A wonderful book for people who love books and books about books! ( )

An assistant professor of Russian literature wrestles with juggling career and home life while stumbling onto a major find. She is plagued by the literary fiction problem of spending too much time thinking about herself (something another character calls her on). The novel raises interesting questions about marriage, motherhood, balance, etc. So yeah, it’s a little boring, but worth picking up if you like academic novels. ( )

I felt that this book didn't quite live up to the cover blurb. It's about a woman who studies and teaches Russian literature, and her passion to discover more about the life of the wife of a famous Russian novelist. As she finds herself on the trail of some very interesting revelations about the novelist and his wife, she also finds it difficult to juggle her career and research with her family life. The book was interesting to read, but somewhat anticlimactic in the end. Not bad, but not wonderful either. ( )

With a loving eye and attention to detail, Rachel Pastan observes the life of a woman working in academia while at the same time struggling to raise a child and maintain a marriage. Intertwined is a literary mystery that may at moments be contrived, but never distracts from the well-written words. Using numerous similes and metaphors in the text, the author beautifully portrays life in a college town - which is juxtaposed by the rural descriptions of nineteenth century Russia. The passages detailing the nature and landscapes of Russia are nearly as enjoyable as being able to smell the tobacco of a university professor, or see the gray lakes and skies of Wisconsin. Rachel Pastan has a gifted eye for seeing the unusual in the everyday objects we see and experience on a daily basis. The snake motif is a bit heavy handed, but the characters - particularly the novel's female protagonist - are relatable and convincing, and it is the relationships between these fascinating characters that is the true crux of the book. ( )