Russka: The Novel of Russia

Russka is an historical novel which allows a reader to understand a good part of the history of Russia without the drudgery of reading a text. Several families are interwoven throughout this story as you follow along the dozens of generations at critical points in the history of this nation.

Sometimes the characters were difficult to follow or remember several chapters later, but Mr. Rutherford tries to alleviate this by maintaining certain familial characteristics.

‘'The steppe was quiet that night. So was the forest. Softly the wind moved over the land.''

Russia...Few countries are able to create such vivid images once you hear their names. Those of us who had the good fortune to visit that beautiful country will be able to understand the heart of this book even better. A land of antitheses, a land of classical and primitive beauty, a land created by blood, tears and religion, a land where every form of Art flourished, giving birth to Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gorgi, Nureyev, and the list is endless. I won't deal with political issues, I couldn't care less about politics in any country and any era. All I am able to say is that bringing the course of Russia through the centuries into life is a daunting task. And I can think of noone better to bring it to fruition than Edward Rutherfurd.

Rutherfurd uses a small community named Russka and follows his familiar and fascinating technique. We follow the descendants of two families through time, starting from 180 AD all the way to the 90s, from the Roman times to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The characters are men and women that have their weaknesses and strengths, their hopes and fears, feelings that are mainly dependant on who has the absolute power over the troubled country at any given era. With the risk of sounding like an old, broken record to those who follow my reviews and have read my commentaries on Rutherfurd's books, I must say (for the millionth time) that he creates people that live right in front of our eyes. He inserts historical details which provide the necessary context for the interactions and the storylines, but he doesn't give a History lecture and, the most important, he doesn't choose sides.

He paints with words. His descriptions of battles, political machinations and daily life are equally exciting. He touches upon religious, political and philosophical matters in a simple, clear, confident manner. Each story-chapter is a small literary treasure, a necessary piece to the beautiful Russian tapestry he has created, but there are some that simple stand out.

‘'All nature seemed at peace in the vast Russian silence.''

‘'Forest and Steppe'' : The birth of Russia through the eyes of a young woman of mixed parentage. A tale set in 180 AD.
‘'The River'' : A story of rivalry between brothers and the caress of good fortune set in the 11th century.
‘'The Tatar'' : A dark story set in the 13th century, during the terrible Tatar invasions. An unusual text by Rutherfurd who shows he isn't afraid to deal with bold- nay, shocking- storylines. A word of caution, though. It is not a chapter for readers who are sensitive in issues like incest and problematic sexual relationships.
‘'Ivan'' : We move on to the time Ivan Grozny- more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible- and the era in which Moscow becomes the heart and jewel of Russia. In this story, Rutherfurd has created a very interesting and tragic relationship between Boris and Elena, a young married couple who do everything they can to destroy one another.

‘'You're free, Cossack- free as a bird over the steppe. But I'm alone with nothing.''

‘'The Cossack'' : Perhaps, the best moment in the book. A wonderful journey in the life of the Cossacks, during a tumultuous era in Russian history and the influence of Poland in the religious and political issues of the country.
‘'Catherine'' : We travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, this glorious, mesmerizing city, and the Golden Age of Russia. The era when everything flourished under the reign of Catherine the Great.

‘'The wolf is near, but on a cold, dark night, the Tsar is very far away indeed.''

We enter the years of doubt, the time when the oppression is doubly-felt among the lower classes and the cries for freedom and change start rising above the level of whispers.The French Revolution has planted a mighty seed all over Europe and the people begin to question everything they used to take for granted. However, revolutions are always double-edged swords and Rutherfurd writes about the darkest times in Russian History with sensitivity and objectivity.

‘'Fathers and Sons'' : Turgenev and Bakunin's influence is very prominent on this chapter, leading us towards the final acts before the world explodes.

The following chapters describe the bloody days of the Revolution, the Russian fight and contribution in stopping Hitler's forces from advancing further,with the eventual defeat of the Nazi oppression, and the times of uncertainty following the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Trying to trace the complex history of Russia while being completely objective, professional and respectful, is toiling work. Even writing a simple, unimportant review about this great country is tricky,because there are always the ones looking for a fight, trying to lure you into cheap political commentary. I have read many, many books that combine History and Fiction to narrate the tale of the beautiful country. None could come close to Edward Rutherfurd's creation...

‘'Russia: where the plain is endless.''‘'Russia: where the east and west meet.''