle school-aged girls, I loved it and felt as though I learned a lot. The storyline is compelling and kept me reading practically straight through. The author obviously put an enormous amount of research into this book and it comes through in the detailed and well-written novel. Plus, it seems like a good time to learn about Russia beyond the news and all of the geo-political hype. I highly recommend it!

[Samantha Toale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lara's gift is a shorter book, good for people who don't like long books, or for younger readers. It's a great book, taking place in Russia, early 20th century I believe, and follows a young girl as she raises a runt of a litter dog, that soon earns it's place at the palace with the Tsar.

[Adeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl that loves working with dogs but her father wants her to Ning of a husband. I love this book because she has such a close connection with the dogs and that makes her want to fight to stay with them and not think about giving it up.