The Nesting Dolls

A Novel

By: Alina Adams

Narrated by: Nancy Peterson

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Spanning nearly a century, from 1930s Siberia to contemporary Brighton Beach, a pause resisting, epic family saga centering on three generations of women in one Russian Jewish family - each striving to break free of fate and history, each yearning for love and personal fulfillment - and how the consequences of their choices ripple through time.

Odessa, 1931. Marrying the handsome, wealthy Edward Gordon, Daria - born Dvora Kaganovitch - has fulfilled her mother’s dreams. But a woman’s plans are no match for the crushing power of Stalin’s repressive Soviet state. To survive, Daria is forced to rely on the kindness of a man who takes pride in his own coarseness.

Odessa, 1970. Brilliant young Natasha Crystal is determined to study mathematics. But the Soviets do not allow Jewish students - even those as brilliant as Natasha - to attend an institute as prestigious as Odessa University. With her hopes for the future dashed, Natasha must find a new purpose - one that leads her into the path of a dangerous young man.

Brighton Beach, 2019. Zoe Venakovsky, known to her family as Zoya, has worked hard to leave the suffocating streets and small minds of Brighton Beach behind her - only to find that what she’s tried to outrun might just hold her true happiness.

Moving from a Siberian gulag to the underground world of Soviet refuseniks to oceanside Brooklyn, The Nesting Dolls is a heartbreaking yet ultimately redemptive story of circumstance, choice, and consequence - and three dynamic unforgettable women, all who will face hardships that force them to compromise their dreams as they fight to fulfill their destinies.

©2020 Alina Adams (P)2020 HarperAudio

Good story

Of 3 generations of women and how society dictated their life. What a horrendous time in history. Women even today are repressed in so many ways. Narration was very good and really like the stories.

Fabulous!!!!

One of the best books I have ever read. Did not want it to end. Highly recommend it

12+ hours of 5 generations of whiny women

Could have been a great story but the main characters throughout were constantly griping.

Wonderful!

Loved the storyline and a look into history! The writer did such a great job of describing the scenes that I felt I was part of the family.

Interesting story

I liked that the narrator could easily switch between characters seamlessly. Which had to have been hard with the varying Russian accents.

Horrible performance

As a Russian person, I had the hardest time listening to this. It was almost painful. The pronunciation of Russian names and words was horrible. The actor should have done some research or prepared better. (Also, why would Julia, who was born in the US, speak with a heavy “Russian” accent? Makes no sense). The plot itself is okay, though with minor factual mistakes and overdramatized in some ways.

Enjoyed every minute

I listened to the story and was so absorbed that I found it hard to take breaks! Highly recommend the book for love, resilience, hope and wisdom.

Enjoyable

Good story, with believable characters and events. Interesting to hear of life in the Soviet Union in the 1960's & 1970's. Good narration as well.

Difficult

Use of accents by performer difficult to sort out.
I could not enjoy the story!