One Night in Winter

A Novel

De: Simon Sebag Montefiore

Narrado por: Simon Prebble

Inspired by a true story, prize-winning historian and acclaimed novelist Simon Sebag Montefiore explores the consequences of forbidden love in this heartbreaking epic of marriage, childhood, danger, and betrayal that unfolds in Stalin's Moscow during the bleak days after World War II.

As Moscow celebrates the motherland's glorious victory over the Nazis, shots ring out on the crowded streets. On a nearby bridge, a teenage boy and girl—dressed in traditional nineteenth-century costumes—lie dead. But this is no ordinary tragedy, because these are no ordinary teenagers. As the son and daughter of high-ranking Soviet officials, they attend the most elite school in Moscow. Was it an accident, or murder? Is it a conspiracy against Stalin, or one of his own terrifying intrigues?

On Stalin's instructions, a ruthless investigation begins into what becomes known as the Children's Case. Youth across the city are arrested and forced to testify against their friends and their parents. As families are ripped apart, all kinds of secrets come spilling out. Trapped at the center of this witch-hunt are two pairs of illicit lovers, who learn that matters of the heart exact a terrible price. By turns a darkly sophisticated political thriller, a rich historical saga, and a deeply human love story, Montefiore's masterful novel powerfully portrays the terror and drama of Stalin's Russia.

An Interesting Portrayal of Life under Stalin

The story is about what happens to children of privileged parents who attend a prestigious school, School 801, in Moscow. They are brought to school in expensive Western Limousines, The time is 1945 and everyone is eager for the victory parade. The children in school have created a play-acting club devoted to Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin. They dress up in period costumes and reenact Onegin’s shooting of Lensky. When they go to attend the victory parade in their period costumes they reenact the shooting but this time there are real bullets and two children are killed. The shooting occurs right after the famous 1945 Victory Parade in Red Square.

There is a mystery but it is never solved – we never do find out who substituted a real pistol for the fake dueling pistols. The story is bases on a real event, but embellished for this is a work of fiction.

The children are taken to Lubyanka prison to be interrogated. During the interrogate the children, through flashbacks, show us the privileged life they left. All their parents were high party apparatchiks and are scrambling to use their party contacts to free their children. We get flashbacks of the parents’ life during the Great War and their wartime romances. Also there are intermittent sections of Stalin’s life and how he views the problems at the school. For like everything in the USSR at this time, Stalin’s approval is necessary.

The book moves forward to 1950 and eventually to 1970 and we see the children as adults with children of their own, some still attending School 801.

At time the books gets quite tedious. The most interesting parts of the book are the interrogations in Lubyanka. I doubt I would every listen to his book again, as I gradually lost interest in the end of the book. The book has too many descriptive passages in it which can often go on far too long. The book is beautifully written and the writer’s portrayal of Soviet life is excellent. It just did not capture my attention for the whole book and I felt it could have been much shorter than it was.

The reader is excellent and it is Simon Prebble's reading which enables the story to move along and lifts the reader over the boring bits.

Great story great history

This is the second of the three novel trilogy that I have listen to. This was an amazing story about a period of history that I really had given no thought to and yet found it completely absorbing and fascinating from start to finish. Once more this author has delivered a sound historical perspective on a part of history That most Americans never even knew existed. What a joy to get a broader understanding of our world and especially through the lens of Russian literature.

RECOMMEND

This is book 3 in the series.
There are romantic episodes and political.
As far as the political, the Stalin regime was unbelievable inhuman.
This book can lead you to a more intense study of Russia, which is very interesting, in all aspects, from literature,
art and yes cruelty.
So yes, if you listened to book one and two, I do recommend listening to book three.
Mr. Simon Montefiore is an awesome author.
The narrator, mr. Simon Prebble is a pleasure to listen to.
My thanks to all involved, JK

Horrors of Stalinizm

Pretty good, but extremely depressing to listen. Life under Stalin was horrific for many, and the reality described in the book rings very true. Narrator did a terrible job mispronouncing Russian names, and did not bother to to change his voice for the female characters...The writer researched his topic superbly, and the story sounds very believable...Overall, recommend this book.

A Story of Stalinist Russia

A Story of Stalinist Russia

One Night in Winter uses school life as a focusing device to examine life in Russia under Stalin. It is best to have some knowledge of the period before diving into this excellent novel, which shares much with A Separate Peace but with a Stalinist twist and recalling the events of the Decembrist Plot over a century before. It begins innocently enough, but the story's destination is Lubyanka Prison, sweeping up teachers, students and even children. It is an exacting portrait of the horrors of the purges... and the transcendent power of love, over time and imprisonment. A great novel.

Simon Prebble is perfect as a narrator.

I recommend this book without reservations.