EARLY READINGS

'A furiously readable novel - it's hard to put Sashenka down. Sashenka is a brilliantly-plotted novel which brings home with unique intimacy the joys and hopes of Russian families, the Revolution, the horror of the Thirties - and a new generation's penetration of KGB files.... Montefiore has a scholar's knowledge of Russian history but he lets his knowledge serve the tale and become part of the texture. The glory and tragedy of the character Sashenka remains long after the last page is read.'
Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List

'Intensely moving and gripping, with an unforgettable climax that will touch the hardest heart.'
Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans

'Gripping from start to finish. The perfect mix of sweeping history and pageturning storytelling with wonderful female characters and a seriousness of purpose that stands out.'
Kate Mosse, author of Labyrinth and Sepulchre

"An absolutely rollicking tale which also manages to convey an authentic period atmosphere. Very colourful, very evocative, very readable, and very very real,"
Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat

'Simon Montefiore, already well-known as an accomplished historian, has told a dramatic, gripping tale of a passionate, beautiful woman living in pre-revolutionary Russia, and subsequently in Stalin's Soviet hell. Her story, set against richly textured backgrounds some lavish, some grim make this novel extraordinarily difficult to put down.'
Robert K. Massie, author of Nicholas & Alexandria

'He writes beautifully, vividly and passionately,
'Fay Weldon, author of Life and Loves of a She-Devil

'In Sashenka, Simon Montefiore proves himself a true storyteller. The world of the Russian Revolution and of Stalin's Terror comes vividly to life in this deeply intimate novel, full of Russian atmosphere and color. I felt as if I'd lived through an epic movie...'
Edward Rutherford, author of Sarum & Russka


REVIEWS

'This completely addictive story offers an authoritative insight into Stalin's Russia and, in its huge characters and epic ambition, carries echoes of Tolstoy himself.'
Ross Gilfillan, Daily Mail

'TSARIST-AGE TEARJERKER: Without giving away too much of the intricate, fast-moving and well-made plot... Sashenka's agonizing dilemma, her attempts to save the children she loves, and, two generations on, the discoveries her various descendants make about this buried past, are so powerfully and persuasively set out that by the time I put the book down, long after midnight, I was in tears. It is harder than you might think for a Westerner to write a good novel set in 20th Century Russia... Impressively, Montefiore pulls off a denouement that combines just enough hope and happiness to satisfy Western readers without losing sight of the tragedy he's invoked along the way. The note of quiet doubt on which his story ends should satisfy the gloomiest of Russian pessimists too.'
Vanora Bennett, The Times, London

'Montefiore writes, as one might expect, with fluent authority about the revolutionary backdrop to his heroine's drama. His evocations of her early triumphs are as sweetly powerful as his descriptions of her later humiliations are chilling. Agile plotting, vivid characterisation and the exuberant spectacle of a well-informed author enjoying a flourish of serious frivolity - convoluted plot twists, astonishing coincidences, tear-jerking family separations and all - combine to make Sashenka an addictive page-turner with an elegant, steely edge of verisimilitude.'
Jane Shilling, Sunday Telegraph, London

'To write a good historical novel you have to recreate that world both physically and intellectually and there must a sense that history is driving the plot forwards. Montefiore succeeds on all counts and the energy of his style shows how much he enjoyed writing the book. He revels in the details, he knows his cast intimately, Stalin and Beria have roles. He can describe the mind numbing fear they inspire...The real achievement of the novel is that it describes the profound levels of self deception required if you wanted to stay alive in Stalin's Russia. It is a fine thing to devote your life to a Great Idea but when that Idea starts destroying what it means to be human you try to pretend its not happening. As they make the most heartbreaking decision of their lives, Sashenka at last understands the implications of the compromises.'
Artemis Cooper, Evening Standard, London

'A heartbreaking tale of passion, betrayal and an unthinkable decision,'
InStyle Magazine

'A compelling and affecting saga that resonates long after the reading. Montefiore's depiction of the epoch is superb. The language is precise and evocative without getting in the way of the storyline. The fate of Sashenka and her family is profoundly moving. Although Montefiore is an experienced author, this is his first novel and it is a very good one. Its evocation of 20th Century Russia is so intoxicating it made want to buy a plane ticket and find out more for myself. I can't remember being as moved by the fate of a character in a novel for some time,'
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

'Montefiore captivates us with the free-spirited Sashenka: this epic tale spans almost 100 years of tumultuous Russian history in the mould of Dr Zhivago, its themes of love, lust, treachery, sacrifice and family values dominate the book,'
The Courier-Mail, New Zealand

'Must read! Montefiore polishes all the facets of a good story - secrets, lies, betrayal, love and death - and places them in Russia's grand setting,'
The Sunday Telegraph, New Zealand

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