Reviews for The house by the Dvina

The average rating for The house by the Dvina based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-09-28 00:00:00 Michelle Robinson The house by the Dvina is a beautifully written memoir about two families separated in culture but bond together by a Russian-Scottish marriage and if I could Recommend one book to read in December then this would be it. Eugenie Fraser was brought up in Russia and this story recounts her early childhood in Russia. The story begins with the meeting of her parents in Scotland where her mother Nelly meets her father Gherman Scholts a young German Businessman on the street and they young couple fall in love, marry and return to Archangel, a port city near the Arctic Circle where they will begin their marriage together. I enjoyed this memoir very much, the writing is so imaginative and the scenes painted of Russian Winters are breathtaking. One of the descriptions from the train Journey in the opening chapters which drew me right in was ; " The everlasting telegraph poles, the stations appearing for a fleeting moment, the neat square stacks of logs piled high on a siding, and always, always the frost. The endless rows of birches, their curly heads silvered by the frost, snow-laden pines standing close together deep in their winter sleep...............… I was amazed by the story of the journey Eugenie’s grandmother makes to St. Petersburg’s as a young married woman to rescue her husband who is about to be sent to Siberia. This harrowing journey is so well portrayed in the book the you experience every mile of that journey and by the end you wriggle your toes just to check that there is no frost bite. There is so much in this book , it is filled with stories of Russian life, wonderful Christmas scenes, religious celebrations and much much more. If you love Russian stories from the early 20th century and want a good book to draw you in and a book where the characters come to life then this is the book for you. A wonderful re-read to set the scent for the month ahead.

Review # 2 was written on 2009-06-10 00:00:00 John Past Page 225: I really do love the book. Is it b/c I appreciate what Oscar has destroyed? I do not think so! I promise - this is my last quote: "We spent several days in the convent..... In the refectory sttod long tables with stools placed around them. In the centre of the room, standing at a praying desk, a nun read passages from the Bible throughout the meal. The first course, I remember, was a rich fish soup known as "ukha", with pieces of the fuqh and potatoes floating in it. I might well have enjoyed it if it wasn't that each bowl had to be shared with three and more people. I didn't mind so much sharing the soup with my immediate neighbor, a fresh young nun, but facing me sat an old and not particularly clean-looking pilgrim, who dribbled and loudly smacked her lips...." That is it. I will not quote any more. I don't want to get in trouble with plagarism! I have NOT added any new pictures of the little rascal Oscar onto my profile photos. Page 222: You know I really love this book. Well dear little Oscar, my 3 mth old puppy pulled it off the desk and had lots of fun ripping it while I brushed my teetn! Actually I can continue to page 328 of 335. He destroyed the beginning and end of the book. I found the word EPILOGUE. Nothing else is readable of the last 7 pages. Hej, I tell myself I still can read from page 222 to 328 and IT IS ONLY A BOOK! So first I thought I will buy another one, but heck I have it in my head! Maybe somebody can fill me in on the last 7 pages..... Page 166: A quote that reveals the character of just one in this large, bizarrely wonderful family: "There was an enormous tiger-like cat whose amber eyes were intently fixed on the numerous squirrels that Uncle Sanya kept. These animals, with their bushy tails, leapt about the furniture, cracked hazelnuts laid out on the table, made little clicking noises and amused themselves by running up and down the walls, tearing off strips of paper." I am on page 154: I totally love this book. The writing is magnificent. It draws a picture of Russian landscape - the snow sparkles, the bells jingle, the horses' breath are warm on my skin. I would never want to see this as a movie; the pictures the author has drawn for me would be destroyed. The Russian character is vibrantly, poignantly and lovingly depicted. The people with all their charms and faults become real. I keep thinking I should quote some lines - but which do I pick? The ones that interestingly describe a troika, or the sleigh ride down the frozen river and around the island, all bundled up in furs or the kind woman who "no matter where she went or whom she met radiated warmth and affection". No matter what I quote you will not understand unless you read the book! And I think OMG this book, which nobody talks about, was just out there and I just happened to find it. What else am I missing! What luck that I found it. If you have any interest in Russia, read this book. And it NEVER drags. Just found this in a second hand book store; I was looking for Zemindar by Fitzgerald, which I didn't find! Anyhow this looks actually just as good! I rarely find what I come to look for.