Official Review: The Cruel Romance by Marina Osipova
Posted: 06 May 2018, 15:57
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Cruel Romance" by Marina Osipova.]
4 out of 4 stars
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The Cruel Romance by Marina Osipova is a historical fiction novel set in Soviet Russia during World War Two. The story centers around Serafima, a young Russian girl who is in love with a young Soviet officer named Victor. During the course of the novel, Serafima endures many hardships, such as the Germans occupying her village and having to work in the factory while the Soviet men continue to fight against Nazi fascists. Osipova did a wonderful job with telling Serafima's story, backing it with accurate historical information about the war and the daily lives of ordinary people.
One of the things I most loved about this novel was the fact that Osipova began with a foreword to explain the mechanics and importance of Russian names. When I read Russian names, I often become confused because there are many different names for the same person, and it is difficult for me to keep track of which character is called by which names. Osipova's explanation of how names and nicknames work in Russian made it so much easier for me to understand which character was being addressed, and I was actually able to enjoy the novel because of the clarification on names.
Another thing I enjoyed was the way Osipova developed her characters. Because the novel takes place over a span of years, it is only natural that the characters should change instead of being static. Yet, I feel that Osipova's development of her characters was distinct from other historical fiction novels. While reading, I felt that I could identify with Serafima as the main character, reading as she grew and transitioned over the course of the novel. Even Serafima's mother, Glafira, underwent character development during the novel, which I was surprised at. I honestly wasn't expecting her to change, and yet she did. It was a pleasant surprise for me as the reader.
As wonderful as the novel was, I did have one area of concern while reading. Osipova likes to switch between character perspectives, which is fine. However, the book is only broken up into two parts: during the war and after the war. Other than those two parts, there are no chapter titles, which made it jarring to switch between character perspectives. For me, it would have eased the transition between perspectives if Osipova had indicated with a title or heading when the perspective is changing, instead of switching perspectives with no warning.
Despite the area of concern I previously mentioned, I thought the book was wonderful. The ending was a surprise since I wasn't expecting it to happen that particular way, and I was brought to tears at how Osipova wrapped up Serafima's story. Therefore, I have to give The Cruel Romance a 4 out of 4 stars. From beginning to end, I was mesmerized by Serafima and her struggles during the war, and I loathed to put the book down!
A word of caution, though, for readers who are disturbed by certain content. This book contains some adult themes, including graphic violence, implied rape, thoughts of suicide, and attempted or successful suicide. If these themes disturb you, then this is not a good book for you. However, if you are a fan of historical fiction, and you are looking for a novel that is well-researched and centers around World War Two and the aftermath, then you will enjoy this book.
******
The Cruel Romance
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Cruel Romance by Marina Osipova is a historical fiction novel set in Soviet Russia during World War Two. The story centers around Serafima, a young Russian girl who is in love with a young Soviet officer named Victor. During the course of the novel, Serafima endures many hardships, such as the Germans occupying her village and having to work in the factory while the Soviet men continue to fight against Nazi fascists. Osipova did a wonderful job with telling Serafima's story, backing it with accurate historical information about the war and the daily lives of ordinary people.
One of the things I most loved about this novel was the fact that Osipova began with a foreword to explain the mechanics and importance of Russian names. When I read Russian names, I often become confused because there are many different names for the same person, and it is difficult for me to keep track of which character is called by which names. Osipova's explanation of how names and nicknames work in Russian made it so much easier for me to understand which character was being addressed, and I was actually able to enjoy the novel because of the clarification on names.
Another thing I enjoyed was the way Osipova developed her characters. Because the novel takes place over a span of years, it is only natural that the characters should change instead of being static. Yet, I feel that Osipova's development of her characters was distinct from other historical fiction novels. While reading, I felt that I could identify with Serafima as the main character, reading as she grew and transitioned over the course of the novel. Even Serafima's mother, Glafira, underwent character development during the novel, which I was surprised at. I honestly wasn't expecting her to change, and yet she did. It was a pleasant surprise for me as the reader.
As wonderful as the novel was, I did have one area of concern while reading. Osipova likes to switch between character perspectives, which is fine. However, the book is only broken up into two parts: during the war and after the war. Other than those two parts, there are no chapter titles, which made it jarring to switch between character perspectives. For me, it would have eased the transition between perspectives if Osipova had indicated with a title or heading when the perspective is changing, instead of switching perspectives with no warning.
Despite the area of concern I previously mentioned, I thought the book was wonderful. The ending was a surprise since I wasn't expecting it to happen that particular way, and I was brought to tears at how Osipova wrapped up Serafima's story. Therefore, I have to give The Cruel Romance a 4 out of 4 stars. From beginning to end, I was mesmerized by Serafima and her struggles during the war, and I loathed to put the book down!
A word of caution, though, for readers who are disturbed by certain content. This book contains some adult themes, including graphic violence, implied rape, thoughts of suicide, and attempted or successful suicide. If these themes disturb you, then this is not a good book for you. However, if you are a fan of historical fiction, and you are looking for a novel that is well-researched and centers around World War Two and the aftermath, then you will enjoy this book.
******
The Cruel Romance
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Helpme71's review? Post a comment saying so!