Book Review:The Last Station by Jay Parini
This book was sent to me by cannongate books (the publisher). Not a bad narrative.
Synopsis:
Set in the last tumultuous years of Leo Tolstoy's life, The Last Station centers on the battle for his soul waged by his wife, Sofya Andreyevna, and his leading disciple, Vladimir Cherkov. Torn between his professed codtrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth, his thirteen children, and a life of hedonism, Tolstoy makes a dramatic flight from his home. Too ill to continue beyond the tiny rail station at Astapovo, he believes that he is dying alone, whle over one hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condidtion. A brilliant recreation of the mind and tortured soul of one of the world's greatest novelists, The Last Station is a richly inventive novel that dances bewitchingly between fact and fiction.
Review:
I expected this to be a very dry read, instead it was rich with relationships and connections. It was fascinating to see the different viewpoints of the players and see them partaking in a merry dance. Not knowing anything about Tolstoy or his life I was compelled to do a little research whilst reading just to see how close to the facts it came. It would seem that this is a very plausible story.
I will now look to pass this on elsewhere.