The Winter Queen : A Novel

from yeremenko

This is very good melodrama. A mix of the old parlor mystery and a spy thriller. It gives an interesting view into the society or Russia in colonial times, or at least the author's view of that Russia. It is refreshing to read some Russian literature that is not dark, overly deep and fun.

from wealhtheowwylfing

In 19th century Russia, young Fandorin yearns to do exciting police work. When he finds clues that imply that a recent strange suicide was actually murder, he excitedly throws himself into the investigation. Along the way he comes to the attention of Bezhetskaya, a woman as coldly efficient as sh...

from TadAD

Global conspiracy novels are a dime-a-dozen these days. However, Boris Akunin has managed to put together one that is different enough to be quite enjoyable to read. Set in 19th century Russia, The Winter Queen chronicles the first adventure of Moscow policeman Erast Fandorin as he moves from try...

from datrappert

This one has its ups and downs. From an entertainment perspective, the hero, Fandorin, and his boss throughout most of the book, Brilling, are very interesting, as are some of the minor characters we come across. However, the novel suffers from its deliberately old-fashioned story telling, which ...

from richardderus

The Book Report: Young, orphaned Erast Fandorin has landed a comparatively cushy job for one whose comfortable future in czarist Russia was snatched away by the machinations of capitalists, beggaring and causing the suicide of his father: Erast is a fourteenth-class state functionary, serving a p...